JACOB HAMBLIN,
A NARRATIVE OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AS
A FRONTIERSMAN, MISSIONARY TO THE
INDIANS AND EXPLORER,
DISCLOSING
interpositions of providence, Revere privations, perilous
Situations and Remarkable (Escapes.
FIFTH BOOK OF
THE FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES,
Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of
Young Latter-day Saints.
JUVENILE INSTEUCTOK OFFICE,
Salt Imlte City, Utah.
1881.
THE FlITH-PROMOTING SERIES.
i.
MY FIRST MISSION, by Prest. Geo. Q. Cannon. Price, 25 eta.
II.
A STRING OP PEARLS, from the pen of Prest. Taylor and others.
Price, 25 cts.
III.
LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL, by Prest. Wilford Woodruff.
Price, 25 cts.
IV.
OEMS FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS, by Bp. A. A. Kiraball, Bp.
Benj. Brown, and others. Price, 25 cts.
Y.
JACOB HAMBLIN, a narrative of his personal experience, as a frontiers-
man, missionary to the Indians and explorer. Price, 35 cts.
5<f 7 2-&
Bancroft Library
PREFACE.
IN issuing to the public this, the Fifth Volume of the
FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES, we feel that we are making
an addition to our home literature that will be appreciated by
the Saints generally. The manner in which the former vol-
umes of this Series have been received, encourages us to
' entertain this hope.
Brother Jacob Hamblin has spent the most of his life as a
faithful, humble worker in the cause of Ood. Though he
has labored as a missionary such a great proportion of his
time during the past forty years, it has been in a sphere which
has not brought him into prominence before the public.
Even his name has seldom appeared in public print. Brother
Hamblin has never sought notoriety. He has been prompted by
motives far more noble. He is such a modest man that he would
be content to ever remain in obscurity. Indeed, it was onlj7 after
earnest solicitation that he was induced to narrate, for Brother
James A. Little's pen to record, the incidents herein published,
However, though not written for that purpose, we trust the
publication of this book will result in making him better
known and appreciated by his brethren and sisters. It is a
simple, unvarnished recital of incidents of thrilling interest,
remarkable adventures and special manifestations of provi-
dence, that we think cannot fail to entertain and benefit all
who read it.
IV; PREFACE.
Brother Hamblin's testimony of God's goodness towards
him, and His willingness to answer prayer, should inspire and
strengthen young Latter-day Saints. His cheerful self-denial,
his devotion to the work of the Lord, and the joy he has
found in it should stimulate them to zeal in emulating his
example. His portrayal of the policy pursued by the
Saints in dealing with the Indians, should enlighten strangers
who may read this book upon a subject about which this
people have been greatly maligned.
There are many important lessons to be learned from the
narrative herein published, and we trust that it may prove
profitable to all who read it.
CONTENTS.
CHAPTEK I.
Early incidents of my life — Providential care over me — Mar-
riage— Hear the Gospel, and embrace it — Signs follow —
Opposed by relatives— Predict my Father's baptism— My
Father Healed in answer to prayer. Page 9.
CHAPTEK II.
Arrival at Nauvoo — My first interview with the Prophet Joseph -
— Some first impressions of the character of the gathered
Saints — Go east on an important mission — Death of the
Prophet— Keturn to Nauvoo — Providential circumstance on
the journey. Page 15.
CHAPTEK III.
Sidney Kigdon strives for the guardianship of the Church — He
urges his claims at the Conference— Brigham Young, Presi-
dent of the Twelve, and others of the Quorum appear in the
stand — A remarkable testimony that the mantle of Joseph
had fallen upon Brigham Young — Persecutions of the Saints
— Baptism of my Parents — Preparations for the exodus —
Sickness — A Methodist comforter — Answer to prayer — Har-
vest of Quails — Miraculous incidents on the journey to Utah.
Page 19.
CHAPTEK IY.
Locate in Tooele Valley— Indian troubles— Escape death by an
Indian, by following the warning of the Spirit— Hunting
Indians — Sudden aversion to shedding their blood— Decide
to protect them at the risk of my life— Sent again to hunt
and kill Indians — Testimony that the Lord did not want me
to kill them, but to carry peace to them — A dream and its
fulfillment. Page 26.
CHAPTEK Y.
Mission to Southern Utah — Locate at Harmony — Kemarkable
Prophecies of Heber C. Kimball fulfilled— Indians Harvest-
ing— Indian "Medicineman" — Indian. woman healed under
our administration— Accompany a hunting party-- A fight
for a squaw, in which I am compelled to take part— Sickness
—Take my family to Southern tTtah— Build a fort on the
Santa Clara— Rain in answer to prayer— Counsel from Presi-
dent Young— We refuse to administer to the sick until they
are washed— A sick boy dies, and the Indians grow mad and
threaten us "We follow and pacify them. Page 31.
VI. CONTENTS.
CHAPTEK VI.
Retributive justice to the Indians — We gain influence by it — The
Lord gives the Indians testimonies of the truth — "War
between two bands of Indians — A woman burned to death
from revenge— Promptings of the Spirit — Stolen horses
recovered — Government among the Indians — Appointed
president of the Indian misssion— Visit of Apostle George
A. Smith— United States army on its way to Utah— Elder
Smith's advice to the Saints— Mountain Meadow massacre.
Page 41.
CHAPTEK VII.
President Young requests me to pilot a company to California-
Save a white man from being tortured by the Indians —
Indians determined to kill the company — I pacify them —
Elders Ira Hatch and Dud ley Leavitt sentened to be killed by
the Mohaves — Elder Hatch softens their hearts by oifering a
prayer — Allowed to escape on foot. Page 47.
CHAPTEE VIIL
President Young's Indian policy — Expedition to Los Vegas and
Colorado Rivers — Suspicious steamer in the Colorado —
Learn its purpose — Go after a load of lead— Our horses
stolen — Eat poison cactus — Led by the Spirit providentially.
Page 61.
CHAPTER IX.
Visit to Salt Lake City — Interview between Elder George A.
Smith and Governor Cumming — Elder Smith urges an
investigation of the Mountain Meadow massacre — Governor
Gumming objects — Appointed sub-Indian agents — Nearly
killed by a fall from a tree— A remarkable vision — First
mission to the Moquis — Description of their towns, customs
and traditions— Some of the Brethren remain with them —
Difficult journey home — Moquis prediction. Page 56.
CHAPTER X.
Second trip to the Moquis — Two Elders left to labor with them
— Lack of success, owing to traditions of the Indians —Third
mission to the east side of the Colorado — George A. Smith,
Jr., shot by the Navajoes— Very trying experience— The
wounded man .dies in the saddle, while traveling— Forced to
leave his body unburied— Bitter reflections. Page 64.
CHAPTER XL
Arrival at Spaneshanks' camp — His friendly spirit— Return
home — Journey in the winter to recover the remains of
George A. Smith, Jr. — Destitute condition of rny family.
Page 72.
CONTENTS* Vll.
CHAPTER XII.
Many Saints called to settle Southern Utah— Destructive flood
on the Santa Clara — Narrow escape from drowning— Another
visit across the Colorado — A new route— Moquis Indians
pray for rain— Their prayers answered — Three Indians
return with us — Their devotion and reverence — They visit
Salt Lake City. Page 75.
CHAPTEK XIII.
^The Moquis visitors taken home— Singular presentiment of my
Indian boy — The route south of St. George taken the second
time— Cataract Canyon— The lost Moquis and the "medicine
man" — Meeting with the brethren who had been left at the
Moquis towns— Explorations about the San Francisco Moun-
tains— Keturn home — Great suffering with thirst — My
Indian boy dead and buried, as he had predicted he would
be. Page 81.
CHAPTEPv XIY.
Change in the spirit of the Indians — Some insight into their
privations and trials— They threaten hostilities— Difficulties
with them settled— A kind, peaceful policy the best— Visit
to the Moquis towns — The people are invited to live with
the Saints — Their objections to removing— Hostile attitude of
the Navajoes — Keturn home— Suffering with thirst— A
providential supply of water — Dr. Whitmore killed— Severe
sickness— Healed in answer to prayer. Page 87.
CHAPTEK XV.
Travels among the Indians— "Watching the frontiers— Trip to
the Moquis towns— Great raid of the Navajoes — A good
opportunity lost of recovering stolen stock — Skirmishes with
Kaiders— A peaceable agreement with the Navajocs desir-
able—Yisit of President Young to Kanab. Page 92.
CHAPTEK XYI.
Yisits among Utah Indians— Meet Major Powell— Employed^ to
accompany him — Council with the Shi-vwits — Major
Powell's description of it. Page 96.
CHAPTEK XVII.
Journey to Fort Defiance — Interesting visit among the Moquis
towns —Arrival at Fort Defiance— General council of the
chiefs of the Navajoe nation— Great peace talk — Keturn
home — Treaty of peace in one of the Moquis towns — Stolen
sheep recovered for a Navajoe. Page 99.
CHAPTEK XVIII.
Moquis Indians destroy many Navajoes — An Oriba and his wife
accompany us home — Peace talk with the Piutes — A dream
and its fulfillment — Tuba's prayer — Choog, the Indian
prophet — His prediction Fatal fire in Kanab. Page 103.
Till. CONTENTS.
CHAPTEK XIX.
Visit of Tuba and his wife to the Washington factory arid flour-
ing mill— Many j^avajoes come to trade with our people-
Take Tuba and his wife home — More talk about the death of
Young George A. Smith — Saints called to settle in Arizona
— They become discouraged and return to Utah — Navajoes
murdered in Grass Valley — War imminent — Sent to settle
the difficulty — Two miners accompany me — Indians call a
council. Page 107.
CHAPTEK XX.
Indians assemble — The council lodge — Accused of lying to the
Indians — Informed that I must die— Privilege granted the
Smith Brothers of escaping — They refuse to desert me to
save their lives — Violent speeches — Young Indians eager for
revenge— Interpreters afraid to speak — Indians propose a
compromise — 350 head of cattle and horses demanded— I
refuse to pay for a crime the "Mormons" never committed
— They threaten to burn me — My coolness creates a favor-
able impression — An agreement— "We regain our liberty.
Page 114.
CHAPTEE XXI.
Smith's version of the trying ordeal — A graphic description
from a Gentile standpoint — Explanation. Page 120.
CHAPTEK XXII.
Start home — Meet emigrants to Moancoppy — Visit Presidents
Young and Smith — Return to meet the Indians — Providence
favors me — Hastele fails to meet me — Keturn home — Moan-
coppy mission broken up — Sent with D. D. Me Arthur to
establish a trading post — Hastele visits Kanab, and starts to
the Sevier to learn about the murder — I stay at home — Tes-
timony that I should accompany him — Indian Discernment
— Hastele is satisfied. Page 127.
CHAPTEK XXIII.
Visit Fort Defiance— Mr. Daniels, inspector of Indian agencies
— His prejudice against the "Mormons" — Mr. Trewax, the
preacher— Peace talk— Mission re-established. Page 132.
CHAPTEK XXIV.
Company start to visit the Arizona settlements — Disaster in the
Colorado — Bishop Koundy drowned — Explore a new route —
Promise fulfilled — Visit settlements— Severe experience on
homeward trip — Assurance of approval from President
Young — Trip across the Colorado in search of a criminal —
Moquis ceremonies to bring rain — Conclusion. Page 135.
JACOB HAMBLIN.
A NARRATIVE OF PERSONAL EXPERIENCE.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY INCIDENTS OF MY LIFE — PROVIDENTIAL CARE OVER
ME — MARRIAGE — HEAR THE GOSPEL, AND EMBRACE IT
— SIGNS FOLLOW — OPPOSED BY RELATIVES — PREDICT
MY FATHER'S BAPTISM— MY FATHER HEALED IN ANSWER
TO PRAYER.
I WAS born in Salem, Ashtabula, Co., Ohio, on the 6th of
April, 1819. When I was three months old, my father
removed to Geauga Co., in the same State. That country
was then a wilderness, covered with a heavy growth of tim-
ber. In my early life I assisted my father in chopping timber
and clearing land.
It required twenty faithful days' work to clear one acre,
and render it fit for the harrow and a crop of wheat. In
about three years the roots of the trees would decay, so that
the soil could be worked with a plow.
In 1836, I removed, with nay father, to Wisconsin Terri-
tory. I remember passing through Chicago, then a mere
hamlet, but now a large and wealthy city.
Seventy miles north-west of Chicago, my father, in com-
pany with two friends, Messrs. Pratt and Harvey, located at
a place called Spring Prairie. It was the most delightful
country I had ever seen. It was beautiful with rolling
prairies, groves of timber, numerous springs of pure water,
and an occasional lake abounding with fish.
10 NARROW ESCAPES.
My father and I each made a claim on eighty acres of
government land which was expected soon to come into the
market. I was not yet of age, and my father, wishing to
return to Ohio for his family, proffered to give me the
remainder of my time, during the summer, if I would take
care of the crop already sown.
During his absence, I had the misfortune to cut one of my
knees. I took cold in it, and it became much inflamed and
swollen. The family with whom I was living did not think I
could get well. The swelling had reached my body, and as
soon as it extended a little farther, the people expected me
to die. I quite despaired of ever seeing my parents again.
In my childhood, I had imbibed a belief that there was a
God who would hear my prayers when I was in trouble. I
managed to drag myself a short distance into a hazel thicket,
where I besought the Lord to have mercy upon me, and not
let me die.
That evening, a Mrs. Campbell called at the house. She
said she was passing by and felt impressed to call in, but did
not know for what purpose. After explaining to her my situ-
ation, she said "I now know why I came in here, for I can
bring that swelling all out."
This was accomplished by steaming, and I soon got about,
and again had the privilege of meeting my parents and other
relatives.
The second season after this occurrence my father told me
that, as I had been a faithful boy, I might go and do some-
thing for myself. I took a bundle of clothing, and traveled
westward 118 miles to the Galena lead mines. I worked
there nearly a year.
Twice during that time I barely escaped being buried about
100 feet under ground, by the caving in of the earth. At
one time, when 200 feet below the surface of the ground, a
rock fell on a man who was working with me, and killed him
instantly. While dragging his mangled body along the drift,
and ananging a rope by which to raise it up the shaft, such an
aversion to mining came over me, that I did not go back to my
labor again. I returned with the money I had earned, and
paid for my land,
MARRIAGE. 11
In the autumn of 1839, I married Lucinda Taylor. She,
as well as myself, had a numerous circle of relatives. I
enclosed my land with a good fence, built a comfortable
house, and made up my mind to live and die on the place. I
believed the Bible, but was without faith in any of the
religious sects of the day, and had given up all hopes of find-
ing a religion that I could believe to be true.
In February, 1842, a neighbor called at my house, and told
me that he had heard a ' 'Mormon" Elder preach. He
asserted that he preached more Bible doctrine than any other
man he had ever listened to, and that he knew what he preached
was true. He claimed that the gospel had been restored to the
earth, and that it was the privilege of all who heard it to
know and understand it for themselves.
What this neighbor told me so influenced my mind, that I
could scarcely attend to my ordinary business.
The Elder had left an appointment to preach again at the
same place, and I went to hear him. When I entered the
house he had already commenced his discourse. I shall never
forget the feeling that came over me when I saw his face and
heard his voice. He preached that which I had long been
seeking for ; I felt that it was indeed the gospel.
The principles he taught appeared so plain and natural,
that I thought it would be easy to convince any one of their
truth. In closing his remarks, the Elder bore testimony
to the truth of the gospel.
The query came to my mind : 'How shall I know whether or
not these things are so, and be satisfied? As if the Spirit
prompted him to answer my inquiry, he again arose to his feet
and said : "If there is anyone in the congregation who wishes
to know how he can satisfy himself of the truth of these
things, I can assure him that if he will be baptized, and have
hands laid upon him for the gift of the Holy Ghost, he shall
have an assurance of their truth. ' '
This so fired up my mind, that I at once determined to be
baptized, and that too, if necessary, at the sacrifice of the
friendship of my kindred and of every earthly tie.
I immediately went home and informed my wife of my
intentions,
12 BAPTISM AND CONFIRMATION.
* She told me that if I was baptized into the " Mormon"
Church, I need not expect her to live with me any more.
The evening after the Elder had preached I went in search
of him, and found him quite late at night. I told him my
purpose, and requested him to give me a " Mormon Bible."
He handed me the Old and New Testament.
I said, "I thought you had a new Bible." He then
explained about the coming forth of the Book of Mormon,
and handed me a copy of it.
The impressions I received at the time cannot be forgotten.
The spirit rested upon me and bore testimony of its truth,
and I felt like opening my mouth and declaring it to be a rev-
elation from Grod.
On the 3rd of March, 1842, as soon as it was light in the
morning, I started for a pool of water where I had arranged
to meet with the Elder, to attend to the ordinance of baptism.
On the way, the thought of the sacrifice I was making of
wife, of father, mother, brothers, sister and numerous other
connections, caused my resolution to waver.
As my pace slackened, some person appeared to come from
above, who. I thought, was my grandfather. He seemed to
say to me, " Go on, my son; your heart cannot conceive, nei-
ther has it entered into your mind to imagine the blessings that
are in store for you, if you go on and continue in this work. ' '
I lagged no more, but hurried to the pool, where I was
baptized by Elder Lyman Stoddard.
It was said in my confirmation, that the spirits in prison
greatly rejoiced over what I had done. I told Elder Stoddard
my experience on my way to the water.
He then explained to me the work there was for me to do
for my fathers, if I was faithful, all of which I believed and
greatly rejoiced in.
On my way home, I called at the house of one of my neigh-
bors. The family asked me if I had not been baptized by thev
" Mormon" Elder. I replied that I had. They stated that
they believed what he preached to be the truth, and hoped
they might have the opportunity of being baptized.
The following day Elder Stoddard came to my house, and
told me that he had intended to leave the country, but could
PREDICT MY FATHER'S BAPTISM. 13
not go without coming to see me. For what purpose he
had come, he knew not.
I related to him what my neighbors had said. He held
more meetings in the place, and organized a branch before
leaving.
When my father learned that I had joined the uMormons,"
he said he thought he had brought up his children so that
none of them would ever be deceived by priestcraft; at the
same time he turned from my gate, and refused to enter my
house.
Other relatives said that my father knew better than to be
deceived as I had been. I answered them by predicting that,
much as he knew, I would baptize him into the Church
before I was two years older.
All my relatives, except one brother, turned against me,
and seemed to take pleasure in speaking all manner of evil
against me. I felt that I was hated by all my former ac-
quaintances. This was a great mystery to me.
I prayed to the Lord and was comforted. I knew that I
had found the valuable treasure spoken of by our Savior, and
I was willing to sacrifice all things for it.
My wife's father took great pains to abuse and insult me
with his tongue. Without having any conception how my
prediction would be fulfilled, I said to him one* day, "You
will not have the privilege of abusing me much more. ' ' A
few days after he was taken sick, and died.
Soon after the death of her father, my wife asked me,
good-naturedly, why I did not pray in the house or with her.
I replied, that I felt better to pray by myself than I did
before unbelievers. She said that she was a believer ; that
her father had appeared to her in a dream, and told her not
to oppose me any more as she had done ; and that he was in
trouble on account of the way he had used me. Soon after
this she was baptized, which was a great comfort to me.
In the autumn of 1842, Elder Stoddard returned to the
Country where I Jived, to labor in the ministry, and ordained
me an Elder.
About the same time my wife was taken very sick. By her
request I administered to her, and she was immediately healed.
14 START FOR NATJVOO.
I visited my father, and informed him that signs followed
the believer, as in the days of the apostles ; that I was a
believer, and had been ordained an Elder in the Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and that the signs followed
my administrations.
He ordered me out of his house for believing such non-
sense. I went out, reflecting as to whether or not I had done
wrong in predicting that I would baptize him in less than two
years.
Some time after this he was taken sick, and I went to see
him. My mother told me he had the spotted fever, and that
there was no hope of his recovery. She believed he was dy-
ing, and so it appeared to me ; but I thought that God could
and would save him if I prayed for him.
I retired to a private place, and prayed to the God of Abra-
ham to have mercy on my father and heal him, that he might
have an opportunity of obeying the gospel.
It was a moonlight night, and when I returned to the
house my mother stood at the door. She spoke to me very
kindly, and said :
"Jacob, the fever has left your father i he has spoken, and
wants to see you. ' '
As I approached him he said, "The fever has left me, and
your moth*er says that you came to me and went away again.
What has made such a sudden change? Do you know? "
I answered that I had prayed for him, that I was a believer
in the gospel of the Son of God, and in the signs following
those that believe.
"Well," said he, "if it is the gospel, I would like to know
it; but if it is priestcraft, I want nothing to do with it."
Soon after the sickness of my father, I sold my home,
gathered up my effects and started for Nauvoo, Hancock Co.,
Illinois.
In passing my father's house I found him quite well, and
he desired me to remain over night. He showed much
interest in the principles of the gospel, and, when I left
his house in the morning, the Spirit manifested to me that my
father and his household would yet accept the truth.
ARRIVAL AT NAUVOO. 15
CHAPTER II.
ARRIVAL AT NAUVOO — MY FIRST INTERVIEW WITH THE
PROPHET JOSEPH — SOME FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE
CHARACTER OF THE GATHERED SAINTS — GO EAST ON
AN IMPORTANT MISSION — DEATH OF THE PROPHET —
RETURN TO NAUVOO — PROVIDENTIAL CIRCUMSTANCE ON
THE JOURNEY.
I TRAVELED westward about 100 miles to the Mississippi
• river, where I took passage on a steamer to Nauvoo. I
landed in the night. In the morning, I asked a young man
where the Prophet lived. He pointed out the way to the
residence of Joseph Smith, Jr., and said, "If you are going
to see the Prophet, do not take any money with you. If you
do, he will get it. ' '
I asked the youth if he was a "Mormon." He replied
that he was, and that his father was a High Priest. I
thought it strange that he should talk as he did.
