"On the 19th of July, Elder Hale left us to go to his friends in New Rowley, Massachusetts. The same evening I held a meeting in the Methodist meetinghouse in the town of Farmington. I had a large congregation of citizens with whom I {74} had been acquainted from my youth. My parents, wife, and sister attended the meeting. The congregation seemed satisfied with the doctrines I taught, and requested me to hold another meeting; but I felt anxious to continue my journey, and on the 20th of July I parted from father, stepmother, and sister, and, with my wife, took stage for Hartford. "On my arrival there, not having money to pay fare for both of us, I paid my wife's fare to Rowley, Massachusetts, where there was a branch of the Church presided over by Brother Nathaniel Holmes, father of Jonathan and Milton Holmes. I journeyed on foot. The first day I walked fifty-two miles, the second day forty-eight, and the third day thirty-six miles, arriving at Rowley at 2 o'clock, having made the one hundred and thirty-six miles in a little over two and a half days. On the second day, when within a mile or two of my stopping place, I felt so weary and worn-out that every step was made with painful effort. Just then a gentleman came dashing along in his carriage. As he came up I prayed to the Lord that he would invite me to ride. Instead of doing this, he went by with great speed until about ten rods ahead, when his horse, without being spoken to, or reined up, and for some cause unknown to the driver, came to a sudden stop. It appeared as if a barrier, unseen by others, stood in his way. Instantly the gentleman turned and asked me to ride. The invitation I accepted gladly, and we sped on our way. "I spent eight days at New Rowley, holding meeting and visiting with the Saints, including the Holmes family, and left there on the 1st of August. On the 8th of August, in company with my wife and Elder Hale, I visited my wife's father, Ezra Carter, and his family in Scarboro, Maine, it being the first time I had ever seen any of her relatives. "We were received very kindly. My wife had been absent from her father's home about one year. I remained eight days with Father Carter, and household, and one day I went out to sea with Fabian and Ezra Carter, my brothers-in-law, in a boat to fish with hooks. We caught two hundred and fifty cod, haddock, and hake, and we saw four whales, two at a time. It was the first time I had ever seen the kind of animal which is said to have swallowed Jonah. {75} "On the 18th of August, 1837, I parted with my wife and her father's household, leaving her with them, and, in company with Jonathan H. Hale, started upon the mission that I had in view when I left Kirtland. We walked ten miles to Portland, and took passage on the steamboat, Bangor, which carried us to Owl's Head where we went on board a sloop which landed us on North Fox Island at 2 o'clock a. m. on August 20th.