On June 27,
1853 the decision to have William Furlsbury Carter return to Utah was
made. Since they were traveling without
purse or script, he couldn’t just pack up and leave. Funds were needed and passage would have to
be secured. Remember that he was so
sick, his life was hanging in the balance at this point. If he didn’t leave soon he would probably die
do to the malaria and heat.
William’s
journal tells us the story of the next few days of negotiation:
Thursday
the 30 [June, 1853]
I went and visited the American
Council to get him to aid me in gowing home. he was very friendly and a Shured me
that I should get a Chance to gow home. I visited 2 American Ship agents which
apeared verry friendly and they told me
that they would Doe all they Could to get me home. We had a meting last evening
and only 2 atended besides our own people.
Fryday,
July the 1 [1853]
I went and saw the Agent, and he told
me that he thought that I could gow to America on the Ship John Gilpin. I then
went to the american concil. he said that he would let me have 300 Rupees and
if I ever got able to pay him to doe sow, & if not Let it gow to the Devil.
Said he I let one man have one thousand Rupees and never got a cent for it.
Said he what doe I car for that. Said he if you want 10 or 12 Rupees to get any
thing to make you comfortable on your voige, you can have it. I told that I
neded some things. he said to his servent hand Mr. Carter 15 or 20, 25 Rupees.
he handed me 25 Rupees, and he said to me if I wanted any more to come & I
should have it. I then told him what the Agent had told me that was if I could
get 300 Rupees the[n] he would let me have fifty to Buy me some nesesisaries
with. & said I to the Concil, you Need not let me have but 250 Rup. Never
mind that you save the 50 Rupees you will want it for to help your self with
before you get home.
Saturday
the 2 [July, 1853]
I went & bought me 14 shirts, 4
pare of Pants & 40 yds of cloth for garments in the Evening Br Jones &
I visited Br McMahan took super with him & family.
On Sunday, July 3, 1853, William preached
his farewell sermon in Calcutta. The
following day would be his last with his mission companions.
Monday
the 4 [July, 1853]
I was taken sick with pane in my head
and all over my body. I went home with Br Miek 7 miles from Calcutta. I had a
fever on me 2 days, on the 7 I returned to Calcutta. I went an saw the Council
[Dr. Charles Hoffnagle, American Consul]. he gave me 25 Rupees. I bought me
some things that I wanted & in the Evening I Bid my Brethren farewell which
caused much grief being sick and Leaveing my brethren to gow among strangers a
Cross the mighty deep. Caused feelings in my heart that can be felt but not
discribed. I was acompined on board of the ship by Br Miek and he Bid me
farewell. I looked around the ship and a dark gloom Came over me and the ship looked
more like a tomb than a ship.
 |
| Dr. Charles Huffnagle |
It was fortuitous that the American
Consul in Calcutta was none other than Dr. Charles Hoffnagle, a doctor of much renown. Here is what I have found about this angel in
disguise:
Charles Huffnagle was born in
Philadelphia, March 23, 1808, and died unmarried. He was a graduate of the University of
Pennsylvania and da skilled physician.
In 1826 he sailed from Philadelphia to Calcutta as surgeon on the ship
"Star." His success in
treating cholera among the British troops in Calcutta won high commendation
from the authorities there. He became a
partner in the banking house of John Palmer and subsequently became associated
in the firm of Smith, Huffnagle & Co., bankers, and agents of the East
India Company. On September 27, 1847, he
was appointed the first U. S. Consul at Calcutta, by President James K. Polk,
and on September 6, 1855, was commissioned U. S. Consul General to British
India. He held the later position until
his death at London, England, December 8, 1860, while on his way to resume his
duties in Calcutta after an absence of three years in the United States on
account of ill health. (From an address entitled, “Springdale, the Huffnagle
Home,” by John A Anderson in A Collection of Papers Read Before the Bucks
County Historical Society, Volume IV (1917), pp. 643 – 644. Found online at http://www.byberrywaltons.com/resources/books/BucksCountyHistoricalSociteyVol4.pdf)
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