cams_fhrussel_b012_f004_004_01

San Francisco Monday Aug 5th 1849

Dear Friend

I hasten to inform of our arrival here yesterday afternoon
after a long and tedious journy [journey] of two hundred & ten days and to our
surprise to find some two to three hundred vessel here from different parts of the
country and in fact vessel sailing under every flag on the Globe. My first enquiry
after getting ashore was for the post offec [office] and what time the Steamer was
to leave for the States. It pained me to find the Steamer had left two days
ago. I then started for the Post Office and on my arrival there found it
to be closed it being Sundey [Sunday]. I was then obliged to waight [wait] impatiently until
next day as I expected letters from home and you. I returned next
morning and found a letter from of May 6 your kind letter of May 6 & also from Nash Abram John George & Sister Isabel.

I was no little surprised to find that you had not moved in the Spring.
I was also surprised to find that the Girls were greaving [grieving] my absence as I did not
think that I stood so high in the estimation but I am in hopes that I will
soon be able to return and enjoy there [their] company more than I ever have and
I can assure you that I never will enjoy myself and in fact never
could untile [until] I return to Good Old Lancaster and all them Girl's. God bless them
all and I am in hopes they will stile [still] remember me in their prayers.

It is true we are far from each other but feeling for those I left behind
has grown stronger & will continue so untile [until] such time as I can arrange
matters to return to Lancaster for I am almost satisfied that there is no
place like home. We have had pretty hard times aboard our vessel since
we left home but I expect to see worse before I return. You have no
doubt you have seen accounts published of our voyage there are [illegible] nearly correct

What a loss it must be to the family the death of Mr Hewett. I canot [cannot]
but simpathise [sympathize] with them and in hopes that he who rules all things will provide
for them. Nash tells me that they are living in one of Mission houses in
Lancaster.