As I passed along one of the streets of the town, I saw a
tall, noble-looking man talking with another. An impression
came over me that he was the person I was looking for. In-
quiring of a bystander, I learned that my impression was
correct.
One of the company asked the- Prophet for some money he
had loaned him. He replied that he would try and get it
during the day. I offered him the money, but he said:
"Keep your money. I will not borrow until I try to get
what is owing me. If you have just come in and wish to pay
your tithing, you can pay it to Brother Hyrum ; he sees to
that."
I soon learned to discriminate between the different kinds
of people who had gathered to Nauvoo. Some were living
the lives of Saints; others were full of deceit and were '
stumbling-blocks in the way of those who were striving to do
right.
16 CALLED ON A MISSION.
The following winter I chopped wood on an island in the
Mississippi river, twenty miles above Nauvoo.
The Prophet Joseph had told the people that the time had
come which was spoken of by the prophet Malachi, when the
hearts of the fathers must turn to the children, and the
hearts ot the children to the fathers ; the Saints must seek
for the spirit of this great latter-day work, and that they
must pray for it until they received it.
I had made a practice for several days, of retiring to a pri-
vate place early each morning, to pray for this Spirit and
blessing, when an influence came over me that made manifest
to me my nothingness before the Lord. This so affected me
for a time, that I was almost led to wish that I had never
been born. When thus humbled, it was shown to me how a
man could obtain salvation, and what he might attain to.
With this I felt satisfied. What was then shown me has
been of great worth to me since. I then comprehended that
the most implicit obedience to the will of God was necessary
in order to attain to eternal life.
In February, 1844, Joseph Smith, the Prophet, published
an address to the people of the United States, on the Powers
and Policy of the General Government, and offered himself
as a candidate for the office of President of the United
States.
The same year, at the April Conference, Elders were called
and sent forth, two by two, into each State of the Union, with
the "Address to the People of the United States," in pam-
phlet form, for distribution, and to preach the gospel. I was
sent with Brother John Myers, to the State of Maryland.
We took passage on the steamer Osprey, in company with
seven of the quorum of the Twelve Apostles, and of seventy-
one of the Seventies. My companion and I went to Pitts-
burg, Penn., and from there we traveled on foot with our
valises, without purse or scrip, through the State of Pennsyl-
vania.
We were often hungry and weary, and, in some- instances,
were accused of being beggars and deceivers. This, coupled
with my natural independence of character, seemed humilia
ting, and made our travels anything but agreeable.
WHISPERING OF THE SPIRIT. 17
We journeyed through Derrytown, Hagerstown, Sharpsburg
and Antietam, and preached in the States of Pennsylvania,
Virginia and Maryland. We visited some places where
branches of the Church had been previously organized.
The way appeared to be opening up for a good work to
be done in that country, when, about the 4th of July, news
reached me that the Prophet, about whom I had preached so
much, had been shot bj^a mob when confined in jail. I did
not believe the report until I offered to preach to those who
were gathered around me in the small town of Mechanics-
burg. They manifested a spirit of exultation, and a feeling
of deep gloom passed over me. I felt more like weeping
than preaching.
I concluded to hunt up my companion, from whom I was
then separated. For this purpose I started for Hagerstown,
where I hoped to find him, or learn of his whereabouts.
I had traveled about a mile when I came to a cross road,
and the Spirit whispered to me, "Stop here, and Brother
Myers will soon be along. ' ' I remained on the spot about ten
minutes, when I saw him coming, with his hat in one hand
and his valise in the other. He did not believe that the
Prophet was killed.
We journeyed together to Lightersburg. After meeting
and passing [many people, the Spirit indicated to us that a
man on the opposite side of the street was an Elder in Israel.
It proved to be a Latter-day Saint Elder, who had reliable
infomation of the murder of the Prophet Joseph and the
Patriarch Hyrum Smith. He also informed us that the
Elders who were abroad were all called home.
On the 15th of July, 1844, when taking leave of a small
branch of the Church in Lightersburg, one of the sisters
offered me some money that she had earned in the harvest
field. I took one dollar, and told her that I could get home
with that.
After starting, I began to reflect on my situation. I must
travel on the river steamers from Pittsburg to Nauvoo, via
Cincinnati and St. Louis, and I had only two dollars in my
pocket. I had been often surprised, when traveling on foot at
the pains people would take to invite me to ride or to step into a
18 INTERPOSITION OF PROVIDENCE.
grocery and take a lunch, and I had considerable faith that
the Lord would soften the heart of some one to assist me,
when I was in need.
When I arrived in Pittsburg, I had one dollar left. There
were two steamers at the landing about to start for St. Louis.
They offered to take passengers very cheap. I told the cap-
tain of one of them, that I would give all the money I had for
a passage to St. Louis. He took m v money and gave me a
ticket, but appeared rather cross.
I was soon on my way down the river, but still a long way
from home, and without money or anything to eat. I began
to feel the want of food.
Nothing special occurred with me until evening, when the
lamps were lit in the passengers' cabin. 1 was then asked
by a young married lady, if I was not a "Mormon" Elder.
I replied that I was ; and she told me that her little child
was dying with the scarlet fever, and she wished me to lay
hands on it and heal it.
I replied that I could administer to it, and I presumed that
the Lord would heal it. I asked her if she believed in such
things. She said that she did, and that she belonged to the
Church, but her husband did not. I was puzzled in my mind
to know what to do, for the boat was crowded with passen-
gers, and all unbelievers excepting the mother of the sick
child and myself. It seemed like a special providence that,
just then, the lamp in the cabin should fall from its hangings,
and leave us all in the dark.
Before another lamp could be lit, I had administered to
the child, and rebuked the fever in the name of the Lord
Jesus, unobserved by those around. The Lord blessed the
administration, and the child was healed.
The mother called her husband, and said to him, "Little
Mary is healed ; now do not say anything against 'Mormon-
ism.' " The man looked at his child, and said to me, "I am
not a believer in any kind of religion, but I am on my way to
Iowa, opposite to Nauvoo, where I presume you are going.
You are welcome to board with me all the way, and if you
want any money I will let you have it."
I arrived in Nauvoo on the 5th of August,;! 844
SIDNEY RIGDON'S PRESUMPTION. 19
CHAPTER, III.
SIDNEY RIGDON STRIVES FOR THE GUARDIANSHIP OF THE
CHURCH — HE URGES HIS CLAIMS AT THE CONFERENCE —
BRIGHAM YOUNG, PRESIDENT OF THE TWELVE, AND
OTHERS OF THE QUORUM APPEAR IN THE STAND — A
REMARKABLE TESTIMONY THAT THE MANTLE OF JOSEPH
HAD FALLEN UPON BRIGHAM YOUNG — PERSECUTIONS
OF THE SAINTS — BAPTISM OF MY PARENTS— PREPARA-
TIONS FOR THE EXODUS— SICKNESS— A METHODIST
COMFORTER — ANSWER TO PRAYER — HARVEST OF QUAILS
— MIRACULOUS INCIDENTS ON THE JOURNEY TO UTAH.
AT Nauvoo I found Sidney Kigdon busy among the Saints,
trying to establish his claim to the presidency of the
Church. He was first Counselor to the Prophet Joseph at
the time of the latter 's death. The Church was fourteen
years old, and he claimed that it was its privilege and duty to
appoint a guardian ; and he wished the people to sanction his
guardianship.
I was much dissatisfied with the course he was taking, and,
as I could not sustain him, 1 felt to leave Nauvoo for a season.
I went into the country, where I had left my wife and two
children with my sister Melissa. When I met my sister, she
threw her arms around my neck and thanked the Lord that I
had returned. She had seen an account of a man being
drowned in the Ohio river, and, from the description, thought
that it might have been me.
On the 8th of August, 1844, I attended a general
meeting of the Saints. Elder Bigdon was there,
urging his claims to the presidency of the Church. His
voice did not sound like the voice of the true shepherd.
When he was about to call a vote of the congregation to sus-
tain him as President of the Church, Elders Brigham Young,
Parley P. Pratt and Heber C. Kimball stepped into the
stand,
20 A REMARKABLE TESTIMONY.
Brigham Young remarked to the congregation: "I will
manage this voting for Elder Eigdon. He does not preside
here. This child" (meaning himself) "will manage this flock
for a season. ' ' The voice and gestures of the man were those
of the Prophet Joseph.
The people, with few exceptions, visibly saw that the man-
tle of the prophet Joseph had fallen upon Brigham Young.
To some it seemed as though Joseph again stood before them.
I arose to my feet and said to a man sitting by me, uThat
is the voice of the true shepherd — the chief of the Apostles. ' '
Our enemies, finding that the death of the Prophet did not
break up "Mormonism," as they had expected, began their
persecutions again, by burning the houses of the brethren in
the outlying settlements.
I joined a company of minute men to assist in protecting
the Saints. In one of our scouts we visited Carthage. I
examined the jail in which Joseph and Hyruin were assas-
sinated. 1 noticed that the latches on the two doors that the
mob broke ID, when they killed the Prophets, had been ren-
dered useless by bending down the catches, so that the latches
would clear them. All the entrances to the prison yard
appeared to me to have been prepared beforehand for the
easy admittance of the mob.
The blood on the floor where the Patriarch fell, had left a
black spot about the size and shape of the body. The ball
holes in the plastering about the window out of which Joseph
leaped, and those in the door and in the wall above where
Hyrum had lain, and also where John Taylor had been shot
at, denoted that the assailants were desperadoes and well
prepared for their work.
When the District Court sat in Hancock County, the judge
allowed one of the leaders of the mob to act as an official.
He also professed to try to have the murderers indicted, but
as several of them were on the grand jury, there were no in-
dictments found against them.
The following winter I assisted in guarding the Saints in
and around the city of Nauvoo. My brother Obed lived
about thirty miles out in the country. He was taken sick,
and sent for me -to come and see him.
RECEIVE MY ENDOWMENTS. . 21
On arriving at his Louse, I found that he had been sick
nearly three months, and that doubts were entertained of his
recovery. I anointed him with holy oil in the name of the
Lord Jesus, laid on hands and prayed for him, and told him
that he should recover, which he did immediately.
This occurrence had much influence on my parents. They
both attended the following April Conference. At its close,
my father asked me if I did not wish to baptize him and my
mother. As they were both desirous that I should do so,
I baptized them in the Mississippi river, on April llth, 1845.
My father told me that it was not any man's preaching that
had convinced him of the truth of the gospel, but the Lord
had shown it to him in night visions. Said he, ' 'It is your
privilege to baptize your parents, for you have prayed for
them in secret and in public ; you never gave them up ; you
will be a Joseph to your father's house."
In 1 845, I labored on the Nauvoo temple, doing any work
that was required of me. In the autumn, the enemies of the
Saints commenced to plunder in the country settlements.
Teams were sent from Nauvoo to save and bring in what
grain they could. It was necessary to send guards with the
teams.
These afflictions, heaped upon the Saints by their enemies
when they were struggling to complete the temple, in compli-
ance with the word of the Lord, greatly added to their
difficulties and labors.
When winter came, they were instructed to unite their
efforts to manufacture wagons, and make preparations for
a long journey. I assisted in getting out timber for wagons.
The house of the Lord being far enough completed to give
endowments and do other necessary work, I received my
blessings in it just before crossing the Mississippi river, in
February, 1846.
I labored with the company of pioneers to prepare the way
for the Saints through Iowa, after which I had the privilege
of returning to Nauvoo for my family, which consisted of my
wife and three children. I moved them out into Iowa, 200
miles, where I left them, and [returned 100 miles to settle-
ments, in order to obtain food and other necessaries.
22 • FED WITH QUAILS.
I was taken sick, and sent for my family to return to me.
My wife and two children were taken sick the day after their
arrival. We found shelter in a miserable hut, some distance
from water.
One day I made an effort to get some water for my suffer-
ing family, but failed through weakness. Night came on, and
my family were burning with fever and calling for water.
These very trying circumstances called up some bitter feel-
ings within me. It seemed as though in this, my terrible
extremity, the Lord permitted the devil to ivy me, for just
then a Methodist class leader came along, and remarked that
I was in a very bad situation. He assured me that he had a
comfortable house that I could move into, and that he had
plenty of everything, and would assist me if I would renounce
"Mormonism." I refused, and he passed on.
I afterwards knelt down and asked the Lord to pity us in
our miserable condition, and to soften the heart of some one
to administer to us in our affliction.
About an hour after this, a man by the name of William
Johnson came with a three gallon jug full of water, set it
down and said: UI came home this evening, weary, having
been working with a threshing machine during the day, but,
when I lay down I could not sleep ; something told me that
you were suffering for water. I took this jug, went over to
Ouster's well and got this for you. I feel now as though I
could go home and sleep. I have plenty of chickens and
other things at my house, that are good for sick people.
When you need anything I will let you have it.7' I knew this
was from the Lord in answer to my prayer.
The following day the quails came out of the thickets, and
were so easily caught that I picked up what I needed without
difficulty. I afterwards learned that the camps of the Saints
had been supplied with food in the same way.
The spring following these events my eldest brother came
from Pottawatomie Co., Iowa, with a team to take me home
with him. While preparing to leave, the team became
frightened, ran along a steep side hill, capsized the wagon,
and I was thrown down the hill and the load came on the top
of me.
DEATH OF MY MOTHER. 23
The same Mr. Johnson who had before administered to my
wants, took me into his house. This was in the morning, and
I knew nothing until ten o'clock in the evening.
When I became conscious, I was lying on a mattress covered
with blood. I looked around the room, and asked what it all
meant. The lady of the house informed me what had hap-
pened, and told me that Mr. Johnson did not expect me to
\ive. She further stated that he had called in some of the
neighbors, that the doctor had been to see me and wished to
bleed me, but I would not let him ; that I told them that if
they knew where there were any of the Elders of Israel, I
wanted them sent for. She informed me that I said other
things which displeased the doctor and the neighbors, and
they went away.
I assured the family that I was not responsible for what I
had said or done, for I knew nothing about it. Mrs. John-
son said that she did not hear or see anything wrong, but the
neighbors believed that I was trying to palm off some great
"Mormon" miracle on them. I denied trying to deceive any
one, but all to no purpose.
The owner of the house I had rented hurried me out of it,
saying I could not live in his house any longer. In the month of
March I moved into the wagon, with my wife and four chil-
dren, the youngest not two weeks old.
On the llth of the following April, 1847, I arrived at my
father's house, in Western Iowa. I had previously baptized
four of my brothers, and all my father's family had embraced
the gospel.
My mother had sunk under hardships, and died on
the road from Nauvoo, yet I was thankful to find all my
relatives rejoicing in the truth.
In the spring of 1850 I felt like making an effort to gather
with the Saints in the mountains. This at first appeared im-
possible, as my animals had all strayed off, and I could not
learn of their whereabouts.
I had concluded to remain another year, when I dreamed,
for three nights in succession, where my oxen were, and went
and got them. I found my other lost animals in the same
manner,
24 PERILOUS ESCAPE.
These kind providences, with strict economy, enabled me to
make a start for Utah with the company of Aaron Johnson,
in the spring of 1850, as I had desired.
I joined the camp, to travel over a thousand miles of desert,
with nine in family, one small wagon, one yoke of oxen and
two cows.
While crossing the ferry over the Missouri river, with a
boat load of cattle, they crowded to one side of the boat and
capsized it. Some of the people on board saved themselves
by getting on to the bottom of the boat, others by holding on
to planks.
I made an effort to swim to the landing, below which was
some three miles of perpendicular river bank, and the water
along the bank was full of whirlpools and eddies. Despite
my efforts, the current took me past the landing. As I was
almost carried under by a strong eddy, I began to despair of
saving myself. Fortunately, I discovered where a path had
been cut through the bank to the water's edge. I succeeded
in getting so near the top of the bank, that a woman who was
near, and had discovered my situation, managed to get
hold of my hand, and, with a great effort, I was saved from the
surging waters.
In traveling up the Platte river on our way to the moun-
tains, we found the road side, in places, strewn with human
bones. The discovery of gold in California and the excite-
ment it had created, had induced many of the Missouri
mobocrats, the year previous, to leave their homes in search
of the god of this world.
The cholera had raged among them to such an extent, that
the dead were buried without coffins, and with but a slight
covering of earth. The wolves had dug up and feasted upon
their carcasses, and their bones lay bleaching on the desert.
There were days of travel in which human skeletons were
usually in sight.
We saw the literal fulfillment of the predictions of Joseph
the Prophet, during the persecutions of the Saints in Mis-
souri. He said that those who took an active part in driving
them from their homes, should themselves die away from home
without a decent burial ; that their flesh should be devoured
MIRACULOUS CASES OF HEALING. 25
by wild beasts, and their bones should bleach on the plains.
Boards had usually been placed at the heads of the graves, on
which were the names of those who had been buried in them.
Many of these names were those of well-known Missouri
mobocrats.
The destroyer came into our company, and several persons
died. I told my family that it was a plague from the Lord,
that nothing but His power could save them from it, and that
it would attack some of the family. My wife thought that I
had done wrong in asserting that it would attack our family,
as the children would be afraid and be more likely to have it.
I told her that it would come, but when it did we must
depend entirely upon the Lord and all would be right.
One evening, as I returned to my wagon from assisting to
bury a Sister Hunt, Sister Hamblin was taken violently with
the cholera, and she exclaimed, "O Lord, help, or I die!"
I anointed her with consecrated oil in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and she was instantly healed. The next day the
cholera attacked me and I was healed under the hands of my
father.
I was advised to get into the wagon and ride the remainder
of the day. As my eldest son, a small lad, took the whip to
drive the team, he fell forward to the ground and both wheels
on the left side of the wagon ran over his body. It appeared
to me that he never could breathe again. My father took
him out of the road, administered to him, and he arose to
his feet and said that he was not hurt.
My youngest son, Lyman, was taken with the cholera, and
my father in administering to him, rebuked the destroyer,
and commanded him to depart from him, from the family and
from the company. To my knowledge no more cases of the
cholera occurred after that in the company.
We arrived in Salt Lake Valley on the 1st of September,
1850.
26 LOCATE IN TOOELE VALLEY.
CHAPTER IV.
LOCATE IN TOOELE VALLEY — INDIAN TROUBLES — ESCAPE
DEATH BY AN INDIAN, BY FOLLOWING THE WARNING
OF THE SPIRIT— HUNTING INDIANS— SUDDEN AVERSION
TO SHEDDING THEIR BLOOD — DECIDE TO PROTECT THEM
AT THE RISK OF MY LIFE — SENT AGAIN TO HUNT AND
KILL INDIANS — TESTIMONY THAT THE LORD DID NOT
WANT ME TO [KILL THEM, BUT TO CARRY PEACE TO
THEM — A DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT.
I SETTLED, with my father and brothers, in Tooele Valley,
thirty-five miles west of Salt Lake City. The people
built their houses in the form of a fort, to protect themselves
from the Indians, who frequently stole their horses and cattle.
Men were sent against them from Salt Lake City, but all to
no purpose. The Indians would watch them during the day,
and steal from them at night.
This kind of warfare was carried on for about three years,
during which time there was no safety for our horses or cattle.
We had a military company, of which I was first lieutenant
I went with the captain on several expeditions against the
thieves, but without accomplishing much good. They would
watch our movements in the canyons, and continually annoy us.
At one time, I took my wife three miles up a canyon, to
gather wild fruit while I got down timber from the moun-
tain. We had intended to remain over night, but while
preparing a place to sleep, a feeling came over me that the
Indians were watching with the intention of killing us
during the night.
I at once yoked my oxen, put my wife and her babe on the
wagon, and went home in the evening. My wife expressed
surprise at my movements, and I told her that the Indians
were watching us. She wished to know how I knew this, and
asked if I had seen or heard them. I replied that I knew
it on the same principle that I knew that the gospel was true.
INDIAN TROUBLES. 27
The following day I returned to the canyon. Three Indians
had come down on the road during the night, and robbed a
wagon of a gun, ammunition and other valuables. One of
them, from the size of the track, must have been an Indian
known as "Old Big Foot." I thanked the Lord that Be had
warned me in time to save my wife and child, as well as my-
self.
The following winter I asked for a company of men to
make another effort to hunt up the Indians. On this scout
we traveled at night and watched during the day, until we
discovered the location of a band of them.
One morning at daybreak, we surrounded their camp before
they were aware of our presence. The chief among them
sprang to his feet, and stepping towards me, said, "I never
hurt you, and I do not want to. If you shoot, I will ;*if you
do not, I will not. ' ' I was not familiar with their language,
but I knew what he said. Such an influence came over me
that I would not have killed one of them for all the cattle in
Tooele Valley.
The running of the women and the crying of the children
aroused my sympathies, and I felt inspired to do my best to
prevent the company from shooting any of them. Some
shots were fired, but no one was injured, except that the legs
and feet of some of the Indians were bruised by jumping
among the rocks.
I wished some of the men to go with us to the settlement.
They were somewhat afraid, but confided in my assurance that
they should not be injured.
On my arrival home, my superior officer ignored the prom-
ise of safety I had given the Indians, and decided to have
them shot.
I told him I did not care to live after I had seen the
Indians whose safety I had guaranteed, murdered, and as it
made but little difference with me, if there were any shot I«
should be the first. At the same time I placed myself in front
of the Indians. This ended the matter, and they were set at
liberty.
From the feelings manifested by the Bishop and the people
generally, I thought that I might possibly be mistaken in the
28 NARROW ESCAPE.
whole affair. The people had long suffered from the depre-
dations of these Indians, and they might be readily excused
for their exasperated feelings, but, right or wrong, a different
feeling actuated roe.
