<​March 19​> <​received a letter from​> wrote me on this date, giving a synopsis of his mission to , since August 1839, in which I find he has published since April 41. (when the remainder of the returned home.) 1500 copies of “Hymn books”, 2500 copies “Voice of Warning”, 3000 copies of a large tracts, intitled “Heaven on Earth”, 3000 copies of “s Mission to ”, 10,000 copies of <​copies of​> “a letter to the Queen”, <​& some other works, & continued the Star monthly:​> he left 20 Octr. 42, & after a voyage of ten weeks arrived in ; & being ice bound <​on the ​>, & leaving a dislike to the <​outlaws who govern​> , he wintered at Chester, Ill: on the news of his arrival, he was warmly pressed to preach; which he did several times, & two <​men​> in Chester that place.

Sir James South J. W. Hersh <​James South, &​> <​Sir​> J<​ohn​> Herschel, <​M. Arago, & other astronomers in Europe,​> have published notices of the sword seen in the heavens, on the eve of the 10th., & several successive evenings; they represent it, as the stray tail of a comet, as <​no​> nucleus could be discovered with the most powerful instruments.

at Paris, M. Arago, communicated to the Academy of Sciences, on the subject of a <​the​> comet, that the observations of the Astronomers were not complete, the nucleus not being discovered.

<​20​> I went <​rode out​> to see with Mrs. [Margaret Lawrence] Butterfield, about a deed for the Estate,

Settled with & gave him a note to balance all demands, & afterwards he took <​I​> acknowledgements acknowledged of about 20 deeds from me as Trustee <​in Trust​> to different individuals; which occupied my time until about 3 pm

<​*​>

<​21​> I was in the office about 9, writing orders; & about noon started with for , dined at bro. Russells, & then resumed our journey to Libeus T. Coon’s [Libbeus Coons’s] <​16 miles;​> when I returned back. [2 lines blank ]

Wonderful signs have been seen in the heavens, during the week. the This day, <​evening​> <​night, about 12 oclock,​> the Pilot & officers of the Steamer Wm. Penn, <​on the Ohio River between Aurora & the Rising Sun, Indiana,​> observed <​a great light​> a serpent in the sky, about 12 oclock at night, in the form of a serpent; it turned to a livid bright red, deep & awful, & remained stationery among the stars, for two or three minutes, & then in a gradual manner formed a distinct Roman G. in about 1½ minutes, it turned into a distinct O. & afterwards changed to a plain D. when it disappeared <​when​> it turned into the same <​an​> oblong shape, as before & gradually disappeared.

(see Times & Seasons 150)

<​22​> Was spent in visiting my friends. [2 lines blank]

writes from Westfield. Mass. that he has twenty, on this mission, & organized a in Little River Village.

Elder James Burnham died in , Mass: <​aged 46, he had been on a mission to & Wales about 2 yrs &​> he had <​was​> <​then​> been <​on​> a mission in the Eastern States, & thro’ excessive labor & exposure, brought on quick consumption; he left a faithful wife & several children to lament his loss. [p. 7]