Excerpts from, The Voyage, in George the Immigrant’s own words; Expressions of true love and faith

Excerpts from, The Voyage, in George (Cannon) the Immigrant's own words

Expressions of true love and faith.

“Liverpool, September 3, 1842 - Gave notice to my employer that I was leaving his employ that day. He had previous to this offered to give me five shilling a week more wages...Finding that I was determined by the help of God to go, he acknowledged that my testimony and his own observation had led him to conclusions which made him tremble , and he begged of me to write to him when I got to Nauvoo the truth.

Now the petty trials commence in every shape. All our friends know that we will bitterly repent leaving England and a constant employ. We can get nothing for our furniture - our friends who are so anxious about us will buy none of it, not even the clock or drawers which belonged to the family. My wife’s brother did not come to see us off. Well, this shows how deeply they have our happiness in view!

...On Sunday, the 18th (Sept. 1842), we all left Liverpool in good spirits, and nothing  caused me so much regret as leaving so many of the Saints behind, anxious to go but without the means to do so.

We are now launched on the bosom of the mighty deep, and sea-sickness has made the passengers for the most part very ill. My dear Ann is dreadfully affected with this nauseous sickness, perhaps more so on account of her pregnancy. In how many ways and shapes are we tried! Not a morsel of food or drink will remain on her stomach - the moment she lifts her head she is sick almost to death. Yet I have never heard one complaint from her on her own account, but regret at not being able to assist me in the care of the children. Her stomach seems to have changed its functions, and this is the tenth day without anything passing through her.

And how am I all this time! Well in body, but if depending on my own strength I should be in despair. But thanks be to our Heavenly Father, He has removed a fear from my mind which has preyed on it for years. Many years since I dreamed a dream which time or circumstance has never been able entirely to remove. I was impressed with a conviction that my wife should die while in a state of pregnancy. This was before I thought of marrying. Many would think this proceeded from imbecility of mind or superstition; but my dreams (those I mean which made a deep impression on my memory) have been fulfilled so plainly that I never could doubt but that God sent them for some good purpose. I have never seen my wife pregnant without this fear of her death, and always felt thankful to God in a twofold sense when this critical time was past. She was aware of this feeling of mine, and it was a trial of our faith to cross the sea while she was in this state...

While racking my mind and considering and devising what more I could do for my Ann - I had given her consecrated oil, caster oil, pills, salt water, etc., had the hands of the Elders laid on her, still she continued in the same state and I feared that inflammation would take place...Leonora and David have had no sickness and are less trouble than I expected; but George, Mary Alice, Anny and Angus have all been very sick, particularly George and Anny.

This is Tuesday, the 4th of October - a delightful day; the wind is fair and the vessel going about five knots. I am sitting in the stern of the vessel. On each side of the deck are laid some spars, on which and on the vessel’s side - not too high up - are seated men, women and children, the younger children scrambling about the deck, while my poor old woman is lying on the hatch under the boat still very ill and unable to hold her head up for any length of time. This is the only drawback to my pleasure, all the rest are well.

Saturday, 8th of October - Up to this time nothing of consequence occurred on board. My poor Ann still continues very sick and is getting weaker every day….

During the whole of this time my dear Ann continues very ill and is still getting weaker...We had performed the first half of our voyage in less than three weeks, but from that time it has been a series of calms with a light breeze, sometimes in our face. My heart used to die or sink within me along with the breeze. ‘Are we far from New Orleans that I may get some grapes and wine?” was my dear Ann’s constant inquiry, when I came down off the deck, as she is too weak to be taken on deck herself. I endeavored to speak words of comfort to her, while I had no prospect of her ever seeing the land of Joseph in this life. Dear Ann, the next wine thou shalt get will be pure in the Kingdom of Heaven! She talked of her death as of a sleep, told me not to lament her, that if she lived to reach the Mississippi she must be buried on land, if not, the great deep must receive her poor body that is shrunk to a mere skeleton.

I will not attempt to describe the night in particular which I have passed while watching by the side of one of the best wives that ever man was blest with - to see the grim tyrant approaching slowly but steadily to his victim; yet with all her sufferings no complaint ever escaped her, but the words, ‘Dear George, what am I to do?’ These words are never to be forgotten by me while I have memory. O God, how mysterious are Thy ways! Teach me resignation to Thy will!

This morning, Friday 28th of October, she fell asleep without a sigh, and in the performance of what she considered the commands of God, at half past four o’clock, and was buried in that element which needed no consecration, it never being cursed, in Lat. 24.37 N., Long. 69.50 W., at five o’clock in the afternoon of the same day.

How soon our plans and prospects are changed! Although in expectation of bearing many things which are not of a pleasant nature - privation or poverty we agreed to share with the Saints, but we are tried in a more tender part, and were it now for our helpless children’s sake I should like to repose under the peaceful blue waters with her who shared my every joy and sorrow. Heavenly Father keep me from repining! But seeing other people enjoying the society of those they love, my heart sickens and I long to be at rest with my dear wife.”