After this affair, the presiding Elder directed me to
take another company of men, go after the Indians, to shoot
all we found, and bring no more into the settlement. Again
we traveled at night and watched during the day. We found
the trail of a small band who had come near the valley, and
then turned back on account of a light fall of snow, which
would make their trail too easily discovered for thieving oper-
ations.
We surprised them near a large mountain between Tooele
and Skull Valleys. They scattered in the foot hills, and the
company divided to the right and left to keep them from the
mountains. I rode my horse as far as he could go on account
of the difficulties of the ground, then left him, and secreted
myself behind a rock in a narrow pass, through which I pre-
sumed some of the Indians would attempt to escape. I had
not been there long before an Indian came within a few paces
of me. .
I leveled my rifle on him, and it missed fire. He sent an
arrow at me, and it struck my gun as I was in the act of
re-capping it ; he sent the second, and it passed through my
hat; the third barely missed my head; the fourth passed
through my coat and vest. As I could not discharge my gun,
I defended myself as well as I could with stones. The Indian
soon left the ground to me.
I afterwards learned that as he went on, he met two others
of our company and passed them safely, as their guns also
missed fire. When the company gathered back to the place
from which they scattered, we learned that not one was able
to discharge his gun when within range of an Indian. One
•of the company received a slight arrow wound, which was the
only injury inflicted.
In my subsequent reflections, it appeared evident to me
that]a special providence had been over us, in this and the
two previous expeditions, to prevent us from shedding the
blood of the Indians. The Holy Spirit forcibly impressed
A SINGULAR DREAM. 29
me that it was not my calling to shed the blood of the scat-
tered remnant of Israel, but to be a messenger of peace to
them. It was also made manifest to me that if I would not
thirst for their blood, I should never fall by their hands. The
most of the men who went on this last expedition, also
received an impression that it was wrong to kill these In-
dians.
On a fourth expedition against them, we again surprised
their camp. When I saw the women and children fleeing for
their lives, barefooted over the rocks and through the snow,
leaving a trail of blood, JI fully made up my mind, that if
I had anything more to do with Indians, it would be in a
different way.
I did not wish to injure these women and children, but,
learning that "Old Big Foot" was there, and feeling that he
deserved killing, I soon found his trail and followed it. There
being snow on the ground, his trail was easily seen. It
passed along the highest ridges. As I approached a cedar
tree with low, thick foliage, a feeling came over me not to go
near it. 1 passed it under the brow of a steep hill. When
beyond it, I saw that no trail had passed on. I circled
around in sight of the Indian, but he in some way slipped off
unobserved.
Afterwards, when trying to make peace with these Indians,
' 'Big Foot" told me, that himself and party had laid their
plans to kill me and my wife and child, the summer before
when in Pine canyon, had we remained there over night.
During the same interview he said, placing his finger on his
arrow, "If, when you followed me in the cedar hills, you had
come three steps nearer the tree where I was, I would have
put an arrow into you up to the feather."
I thanked the Lord, as I often felt to do, for the revelations
of His Spirit.
After returning home from the expedition, in which I had
followed the trail of "Old Big Foot," I dreamed, three nights
in succession, of being out west, alone, with the Indians that
we had been trying about three years to destroy. I saw my-
self walk with them in a friendly manner, and, while doing
so, pick up a lump of shining substance, some of which stuck
30 THE DREAM FULFILLED.
to my fingers, and the more I endeavored to brush it off the
brighter it became.
This dream made such an impression on my mind, that I
took my blankets, gun and ammunition, and went alone into
their country. I remained with them several days, hunting
deer and duck, occasionally loaning them my rifle, and assist-
ing to bring in their game. I also did all I could to induce
them to be at peace with us.
One day, in my rambles, I came to a lodge where there was
a squaw, and a boy about ten years old. As soon as I saw
the boy, the Spirit said to me, "Take that lad home with
you ; that is part of your mission here, and here is the bright
substance which you dreamed of picking up." I talked with
him and asked if he would not go with me. He at once
replied that he would.
The mother, naturally enough, in a deprecating tone, asked
me if I wanted to take her boy away from her. But after some
further conversation she consented to the arrangement. At
this time I had not learned much of the language of these In-
dians, but I seemed to have the gift of making myself understood.
When I left, the boy took his bows and arrows and accom-
panied me. The woman appeared to feel so bad, and made
so much ado, that I told the lad he had better go back to his
mother ; but he would not do so. We went to the side of a
mountain where I agreed to meet the Indians. His mother,
still anxious about her boy, came to our camp in the evening.
The following morning, she told me that she heard I had a
good heart, for the Indians told her that I had been true to
what I said, and the boy could go with me if I would always
be his father and own him as my son.
This boy became very much attached to me, and was very
particular to do as he was told. I asked him why he was so
willing to come with me the first time we met. He replied
that I was the first white man he ever saw ; that he knew a
man would come to his mother's lodge to see him, on the day
of my arrival, for he was told so the night before, and that
when the man came he must go with him ; that he knew I
was the man when he saw me a long way off, and built a
smoke so that I would come there.
MISSION TO SOUTHERN UTAH. 31
CHAPTER V.
MISSION TO SOUTHERN UTAH — LOCATE AT HARMONY —
REMARKABLE PROPHECIES OF H. C. KIMBALL FUL-
FILLED — INDIANS HARVESTING — INDIAN "MEDICINE
MAN" — INDIAN WOMAN HEALED UNDER OUR ADMINIS-
TRATION— ACCOMPANY A HUNTING PARTY — A FIGHT FOR
A SQUAW, IN WHICH I AM COMPELLED TO TAKE PART
— SICKNESS — TAKE MY FAMILY TO SOUTHERN UTAH —
BUILD A FORT ON THE SANTA CLARA — RAIN IN ANSWER
TO PRAYER — COUNSEL FROM PRESIDENT YOUNG — WE
REFUSE TO ADMINISTER TO THE SICK UNTIL THEY ARE
WASHED— A SICK BOY DIES, AND THE INDIANS .GROW
MAD AND THREATEN US— WE FOLLOW AND PACIFY
THEM.
AT the April conference of 1854, I was called, with a num-
ber of others, on a mission to the Indians in Southern
Utah. Taking a horse, cow, garden seeds and some farming
tools, I joined in with Brother Robert Ritchie, and was soon
on my way.
We commenced operations at a place we called Harmony,
twenty miles south of Cedar City, in Iron County. I made
it my principal business to learn the Indian language, and
become familiar with their character.
About the end of May of that year, President Brigham
Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt and others to
the number of twenty persons, came to visit us. President
Young gave much instruction about conducting the mission
and building up the settlement we had commenced. He said
if the Elders wanted influence with the Indians, they must
associate with them in their expeditions.
Brother Kimball prophesied, that, if the brethren were
united, they would be prospered and blessed, but if they per-
mitted the spirit of strife and contention to come into their
midst, the place would come to an end in a scene of blood-
shed.
32 INDIAN " MEDICINE MAN."
Previous to this meeting, President Young asked some
brethren who had been into the country south of Harmony, if
they thought a wagon road could be made down to the Rio
Virgen.
Their replies were very discouraging, but, in the face of
this report, Brother Kimball prophesied in this meeting, that
a road would be made from Harmony over the Black Ridge ;
and a temple would be built on the Rio Virgin, and the
Lamanites would come from the east side of the Colorado
river and get their endowments in it. All these prophecies
have since been fulfilled.
On the 1st of June, 1854, I went with Elder R. C. Allen
and others, to visit the Indians on the Rio Virgen and Santa
Clara, two streams now well known as forming a junction
south of the city of St. George.
On the 9th of June, we camped on ground now enclosed in
the Washington field. There we saw many Indian women
gathering a red, sweet berry, called "opie." The Indians
were also harvesting their wheat. Their manner of doing so
was very primitive. One would loosen the roots of the
wheat with a stick, another would pull up the plant, beat
the dirt off from the roots and set it up in bunches. I loaned
them a long sharp knife, which greatly assisted them in their
labors.
The company returned to Harmony with the exception of
Brother William Hennefer and myself, who were left to visit
the Indians on the upper Santa Clara. We found a few
lodges, and with them a very sick woman. The medicine
man of the tribe was going through a round of ceremonies in
order to heal her.
He stuck arrows into the ground at the entrance of the
lodge, placed his medicine bow in a conspicuous place,
adorned his head with eagle's feathers, and then walked back
and forth in an austere manner, making strange gestures with
his hands, and hideous noises at the top of his voice. He
would then enter the lodge, and place his mouth to the woman's,
in order to drive away the evil spirits, and charm away the
pain. Some one told the sick woman that the "Mormons"
believed in "poogi," which, in their language, means
SICK WOMAN HEALED. 33
administering to the sick. She wished us to wait, and if the
Piute charm did not work, to try if we could do her any good.
The medicine maji howled and kept up his performances
the most of the night. The sick woman's friends then
carried her some distance away from the lodge, and left ker to
die.
Some of her relatives asked us to go and administer to her.
We could not feel to refuse, so we laid on hands and prayed
for her.
When we returned to our camp, she arose and followed us,
and said she was hungr}\ We sent her to her own lodge.
Some of the inmates were frightened at seeing her, as they
had considered her a dead woman.
We returned to Harmony about the last of June. On the
3rd of July, I accompanied a hunting party of Indians into
the mountains east of Harmony. While with them, I spared
no labor in learning their language, and getting an insight
into their character.
I had ever felt an aversion to white men shedding the
blood of these ignorant barbarians. When the white man
has settled on their lands, and his cattle has destroyed much
of their scanty living, there has always appeared in them a
disposition to make all reasonable allowances for these wrongs.
Ever since I was old enough to understand, and more
especially after being with them around their camp fires,
where I learned their simple and child-like ways, and heard
them tell over their wrongs, I fully made up my mind to do
all I could to alleviate their condition.
From time to time, when the Saints have had any trouble
with them, and I have had anything to do with settling the
difficulty, I have made it a specialty to go among them,
regardless of their numbers or anger. Through the blessing
of the Lord, I have never yet failed in accomplishing my
object, where no other persons have interfered in a matter they
did not understand.
Returning from this hunting expedition, I made my way,
in September, to Tooele Valley, to visit my family, and found
them well. I remained with them but a short time, and
returned to my missionary labors in Southern Utah.
34 FIGHT FOR A SQUAW.
Our crops had done well. After assisting to gather them,
I labored for a season on the fort we were building, the better
to defend ourselves in case of trouble with the Indians.
In November, I was sent alone among«the Indians on the
Santa Clara, to use my influence to keep them from disturb-
ing the travelers on the southern route to California.
When there, without a white companion, a dispute arose
between some of the Indians about a squaw. As was their
custom, they decided that the claimant should do battle for
her in the following manner :
The warriors of the band were to form in two files, and a
claimant should pass between the files leading the squaw, and
prepared to fight anyone that opposed his claim. The affair
had made considerable progress, when one of the parties who
had been roughly handled, claimed kinship with me by calling
me brother, and asked me to help him.
Not wishing to take a part in any of their barbarous cus-
toms, I objected. The Indians then taunted me with being a
coward, called me a squaw, etc.
I soon took in the situation, and saw that it would not be
well to lose caste among them. I accepted the challenge
under the promise that they would not be angry with me if I
should hurt some of them. I had but little anxiety about
the result, for they were not adepts in the art of self-
defense.
The Indians, numbering about one hundred and twenty,
formed in two lines, and I took the squaw by the hand, and
commenced my passage between them.
Only, one Indian disputed my progress. With one blow I
stretched him on the ground. All would probably have
passed off well enough, had I not kicked him as he fell.
This was contrary to their code of honor, and I paid a fine for
this breach of custom.
I was acknowledged the victor, and it was decided that the
squaw was mine. I immediately turned her over to the
Indian that she desired for a husband.
This was my first and last fight for a squaw. It gave
me a prestige among them that greatly added to my subse-
quent influence.
PROSTRATED WITH SICKNESS. 35
This short and lonely mission was brought to a close by my
return to Harmony.
In the beginning of winter, I went down to the Santa Clara
in company with Brothers Ira Hatch, Samuel Knigh.t, Thales
Haskell and A. P. Hardy.
We worked with the Indians, and gained much influence
over them. We built a log cabin, and a dam to take out the
waters of the Santa Clara Creek to irrigate the bottom land.
Hard labor and exposure brought on me a severe attack of
sickness. At the same time there came a heavy fall of snow,
which made it impracticable to get any assistance from the
nearest settlement, forty miles distant.
The brethren began to entertain some doubts about my
recovery. However, after laying sick fourteen days, with
nothing to nourish me but bread made of moldy, bitter corn
meal, Brother Samuel Atwood arrived from Harmony with
some good things to strengthen me.
After a few days, I started with Brother Atwood on horse-
back, for Harmony. I rode to Cottonwood Creek, where the
town of Harrisburg now stands. I felt exhausted, and could
go no farther. I was assisted off my horse and lay on the
ground, where I fainted. Brother Atwood brought some
water in the leather holster of his pistol, and put some of it
in my mouth and on my head, which revived me.
With slow and careful traveling I was able to reach Har-
mony'; but I was so reduced in flesh that my friends did not
recognize me.
As soon as my health would permit, I returned to the Santa
Clara.
I have before referred to a custom among the Piutes of
taking women from each other. Sometimes two claimants
decided who should be the possessor of the woman, by single
combat; but more generally, each claimant would gather to
his assistance all the friends he could, and the fighting would
be kept up until one side was conquered, when the claimant
who had led the victorious party, would take possession of the
woman.
I have seen such engagements last all day and a part of the
night. In one of these, in which over one hundred men took
36 REMOVE TO SANTA CLARA.
•
a part, some of the combatants became angry, and fought in
good earnest.
At the close of the day, it was still undecided who was the
victor. At night large fires were lighted, arranged in a circle,
and some forty of the combatants came in to decide the
matter.
They pulled each other's hair and fought desperately,
regardless of the rules usually governing such affairs. The
unoffending woman seemed to fare quite as hard, or worse
than the combatants. She was finally trampled under foot,
and the women who looked on became excited. Some ran
with their willow trays filled with coals from the fire, which
they threw over the men and burnt theEi out, as each one
found employment in running and brushing the coals from his
hair and back.
In the meantime, the woman lay on the ground with her
mouth filled with blood and dirt.
At this stage of the affair we used our persuasive powers,
and succeeded in inducing the men to let the woman go with
the man she wanted.
In the summer of 1855, we cultivated a few acres of land
on the Santa Clara. We raised melons, and had the privilege
of disposing of them ourselves. I do not think that the
Indians ever took any without leave. We raised a small
amount of cotton, which was probably the first grown in Utah
Territory.
In the autumn of 1855, I returned to Tooele Valley, and
removed my family to the Santa Clara. My brother Oscar,
also Brother Dudley Leavitt, and their families, accompanied
me.
In the winter of 1855-6, we were instructed to build a fort
for our protection. There were at that time on the Santa
Clara, ten missionaries, and four stonemasons from Cedar
City. We employed Indian help, and everything we put our
hands to prospered, so that in less than ten days we built a
fort one hundred feet square, of hammer-faced rock, the wall
two feet thick and twelve feet high. It was afterwards
said by President Young to be the best fort then in the
Territory.
ANSWER TO PRAYER. 37
We invited the Indians to assist us to construct a strong,
high dam to take the water out of the Santa Clara to a choice
piece of land.
For this purpose they gathered into the settlement
to the number of about thirty lodges, but rather
reluctantly, for they believed that the Tonaquint, their name
for the Santa Clara, would dry up the corning season, as there
was but little snow in the mountains.
With much hard labor we completed our dam, and watered
our crops once in the spring of 1856. The water then failed,
and our growing crops began to wither.
The Indians then came to me and said, "You promised us
water if we would help build a dam and plant corn. What
about the promise, now the creek is dry? What will we do
for something to eat next winter?"
The chief saw that I was troubled in my mind over the
matter, and said, "We have one medicine man; I will send
him to the great mountain to make rain medicine, and you do
the best you can, and may be the rain will come ; but it will
take strong medicine, as I never knew it to rain this moon."
I went up the creek, and found it dry for twelve miles.
The following morning at daylight, I saw the smoke of the
medicine man ascending from the side of the Big Mountain,
as the Indians called what is now known as the Pine Valley
Mountain.
Being among some Indians, I went aside by myself, and
prayed to the God of Abraham to forgive me if I had been
unwise in promising the Indians water for their crops if they
would plant; and that the heavens might give rain, that we
might not lose the influence we had over them.
It was a clear, cloudless morning, but, while still on my
knees, heavy drops of rain fell on my back for about three
seconds. I knew it to be a sign that my prayers were
answered. I told the Indians that the rain would come.
When I returned to the settlement, I told the brethren that
we would have all the water we wanted.
The next morning, a gentle rain commenced falling. The
water arose to its ordinary stage in the creek, and, what was
unusual, it was clear. We watered our crops all that we
FAITH OF THE INDIANS.
wished, and both whites and Indians acknowledged the event
to be a special providence.
I think more corn and squash were grown that year, by us,
than I ever saw before or since, on the same number of acres.
The Indians gathered and stored up a large amount of corn,
beans and dried squash.
From that time they began to look upon us as having great
influence with the clouds. They also believed that we could
cause sickness to come upon any of them if we wished. We
labored to have them understand these things in their true
light, but this was difficult on account of their ignorance and
superstitions.
About this time an Indian came in from another small band
east of the Santa Clara. The Indians who worked with us
told him how matters were going with them.
He ridiculed them for their faith in us and what we taught
them, and told them that they were fools for living without
meat, when there were plenty of cattle in sight. To more
fully exemplify his views and set an example of self-assur-
ance, he killed one of our oxen.
Four or five of the brethren went to him, armed. I felt
impressed that a peaceful policy would be the best, and, for
that reason, I requested them to let me manage the matter.
I went into his lodge and sat down by him. I told him that
he had done a great wrong, for we were working to do the
Indians good.
He talked insultingly, and wanted to know if I wished to
kill him, or if I could make medicine strong enough to kill
him. I told him that he had made his own medicine, and
that some evil would befall him before he got home.
About this time, the president of the mission received a
letter from President Brigham Young, requiring us to say to
the Indians that if they would live cleanly and observe certain
things pertaining to the gospel, they should grow and increase
in the land. Also, that we should require them to wash the
sick before we administered to them.
An Indian wished us to administer to his sick boy. We
required him to wash his child ; he refused to do so, and the
boy died. The man burnt his lodge, went to the mountains,
THREATENED BY AN INDIAN. 39
and called on others to follow him. Some did so, and before
leaving, burned a log store house which they had filled with
supplies.
The angry man's name was Ag-ara-poots.
The chief of the band came to me and said, "Old Ag-ara-
poots will never be satisfied until he has killed you or some
one who is with you. You know that he has killed two
Piutes since you came here. The Piutes are all afraid of
him. I am going away."
I asked him if he would not go to Ag-ara-poots with me.
"No;" he replied, "he thinks that you let his boy die, and
he will never be satisfied until he has blood. There are many
with him, and you must not go where he is."
As I felt like seeing him, I invited all the missionary
brethren, one by one, to go with me, but they all refused
except Brother Thales Haskell. One of the brethren
remarked that he would as soon go into a den of grizzly bears.
When I went to the house of Brother Haskell and opened
the door, he said, "I know what you want. You wish me to
go with you to see Ag-ara-poots. I am just the man you
want."
The difference between me and my brethren in this instance
did not arise from superior personal courage in myself, but in
the fact that I have mentioned before : that I had received
from the Lord an assurance that I should never fall by the
hands of the Indians, if I did not thirst for their blood.
That assurance has been, and is still with me, in all my inter-
course with them.
Brother Haskell seemed inspired to go with me on this
occasion. We started in the morning, and followed the trail
of Ag-ara-poots until afternoon, when we found him and his
band.
His face was blackened, and he sat with his head down,
apparently in rather a surly mood. I told him I had heard
that he intended to kill me the first opportunity.
Said he : "Who told you that I wanted to kill you?"
I answered that the Piutes had told me so.
He declared that it was a lie ; but he had been mad and
was mad then, because I had let his boy die.
40 DEATH OF AG-ARA-POOTS.
I told him that lie let his boy die, because he did not think
enough of him to wash him so that the Lord would heal him,
and now he was mad at some. one else.
I told him we were hungry, and were going to eat with a
man who was not mad, and that he had better go with us.
As we left his lodge, he arose to go with us, but trembled,
staggered and sat down in the sand.
All the Indians but Ag-ara-poots gathered around us. We
told them they had been foolish in burning up their food,
going into the mountains, and leaving their friends ; that the
women and children had better go back to the settlement
where there was something to eat, and let the men who
wished to hunt, remain. The most of them started for the
settlement the same night.
The following day Titse-gavats, the chief, came to me and
said, "The band have all come on to the Clara except Ag-ara-
poots, and he came on to the bluff in sight of it, and his
heart hardened. You cannot soften his heart again. He has
gone off alone. You had better pray for him to die, then
there will be no bloodshed. Do not tell Mm what I have said
to you. ' '
I did ask the Lord that, if it would be for the glory of His
name, Ag-ara-poots might not have strength to shed the
blood of any of us. In a few days the Piutes told me that he
was not able to walk nor help himself to a drink of water.
He lingered until spring and died.
THEFT BY AN INDIAN. 41
CHAPTER VI.
RETRIBUTIVE JUSTICE TO THE INDIANS— WE GAIN INFLU-
ENCE BY IT — THE LORD GIVES THE INDIANS TESTIMONIES
OF THE TRUTH — WAR BETWEEN TWO BANDS OF INDIANS
—A WOMAN BURNED TO DEATH FROM REVENGE— PROMPT-
INGS OF THE SPIRIT — STOLEN HORSES RECOVERED —
- GOVERNMENT AMONG THE INDIANS — APPOINTED
PRESIDENT OF THE INDIAN MISSION— VISIT OF APOSTLE
GEORGE A. SMITH— UNITED STATES ARMY ON ITS WAY
TO UTAH — ELDER SMITH* S ADVISE TO THE SAINTS —
MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.
