[Apostle Wilford Woodruff Journal] 16th The wind has Changed to the South East so we have A fair wind again. We run about 8 nots an hour on our course. We are now about 800 miles from New York. It is not quite as cold to day as yesterday as we are getting further South.
Elder J. A. Stratton Rehearsed to us A vary Singular circumstan[ce] that fell under his observation which was truly A singular phenonamen. On the 22d day of october 1845 in company with some friends He went to visit A certain female by the name of Ann Comer daughter of James And Susan Comer living at the villiage of Farrington Gurney 12 miles from Bath 15 from Bristol Summersetshire England.
She was A well sprightly child untill her 12th year At which time she was taken with convulsions & fits for 5 weeks when her Jaws became locked & eyes closed. She lost the use of her limbs. Was ownly able to turn her head And raise her hand a few inches. The last article of food she was ever known to eat [was] A small bite of an egg. This was upwards of eight years since during which time there has nothing entered her mouth or passed from her. She breaths through her nose which seems regular And her puls beats regular but quite feble. She has grown about 2 inches in height during this state. She looks vary plesant. Has her A smile upon her countenance.
It is the opinion of some th[at?] she was not insensible As incredible as this may seem. Elder Stratton said He could not find a doubt with any one in the Neighborhood of the correctness of this statement. He pressed her hand several times & recieved A light pressure in return. The family had tried to keep it from being known abroad as much as possible. Her fingers nails have come off 3 times during the eight years but are at the present time are perfect. Many of the first Physicians in Bath have visited her. Some have spent three or four days at a time with her. They have desired to have her removed to the Hospital but her parents will not Admit of it.
In the afternoon we had a calm with quite moderate weather untill 6 oclok when A heavy squall suddingly struck us with 3 top gallant sails set. Evry exhertion was made by the whole crew to get the sail in as spedily as possible. The gale increased for about one hour when it blew a Hurrycane but they saved all their sail but one gib which tore to atoms & blew away. It was considerd the heaviest wind we have had on the voyage. It immediately raised A high sea & we had an exeeding rough night pitching tumbling rolling & Rocking untill I was sore tumbling in bed And trying to hold myself in. It turned vary Cold so that A person would be Chilled through in a few moments on deck.
[source: Wilford Woodruff's Journal: 1833-1898 Typescript, Volumes 1-9, Edited by Scott G. Kenney, Signature Books 1993, http://amzn.to/newmormonstudies]
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