G. S. L. City July 18th 1854.
Elders Amasa Lyman
& Chas. C. Rich.
Dear Brethren,
The last mail brought me a letter from Bro Rich, containing a brief account of the disaster on board the Steamer "Sea Bird," and his fortunate deliverance, for which I feel to rejoice with you.
I had previously learned the movements of the Sandwich Island mission, with regard to Shipping the native brethren to San Bernardino. This course meets my appropriation approbation, inasmuch as the elders on the Islands report their inability to find a suitable place for gathering them there.
Still you are aware, that the Island brethren are not prepared to settle with you, neither is it politic for them to settle at any point I know of in your immediate vicinity; hence I wish you to have a consultation <with some of the brethren in our southern settlements> & learn if you cannot find a good, suitable location for them in the Muddy, or the Rio Virgin & its tributaries. The soil is said to be excellent in that region, and the climate would be more like that of the Islands, than it is further north.
They would thus be removed from the contamination of the white settlements of California, have all the facilities & benefit of a climate as near like their own as we can now furnish them, with every reasonable facility for applying all the skill & industry, they are at present possessed of, & above all, they will be in the midst of a mild spirited, industrious portion of the remnants of Jacob, their blood brethren, who are welcoming our missionaries with warm hearts & open arms.
Our missionaries now in the Southern portion of Utah, & the presidents of the Southern Settlements will be better able than I am to furnish you information as to the best points for suitable locations within the region I have indicated, & it will probably be best for you to appoint a delegation, at the earliest practicable date, to visit our southern settlements Missionaries, & settlements on the subject of a location for the Island brethren, & let them conclude upon the site, or sites. I have not written to Bro Parley on this subject, as I have not yet learned his address
I shall be pleased to be informed from time to time of your doings & feelings in this matter.
I have received no late payments news touching your success in business matters, but trust that you meet with good success in making your payments
Our masons are making good progress in laying the massive foundation for our temple, & the adobies part of the wall around the temple block will soon be finished.
The weather is very warm, & the crops look unusually well; a hail storm not long ago damaged some fields in spots, & yesterday clouds of grasshoppers from the mountains lit upon the fields & gardens near North Cottonwood creek, & seriously injured the growing vegetation; how extensive & lengthy their ravages may be I do not know but this I do know, it is all right. We had quite a celebration on the 4th inst the particulars of which you will see in the "News," We are making preparations to celebrate the 24 in an appropriate manner. Goods are arriving quite freely, & from reports they will be very plenty in our market this season; & if our inhabitants act wisely, the presumption is, that ere long, they will be able to purchase at very reasonable rates. I will refer you to the papers for the balance of the news of the day. I would like to see one, or both of you here this fall, if convenient & consistent with your duties there, and remain your brother in the Gospel.
Brigham Young