A PETTY chief, living west of the settlement on the Santa
Clara, and on the California road, came to me and said
that he had stolen from some "Mormons" as they passed by;
that there could not be medicine made to kill him, for he was
a hard one to kill, and he should steal from the "Mormons"
again the first opportunity.
Some two weeks after this conversation, the Indians told
me that this chief was dead. In going home from the Santa
Clara settlement, he stole an animal from a "Mormon" trav-
eler, and hid it up until he had gone by ; then drove it to his
lodge, killed it, and when it was about half skinned he was
taken sick, went into his lodge and died.
An Indian living near us said he had killed an animal, and
wished to pay for it. I took some pay from him that he
might be satisfied, and told him to go his way and steal no
more.
He was afterwards caught stealing another ox, after which
I chanced to meet him alone. He asked me what I was
going to do about it? I replied, "Nothing."
He talked in an excited manner, and said in an angry tone,
' 'If you are going to do anything, do it now ; do it here. ' ' I
explained to him that if evil came upon people they brought
it upon themselves by their mean acts.
42 SQUAW BURNED TO DEATH.
He talked and acted in such a rascally manner that I was
disgusted. I told him that he was in the hands of the Lord ;
if He would forgive him, I would, but I did not believe that
He would. This man died in a few days after this conver-
sation.
The Lord had sent the gospel of their fathers to these
Indians, and with it the testimony of many special manifes-
tations, so evident to them, even in their ignorance, that they
might be without excuse.
In addition to the destruction of the wilfully wicked and
perverse, many promises to them were fulfilled, their sick
were healed, etc.
These testimonies more fully 'established the [influence of
the Elders among this people, and they looked to us for
counsel, and endeavored to do as they were instructed. The
men ceased to abuse their families, and they did as well as
could be expected of people in their low condition.
They would wash the sick, and ask the Elders to lay hands
on and pray for them. The Lord had great regard for our
administrations, for I do not recollect administering to one
that did not recover. We were careful not to say or do any-
thing wrong, and I feel that a good spirit governed us in all
our intercourse with this people. They soon learned to
regard our words as law.
At length the Santa Clara and Muddy Indians got into a
quarrel, and began to kill each other whenever they could get
an advantage. We endeavored to make peace between them,
but blood had been spilled, and nothing but blood would
satisfy them.
One morning, a Muddy Creek Indian killed one of the
Santa Clara band in the wood near our fort. The Santa Clara
Indians farther up the stream, hearing of it, took a Moapats
woman, fastened her to a small tree, and burnt her.
When they first tied her, a young Indian came in haste to
let me know what was going on. I hurried towards the spot,
but before I arrived there another boy met me, and said that
it was of no use for me to go on, for matters had gone too far
to save the woman. I think they had hurried to consummate
the terrible deed before I could get there.
DICTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. 43
When I talked with the perpetrators they cried, and said
that they could not have done less than they did. That is,
they were so bound up in their traditions and customs, that
what they had done was a necessary duty.
They appeared so child-like, and so anxious to have me
think that what they had done was all right, that I said noth-
ing, but felt that I would be truly thankful if I should ever
be so fortunate as to be called to labor among a higher class
of people.
These things took place in the summer and autumn of
1856. Soon after the burning of the Indian woman, Brother
Ira Hatch and I started for Cedar City, by way of the Moun-
tain Meadows. At night we camped near another trail which
crossed the one on which we were traveling.
When we arose in the morning, I told my companion that
the Cedar Indians had been to the Muddy to attack the
Indians living there, and had got the worst of it; that on
their return they had stolen the horses from the Santa Clara.
We had never traveled the trail they were on, but I told
Brother Hatch that if he would take it, he would find the
thieves camped at a certain spring, and when they saw him
they would be so surprised that they would let him have the
horses without any difficulty.
Brother Hatch found matters as I had predicted, and the
Indians got up the horses for him, and appeared anxious to
have him take them away.
We afterwards learned that the Cedar Indians had gone to
the Mudd}7, and stolen two squaws from the band that lived
on that creek. The Muddy Indians had pursued the robbers,
and retaliated by killing a chief of the Cedar Indians, and
wounding two more of their party. They also recovered the
captive squaws.
It was by the dictation of the Holy Spirit that I sent
Brother Hatch to recover the horses. It was the same Spirit
that had influenced me to take my wife and child out of Pine
Canyon the evening before I had intended to, and thereby
saved their lives and my own. It was the same also that had
saved me from being killed by. "Old Big Foot," when I lived
in Tooele Valley.
44 LETTER FROM PRESIDENT B. YOUNG.
At this time we had established as good a form of govern-
ment among the Santa Clara Indians, as their circumstances
would permit.
They worked for a living, and promised to be honest. If
anyone stole, he either paid a price for what he had taken, or
was stripped, tied to a tree and whipped, according to the
magnitude of the offense. The Indians did the whipping,
while I generally dictated the number and severity of the lashes.
In the winter of 1856-7, after the Indians had been trying
for some time to follow our counsels, they said to me, "We
cannot be good ; we must be Piutes. We want you to be
kind to us. It may be that some of our children will be good,
but we want to follow our old customs. ' '
They again began to paint themselves, and to abuse their
women, as they had done before we went among them.
Up to this time, Elder R. C. Allen had been president of
the Southern Indian Mission, and had generally resided at
Harmony. He had given me charge of the settlement on the
Santa Clara Creek.
The following letter shows his release, and my appointment
to take his place, and exhibits the Indian policy of President
Brigharn Young :
' 'PRESIDENT' s OFFICE,
Great Salt Lake City,
August 4, 1857.
"ELDER JACOB HAMBLIN:— You are hereby appointed to
succeed Elder R. C. Allen (whom I have released) as presi-
dent of the Santa Clara Indian Mission. I wish you to enter
upon the duties of your office immediately.
"Continue the conciliatory policy towards the Indians which
I have ever commended, and seek by works of righteousness,
to obtain their love and confidence. Omit promises where
you are not sure you can fill them ; and seek to unite the
hearts of the brethren on that mission, and let all under
your direction be united together in holy bonds of love and
unity.
1 'All is peace here, and the Lord is eminently blessing our
labors ; grain is abundant, and our cities are alive with the
busy hum of industry.
G. A. SMITH'S ADVICE. 45
' 'Do not permit the brethren to part with their guns and
ammunition, but save them against the hour of need.
"Seek the Spirit of the Lord to direct you; and that He
may qualify you for every duty, is the prayer of your fellow-
laborer in the gospel of salvation,
BRIGHAM YOUNG."
Early in the autumn of 1857, Apostle George A. Smith
visited the settlements in Southern Utah. He informed the
Saints that a United States army was on the way to Utah.
What the result would be, he said he did not know. He
advised the people to be saving with their grain, and not sell •
any to travelers to feed their teams ; for they could live on
grass better than our women and children. He thought that
all we could afford to do, under the circumstances, was to fur-
nish travelers with bread. That if we would not deny the
gospel, we might yet suffer much persecution, and be com-
pelled to hide up in the mountains. "At all events," said he,
"bread is good to have."
When President Smith returned to Salt Lake City, Brother
Thales Haskell and I accompanied him. On our way we
camped over night on Corn Creek, twelve miles south of Fill-
more, with a party of emigrants from Arkansas, traveling on
what was then known as the southern route to California.
They inquired of me about the road, and wrote the informa-
tion down that I gave them.
They expressed a wish to lay by at some suitable place to
recruit their teams before crossing the desert. I recom-
mended to them, for this purpose, the south end of the
Mountain Meadows, three miles from where my* family
resided.
After our arrival in Salt Lake City, news reached there that
this company of emigrants, on their way south, had behaved
badly, that they had robbed hen-roosts, and been guilty of
other irregularities, and had used abusive language to those
who had remonstrated with them, It was also reported that
they threatened, when the army came into the north end of the
Territory, to get a good outfit from the weaker settlements in
the south.
46 MOUNTAIN MEADOW MASSACRE.
A messenger came to President Young, informing him of
these things, and asking advice.
In reply, Brigham Young sent general instructions to the
settlements, advising the people to let the emigrants pass as
quietly as possible ; and stating that there was an army on our
borders, and we could not tell what we might be obliged to do
before the troubles were over. He said we might be under
the necessity of going into the mountains, and that he wished
all supplies of food to be in a shape to be readily available
in such an emergency ; and we would do the best we could.
Brother Haskell and I remained in Salt Lake City one
week, and then started for our homes in Southern Utah. On
the way, we heard that the Arkansas company of emigrants
had been destroyed at the Mountain Meadows, by the
Indians.
We met John D. Lee at Fillmore. He told us that the
Indians attacked the company, and that he and some other
white men joined them in the perpetration of the deed.
This deplorable affair caused a sensation of horror and deep
regret throughout the entire community, by whom it was
unqualifiedly condemned.
In Cove Creek Valley we met others from the south, who
told us that the Indians were gathering to attack another com-
pany of emigrants. I procured a horse, left the wagons, and
rode on day and night. At Cedar City I found Brothers
Samuel Knight and Dudley Leavitt.
As I was weary with hard riding and want of sleep, I hur-
ried them on after the emigrants, while I traveled more
slowly. I instructed these men to make every possible effort
to save the company and their effects, and to save their lives
at all hazards.
They overtook the company one hundred and fifty-six miles
from Cedar City, on Muddy Creek, in the heart of the Indian
country. They found a large body of excited Indians prepar-
ing to attack and destroy them.
Finding it altogether impossible to control the Indians, they
compromised the matter. The Indians agreed to only take
the loose stock of the company, and not meddle with the
teams and wagons, and not make any effort to take their lives.
ESCORT A COMPANY TO CALIFORNIA. 47
The Indians took the loose stock, amounting to four hun-
dred and eighty head, on the fifty mile desert Jbeyond the
Muddy.
The brethren remained with the company, determined to
assist in its defense, should the Indians attempt anything
more than they had agreed.
The company continued their journey safely to California.
Brothers Knight and Leavitt returned to the Santa Clara.
As soon as possible, I talked with the principal Indians
engaged in this affair, and they agreed that the stock not
killed should be given up. I wrote to the owners in Califor-
nia, and they sent their agent, Mr. Lane, with whom I went
to the Muddy, and the stock was delivered to him as the
Indians had agreed.
CHAPTER VII.
PRESIDENT YOUNG REQUESTS ME TO PILOT A COMPANY TO
CALIFORNIA — SAVE A WHITE MAN FROM BEING TOR-
TURED BY THE INDIANS— INDIANS DETERMINED TO KILL
THE COMPANY — I PACIFY THEM — ELDERS IRA HATCH
AND DUDLEY LEAVITT SENTENCED TO BE KILLED BY
THE MOHAVES — ELDER HATCH SOFTENS THEIR HEARTS
BY OFFERING A PRAYER — ALLOWED TO ESCAPE ON
FOOT.
IN the winter season, my family usually lived at the Santa
Clara settlement, thirty miles south of the Mountain
Meadows, to which place they moved in the spring, to keep
stock during the summer.
Late in the autumn of 1857, a company came along on
their way to California. They brought a letter from President
Brigharn Young, directing me to see this company and their
effects safely through to California. They were mostly mer-
chants who had been doing business in Salt Lake City, and,
48 SAVE A MAN'S LIFE.
anticipating difficulty between the people of Utah and the
United States army, were fleeing to the Eastern States by
way of California and the Isthmus of Panama.
When the company arrived in Cedar City, they sent a mes-
senger ahead of them with the letter to me. Having occasion
to go to Cedar City about the same time, I met the messen-
ger. I directed him to return to the company and tell them
to come on, and I would be with them in time.
I returned to Santa Clara to make some preparations for
the journey, and then started to meet the company on the
creek, twelve miles from the settlement.
When I reached the California road, the company had
passed, and was some distance ahead of me. While traveling
to overtake it, I found a man who had been traveling alone,
also in pursuit of the company, with a view of getting
through with it to California.
When I found him he was already in the hands of the
Indians, and stripped of his clothing. They were making •
calculations to have a good time with him as they expressed
it, that is, they intended to take him- to their camp and tor-
ture him.
The stranger, seeing I had influence with the Indians,
begged me to save his life, and said if I would do so he would
serve me as long as he lived.
I replied that I did not wish any reward for saving him.
In answer to his inquiry, I informed him that I was a
"Mormon."
"Well," said he, "I am not a Mormon, but I wish you
would save my life."
I assured him that it made no difference to me whether he
was a "Mormon" or not, I told the Indians to bring back
his clothing, which they did, except his shoes, and I took him
along with me to the company.
I found a few Indians around the company, and there
appeared to be some excitement, One of the merchants
asked me if I could save the ship. I replied that I could see
nothing to hinder me. He said: ' 'You can take the helm, but
do not run it too near the rocks or shoals ; we have plenty of
presents for the Indians,"
HOLD COUNCIL WITH THE INDIANS. 49
He wished to know what they should do with their animals.
I told him I knew where there was good grass, and I would
send two Indians to take care of them ; to let the two Indians
have their suppers, and a shirt each when they brought in
the animals in the morning.
At first they refused to let the animals go. I assured
them that if I was to direct matters, I should do it in my
own way.
After some consultation, they concluded to let me have my
own way. The animals were sent out to feed in charge of the
Indians, but I presume that some of the company did not
sleep much during the night.
The animals were all brought safely into camp in the
morning.
After that, the company appeared to feel quite safe, and
took much pains to have things move as I directed.
When we had traveled about sixty miles towards Muddy
Creek, a Moapat Indian told me that the Indians on that
stream were preparing to attack the company. I started at
daydawn the following morning, and arrived at the crossing
of the Muddy about two hours in advance of the company.
The Indians had collected in the vicinity of the crossing, with
the view of attacking the company when in camp. They
believed they could easily kill the men, and obtain a large
amount of spoil.
I called them together, and sat down and smoked a little
tobacco with them, which I had brought along for that pur-
pose. I then said: "You have listened to my talk in times
past ; you believe that it is good to hear and do what I say. ' '
They all answered, "Yes."
I then tald them I was going through to California with
some friends, Americans and merchants ; and that we had
brought along many blankets, shirts and other useful articles.
I hoped they would see that none of the animals were stolen,
and if any strayed, they would bring them into camp. Some
of the Indians did not readily consent to let the company pass
in peace.
For further security, I sent for their women and children to
come out of their hiding place, where they had been sent for
50 SAVED FROM DEATH THROUGH PRAYER.
safety, as is the custom of the Indians when preparing for
battle.
I had matters in a much better shape on the arrival of the
company than I found them. I was careful to listen to all
the talk of the Indians, and spent the evening and also the
night with the largest collection of them, so that they could
not make any general move without my knowledge.
We continued our journey across the fifty-six mile desert to
Los Vegas springs. There we met Brothers Ira Hatch and
Dudley Leavitt, on their return from a mission to the Mohave
Indians.
Those Indians, on the arrival of these brethren among
them, took their horses, and then held a council to decide
whether they should kill the brethren or not. The chief
called a vote of his people, and it was decided that the breth-
ren should die.
A Piute friend who had accompanied the Elders from Los
Vegas, began to mourn over their fate, and said to them, ' 'I
told you that the Mohaves would kill you if you came here,
and now they are going to do it. ' '
Brother Hatch told their Piute friend, who acted as inter-
preter, to tell the Mohave chief, Chanawanse, to let him pray
before he was killed.
The chief consented, and Brother Hatch knelt down among
the bloodthirsty savages, and asked the Lord to soften their
hearts, that they might not shed their blood. He also said
more that was appropriate to the occasion.
The prayer was repeated in measured sentences by the
interpreter.
It had the desired effect. The heart of the chief was
softened. He took the brethren to his lodge, and put them
at the farther end of it, in a secure place. There he guarded
them until nearly morning, then told them to go as fast as
they could to Los Vegas, eighty miles distant.
They traveled this distance on foot, and with but little
food. When I met them they were living on muskeet bread.
This is an article of food manufactured from a pod resembling
that of a bean, which grows on the muskeet tree. These cir-
cumstances were related to me by the Elders when we met.
PRESIDENT YOUNG'S INDIAN POLICY. 51
At Los Vegas I learned that the Indians there expected
that the company would have been massacred at the Muddy
Creek.
After we left this watering place, three Indians followed us
and made an effort to steal. They were brought into camp
and guarded until morning. The remainder of the journey
we had no more trouble with the Indians.
We met companies of our people on their way from San
Bernardino to Utah.
I was engaged the remainder of the autumn and the winter
of 1857-8, on the road between the Santa Clara and Los
Vegas springs, in assisting the Saints who were moving to
Utah.
On the return of spring I removed my family, as was my
custom, to the Mountain Meadows, to take care of our stock.
CHAPTER VIII.
PRESIDENT YOUNG'S INDIAN POLICY— EXPEDITION TO LOS
VEGAS AND COLORADO RIVERS — SUSPICIOUS STEAMER
IN THE COLORADO— LEARN ITS PURPOSE — GO AFTER A
LOAD OF LEAD — OUR HORSES STOLEN — EAT POISON CAC-
TUS— LED BY THE SPIRIT PROVIDENTIALLY.
THE following letter from President Brigham Young so
well illustrates his peaceable and civilizing policy towards
the Indians, that I think it should find a place in this
narrative :
"PRESIDENT'S OFFICE,
Great Salt Lake City,
March 5, 1858.
"DEAR BROTHER : — Your note of the 19th of last month came
to hand on the 3rd inst. I was happy to learn of the success
and the general prosperity of the mission, and trust that the
genial and salutary influences now so rapidly extending to the
52 . EXCITEMENT CAUSED BY THE ARMY.
various tribes in that region, may continue to spread abroad
until it shall pervade every son and daughter of Abraham in
their fallen condition.
"The hour of their redemption draws nigh, and the time is
not far distant when they will receive knowledge, and begin to
rise and increase in the land, and become a people whom the
Lord will bless.
"The Indians should be encouraged in keeping and taking
care of stock. I highly approve of your designs in doing your
farming through the natives; it teaches them to obtain a sub-
sistence by their own industry, and leaves you more at liberty
to visit others, and extend your missionary labors among them.
A few missionaries to show and instruct them how to raise stock
and grain, and then not eat it up for them, is most judicious.
You should always be careful to impress upon them that they
should not infringe upon the rights of others ; and our brethren
should be very careful not to infringe upon their rights in any
particular, thus cultivating honor and good principles in their
midst by example as well as precept.
"As ever, I remain your brother in the gospel of salvation,
BRIGHAM YOUNG."
The sending of an army by the general government to look
after the affairs of the Saints, occasioned some excitement
and much talk among the people. The terrible wrongs and
persecutions of Missouri and Illinois came up vividly in the
minds of those who had suffered in them , and greatly intensi-
fied the public feeling concerning the wrongs which the
general government evidently intended to inflict upon the
Saints in Utah.
Elders coming in from the European missions, by way of
California, thought the government would send a force into
Southern Utah by that route.
It being expected that I would visit the Indians and look
after matters a little in that direction, in the spring of 1858
I took five men, and went by way of Los Vegas springs to the
River Colorado, at the foot of the Cottonwood Islands, 170
miles from the Santa Clara settlement.
As was my policy at all times, I cultivated the good feelings
of the Indians in that country.
A small steamer lay at the head of the islands, and a com-
pany of men, with animals, were making their way up the
CURIOUS DREAM. 53
river, on the 'opposite side from us. I requested Brother
Thales Haskell to hail the boat's crew from a thicket of wil-
lows, while the rest of the company remained secreted. If a
boat were sent to take him over, he was to pass as a renegade
from Utah, and learn who they were and their intentions.
Brother Haskell was soon taken on board of the steamer.
I prayed for him that night, for my mind was filled with
gloomy forebodings. I dreamed that the officer in charge of
the boat, offered the Indians a large reward for my scalp.
At day dawn I sent two men back on our trail to see if
there was any one on it, with instructions if they saw any-
thing wrong to not return, but go on their way home-
ward.
Soon afterwards we saw the yawl from the steamer land
Brother Haskell. He informed us that the company was of
a military character, and exhibited very hostile feelings
against our people ; that the expedition had been sent out by
the government to examine the river, and learn if a force
could be taken into Southern Utah from that direction, should
it be needed, to subjugate the "Mormons. "
We were soon on our way homeward.
The first night out from the river, a Los Vegas Indian over-
took us, and informed us that soon after we left the river, the
steamer came down below the Cottonwood Islands, brought
a large amount of blankets and other goods ashore, made
some presents to the Mohaves and Piutes, and offered to pay
well for the capture of any "Mormon" they found in their
country.
When we overtook the brethren sent out early in the morn-
ing, they told us that they met two of the boat's crew
examining the trail we traveled on to the river. The two
men started for the steamer, and the brethren traveled the
other way.
At this time there were three or four brethren at Los
Yegas Springs, laboring to make a settlement. We counseled
together, and it was thought advisable to vacate the place.
Some of them started for home. My brother, Oscar
Hamblin, remained to assist the Indians in putting in their
crops.
54 POISONED WITH CACTUS LEAVES.
Brother Dudley Leavitt and I went thirty-five miles west,
on the road to California, to a lead mine, to obtain a load of
lead.
As I had some knowledge of smelting the ore, our efforts
were a success.
The evening after completing our load, I started up the
mountain on the side of which the mine was located, to look
at it before leaving. I stepped back, and calling Brother
Leavitt, I told him that an Indian was watching our horses,
and if he did not bring them in and tie them up, they would
Jbe run off as soon as it was dark.
He replied that he would see to it. Being strongly
impressed with the danger of losing our horses, I warned
him a second time, to which he made an indifferent reply.
When I returned it was nearly dark, and Brother Leavitt
had just started for the horses.
All we ever saw of them afterwards was their tracks, and
the trail of the Indian that had driven them off.
