A Compilation of General Voyage Notes
"TWENTY-SECOND COMPANY. -- Metoka, 280 souls. 'The splendid ship Metoka, Captain M'Laren, sailed from Liverpool, September 5th, 1843, under very favorable circumstances. The Saints on board gave expression to their feelings in various hymns, which they sang as the vessel was towed into the river. The ship, which is admirably adapted for passengers, together with the respectable appearance of the emigrants, appeared very much to surprise the bystanders, who were compelled to acknowledge that they had not often witnessed the departure of such a people.'
The Metoka made the trip to New Orleans in seven weeks. The Captain M'Laren, together with the other officers of the ship, were kind and attentive to the emigrants during the passage. Three deaths occurred on board, namely one sister and two children. From New Orleans the usual route was taken up the Mississippi River, and a majority of the emigrants landed in Nauvoo November 11th, 1843."
"September. [1843] Tues. 5. -- The ship Metoka sailed from Liverpool with 280 Saints, bound for Nauvoo."
Journal of John McEwan
. . . Sept. 1. At 4 o'clock a.m. we landed in Liverpool where we remained till the morning of the 5th instant when our ship viz: Metoka left the docks being tugged by a steam vessel some fifteen or twenty miles out into the forth.
The third day we were out at sea and lost sight of land in which situation we remained for the space of forty days.
There was three deaths on board of ship which occurred at sea, the first a sailor, one of the crew, the second, a child about three months old, the third was a brother Taylor's wife [Jane Taylor].
On the morning of the 27th day of October about nine o'clock a.m. we landed at the [p.7] city of New Orleans after a pleasant voyage of seven weeks and two days.
The remainder of the day I spent in visiting the city and some of the principal buildings.
Oct 28 In the afternoon about ˝ past 5 o'clock p.m. we left New Orleans on the steamboat “Goddess of Liberty,” for the city of St. Louis.
On our way up the Mississippi River, Brother [John] Taylor's child [Sophia Taylor] died and was buried on one of the islands. You may imagine the feelings of the Husband, after burying the only surviving child he had, after losing the companion of his youth at sea. [p.8]
On Sunday morning the 5th day of November we arrived at the city of St. Louis and the first thing that caught my attention was five fine buildings on fire.
Nov. 7. In the evening we left the city of St. Louis for the City of Nauvoo.
8. About 7 o'clock a.m. the morning being very cloudy and hazy and before any person on board was aware of any danger, the steamboat “Dove” struck the boat, carrying off one of the paddle boxes, the head cook, stove, &c, into the river.
About one hour and a half afterwards the steamboat [p.9] returned with the cook who was scalded considerable with boiling water.
Nov. 10 In the evening we arrived at Montrose, a small town, on the opposite side of the river from Nauvoo.
11. In the morning we crossed the river and landed at the city of Nauvoo. . . . [p.10]
BIB: McEwan, John. Journal (Ms 8306, reel 28, item 8), pp. 7-10. (HDA)
Letter from the Metoka
This splendid ship sailed about nine o'clock yesterday morning, the 5th of September, under very favorable circumstances. The Saints on board gave expression to their feelings in various hymns, which they sang as the vessel was towed into the river. The ship, which is admirably adapted for passengers, together with the respectable appearance of the emigrants, appeared very much to surprise the bystanders, who were compelled to acknowledge that they had not often witnessed the departure of such a people. [p.80]
BIB: “The Metoka” [Letter], Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star 4:5 (September, 1843), p. 80. (HDL)
Letter from W. Rowley - January 25, 1844
Dear Brother,--Herewith I forward you a few articles I brought with me from England, which I beg your acceptance of as a very small remembrance and token of the high esteem and respect I fell towards you, on the remembrance, that through your instrumentality I was led to embrace the fullness of the gospel. The period I had so fondly anticipated, of once more beholding and conversing with you, has at length been realized, and I cannot forego to mention the pleasure and gratification it has given me, of meeting with you in that place of which "the Lord hath spoken good concerning it." You have, I am well aware, been made acquainted, through the medium of a friend, that we bad adieu to our native land on the 15th of September last. Our company consisted of about 180 persons, chiefly Saints. We had a fine commodious vessel called the Metoka, commanded by M'Larren, who with his officers and men, behaved with every attention and kindness during the passage, which we made in seven weeks to New Orleans, and finally arrived at Nauvoo on the 11th of November. We had only three deaths on board, one sister, and two children. I must not forbear to state that the provisions supplied by Messrs. Ward and Clarke, on our voyage, were excellent in quality and quantity. You can, my dear brother, in some measure, anticipate the feelings that throbbed within our bosoms on reaching our resting place, the city of Nauvoo. You may suppose we were most pleasingly surprised, after having had our ears continually assailed with the doleful accounts of "the wretchedness of the place," its "log and mud" built "cabins," its "knee deep" muddy streets, the "poverty and starvation" that awaited us, the "villainy and roguery" of its inhabitants, the "awful delusion of Mormonism," 'beware of old Joe Smith," and a thousand other such salutations; you may judge then, how much we were gratified at be holding the striking contrast, while gazing with rapturous delight, first upon the "temple," which already assumes a lofty bearing form the commanding eminence on which it is being erected; then the Nauvoo House; the Mansion House, (the residence of him of whom the world is not worthy); the masonic, music, and public halls; some completed, and others are being so, besides numerous well-built and substantial brick stores, and private dwellings. The whole site and aspect of the city, presenting a most cheering picture of the enterprise and industry of its inhabitants, exhibiting a remarkable difference to many of the western towns which we passed in coming up the Mississippi, of far longer standing and origin.
I shall not at the present dwell upon my feelings in thus being permitted to reach this land - a land above all lands, a choice land - where the Lord hath commanded his people to gather unto, in order that they may be instructed of him through the mouth of his seer and prophet. When I think of this unspeakable privilege and blessing, of listening, like those of old, to the voice of the Lord's servants, receiving divine revelation and communication from him the source of all truth; when I know that he has thus spoken to, and honored his servant Joseph, delivering him, time and time again from the hands of his enemies, and will still continue to do so; and through him fulfilling those promises relating to the latter-day glory, and also the covenant to gather his ancient people should be accomplished; [p.193] besides many other glorious truths to be realized in these the last days, as well as making known other things, in which I truly rejoice, and which induces me to exclaim with the apostles of old - I count not my life dear, so that I may win Christ and be found in him, and the sufferings of this life are not to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed hereafter. On recalling the pleasurable emotions that have passed within the secret recesses of my heart, when holding sweet converse with those I loved and whom I have now left in my native land, and whose faces I may never again see in the flesh: or if I gather around me in "fancy's mystic circle," those my nearest and dearest relatives, and ponder upon a father and mother's fondest embrace; a brother and sister's tenderest affection; excited and called forth on taking a long and last farewell. If I thus look back upon the loss of rich and influential friends and connections, with other claims of a lucrative and secular nature; yet all these have been hushed and subdued in the contemplation of thus becoming a citizen in one of Zion's stakes, and my desire and prayer to God is, that she may still prosper and go on in glorious majesty an triumph, until the top stones of her palaces and dwellings be raised with one universal song of joy and gladness, to him that reigneth for ever and ever.
I remain, dear brother, yours, very sincerely, in the new and everlasting covenant,
Nauvoo January 25, 1844
W. Rowley. [p.194]
BIB: Rowley, W. [Letter] Latter-Day Saints' Millennial Star 4:12 (April, 1844), p. 193-194. (HDL)