COMFORTING ASSURANCE EXPERIENCED BY A. O. SMOOT DURING A STORM AT SEA—HIS NARROW ESCAPE FROM BEING A VICTIM OF THE SALUDA DISASTER—HIS ACCOUNT OF THE EXPLOSION.

The blowing up of the steamboat "Saluda" has often been mentioned as the only really serious catastrophe, resulting in loss of life to a company of migrating Saints in this age on a voyage. It is certainly very remarkable, in view of the many thousands of Saints in hundreds of vessels of all kinds that have crossed oceans and traversed rivers that so few have lost their lives upon the water. It is a very strong proof that the protecting power of the Almighty has been over them, for there have been numerous narrow escapes from disasters at sea. Indeed it has been so apparent that a special providence has been over the Saints that others as well as the Saints have been impressed by the fact. The remark has been made upon many occasions by ship owners and sea captains that a company of "Mormons," as passengers, was the best insurance they could have upon a vessel, as it was felt that nothing serious could happen to the craft while they were on board of it. A good many instances are on record of Latter-day Saint Missionaries being solicited to accept free passage on vessels for the protection it was felt their presence would afford. Doubtless one of the evidences that tends to convince sea captains that "Mormon" missionaries or emigrants are the subjects of divine favor and protection is the feeling of confidence and trust they usually exhibit when beset by danger, and when others quake with fear. The assurance of divine care that comes through the Holy Spirit is quite as potent in influencing their actions as is the warning of danger from the same source. The late President A. O. Smoot gives an instance of this in connection with his account of the "Saluda" horror. From the latter it will be seen that the Saints might have been saved from participating in that had the spirit's warning to him been heeded.

"On my return from England in 1852, on board the new steamer "Pacific" we encountered a severe storm, in which the deck was swept clear of rigging, the deck cabin, one of the wheels, both wheel houses and the bulwarks. The steamer was entirely submerged in the sea at one time, and had she not been very well built she would never have come to the surface again. It looked like a precarious time, but I felt an assurance that the vessel would be saved, and in the midst of all the excitement which prevailed among the crew and passengers I felt quite calm. I had seventeen thousand dollars in gold in my possession, and I did not even fear that I would lose that. Our preservation, however, was certainly providential, for the vessel was in a terribly dilapidated condition, but we finally arrived safely in New York with the wrecked vessel, after a voyage of sixteen days.

"I subsequently had a very narrow escape on the occasion of the "Saluda" disaster. I had purchased the supplies for my company to make its overland journey with, except cattle, at St. Louis, and had decided to go farther up the river to buy the stock, when Eli B. Kelsey came to me to consult with me in regard to chartering the "Saluda" to convey an independent company of Saints up the river. I went with him to examine the boat, and on finding that it was an old hulk of a freight boat, fitted up with a single engine, I strongly advised him against having anything to do with it. He seemed to be influenced in making choice of it entirely by the fact that he could get it cheaper than a better one; but in my opinion it seemed folly, for, in addition to the danger of accident, the length of time likely to be occupied in making the journey would more than counterbalance what might be saved in the charge for transit. However, he decided to charter it, and then both he and the captain urged me strongly to take passage with them, offering to carry me free of cost if I would only go, but I could not feel satisfied to do so. I followed a few days afterwards on the "Isabella," and overtook them at Lexington, where the "Saluda" was stopped by the float-ice and was unable to proceed farther. I went on board of her to visit the Saints (who were in charge of D. J. Ross, Eli B. Kelsey having gone ashore to purchase cattle,) and left just before the last plank was drawn in, preparatory to attempting to start. I had not walked to exceed two hundred yards after leaving the "Saluda" before the explosion occurred, and on turning to look in the direction of the ill-fated boat I saw the bodies of many of the unfortunate passengers and various parts of the boat flying in the air in every direction. Fortunately for the Saints on Board, they were mostly on the deck of the boat and pretty well towards the stern, and they consequently fared better than those who were below, or on the forepart of the boat, which was blown entirely to pieces. As it was, however, upwards of twenty of the Saints were lost or subsequently died of their wounds. My own preservation I can only attribute to the providence of the Almighty, for if I had remained a moment on the wharf to see the boat start, as would have been very natural for a person to do, I would have been blown into eternity as those were who stood there."