The Indians in that section of the country did not keep
horses, and therefore were not accustomed to the use of them,
but stole them for food.
Brother Leavitt was under the necessity of going to Los
Vegas, thirty-five miles distant, to get my brother to come
with his team to take our wagon home.
As he did not return as soon as expected, I started to meet
him. Not meeting him the first day, I stopped in a small
cave for the night.
I had nothing to eat, and gathered some cactus leaves, or
pods, to roast for supper.
They were a new yariety to me, and had scarlet spots on
them. (I afterwards learned from the Indians that they were
poisonous).
After cooking them in the embers, I ate a little, but they
did not taste right. They produced a burning sensation in
my stomach and pain in the glands of my mouth and throat.
I soon became satisfied that I was poisoned.
My misery increased, and I became dizzy-headed. With
no help near, I felt that my earthly career was nearly ter-
minated, unless the God of Israel saved me, as I knew He
MANIFESTATION OF THE SPIRIT. 55
had done many times before. I knelt down, and earnestly
asked Him to be merciful to me in my extremity, and save
my life.
I then became very sick at the stomach, and vomited freel3r.
Great thirst succeeded, and I soon exhausted the small
supply of water in my canteen. This I soon ejected, when I
became easy and lay down and slept until morning.
Not knowing whether my brother would come or not, I con-
tinued on my way to Los Vegas.
I was lank and hungry, and if ever I felt the want of food
it was then.
About noon I saw my brother coming f o my relief. It was
a welcome sight.
Still farther west from the lead mine, there were two roads
for about thirty miles. One of them was not usually traveled,
but came into the main road. Some time before we were
there, a company that had taken this by-road, had left
wagons on it, and we were desirous of obtaining some of the
iron.
When my brother Oscar and I arrived at the lead mine, we
concluded to leave the lead where it was, and go west on this
unfrequented road, to a spring, twenty-five miles from the lead
mine, and get the iron that was left there.
On arriving at the spring we did not find as much iron as
we expected, but we put what there was into the wagon.
Before I went on this trip to Los Vegas and the Colorado
River, my team, driven by my Indian boy, Albert, had gone
with Brother Calvin Read to Lower California. They had
been gone nearly three months.
The morning after our arrival at the spring, when at
prayer, the Spirit showed to me a company of our people, a
few miles still farther west, on the by-road. I told my brother
this, and that my team was with them, and my Indian boy
was herding the animals on one side of the wagons near the
spring.
I proposed that we unload the iron and drive in that direc-
tion.
My brother objected, and said he had never heard of
water in that direction short of twenty miles.
56 A TIME OF REJOICING.
After much persuasion, my brother consented to unload the
iron, but he drove on very reluctantly, telling me that I was a
visionary man, and always seeing something.
We traveled about three miles, and came in sight of a
camp. I found my boy Albert watching the horses; there
was a good spring of water and plenty of grass. Just beyond
were the wagons.
The brethren said they never rejoiced more to see anyone
than they did us. They were unacquainted with the country,
and needed our help to get into Los Vegas.
CHAPTER IX.
VISIT TO SALT LAKE CITY— INTERVIEW BETWEEN ELDER
GEORGE A. SMITH AND GOVERNOR CUMMING — ELDER
SMITH URGES AN INVESTIGATION OF THE MOUNTAIN
MEADOW MASSACRE — GOVERNOR CUMMING OBJECTS —
APPOINTED SUB-INDIAN AGENT— NEARLY KILLED BY A
FALL FROM A TREE — A REMARKABLE VISION — FIRST
MISSION TO THE MOQUIS — DESCRIPTION OF THEIR
TOWNS, CUSTOMS AND TRADITIONS — SOME OF THE
BRETHREN REMAIN WITH THEM— DIFFICULT JOURNEY
HO ME— MOQUIS PREDICTION.
AFTER my return from the Colorado River, I had occasion
to go to Salt Lake City. I arrived there soon after the
United States army had entered Salt Lake Valley. The
people north of Utah County had vacated their homes, and
moved south.
Through the instrumentality of Colonel Thomas L. Kane,
a peaceable solution of our difficulties with the general
government had been arrived at, and the Saints were return-
ing to their vacated homes.
It is generally known that the enemies of the Latter-day
Saints have accused them of shielding from justice the white
APPOINTED SUB-INDIAN AGENT. 57
men, who, it was supposed joined with the Indians in the
Mountain Meadow massacre. Mr. Gumming succeeded
President Brigham Young as governor of Utah Territory in
the early spring, before the arrival of the United States army
in Salt Lake Valley.
President Brigham Young requested Elder George A.
Smith to have an interview with the new governor, and learn
his views concerning the Mountain Meadow massacre, and
assure him that all possible assistance would be rendered the
United States courts to have it thoroughly investigated.
Brother Smith took me with him, and introduced me as
a man who was well informed regarding Indian matters in
Southern Utah, and would impart to [him any information
required that I might be in possession of. He also urged
upon Governor Gumming the propriety of an investigation of
this horrid affair, that, if there were any white men engaged
in it, they might be justly punished for their crimes.
Governor Gumming replied that President Buchanan had
issued a proclamation of amnesty and pardon to the "Mor-
mon" people, and he did not wish to go behind it to search
out crime.
Brother Smith urged that the crime was exclusively per-
sonal in its character, and- had nothing to do with the
"Mormons" as a people, or with the general officers of the
Territory, and, therefore, was a fit subject for an investigation
before the United States courts.
Mr. Gumming still objected to interfering, on account of
the President's proclamation.
Brother Smith replied substantially as follows: "If the
business had not been taken out of our hands by a change of
officers in the Territory, the Mountain Meadow affair is one of
the first things we should have attended to when a United
States court sat in Southern Utah. We would see whether
or not white men were concerned in the affair, with the
Indians. ' '
At Salt Lake Gity, I was appointed sub-Indian agent.
During the summer of 1858, when I was at my home on the
Santa Clara, one morning about 9 o'clock, while engaged in
cutting some of the large branches from a cottonwood tree, I
58 A REMARKABLE VISION.
fell a distance of twenty or thirty feet to the ground. I was
badly bruised, and was carried to my house for dead, or
nearly so.
I came to my senses about 8 o'clock in the evening, and
threw off from my stomach quite a quantity of blood. 1
requested the brethren who were standing around to adminis-
ter to me, and they did so. From the time I fell from the
tree until then was lost to me, so far as earthly matters were
concerned.
During the time my body lay in this condition, it seemed
to me that I went up from the earth and looked down upon
it, and it appeared like a dark ball. The place where I was,
seemed very desirable to remain in. It was divided into
compartments by walls, from which appeared to grow out vines
and flowers, displaying an endless variety of colors.
I thought I saw my father there, but separated from me.
I wished him to let me into his compartment, but he replied
that it was not time for me to come to him.
I then asked why I could not come.
He answered uYour work is not yet done."
I attempted to speak about it again, but he motioned me
away with his hand, and, in a moment I was back to this
earth. I saw the brethren carrying my body along, and it was
loathsome to me in appearance.
A day or two after my fall from the tree, I was carried to
the Mountain Meadows where I was fed on goat's milk and
soon recovered.
In the autumn of this year, 1858, I received instructions
from President Brigham Young to take a company of men
and visit the Moquis, or Town Indians, on the east side of the
Colorado River.
The object of this visit was to learn something of the
character and condition of this people, and to take advantage
of any opening there might be to preach the gospel to them
and do them good.
My companions for this trip were Brothers Dudley and
Thomas Leavitt, two of my brothers, Frederick and William
Hamblin, Samuel Knight, Ira Hatch, Andrew Gibbons,
Benjamin Knell, Amnion M. Tenney (Spanish interpreter )^
FIRST MISSION TO THE MOQUIS. 59
James Davis (Welsh interpreter), and Naraguts, an Indian
guide.
A Spanish interpreter was thought advisable, from the fact
that the Spanish language was spoken and understood by
many of the Indians in that region of country. A Welsh
interpreter was taken along, thinking it possible that there
might be some truth in a report which had been circulated,
that there were evidences of Welsh descent among these
Indians. An Indian guide was requisite, from the fact that
none of the brethren had traveled the route. This was the
first of a series of journeys to this people.
The company, consisting of twelve men, including myself,
left the Santa Clara settlement on the 28th of October. Our
general course of travel was a little south of east. The third
night we camped at Pipe Springs, a place now occupied by a
stone fort, and known as Winsor Castle.
While there, two or three Piutes came to our camp. One
of them asked me to go with him to some large rocks, which
lay under the high cliffs near by. As we approached them he
showed me a human skeleton. "There," said he, "are the
bones of Nahguts, who killed your ox on the Clara. He
came as far as here, was taken blind, could not find the
spring and died."
The following evening we camped at the foot of the Kibab,
or Buckskin Mountain, with the chief and nearly all the
tribe of Kibab Indians. They provided supper by cooking a
large number of rabbits.
They put these in a pile, and covered them with hot ashes
and coals. When sufficiently cooked, the chief performed
the ceremony of thanking the Father for the success of their
hunt, and asked for a continuation of His blessings in obtain-
ing food. He then divided the rabbits among the company.
We all joined in the feast. They gave us meat and we gave
them bread.
I noticed an Indian sitting moodily, alone, and eating
nothing. I sat down by him, and asked what he was thinking
about.
Said he, "I am thinking of my brother, whom you killed
with bad medicine. "
60 ARRIVAL AT ORIBA VILLAGE.
I told him that his brother had made his own medicine,
that he came to the Clara, killed an ox, and had brought a
curse upon himself. I advised the Indian to eat with the
company, and not make any bad medicine and kill himself.
This very prevalent idea of good and bad medicine, among
these Indians, gives evidence of a very general belief in
witchcraft.
The Indian took a piece of bread, saying he did not wish to
die. I was told by our guide that this Indian had said, that in
the night, when I was asleep, he intended to chop an ax
into my head, but being afraid it would make bad medicine
for him, he did not do it.
After climbing dangerous cliffs and crossing extensive fis-
sures in the rocks, the tenth day out from home we crossed
the Colorado River, at the Ute Ford, known in Spanish
history as "The Crossing of the Fathers." The trail
beyond the river was not only difficult, but sometimes very
dangerous.
While traveling in the night, one of the animals that
carried our provisions, ran off. Two men went in pursuit of
it, while the company went on.
The third day after losing our provisions, having had but
little to eat, we came to a place where sheep had been herded,
then to a garden under a cliff of rocks. It was watered from
a small spring and occupied fine terraces, walled up on three
sides.
As we passed, we saw that onions, pepper and other vege-
tables, such as we raised in our own gardens at home, had
been grown there. On arriving at the summit of the cliff, we
discovered a squash, which evidently had been left when the
crop had been gathered.
We appropriated it to our use. It tasted delicious, and
we supposed it to be a better variety than we had before
known, but we afterwards found that hunger had made it
taste sweet.
Four miles farther on we came to an Oriba village, of about
three hundred dwellings. The buildings were of rock, laid
in clay mortar. The village stands on a cliff with perpendic-
ular sides, and which juts out into the plain like a promontory
DESCRIPTION OF THE MOQUIS VILLAGE. 61
into the sea. The promontory is narrow where it joins the
table land back of it.
Across this the houses were joined together. The entrance
to the town on the east side, was narrow and difficult. The
town was evidently located and constructed for defense from
the marauding tribes around.
The houses are usually three stories high. The second and
third stories are set back from the front the width of the one
below, so that the roofs of the lower stories have the appear-
ance of terraces.
For security, the first story can only be entered by
ascending to the roof, and then going down a ladder into
the room below.
After our arrival in the village, the leading men counseled
together a few minutes, when we were separated and invited
to dine with different families.
A man beckoned to me to follow him. After traversing
several streets, and climbing a ladder to the roof of the first
story of a house, I was ushered into a room furnished with
sheepskins, blankets, earthen cooking utensils, water urns,
and other useful articles.
It seemed to me strangely furnished, yet it had an air of
comfort ; perhaps the more so, for the reason that the pre-
vious few days had been spent in very laborious traveling, on
rather low diet.
The hostess made a comfortable seat with blankets, and
motioned me to occupy it.
A liberal repast was provided. It consisted of stewed
meat, beans, peaches and a basket of corn bread which they
called pe/ce. It was about the thickness of brown paper, dry
and crumbling, yet quite palatable.
The hostess, apparently surmising that I would not know
how to partake of the bean soup without a spoon, dexterously
thrust her fingers, closed tightly together, into the dish con-
taining it, and, with a very rapid motion carried the soup to
her mouth. Tfien she motioned me to eat. Hunger was
pressing, and a hint was sufficient.
The day following, the two brethren we had left behind
came in with the runaway mule, and a part of our supplies.
62 LEAVE THE MOQUIS AND START FOR HOME.
We visited seven of these towns, all similarly located and
constructed.
The people generally used asses for packing all their sup-
plies, except water, up the cliffs to their dwellings. The
water was usually brought up by the women, in jugs, flat-
tened on one side to fit the neck and shoulders of the carrier,
and this was fastened with a strap which passed around in
front of the body.
Most of the families owned a flock of sheep. These might
be seen in all directions going out in the morning to feed, and
returning in the evening, i iThey were driven into or near the
towns at night, and corralled and guarded to keep them from
being stolen by the thieving Navajoes.
We found a few persons in all the villages who could speak
the Ute language. They told us some of their traditions,
which indicate that their fathers knew the Mexicans, and
something about the Montezumas.
A very aged man said that when he was a young man, his
father told him that he would live to see white men come
among them, who would bring them great blessings, such as
their fathers had enjoyed, and that these men would come
from the west. He believed that he had lived to see the
prediction fulfilled in us.
We thought it advisable for some of the brethren to remain
with this people for a season, to study their language, get
acquainted with them, and, as they are of the blood of Israel,
offer them the gospel. Elders Wm. M. Hamblin, Andrew
Gibbons, Thomas Leavitt and Benjamin Knell were selected
for this purpose.
Bidding adieu to our Moquis friends, and to our brethren
who were to remain with them, we started for home. Six-
teen days of hard travel would be necessary to accomplish the
journey.
We expected to obtain supplies at the Oriba village, but
failed on account of scarcity. We had nothing for our
animals but the dry grass, and they were somewhat jaded.
The cold north wind blew in our faces, and we lit no fires at
night, as they would have revealed our position to the roving
Indians.
HARDSHIPS AND PRIVATIONS. G3
The journey home was very laborious and disagreeable.
With provisions scarcely sufficient for our journey, we again
lost some of them by a runaway, and, failing to get meat
from the Indians as we expected, we were reduced to very
short rations.
At Pipe Spring the snow was knee deep, and falling fast.
We made only eight miles to Cedar Ridge the first day, from
that place. As night came on we counseled together over our
situation.
Taking into consideration our empty stomachs and the diffi-
culty of traveling in the snow, it appeared quite impossible to
get home without killing one of our horses for food. We
lived on this rather objectionable kind of food for two days.
On arriving home it was very pleasant to find a change of
diet, and our families and friends all well.
During our absence, the brethren had some difficulty with
the Santa Clara Indians, and the management of it seemed
leading to bad results. I visited tfoe natives, and found that
there were no bad intentions on their part, and they were all
much pleased to have the matter understood and settled.
The brethren whom we left with the Moquis returned home
the same winter.
A division arose among the people as to whether we
were the men prophesied of by their fathers, who would
come among them with the knowledge that their fathers
possessed.
This dispute ran so high that the brethren felt that but
little or no good could result from remaining longer. Besides,
the chief men among the Moquis advised their return.
The brethren suffered much privation and hardship in this
effort to preach the gospel to this people. The Indians said
that they did not want to cross the Colorado River to live
with the "Mormons," for they had a tradition from their
fathers that they must not cross that river until the three
prophets who took them into the country they now occupy,
should visit them again.
Their chief men also prophesied that the { 'Mormons"
would settle in the country south of them, and that their
route of travel would be up the Little Colorado. This looked
64 SUFFER FROM THIRST.
very improbable to us at that time, but all has since been
fulfilled.
CHAPTER X.
SECOND TRIP TO THE MOQUIS— TWO ELDERS LEFT TO LABOR
WITH THEM — LACK OF SUCCESS, OWING TO TRADITIONS
OF THE INDIANS — THIRD MISSION TO THE EAST SIDE OF
THE COLORADO— GEORGE A. SMITH, JR., KILLED BY
THE NAVAJOES — VERY TRYING EXPERIENCE — THE
WOUNDED MAN DIES IN THE SADDLE, WHILE TRAVELING
—FORCED TO LEAVE HIS BODY UNBURIED — BITTER
REFLECTIONS.
EARLY in the autumn of 1859, I again visited Salt Lake
City, when President Brigham Young called upon me to
make another visit to the Moquis, and take with me Brother
Marion J. Shelton, whom he had called to labor with that
people, to learn their language and teach them.
He directed me to leave with him one of the brethren who
had been with me for some time among the Indians. Presi-
dent Young also put in my charge sixty dollars worth of
goods, consisting of wool-cards, spades, shovels and other
articles which would be of value to the Indians, with instruc-
tions to dispense them in the best manner to create a good
influence among them.
I returned home, and immediately made arrangements to
carry out these instructions.
Our company consisted of Marion J. Shelton, Thales Has-
kell, Taylor Crosby, Benjamin Knell, Ira Hatch, John W.
Young and myself.
We left the Santa Clara settlement on the 20th of October.
Nothing of special interest occurred on our journey, except
that at one time we did not find water where we expected,
and were suffering with thirst, when some Piiites saw our
HE- VISIT THE MOQUIS. 65
fire and came to us. They informed us where there was
water, and in the morning piloted us to it.
We arrived among the Moquis on the 6th of November.
We visited and talked with them three days.
I was at a loss to know who to leave with Brother Shelton,
and was desirous that it might be made manifest to me. My
mind rested upon Brother Thales Haskell. I went to him
and told him that he was the only one I could think of to
remain with Brother Shelton, but he had been out so much
that I disliked to mention the subject to him.
He replied that he was the man, for it had been made
known to him that he would be asked to remain before leav-
ing home, but he had said nothing about it.
We left our Moquis friends and Brothers Shelton and Has-
kell on the 10th of November, and arrived home on the 25th.
Brothers Shelton and Haskell remained on their mission
'intil early spring, when they returned home and reported
that the Moquis were kind to them, but they could not make
much progress in the object of their mission. The fathers of
the people told them, very emphatically, that they still
believed that the "Mormons" who had visited them were
the men prophesied of by their fathers, that would come
among them from the west to do them good. But they could
make no move until the re-appearance of the three prophets
who led their fathers to that land, and told them to remain on
those rocks until they should come again and tell them what
to do.
Under these circumstances the brethren thought best to
return home.
In the fall of 1860, I was directed to make another effort
to establish a mission in some of the Moquis towns, and take
with me George A. Smith, Jr., son of the late President
George A. Smith.
I left the Santa Clara in October with a company of nine
men: Thales Haskell, George A. Smith, Jr., Jehiel McCon-
nell, Ira Hatch, Isaac Riddle, Amos Thornton, Francis M.
Hamblin, James Pierce, and an Indian we called Enos. We
took sufficient to sustain us in the Moquis country for one
year.
66 GLOOMY FOREBODINGS.
In speaking at a public meeting the day before leaving, I
said I felt different from what I had ever previously done on
leaving home ; that something unusual would happen. What
it would be I did not know. Whether we should ever see
home again or not I did not know, but I knew we were told to
go among the Moquis and stay for one year, and that I should
do so if I could get there.
When we arrived at the crossing of the Colorado River, I
again felt the same gloomy forebodings I spoke of before
leaving home.
On the morning before crossing, the brethren said I had
spoken discouragingly several times, and they wished to know
if there was any one in the company that I did not wish to go
on.
I assured them that there was no one that I did not wish to
go along, but I knew there would be something happen that
would be very unpleasant, and that there would be very hard
times sor some of us.
Young Greorge A. Smith said, "You will see one thing,
that is, 1 will stick to it to the last. That is what I came
for."
We all crossed the Colorado Eiver with a firm determina-
tion to do the best we could to fill our mission.
The second day's travel from the river we found no water,
as we had expected, and what little we had brought with us
was exhausted.
About two o'clock in the afternoon, four Navajoes came to
us, and told us that if we went on to the next watering place
we would all be killed. They invited us to go with them to
Spaneshanks' camp, where they assured us we would find
protection.
We counseled about the matter, and concluded that the
animals were too nearly famished for want of water to reach
Spaneshanks' camp. If what the four Navajoes told us about
danger ahead was true, we were in danger from enemies if we
went on the water, and of perishing with thirst if we
attempted to reach Spaneshanks' camp.
As the water was but a short distance ahead on our route3
we concluded to push on to it and risk the consequences.
TREATY WITH THE NAVAJOES. 67
I requested Brother Thales Haskell to go on with the com-
pany and water the animals, he having been there before,
and being, for this reason, acquainted with the ground. I
directed him, for security, to take our animals on to the top
of a table rock where there were about forty acres of grass,
and which could be reached only through a narrow pass in
the rocks, which would enable us to easily defend ourselves in
case of attack.
The Navajoes were gathering around us from different
directions, and the Indian interpreter we had brought with
us, informed me that they were evidently bent on mischief.
1 determined to remain behind with them for awhile, and
learn what I could by the interpreter and by observation.
The interpreter learned from their conversation, that they
were determined we should not go on to the Moquis towns,
but they appeared undecided whether to kill us or let us go
home.
We had taken two Indian women with us, thinking that
they might be a great help in introducing something like
cleanliness in cooking, among the people we were going to
visit. The Navajoes said we might go home if we would
leave them.
I directed the interpreter to tell them that one of the
women was Brother Hatch's wife, and the other was mine.
They replied that they would not kill the men who had mar-
ried them.
Two of the Navajoes then hurried on to our camp, which
was by the narrow pass, on to the table rock. There
the Navajoes made a treaty with us that if we would trade
them the goods we had brought along, and especially the am-
munition, we might go home.
As it seemed impossible to fill our mission, we felt justi-
fied in concluding to return.
The following morning we commenced to exchange articles
of trade for blankets. While thus engaged, our animals were
taken off the rock to water. When returning from the
water, Brother Greorge A. Smith's horse turned back on a
trail, which, in a short distance, led over a hill and out of
sight.
68 ELDER GEORGE A. SMITH,*" JR., SHOT.
As he started after it, I told him that he had better not go
alone, to which he made an indifferent reply. Something else
immediately attracted my attention, and he was forgotten
until the Navajoes in our camp suddenly left, when I learned
that he was after his horse, alone and out of sight. I sent two
men after him.
They went about a mile, and found him lying by the trail,
with three bullet wounds through the lower part of his body,
and four arrow wounds between the shoulders.
I mounted a horse and rode to the spot, and learned that
Brother George A. had found a mounted Indian leading off
his horse, and that he took the Indian's horse by the bity
when the stolen horse was readily given up, with which the
owner started for camp.
The Indian who had taken the horse and a companion then
rode a short distance together, when one came up by the side
of Brother George A. , and asked him for his revolver. Not
suspecting any treachery, he passed it to the Indian, who
handed it to his companion a little in the rear. The latter
then fired three shots into him, with the -revolver only a few
feet from his body.
Brother Smith was paralyzed, and soon fell from his horse.
The two Indians then dismounted, and one threw his buck-
skin shirt over his head, and the other shot the arrows
between his shoulders.
We took the dying man on a blanket near to the camp,
when he earnestly requested us to lay him down and let him
die in peace.
During this time about forty Navajoes had gathered at a
difficult place on the trail leading to the Moquis towns, prob-
ably anticipating that we would make an effort to go in that
direction.
I sent our interpreter to ask them what they meant by
shooting a man after they had agreed with us that if we
would trade with them we might go in peace.
He returned with a message to the effect that three rela-
tives of the Indians had been killed by pale faces like us, and,
to avenge their death they had shot one of our men. They
said: "Tell Jacob that he need not bury him, for we will eat
TRYING CIRCUMSTANCES. 69
him, and the women and children will help do it. We want
to kill two more ; and if Jacob will give them up or let us
quietly kill them, the rest of the company may go in peace."
The question was asked me, " What are you going to
do?"
Under the trying circumstances, it was a serious question ;
and the query was an earnest one with us all, "What can we
do?" The heavens seemed like brass over our heads, and the
earth as iron beneath our feet. It seemed utterly impossible
to reach the Moquis towns, which were almost in sight, and
like certain death to attempt to escape in the night with our
jaded animals.
Our interpreter thought it would be better for two of the
company to die, than for all to be killed.
I told him to go and tell the Navajoes that there were only
a few of us, but we were well armed, and should fight as long
as there was one left.
He turned to go, rather reluctantly, saying again that he
thought it better for only two to die than all.
I replied that I did not think so ; that I would not give a
cent to live after I had given up two men to be murdered ;
that I would rather die like a man than live like a dog.
As the interpreter turned to go, the two Indian women we
had brought with us wept aloud, and accused me of bringing
them along to be murdered. I went a little way off by my-
self, and asked the Lord to be merciful, and pity us in our
miserable and apparently helpless condition, and to make
known to me what to do and say to extricate us from our
difficulties.
I returned to camp and told the company that we would
leave as soon as possible.
Some thought it was certain death whether we went or
remained where we were.
I told them, however, that there would not be another one
of us injured.
Our four Navajoe friends who had come to us the day
before, had remained, and now helped to gather our animals
and pack up.
We were soon on our way.
70 OUR RETREAT.
I told Brother George A. that we must return home to save
our lives, for we could not go any farther, as the Navajoes
were guarding the pass.
"Well," said he, "leave me; it will make but very little
difference with me ; it may make much with you. You can-
not go very fast if you take me. ' '
We put him in a saddle upon a mule, with Brother Jehiel
McConnell behind him, to hold him on.
We left our camp kettles over the fire containing our break-
fast, untouched, and all our camp outfit that we could possibly
do without.
The Navajoes who had been guarding our trail beyond the
camp, started after us, coming down like a whilwind.
Some of our party predicted that in ten minutes there
would not be one of us left, but there was no flinching, no
wilting in the emergency.
I again predicted that there would not be one of us hurt,
for so the Spirit whispered to me.
The Navajoes came almost within range of our rifles, and
then turned suddenly to the right.
As they passed, the mule that carried our supplies went
after them ; but, to our surprise, it was brought back to us by
a friendly Navajoe.
We traveled as fast as possible, while the four old gray-
headed Navajoe friends guarded our front and rear. They
often asked us to leave the dying man, as he was no longer of
any use ; that the one who shot him would follow to obtain
his scalp, and that if we stopped to bury him they would
leave, for our enemies would have his scalp if they had to dig
his body up.
About sun-down George A. asked me to stop, and said that
everything looked dark to him, and he was dying.
Our Navajoe friends again said if we stopped they would
go on. I said to Brother George A., "It will not do to stop
now. ' '
He asked, "Why?"
When I told him, he said, "Oh, Well, go on then; but I
wish I could die in peace." These were the last words that
he said.
GEORGE A. SMITH, JR., DIES IN THE SADDLE. 71
A few minutes afterwards, the Navajoe friends said, "The
man is dead. If you will leave him, we will take you to
Spaneshanks' camp, where you will have friends."
Our last ray of hope for getting the body of George A.
where we could lay it safely away in the rocks, was now gone.
I said to the company, "What shall we do?" The answer
was, "What can we do, only lay the body on the ground and
leave it?"
I replied that such was my mind, for we would only risk
our lives by making an effort to bury the dead, in which we
would probably be unsuccessful.
We wrapped the body in a blanket, and laid it in a hollow
place by the side of the trail, and then rode on as fast as our
jaded animals could well carry us, until late in the night.
We halted on a patch of grass, held our animals by the
lariats, and also put out a guard.
I sat down and leaned over on my saddle, but could not
sleep. The scenes of the past two days were before me in
vivid reality. The thought of carrying the wounded man
with his life's blood dripping out of him along the trail, with-
out his having the privilege of dying in peace, combined with
the leaving of his body to be devoured by wolves and vul-
tures, seemed almost too much to bear.
My imagination pictured another scene. South of us, in
the distance, we could see a large fire, around which we pre-
sumed the Navajoes were having a war dance over the scalp
of our brother.
Then the thought of conveying the sad news to his father
and mother and affectionate sister, all old and valued acquaint-
ances of mine, pierced me like barbed arrows, and caused
me the most bitter reflections that I have ever experienced in
my life.
72 PROTECTED BY SPANESHANKS.
CHAPTER XI.
ARRIVAL AT SPANESHANKS' CAMP — HIS FRIENDLY SPIRIT —
RETURN HOME — JOURNEY IN THE WINTER TO RECOVER
THE REMAINS OF GEORGE A. SMITH, JR. — DESTITUTE
CONDITION OF MY FAMILY.
AT day-dawn a Navajoe came to us, and asked me to give
him something as a present. I did so, and, as he turned
away, I recognized Brother Greorge A. Smith's revolver in
his belt.
We were soon on the way for Spaneshanks' camp, where we
found water, grass and friends.
That evening our Indian messenger came, and had an inter-
view with Spaneshanks.
Our interpreter informed me that the message sent to our
Navajoe friends was, that they ought to kill us that night ;
and that Spaneshanks replied to the message, that he was
chief in that country, and we should no be hurt.
We were further informed that the party that had done the •
mischief were from Fort Defiance.
We were warned that ahead of us was a narrow pass, where
the Navajoes had lately attacked the Utes, and killed their
chief, Wahnonee, and that possibly they might attack us in
the same place.
The following morning we left the friendly Spaneshanks,
and, by making good use of our time, we watered our animals
and got them on to a table rock before dark.
Deep cuts and fissures setting in from the north and east,
rendered our location unapproachable except by the way we
had come. We placed one Watch in the most difficult part of
the trail, and felt safe for the first time in six days. In the
morning we discovered a gun barrel with the stock shivered
to pieces, shreds of blankets and clothing, and other signs
which indicated that the place had been recently occupied.
ARRIVE HOME. 73
We concluded it was the spot where the Navajoes had taken
advantage of the Utes.
The second day from Spaneshanks' camp we crossed to the
north side of the Colorado River. Four days afterwards on
the Buckskin Mountain, the Piutes brought us an abundance
of pine nuts.
The supply was very acceptable, as edibles were scarce
in camp.
Five days subsequently we arrived home on the Santa
Clara, jaded and worn with hard travel and much anxiety of
mind.
Our relatives and friends had been much troubled in their
minds concerning us in our absence. Some had unfavorable
dreams, and they were filled with gloomy forebodings. A
young lad, a nephew of mine, told his mother that there was
something the matter with me, for he saw me walking along
and weeping bitterly. He asked me what was the matter,
and I replied, "Do not ask me, for it is too bad to tell."
I know that some people do not believe in dreams and night
visions. I do not believe in them when occasioned by a dis-
ordered stomach, the result of eating unwisely, but in those
of a different nature I have often been forewarned of things
about to come to pass, and I have also received much instruc-
tion.
I wrote quite a full account of this trip to President George
A. Smith, after which he came to my house on the Santa
Clara.
In conversing with him about the affair, he remarked, l 'I
was much shocked on hearing of the death of my boy ; but
upon reflection, we all, in the Historian's Office, came to the
conclusion that the Lord wanted the young man just in the
way He took him. ' '
President Young also looked upon the matter in the same
light.
After this conversation. Brother Smith gave me a note from
President Brigham Young, in which was a written request
to raise a company of twenty men, and bring in what we
could find of the remains of Brother George A. Smith, Jr.
Winter having set in, I considered this a difficult task.
74 RECOVER THE REMAINS OF GEO. A. SMITH, JR.
It was necessary to go to Parowan for men and supplies, a
distance of some seventy miles. This accomplished, we were
soon on our way.
Our route was a difficult one to travel in the winter season.
The ford of the Colorado was deep and dangerous at any
time, but especially when the ice was running. Sometimes
there were steep rocks to climb, at other times the trail ran
along the almost perpendicular sides of deep rock fissures,
narrow, with frequent short turns, where a misstep might
plunge us or our animals hundreds of feet below. Sometimes
the precipitous rocks were covered with ice, which had to be
hacked with our hatchets before we could feel any surety of a
foothold.
At one time we waited until nearly midday for the sun to
melt the frost and ice on a steep rock, that we might be able
to get our animals out of a gulch on to the plain above. On
this occasion my pack mule slipped and fell, then rolled and
slid down to within about a yard of the edge of a chasm
below. We fastened a long lariat to the animal, and saved it
and the pack.
On arriving at the place where we had left the body of
young Brother Smith, we found the head and some of the
larger bones. We prepared them for carrying as well as we
could.
At our last camp in going out, the chief who had led the
hostile Navajoes on our previous trip, came to us, accom-
panied by his wife, and said if he had known what he after-
wards learned about us, he would have protected instead of
injuring us.
Nothing of special interest took place in returning home.
I went with the remains of George A. Smith, Jr., to Salt
Lake City, and delivered them to his friends.
This completed one of the most trying series of circum-
stances of my life. That the misfortune was no greater is
due to the kindly Providence of our Heavenly Father, and
the faith in Him and confidence in each other, of the brethren
involved in it.
President Young proffered to pay u,s for our trip. I replied
that no one who went with me made any charge, and, as for
CITY OF ST. GEORGE FOUNDED. 75
myself, I was willing to wait for my pay until the resurrection
of the just.
On my return to the Mountain Meadows, I found my
family out of flour, and the roads blocked with snow, so that
a team could not get in nor out of the Meadows. I had left
my family with plenty of food, but they had lent it to their
neighbors. I was under the necessity of hauling both fuel
and flour for them on a hand sled.
CHAPTER XII.
MANY SAINTS CALLED TO SETTLE SOUTHERN UTAH —
DESTRUCTIVE FLOOD ON THE SANTA CLARA — NARROW
ESCAPE FROM DROWNING — ANOTHER VISIT ACROSS THE
COLORADO — A NEW ROUTE — MOQUIS INDIANS PRAY FOR
RAIN— THEIR PRAYERS ANSWERED — THREE INDIANS
RETURN WITH US — THEIR DEVOTION AND REVERENCE- -
THEY VISIT SALT LAKE CITY.
IT was nearly two years before we made another trip to the
Moquis towns. Many of the brethren appeared to think
that no good could be accomplished in that direction. In the
autumn of 1861, many Saints were called from the north to
form settlements in Southern Utah. The city of St. George
was founded, and settlements were extended, so as to occupy
the fertile spots along the waters of the Rio Virgin and Santa
Clara.
During the winter of 1861-2 there was an unusual amount
of .rain-fall. About the middle of February, it rained
most of the time for a number of days, and the Santa Clara
Creek rose so high that the water spread across the bottom
from bluff to bluff, and became a turbulent muddy river.
Our little farms and the cottonwood trees that grew on the
bottom lands were disappearing. The flood wood sometimes
accumulated in a pile, and would throw the current of water
76 NARROW ESCAPE FROM DROWNING.
on to ground which had apparently before been safe from its
inroads.
Our fort, constructed of stone, and which was one hundred
feet square, with walls twelve feet high and two feet thick,
stood a considerable distance north of the original bed of the
creek. Inside the walls were rooms occupied by families, and
we had considered it safe from the flood.
One night, when most of the people were asleep, some one
discovered that the water was washing away the bank on the
south side of it, and also that the water was beginning to run
around it, between it and the bluff. It was raining heavily at
the same time.
The people were removed from the fort as soon as possible,
and some temporary shelter was constructed of boards,
blankets, etc.
While I was making an effort to save some property near
the caving bank of the stream, the ground on which I stood
suddenly slid into the water, about twenty feet below, and
took me with it.
I still stood on the mass of dirt, but realized that it was
being rapidly washed away from under me, and that I was
liable at any moment to be precipitated into the raging
torrent.
The thought flashed through my mind that there was not
one chance in a thousand of my being saved. I heard some-
one say above me that I was gone ; it was of no use to try to
save. I shouted at the top of my voice "It is of use to try to
save me ! Bring a rope and throw to me, and haul me out
before the bank caves and I am gone ! ' '
In a few moments I felt a rope drop over my head and
shoulders. I lost no time in grasping it, and was pulled up
just as I felt the last foothold giving way under me.
Again was my life preserved by that kindly providence
which has so often saved me when in imminent peril.
What seems remarkable in the history of that gloomy night
is, that in a few minutes after being rescued from death my-
self, I should be the means of saving another life.
A heavy and rapidly increasing current of water was now
running between the fort and the bluff.
DESTRUCTION CAUSED BY THE FLOOD. 77
In some way or other a sick woman had been left in one of
the rooms of the fort, and her husband was almost frantic
with the idea that his wife was lost, as he did not think she
could be got out. She had a young child, which was safe
outside, while the mother was in peril.
I took the rope that had been the means of saving myself,
tied one end of it to a tree, and holding on to it, got safely
to the fort, where I fastened the other end. I entered the
room, drew the woman from the bed on to my back, placed
her arms over my shoulders and crossed them in front. 1 told
her when I got to the running water that she must hold her-
self on my back, for I would be obliged to lay hold of the
rope with both hands to get through the water.
When we arrived at the point of danger, her arms pressed
so heavily on my throat that I was nearly strangled. It was
a critical moment; for if I let go the rope we were sure to
be lost, as the water was surging against me. I made the
best possible use of time and strength, and reached the
shore safely with my burden, to the great joy of the husband
and children.
The flood swept away my grist mill and other improvements
to the value of several thousand dollars. Most of the houses
and the cultivated land of the settlement also disappeared.
In the autumn of 1862, it was thought best to again visit
the Moquis villages. President Young recommended that we
cross the Colorado River south of St. Greorge, and explore
the country in that direction, with the view of finding a more
feasible route than the one we had before traveled.
A company of twenty men were set apart for this purpose,
by Apostles Orson Pratt and Erastus Snow.
A team accompanied us to the river with a small boat, n
which we conveyed our luggage across. Our animals swam
the river.
Expecting to return the same way, after crossing the river
we cached our boat and some of our supplies.
The first day we traveled south, up a "wash," for about
thirty miles. We then traveled three days through a rough,
bushy country, with some scrub cedar and pine timber. The
fourth night from the river we camped at a small "seep"
78 RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES OF THE MOQUIS.
spring. The San Francisco Mountain lay a little to the south-
east of us, and in sight.
In the morning our Indian guide refused to go farther with
us, his reason being that we were going into a country desti-
tute of water. We counseled together, and decided that we
could reach the foothills of the San Francisco Mountain with-
out perishing.
The first night from the "seep" spring, a light fall of snow
came on. It melted and ran into the hollows of the rocks,
and furnished an abundant supply of water. This seemed
like a special providence in our favor.
The second night we made a dry camp. The third night
we arrived at the foot of the San Francisco Mountain, where
we again found snow.
The second day after leaving this mountain we reached the
Little Colorado River, and then traveled a Httle north-east to
the Moquis towns.
We spent two days in visiting among them. We left
Brothers Jehiel McConnell, Thales Haskell and Ira Hatch to
labor among them for a season.
The Moquis had been going through some religious cere-
monies to induce the Great Spirit to send storms to wet their
country, that they might raise an abundance of food the coming
season. They assured us that their offerings and prayers were
heard, for the storm would soon come, and advised us to delay
starting for home until it should be over.
We had been talking with them about sending some of
their chief men with us, to see our people and have a talk
with our leaders. They objected on account of a tradition
forbidding them to cross the great river, which has been
referred to before.
We then started for home. The storm came the first night
out and wet the country finely. We found shelter under a
rock.
While there, three Moquis men came to "us. They
informed us that, after further consultation, their chief men
had concluded to send them with us.
This storm, apparently in answer to the prayers of this
simple people, and similar circumstances that have come
SHORT OF PROVISIONS. 79
under my observation among the Indians, have given me an
assurance that the Lord is mindful of the wants of those bar-
barians, and that He answers their prayers with the blessings
they need.
The snow fell sufficiently deep to cover up the grass, and
our animals had to subsist principally on browse. The
traveling was laborious, and when we arrived at the river by
our old route, we had eight animals less than we left home
with. This loss, and the poor condition of those that
remained made traveling slow and tedious.
On arriving at the Ute crossing of the Colorado, we found
the water deep and ice running. Fording was difficult and
dangerous.
This, coupled with the traditions of the Moquis against
crossing this river, visibly affected our Moquis friends. An-
ticipating that they might be entirely discouraged and not
proceed farther, I forwarded their blankets and provisions by
the first ones that crossed over.
When we desired them to cross, they expressed a wish
to return home, but when I informed them that their things
had been taken over, they concluded to follow. When the
crossing was successfully accomplished, they returned thanks
to. the Father of all for their preservation.
On the north side, it occupied a day to bridge a muddy
inlet and get on to the bench above. The crossing was accom-
plished the first day of the year 1863.
Brothers L. M. Fuller and James Andrus, whose animals
were still in fair condition, were advised to push on as fast as
practicable, and send us back some supplies, as we were very
short of food.
The rest of the company traveled slowly to save the weak
animals.
We lay by one day on the Pahreah, and killed and
cooked crows to help out our rations.
Six days from the river we camped on Kanab Creek. That
evening, Brother Lucius M. Fuller came into camp with a fat
sheep, dressed, and some bread and flour, which were fur-
nished by Brother Wm. B. Maxwell, from his ranch on Short
Creek, forty miles beyond our camp.
80 DEATH OF MY SON DUANE.
When the Moquis saw this food they thanked the Great
Father that he had pitied us and sent us food. Prayer and
thanksgiving was the daily custom in our company ; but to
see these Indian s who are looked upon as barbarians, so
humble and childlike in their reverence to the Great Father,
seems worthy of special notice.
A man who came with Brother Fuller told me, after sup-
per, that he had heard that one of my sons had been killed at
Santa Clara, by the [caving in of a bank of earth, and he
thought it was Lyman. That night I had a dream 0r vision,
in which I learned that it was Duane instead of Lyman, and I
told the brethren so in the morning.
Three days afterwards we arrived at the settlements on the
Rio Virgin. The brethren in these settlements furnished us
with fresh animals and an abundant supply of food. We
found a wide difference between feasting and fasting.
Soon after arriving home, Brother Wm. B. Maxwell and I
took our three Moquis friends to Salt Lake City. The people
on the way were very kind and hospitable. Arriving there,
all possible pains were taken to instruct these men concerning
our people, and to show them that which would gratify their
curiosity, and increase their knowledge. They said they had
been told that their forefathers had the arts of reading,
writing, making books, etc.
We took them to a Welshman who understood the ancient
Welsh language. He said he could not detect anything in
their language that would warrant a belief that they were of
Welsh descent.
As Lehi had promised his son Joseph that all his seed
should not be destroyed it was the mind of the brethren who
reflected upon this subject, that in the Moquis people this
promise was fulfilled.
THE MOQUIS VISITORS TAKEN HOME. 81
CHAPTER XIII.
THE MOQUIS VISITORS TAKEN HOME — SINGULAR PRESENTI-
MENT OF MY INDIAN BOY — THE ROUTE SOUTH OF ST.
GEORGE TAKEN THE SECOND TIME — CATARACT CANYON
—THE LOST MOQUIS AND THE MEDICINE MAN— MEETING
WITH THE BBETHREN WHO HAD BEEN LEFT AT THE
MOQUIS TOWNS — EXPLORATIONS ABOUT THE SAN FRAN-
CISCO MOUNTAINS — RETURN HOME — GREAT SUFFERING
WITH THIRST— MY INDIAN BOY DEAD AND BURIED, AS
HE HAD PREDICTED HE WOULD BE.
WE left St. George to take the Moquis visitors home on
the 18th of March, 1863. The party consisted of six
white men and our Moquis friends. As I was leaving home,
my Indian boy, Albert, met me, and I remarked to him that
the peach trees had begun to bloom, and it would be warmer
than it had been.
He replied, "Yes, and I shall bloom in another place before
you get back. I shall be on my mission!" (He doubtless
referred by this to a vision which he had of preaching to a
multitude of his people. )
Said I, "What do you mean by that?'7
He replied, "That I shall be dead and buried when you get
back."
We again took the route leading south from St. George.
When we went out on this route the fall previous, we had
expected to return the same way, and had cached our boat
and some supplies on the south side of the river.
On arriving at the river we constructed a raft of dry tim-
ber, on which two men crossed over to obtain the boat. It
was in good condition, but our supplies were ruined.
On the south side we looked around for a better crossing,
as we had been requested to do, and found one five miles
higher up the river, and also a good way of getting to and
from the river. This is now called Pierce' s Ferry.
82 MEET WITH MR. LEWIS GREELEY.
We were liere overtaken by Mr. Lewis G-reeley, a nephew
of Horace Greeley, of the New York Tribune. As he
wished to accompany us, Brother Snow sent a man with him
to the river.
We took our former trail as far as Seep Springs, the last
water before crossing the three days' desert. The second and
third days we found two camps, which, judging from the
remains of camp kettles, pack saddles, etc., had doubtless
been suddenly broken up, probably by the Apaches. We
thought they were the camps of miners.
At the last camp there were five animals with Spanish
brands. The Moquis desired to take them along, and, after
some consultation, we consented for them to do so.
At Seep Springs we found a small band of Piutes, who had
run off a party of Cohoneenes.
As we had intended to explore as much as practicable, after
, consulting with these Piutes and our Moquis friends, we con-
cluded to take a trail to the left of our former route. This
would take us down into Cataract Canyon, which heads near
the foot of the San Francisco Peaks.
We followed down a side canyon all day, leading our ani-
mals most of the time, on account of the narrow and
precipitous character of the trail. At night we camped
without water.
About 10 o'clock the next day we came in sight of the
Main, or Cataract Canyon. This was still far down in the
earth below, and the stream running along its bottom
appeared like a bright silver thread glittering in the sun.
In coming to this point we, at one time, traveled about
three miles continuously on a trail made with considerable
labor in the side of shale rock. I do not remember of a place
in this distance where we could have turned our animals
around to return, had we wished to do so. We afterwards
learned that this part of the trail was considered by the people
who lived in the canyon, as their strongest point of defense in
that direction.
We traveled a very circuitous and still difficult trail, until
four o'clock in the afternoon, before we arrived at the water
we had seen six hours before. We found the stream to be
ARRIVE IN CATARACT CANYON. 83
about fifteen yards in width, with an average depth of over a
foot.
It was rapid and clear, and skirted with cottonwood timber,
growing on rich bottom land.
The bottom of Cataract Canyon, Lieut. Ives informs us, in
his "Explorations of the Colorado," is 2,775 feet below the
general level of the plateau above. We judged the sides of
the canyon where we were, to be one-half of this distance in
perpendicular hight.
The first people that we met had been informed of our
approach by one of our Moquis companions, whom we had
sent ahead of us. While we were talking with them, others
arrived from lower down the stream, who inquired rather
sharply why we were there. They were soon satisfied with
our explanations.
We were soon engaged in interesting conversation. They
had heard of me and my travels, and appeared pleased to see
me. They desired that I would not lead anyone into their
hiding place, and particularly a stranger, without their con-
sent.
They told us that the horses we had picked up belonged
to the Walapies, and if we would leave them they
would return them to the owners before we came back. We
remained with this people one day. In going out we traveled
up the main canyon.
Not long previously these people had been attacked in their
stronghold by a band of Indians from the south-east. They
showed us a narrow pass where they had met them, and
killed seven of their number.
About three miles above where we first struck the stream,
it boils from the bottom of the canyon in a large, beautiful
spring. We found no water above this. About nine miles
up the canyon above the water, we turned into a left-hand
side canyon, through which it was about two miles to the
country above.
The trail up this canyon was very steep and difficult. The
trail we came in on, and this one, are said to be the only
means of getting in and out of the Cataract Canyon. From
what we could learn from the Indians, we supposed the dis-
84 A MOQUIS RELIGIOUS TEACHER.
tance from the spring to where the creek empties into the
Colorado to be about eighteen miles.
Through some misunderstanding, two of our Moquis
friends had continued up the main canyon. We made a dry
camp that night. The Moquis man who remained with us
was a religious leader among his people. He became very
anxious about his companions, for he said they would -find no
water. He went through some religious ceremonies for their
safe return.
In the night they arrived in camp. They had discovered
their mistake, and returned until they found our trail. We
had a little water left to relieve their thirst.
I should have before stated that these Moquis never send
out any of their people in the public interest, without sending
one of their religious teachers with them. The position of
these religious men is probably a traditionary remnant of the
pure priesthood held by their fathers.
This man who was with us carried a small sack, in which
were some consecrated meal, wool, cotton and eagle's feathers.
To this sack was attached a stick, which he took out each
morning, and, after looking at the sun, made a mark upon, thus
keeping a memorandum of the number of days we had spent
on the journey.
Our route was considerably to the north of the one we had
traveled when on our former trip. The day after leaving
Cataract Canyon, about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, we came
to a cross trail made by wild animals. Following it a few
hundred yards into the head of a canyon, we found a pool of
good water.
This was the 7th of April. We traveled two days without
water for our animals, and camped where we could see the
water of the Little Colorado, but it was in a deep gulch, out
of our reach. The next day we traveled thirteen miles up the
river bank, and camped by the water.
The night of the 1 1 th we were about twelve miles from a
Moquis town. Our Moquis companions wished to go home ;
and did so, while we camped until morning.
They informed the three brethren who had remained in the
Moquis towns during the winter, of our approach, and the
START FOR HOME. 85
following morning these brethren met us about two miles out.
They rejoiced much in seeing us, and hearing from their
families and friends at home. We remained two days with
our Moquis friends.
Taking Brothers Haskell, Hatch and McConnell with us,
on Tuesday, the 15th of April, we started for the San Fran-
cisco Mountain, which was about ninety miles to the south-
west. We aimed to strike the Beal road, which runs on the
south side of the mountain.
On the 20th of April we got into the foot hills on the north
side of the mountain, where we found plenty of timber,
grass, and snow for water. Game was abundant, and we had
no trouble to kill what we needed. The same day Mr.
Greeley discovered a pond of clear, cold water, several acres
in extent, in the crater of a volcanic peak.
Monday, the 21st of April, we spent in exploring in differ-
ent directions. We discovered a wagon road, which proved
to be the one laid out by Captain Beal. We had traveled
around on the north side of the mountain, and struck this
road six miles west of Lareox Spring.
On the 22nd we killed two antelopes, and dried the meat,
preparatory for starting home.
On the 24th we started for home. We traveled west on the
Beal road until the 28th, when we left it and traveled across
the desert where Lieut. Ives and party suffered from thirst.
We directed our course for Seep Springs, spoken of in the
account of our outward trip, as our last camp before going
into Cataract Canyon.
I was fifty-six hours without any water. Brother Jehiel
McConnell was so far gone that he could only whisper. Both
men and animals suffered severely. From Seep Springs we
directed our course for the crossing of the Colorado, south of
St. George.
The third day from Seep Springs we traveled into the night,
and got off our trail. We tied up some of our animals and
hobbled others, to wait for daylight.
During the night, what we at first supposed to be the hoot-
ing of an owl, attracted our attention. After listening a little
while we concluded that the hooting was counterfeit ; that
86 OUR ARRIVAL HOME.
Indians were around us and we had better look after our
animals.
I followed a trail a few hundred yards by moonlight, and
discovered the tracks of two Indians. Suffice it to say, we
lost ten animals out of eighteen.
Assisted by some Piutes, we made an effort the next day to
recover them, bufc failing, on the 6th of May we continued
our journey. Five of our animals we packed, which left but
three to ride. As there were ten men in the company, we
traveled mostly on foot.
We afterwards learned that the Cataract Canyon Indians
had not returned the Walapies' horses as they had agreed to,
and the Walapies made that an excuse for stealing ours.
When we arrived at the river our feet were badly blistered.
We had learned to appreciate the value of the animals we
had lost.
Between the ferry and St. George, one day, in the Grand
Wash, our animals becoming dry, a mule smelt of the ground
and pawed. We concluded that it smelt water under the
ground. We dug down about three feet, and found plenty.
There has been water there ever since, and it is called White
Spring.
We arrived in St. George on the 13th of May, 1863. We
had been absent fifty-six days. We had explored a practic-
able, though difficult route, for a wagon from St. George to
the Little Colorado, had visited the Moquis towns, and
explored some of the country around the San Francisco
Mountain.
I found on my return home that my Indian boy, Albert,
was dead and buried, as he had predicted he would be when I
left home.
I supposed his age to be about ten years when he came to
live with me ; he had been with me twelve years, making him
twenty-two years old when he died. For a number of years
he had charge of my sheep, horses and cattle, and they had
increased and prospered in his hands.
Some time before his death he had a vision, in which he
saw himself preaching the gospel to a multitude of his
people. He believed that this vision would be realized in the
CHANGE IN THE SPIRIT OF THE INDIANS. 87
world of spirits. He referred to this when he said that he
should die before my return home, and be on his mission.
He was a faithful Latter-day Saint ; believed he had a great
work to do among his people ; had many dreams and visions,
and had received his blessings in the house of the Lord.
CHAPTER XIV.
CHANGE IN THE SPIRIT OF THE INDIANS — SOME INSIGHT
INTO THEIR PRIVATIONS AND TRIALS— THEY THREATEN
HOSTILITIES — DIFFICULTIES WITH THEM SETTLED — A
KIND, PEACEFUL POLICY THE BEST — VISIT TO THE
MOQUIS TOWNS — THE PEOPLE ARE INVITED TO LIVE
WITH THE SAINTS— THEIR OBJECTIONS TO REMOVING —
HOSTILE ATTITUDE OF THE NAVAJOES— RETURN HOME-
SUFFERING WITH THIRST — A PROVIDENTIAL SUPPLY OF
WATER— DR. WHITMORE KILLED BY INDIANS— SEVERE
SICKNESS — HEALED IN ANSWER TO PRAYER.
AT this time a considerable change had taken place in the
spirit and feelings of the Indians of Southern Utah,
since the settlement of the country in 1861-62. Up to that
time, our visits among them and our long talks around their
camp fires, had kept up a friendly feeling in their hearts.
After the settlement of St. George, the labors of the
Indian missionaries, from force of circumstances, became
more extended and varied, and the feelings of the Indians
towards the Saints became more indifferent, and their pro-
pensity to raid and steal returned.
The great numbers of animals brought into the country by
the settlers, soon devoured most of the vegetation that had
produced nutritious seeds, on which the Indians had been
r .ccustomed to subsist. When, at the proper season of the
year, the natives resorted to these places to gather seeds, they
88 INDIANS FORCED TO COMMIT DEPREDATIONS.
found they had been destroyed by cattle. With, perhaps,
their children crying for food, only the poor consolation was
left them of gathering around their camp fires and talking
over their grievances.
Those who have caused these troubles have not realized the
situation. I have many times been sorely grieved to see the
Indians with their little ones, glaring upon a table spread
with food, and trying to get our people to understand their
circumstances, without being able to do so. Lank hunger
and other influences have caused them to commit many
depredations.
When our people have retaliated, the unoffending have
almost invariably been the ones to suffer. Generally those
that have done the stealing have been on the alert, and have
got out of the way, while those who have desired to be
friends, from the want of understanding on the part of our
people, have been the sufferers. This has driven those who
were before well disposed, to desperation.
The Navajoes and other Indians east of the Colorado River
have taken advantage of these circumstances to raid upon the
settlements, and drive off many hundreds of cattle and valu-
able horses and mules.
In 1864 I visited the Indians east of St. George, accom-
panied by Brother George Adair. They had gathered
between St. George and Harrisburg, for the purpose of carry-
ing out their threat to destroy some of the settlements the
first favorable opportunity.
I was asked how many men I wanted to go with me on my
contemplated visit. I replied only one, and that I did not
want any arms, not even a knife, in sight.
When we arrived in their camp I asked them to come
together, and bring their women and children, and all hear
what we had to say. They had prepared for hostilities
by secreting their women and children, as is their custom.
By talking with them, a better influence came over them,
and the spirit of peace triumphed over irritation and a sense
of wrong.
About seventy-five miles west of St. George, a band of
Piutes had confederated with a band of Indians that had been
DIFFICULTIES WITH THE INDIANS SETTLED. 89
driven out of California, and they threatened the settlements
of Meadow Creek, Clover Valley, and Shoal Creek. Brother
Andrew Gibbons accompanied me on a visit to these Indians.
It was summer, and they had left their corn fields to dry up,
and gone to the mountains. Our people had manifested as
much hostility as the Indians, having killed two of their
number.
We sent out word for all to come in and see us. We made
a feast by killing an ox, and, in a general talk, they told over
their grievances. They said that they felt justified in what
they had done, and also in what they intended to do.
1 could not blame them, viewing matters from their stand-
point. In the talk I rather justified them in what they
expected to do, but told them that in the end it would be
worse for them to carry out their plans than to drop them,
and smoke the pipe of peace. That the grass upon which
the seeds had grown which served them for food was all eaten
up, and from that time would be; but if they would be
friendly, they could get more food by gleaning our fields than
they had before we came into their country.
The talk lasted for hours. The difficulty was settled and
we returned home.
Early in 1865, the Navajoes stole a few horses from Kanab.
I was requested to go over the Colorado, and, if practicable,
have a talk with them, and recover the stolen horses. I was
also to have a talk with the Moquis, and invite them to move
over into our country.
We did not succeed in recovering the stolen horses. We
were informed by the Moquis that the old Navajoe chief, the
friendly Spaneshanks, had been discarded by his band, that
his son had succeeded him as chief, and that he was disposed
to raid at any favorable opportunity.
For these reasons we thought it would be useless and per-
haps dangerous to go into their country. We had a meeting
in the Oriba village, with the principal men of that place and
one of the largest of the Moquis towns. It was an interest-
ing interview.
We told them we did not expect to visit them much more
where they were, and we wished them to move over the river
90 THIRST QUENCHED IN ANSWER TO PRAYER,
into our country, live with us, and build cities and villages the
same as other people.
They again told us that they could not leave their present
locations until the three prophets who had led them into their
country should appear among them again, and tell them what
to do. They predicted that our people would yet move into
the country south of them, and would travel with wagons up
the Little Colorado.
Aside from their traditions against moving across the great
river, they could not see the utility of going over to live with
us when we would yet move into their country. They were
quite anxious that we should not be angry with them, as they
desired that we should be friends, and thought that we might
sometimes visit them.
On our return home we were disappointed in not finding
water in two places where we had always found a supply on
former trips. At the second place we camped for the night.
On account of thirst our animals were very uneasy, and we
tied them up and guarded them until morning.
The nearest water to us was ten miles distant, over a sandy
desert, and directly out of our way; that is, we would have*
to travel twenty miles to get water, and again reach our trail
for home. It was nearly two days' travel on our way home
to water, and both men and animals were already greatly
distressed.
I ascended a hill near the camp, and earnestly asked the
Lord in my heart what I should do under our difficult circum-
stances. While thus engaged I looked towards the Colorado,
which was about forty miles distant, and saw a small cloud,
apparently about the size of a man's hat. It rapidly
increased, and it did not appear to me more than half-an-hour
before we were enveloped in a heavy snow-storm. The snow
melted and ran into the cavities of the rocks, until there was
an abundance of water.
When we started on our journey we found the ground dry
in less than a mile and a half from our camp.
I thanked the Lord that He had sent us relief in our great
need, but there were those in the company who did not
appear to see the hand of the Lord in it.
TAKEN SICK. 91
In the autumn of 1865, Dr. Whitmore and I made a trip to
Los Vegas Springs and the Colorado River. We visited the
Cottonwood Island Indians and the Mohaves.
In the winter after our return, Dr. Whitmore and his
herder, young Mclntyre, were killed near Pipe Spring, about
fifty-five miles east of St. George, by the Navajoes, who also
drove off their sheep and some cattle.
I started out after them with a company, was taken sick,
and turned back to go home.
I stopped over night on the road in a deserted house, with-
out food, bedding or fire. Having an opportunity, I sent
word to my family about my condition. I got into the town
of Washington, twelve miles east of Santa Clara, and could
go no farther.
In a day or two my wife, Louise, arrived with a team and
took me home. My health was very poor for about a year.
At one time my friends thought that I was dying. At first I
told them that I was willing that it should be so, for I had
only been in their way for nearly a year ; but my little chil-
dren were crying around me, and the question came into my
mind: What will they do if I am taken away? I could not
bear the thought of leaving my family in so helpless a con-
dition.
I then asked God, the Eternal Father, in the name of His
Son Jesus Christ, to spare my life long on the earth, and I
would labor for the building up of His kingdom.
I afterwards felt a desire for food, and asked for something
to eat. I was told that I had eaten nothing for two days.
Some boiled beef and tea were brought me ; I thought I had
never before eaten anything that tasted so good. From that
time I slowly recovered.
92 GUARDING THE FRONTIERS.
CHAPTER XV.
TRAVELS AMONG THE INDIANS— WATCHING THE FRONTIERS
— TRIP TO THE MOQUIS TOWNS — GREAT RAID OF THE
NAVAJOES— A GOOD OPPORTUNITY LOST OF RECOVER-
ING STOLEN STOCK — SKIRMISHES WITH RAIDERS — A
PEACEABLE AGREEMENT WITH THE NAVAJOES DESIR-
ABLE— VISIT OF PRESIDENT YOUNG TO KANAB.
IN the spring and summer of 1867, I was called upon to
visit the bands of Indians to the east of the settlements
on the Rio Virgen, and farther north. A number of settle-
ments had been deserted on the Sevier River, and it was
desirable that the temper of the Indians should be so modi-
fied that they could be re-established.
I went east seventy-five miles, to the present location of
Kanab. After gathering around me some of the Indians,
and planting some corn and vegetables, I crossed over the
rim of the basin, north, and traveled down the valley of the
Sevier.
I sought out places where the Indians were gathered in the
largest numbers. I had many long talks with them, which
seemed to have a good effect. Although some of the bands
were considered quite hostile and dangerous to visit, I felt
that I was laboring for good, and had nothing to fear.
In the fall of 1867, as soon as the water in the Colorado
was low enough for the Navajoes to ford it, I kept close watch
of the eastern frontiers of Southern Utah. I met with quite
a number of young Piutes when I first went into the country.
They said they had dreamed that I was coming out into their
country, and they proposed to assist me in watching the
frontiers. They proved to be quite useful in watching the
passes, and waylaid and shot several raiders.
The season of 1868 was spent in a similar manner to that
of 3867, in visiting the Indians in South-eastern Utah, and
cultivating peace among them.
ANOTHER VISIT TO THE MOQUIS. 93
In October, 1869, I was requested to make another trip to
the Moquis towns, to talk with the people, and learn, if pos-
sible, whether there were other Indians besides the Navajoes
raiding on our borders.
I started with a company of forty men, twenty of the
brethren, and twenty Piutes. We crossed the Colorado where
Lee's Ferry now is. Our luggage went over on rafts made of
floatwood, fastened together by withes.
On arriving at the Moquis towns, I thought some of the
people received us rather coldly. My old acquaintances told
me that the Navajoes intended to make another raid on our
people in a short time. I felt like returning to our settlements
immediately.
When we left the towns, I felt much impressed to take the
old Ute trail, and cross the river thirty miles above where we
crossed going out. Some of the company objected to this,
and made much of the difficulties of the crossing.
When we came to where a trail led to each of the crossings,
I told the company that I did not know why, but I was satis-
fied that it was our duty to go home by the old Ute trail. I
was much surprised to find that more than half of the breth-
ren had made up their minds not to go that way. I told
them if I knew anything about the mind and will of the Lord,
it was for us to go that way.
The Piutes, to a man, were willing to go the way I desired.
The brethren took the lower trail, and on we went. I
remarked to them that our trip to the Moquis was a failure.
When we arrived home, we learned that the Navajoes had
been into the settlements north of where our people had
guarded, and driven off twelve or fifteen hundred head of
animals, among them many valuable horses and mules.
I afterwards learned from the Piutes, that if the company
had taken the Ute trail, we would have met the raiders with
all these valuable animals on the open plains, after they had
crossed the river. I felt vexed that I did not take the
Piutes with me, and save this valuable lot of stock for our
people.
I slept out many cold nights in the winter of 1869-70,
watching and guarding with the Piutes. One Navajoe was
94 FIRED AT BY INDIANS.
shot when two or three hundred yards ahead of his company,
which was driving out a small band of horses. The raiders
were much frightened, threw down their luggage and wanted
the -Flutes to let them go home. The Piutes consented to let
the Navajoes go if they would leave what they had. They
gladly accepted the terms. This took place in the Pahreah
Pass, about twenty miles east of Kanab.
The Navajoe that was shot was only wounded. I followed
his trail the next day, to see what had become of him. I
found where he had been picked up by his friends and carried
two or three miles. Near him was another camp of raiders,
resting.
One of the Piutes who was with me at the time, and had
been told in a dream to go with me, shot two of this company,
scalped one of them, and said that the other had sandy hair,
and he dare not scalp him, for he seemed too much like a
white man.
At another time, when Captain James Andrus, with a com-
pany of men from St. George was with us, a few animals
passed us in the night. We supposed there were three
Navajoes with them.
We followed them one day. By taking a circuitous route
we came within range of . them unobserved. Some of the
company fired before the others were ready. Two of the
raiders fell; the others, quick as thought, drove the horses upon
a sharp point of rocks, where they took shelter in such a way
that they could guard their horses without exposing themselves.
We endeavored to approach them to advantage, but with-
out success. I was fired at several times, as also were several
of the other brethren. Once, as I was secreted behind a
cedar tree, a Navajoe crawled up behind a sand drift, fired at
me, and the bullet just missed my head.
Finding that the Indians had the advantage of us, we left
them, only getting one of the horses. The Navajoes secured
ten horses and lost three of their men.
Captain Andrus and company returned to St. Greorge, and
left Brothers John Mangum, Hyrum Judd, Jehiel McConnell}
my son Lyman, myself and the Piutes to watch the frontiers,
as we had done through the winter.
VISITED BY PRESIDENT YOUNG. 95
The winter of 1869-70 was one of great hardship for the
few brethren who, with the Piutes, watched the frontier.
They suffered with the cold, and passed many sleepless nights.
We crossed the Buckskin, or Kibab, Mountain several times,
with the snow in some places waist deep.
This Navajoe war caused me many serious reflections. I
felt that there was a better way to settle matters, and I made
up my mind to go and see the Navajoes, and have a talk with
them as soon as circumstances would permit.
In the spring of 1870, President Brigham Young, his coun-
selor, George A. Smith, Apostle Erastus Snow and other
leading men of the Church, came to Kanab, accompanied by
twenty men as a guard.
As we had been notified of this visit, we had things in as
good order as possible. The Piutes, seventy in number,
washed off the dirt and paint which usually besmeared their
persons, and put on a fair appearance for Indians.
President Young at first objected to sending out the animals
of the company to feed under an Indian guard, but afterwards
consented to do so. He expiessed himself well satisfied with
my labors and policy on the frontiers.
I told him that I desired to visit the Navajoes, and have a
talk with them; that there had been a number of raiders
killed, and I never saw a Navajoe' s bones on the ground, the
flesh haying been eaten off by wolves and vultures, but what
I felt sorrow for the necessity of such things; that I always
abhorred the shedding of blood, and desired to obtain peace
in some better way.
When President Young arrived at Toquerville, on his
return journey, he sent me a letter of instructions, directing
me to do all I could to prevent the shedding of blood ; not to
let the Indians have any firearms or ammunition if I thought
they would use them for killing miners or other travelers ; and,
if it were possible, he wished the people to get along without
the killing of any more Navajoes.
96 ENDEAVOR TO MAKE PEACE WITH THE INDIANS.
CHAPTER XVI.
VISITS AMONG UTAH INDIANS — MEET MAJOR POWELL —
EMPLOYED TO ACCOMPANY HIM — COUNCIL WITH THE
SHI-VWITS — MAJOR POWELL'S DESCRIPTION OF IT.
T DETERMINED to do all I could in the summer of 1870 to
A establish good feelings among the Indians in the neighbor-
hood of our people, on the west side of the Colorado, that they
might be disposed to favor us instead of our enemies. I
determined to neglect no opportunity of visiting the
Navajoes, and endeavoring to get a good understanding with
them.
I visited the Red Lake Utes, spent some time at Fish Lake,
east of Parowan, and visited the Indians along the Sevier. I
had many long talks with them, and believe I accomplished
much good, in inspiring them with the spirit of peace.
I met Professor J. W. Powell, who stated that he had
descended the Colorado River the previous year, and that the
Indians in the neighborhood of Mount Trumbull, south-west
of Kanab, had killed three of his men. He wished to visit
them, and prevent the repetition of a similar calamity the
next season ; for he desired to descend the river with a com-
pany to explore the Grand Canyon.
He wished to employ some one who understood Indian
character, and spoke their dialect, to go with him, and Presi-
dent Young had recommended me as a suitable person. He
offered me liberal terms, and, as I was desirous of seeing the
same Indians myself, a satisfactory arrangement was soon
made.
We left Kanab for Mount Trumbull in September, 1870,
and took two Kanab Indians with us. We arrived at our des-
tination the third day, and selected a good camp ground by a
spring of water.
We found some natives gathering cactus fruit, which grew
there in great abundance. I requested them to bring in some
A COUNCIL HELD WITH THE INDIANS. 97
of the party who took a part in the killing of Mr. Powell's
men the previous year.
Some twelve or fifteen Indians got together the following
day, and we called a council to have a good peace talk.
I commenced by explaining to the Indians Professor
Powell's business. I endeavored to get them to understand
that he did not visit their country for any purpose that would
work any evil to them ; that he was not hunting gold, silver
or other metals ; that he would be along the river next sea-
son with a party of men, and if they found any of them away
from the river in the hills, they must be their friends, and
show them places where there was water, if necessary.
They answered that some of their friends from the other
side of the river crossed on a raft and told them that
Powell's men were miners, and that miners on their side of
the river abused their women.
They advised them to kill the three white men who had
gone back from the river, for if they found any mines in their
country, it would bring great evil among them. The three
men were then followed, and killed when asleep.
The Indians further stated that they believed what I told
them, and, had they been correctly informed about the men,
they would not have killed them.
They said Ka-pu-rats could travel and sleep in their
country unmolested, and they would shew him and his men
the watering places.
Ka-pu-rats, in the Piute language, means one arm cut off.
Major Powell had lost an arm in the late war between the
Northern and Southern States.
I think that a part of Major Powell's description of this
affair in his "Explorations of the Colorado River," would not
be out of place here :
"This evening, the Shi-vwits, for whom we have sent, come
in, and, after supper, we hold a long council. A blazing fire
is built, and around this we sit — the Indians living here, the
Shi-vwits, Jacob Hamblin and myself. This man, Harnblin,
speaks their language well, and has a great influence over all
the Indians in the region round about. He is a silent,
reserved man, and when he speaks, it is in a slow, quiet way,
98 GOOD OPPORTUNITY TO FILL MY MISSION.
that inspires great awe. His talk is so low that they must
listen attentively to hear, and they sit around him in death-
like silence. When he finishes a measured sentence, the chief
repeats it, and they all give a solemn grunt.
"Mr. Hamhlin fell into conversation with one of the men,
and held him until the others had left, and then learned more
of the particulars of the death of the three men. They
came upon the Indian village almost starved, and exhausted
with fatigue. They were supplied with food, and put on
their way to the settlements. Shortly after they had left, an
Indian from the east side of the Colorado arrived at their
village, and told them about a number of miners having killed
a squaw in a drunken brawl, and no doubt these were the
men. No person had ever come down the canyon ; that was
impossible ; they were trying to hide their guilt. In this way
he worked them into a great ra£e. They followed, sur-
rounded the men in ambush, and filled them full of arrows.
"That night I slept in peace, although these murderers of
my men, and their friends, the U-in-ka-rets, were sleeping
not five hundred yards away. While we were gone to the
canyon, the pack-train and supplies, enough to make an
Indian rich beyond his wildest dreams, were all left in their
charge, and were all safe; not even a lump of sugar was
pilfered by the children."
After this council with the Indians, Major Powell gave me
charge of the commissary stores and pack train, and directed
me to explore the country east, north and south. This
afforded me an excellent opportunity to carry out my mission
to the Lamanitesv
I had many interesting talks with them. I labored to have
them understand that there was an overruling Providence
that had much to do with the affairs of men; that God was
not pleased with the shedding of blood, and they must stop
killing men, women and children, and try and be at peace with
all men.
These teachings did not appear to have much influence at
the time, but afterwards they yielded much good fruit.
START FOR FORT DEFIANCE. 96
CHAPTER XVII.
JOURNEY TO FORT DEFIANCE — INTERESTING VISIT AMONG
THE MOQUIS TOWNS — ARRIVAL AT FORT DEFIANCE —
GENERAL COUNCIL OF THE CHIEFS OF THE NAVAJOE
NATION — GREAT PEACE TALK— RETURN HOME — TREATY
OF PEACE IN ONE OF THE MOQUIS TOWNS — STOLEN
SHEEP RECOVERED FOR A NAVAJOE.
IN the autumn of 1871, Major Powell concluded to go east,
by way of Fort Defiance, and desired me to accompany
him. As this appeared to be an opening for the much-desired
peace talk with the Navajoe Indians, I readily accepted the
invitation.
We started for Fort Defiance in October. Three men who
were strangers to me, accompanied us, and Brothers Ammon
M. Tenney, Ashton Nebeker, Nathan Terry and Elijah Pot-
ter; also Frank, a Kibab Indian.
We packed lumber on mules over the Kibab, or Buckskin
Mountain, to the crossing of the Colorado, now known as
Lee's Ferry. With this we constructed a small boat, in which
we conveyed our luggage across. Our animals crossed over by
swimming,
We traveled at nights most of the way, to preserve our
animals from the Indians. We visited all the Moquis towns,
seven in number, and had much interesting talk with the
people. Professor Powell took much interest in their festivals,
dances, religious ceremonies and manner of living.
Arriving at Fort Defiance, Major Powell rendered me much
assistance in bringing about peace with the Navajoes. About
six thousand of them were gathered there to receive their
annuities.
All the chiefs of the nation were requested to meet in
council. All the principal chiefs but one, and all the sub-
chiefs but two were there. Captain Bennett, Indian agent,
100 GREAT PEACE TALK,
his interpreter, and Brother Ammon M. Tenhey were also
there.
Major Powell led the way by introducing nie to the council
as a representative of the people who lived on the west side
of the Colorado River, called "Mormons." He stated that
he had lived and traveled with these people, and, by acquain-
tance, had formed a very favorable opinion of them. He said
that they were an industrious people, who paid their quota of
taxes in common with other citizens of the United States,
from which the Navajoes were paid their annuities.
At the close of his introductory remarks, I arose and spoke
about an hour. I stated that the object of my visit was to
have a talk with them, and endeavor to bring about a better
understanding between them and my people the "Mormons,"
and establish peace and friendship.
I explained to them some of the evils of the war which
had commenced by killing two men and driving off their
stock ; that while they had taken from us many horses and
mules, they had lost twenty or thirty of their men. That our
young men had wanted to come over into their country and
kill and drive them, but had been told to stay at home until
all other means for obtaining peace had been tried and had
failed.
I told them I had been acquainted, more or less, with the
Indians on their side of the great river for many years, and I
found that the Moquis were obliged to watch their stock, or
the Navajoes would steal it; and the Navajoes were under the
same necessity. Neither party could trust their sheep out of
sight, through fear that they would never see them again.
They dare not send their flocks out into the mountains where
grass was abundant, and the result was, that they ate poor
meat, and many times not enough of that.
Continuing, I said : "If you will reflect on your affairs, you
will see that this is very bad policy, and that it would be
much better to be at peace with your neighbors and with all
men. I see much grass and many watering places on each
side of the river. If we would live at peace with each other,
we could take advantage of all the land, grass and water, and
become rich or have all we need. Our horses and sheep
GOOD EFFECT OF THE "TALK." 101
would be fat. We could sleep in peace, awake in^ the morn-
ing and find our property safe. You cannot but see that this
would be the better way.
"I hope you will listen to this talk. What shall I tell my
people, the "Mormons" when I return home? That we may
expect to live in peace, live as friends, and trade with one
another? Or shall we look for you to come prowling around
our weak settlements, like wolves at night? I htfpe we may
live in peace in time to come. - I have now gray hairs on my
head, and from my boyhood I have been on the frontiers,
doing all I could to preserve peace between white men and
Indians.
"I despise this killing, this shedding of blood. I hope you
will stop this, and come and visit, and trade with our people.
We would like to hear what you have got to say before we go
home."
As I took my seat, I noticed the tears start in the eyes of Bar-
benceta, the Spanish name of the principal chief of the
Navajoes.
He slowly approached, and put his arms around me, say-
ing: "My friend and brother, I will do all I can to bring
about what you have advised. We will not give all our
answer now. Many of the Navajoes are here. We will talk
to them to-night, and wilLsee you on your way home."
The principal chiefs spent much of the night talking with
their people. Captain Bennett, the agent, and a U. S. army
officer, said that I could not have talked better to bring about
peace with the Navajoes. He manifested much good feeling,
and furnished us liberally with supplies for our journey home.
This council was held on the 2nd of November, 1871. The
blessings of the Lord were over us in our efforts for peace.
This was probably the first time that the chiefs of the
Navajoe nation ever heard a gospel discourse adapted to their
circumstances ; as well as the first time that they had heard,
from the lips of a white man, a speech that carried with it
the spirit and power of a heartfelt friendship. The hearts of
many of them were open to reciprocate it.
We spent three days at Fort Defiance, endeavoring to create
a good influence, and in getting our supplies ready. Brother
102 TREATY OF PEACE CONCLUDED.
A. M. Tenjpey, being able to converse in Spanish, accom-
plished much good.
On our way home we called at a Moquis town. There we
met the principal chief of the Navajoes, those chiefs who
were not at Fort Defiance, and some minor chiefs who did not
consider themselves as belonging to the United States agency
at Fort Defiance.
We met iti a room belonging to the principal man of the
village. The Navajoes, through their chief, told us that they
had not come to talk any different from what was said at
Fort Defiance, but to confirm what was said there. They
never had heard better talk. They had a great desire to have
what was said, carried out.
They said, "We have some bad men among us, but, if
some do wrong, the wise ones must not act foolishly, like chil-
dren, but let it be settled according to the spirit of your talk
at Fort Defiance.
"Here is Hastele (one of the principal chiefs) ; I wish you
to take a good look at him, so you will not be mistaken in the
man. He never lies or steals. He is a truthful man ; we
wish all difficult matters settled before him. He lives on the
frontier, nearest to the river ; you can find him by inquiry. ' '
The peace treaty talk here closed by the Navajoes saying,
"We hope we may be able to eat at one table, warm by one
fire, smoke one pipe, and sleep under one blanket."
One of them gave me a note from the United States agent,
stating that the bearer wished me to try and recover some
sheep that were stolen from him, and were in one of the
Moquis towns; and that two attempts had been made to
recover them, which had failed.
We lay down to sleep about midnight, and were on our way
at early dawn to the town, a few miles distant, where the
Navajoes said we should find the sheep.
Arriving at the residence of the man having the sheep, I
found him to be a former acquaintance of mine. He
appeared in a surly mood. We talked to him for some time,
but could get no answer.
I then said, "You are the first man I traded with twelve or
thirteen years ago. You told me then that before your
RECOVER SOME STOLEN SHEEP. 103
father died, he took you in his arms, and told you that you
would live to see white men come from the west — good men,
men of peace ; and that it would be but a short time after
they came until you could sleep in peace, eat in peace, and
have peace in all things. You told me that you believed we
were the men your father meant, and I hope you will not pre-
vent peace coming into your country for the sake of a few
sheep."
"Well," said he, "I will not; I will give up the sheep."
They were counted out, and the Navajoe offered us one or
two to eat on our way home. We told him we could get
•along without taking any of his sheep ; he had but few, and
would want them.
CHAPTEE XVIII.
MOQUIS INDIANS DESTROY MANY NAVAJOES — AN ORIBA AND
. HIS WIFE ACCOMPANY US HOME — PEACE TALK WITH
THE PIUTES — A DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT — TUBA'S
PRAYER — CHOOG, THE INDIAN PROPHET — HIS PREDIC-
TION— FATAL FIRE IN KANAB.
"TT /TE were told by the Moquis that when the Navajoes were
• • at war with the United States, they were taken advantage
of in their scattered condition by the Moquis, who hunted out
the worst of the thieves among them, and killed them off.
For this purpose the Moquis were furnished with guns and
ammunition.
One man told me that he had hunted up and killed eight
Navajoes single handed.
I was also informed that the Moquis decoyed thirty-five of
them into one of their villages, by promising them protection,
and then disarmed them, and threw them off a high rock
between two of their towns. I went to the place indicated,
and found a number of skeletons and some remains of
104 A DREAM AND ITS FULFILLMENT.
blankets. This was done during the winter previous to our
visit.
The Navajoes have evidently been the plunderers of the
Moquis for generations, and the latter have retaliated when-
ever they have had an opportunity. Peace between these
tribes would be a great blessing to botV .
This trip and its influences appears to have been a turning-
point — the commencement of a great practical change for the
better in the lives of these tribes. The Lord's time for a
change had evidently come.
Wishing to do all I could to give strength to a peaceful
policy, I invited Tuba, a man of good report among his
people, to take with him his wife, Pulaskanirnki, to go home
with me ; get acquainted with the spirit and policy of our
people, and become a truthful representative of them among
his people.
I promised to pay him for what labor he might perform,
and bring him home the next autumn.
After counseling with their friends, he and his wife accepted
my invitation.
When we arrived on the cliffs before crossing the Colorado,
the Piutes living in the Navajoe country, came to me and said
as they had taken a part with the Navajoes in raiding on our
people, they desired to have a good peace talk. They were
about thirty in number.
After an interesting council, we commenced to descend the
difficult cliff to the crossing of the river. While doing so,
Brother Nathan Terry said he had a dream the night before,
and that it had been on his mind all day, and he believed it
meant something. In the dream he saw the company riding
along the trail, when he heard the report of a gun. He
looked around, and saw one of tne company fall to the
ground, and he thought he went and put the person on his
horse, and they continued their journey.
After descending the cliff, I was some distance in the rear
of the company, when suddenly, what appeared like a flash
of lightning came over me. It was with great difficulty that
I could breathe. Not being able to help myself, I partly fell
to the ground.
TUBA'S PRAYER AND RELIGIOUS CEREMONY. 105
I lay there some time, when one of the Kanab Indians who
was with us came along, saw my situation, and hurried on to
the camp.
Brother Terry came back to me after dark. He adminis-
tered to me in the name of the Lord, when the death-like
grip that seemed to have fastened on my lungs let go its hold,
and I could again breathe naturally.
On coming to the bank of the river the following day,
Tuba, the Oriba, looked rather sorrowful, and told me that
his people once lived on the other side of this river, and their
fathers had told them they never would go west of the river
again to live. Said he, "I am now going on a visit to see
my friends. I have worshiped the Father of us all in the way
you believe to be right ; now I wish you would do as the
Hopees" (their name for themselves) "think is right before we
cross. ' '
I assented. He then took his medicine bag from under his
shirt, and offered me a little of its contents. I offered my
left hand to take it ; he requested me to take it in my right.
He then knelt with his face to the east, and asked the Great
Father of all to preserve us in crossing the river. He said
that he and his wife had left many friends at home, and if
they never lived to return, their friends would weep much. He
prayed for pity upon his friends, the "Mormons," that none
of them might drown in crossing ; and that all the animals we
had with us might be spared, for we needed them all, and to
preserve unto us all our food and clothing, that we need not
suffer hunger nor cold on our journey.
He then arose to his feet. We scattered the ingredients
from the medicine bag into the air, on to the land and into
the water of the river.
To me, the whole ceremony seemed humble and reverential.
I felt that the Father has regard to such petitions. The scat-
tering of the ingredients from the medicine bag I understood
to be intended as a propitiary sacrifice.
After this ceremony we drove our animals into the river,
and they all swam safely to the opposite shore. In a short
time ourselves and effects were safely over. Tuba then thanked
the Great Father that He had heard and answered our prayer.
5
106 THE INDIAN CHIEF'S PROPHECY.
Arriving at Kanab, we found all well. Everybody
appeared to feel thankful for the success of our mission and
the prospects of peace. The Kanab Indians also congratu-
lated us on our success.
Some of the Piutes from the east side of the river accom-
panied us home. They spent much of the night in talking
over events that had taken place during the previous three
years. They said they had not visited each other much
during that time.
Choog, the Kibab chief of the [Piutes, after learning all
the particulars from the Indians who went with us, came to
me and said, "Now the Indians east of the river have all
made peace, the evil spirits will have no place to stop over
there. They have followed you here. The destroyer will
enter into the wind, fire and water, and do you all the mischief
he can. Wherever he can get a chance to work he will go. ' '
At the close of his remarks I smiled. Noticing it, he said
with considerable warmth, "You are a wise, good man, and
know more than I do ; but I know that what I have told you
will come to pass. ' '
The third night after this conversation with the Kibab
chief, the night of the 14th of December, a house in Kanab,
in which resided the family of Brother Levi Stewart, took
fire, from some unknown cause. The room in which the fire
originated had but one entrance, and in it were stored some
combustible materials. The houses were of logs, built in
fort form, and the people and their effects were much crowded
together.
At the time the fire broke out, people were generally
asleep, and six of the family of Brother Stewart were asleep
in the room where the fire originated.
Before they could be rescued, a can of oil took fire, and the
room was in a moment enveloped in an intense flame, which
burst out from the only entrance. The shrieks of those in
the fire, and the odor of their roasting bodies ; the lurid
glare of the fire in the darkness of night ; the intense anxiety
and sorrow depicted on the countenances of the father and
husband, brothers, sisters and neighbors, made up a scene that
can never be forgotten by those who witnessed it.
BELIEFS OF THE INDIANS. 107
There were several other fires and accidents in the settle-
ments of Southern Utah, soon after the fire in Kanab, which
indicated that the Indian chief was prompted by the spirit of
prophecy.
Some people call the Indians superstitious. I admit the
fact, but do not think that they are more so than many who
call themselves civilized. There are few people who have not
received superstitious traditions from their fathers. The
more intelligent part of the Indians believe in one Great
Father of all ; also in evil influences, and in revelation and
prophecy ; and in many of their religious rites and ideas, I
think they are quite as consistent as the Christian sects of
the day.
CHAPTER XIX.
VISIT OF TUBA AND HIS WIFE TO THE WASHINGTON FACTORY
* AND FLOURING MILL— MANY NAVAJOES COME TO TRADE
WITH OUR PEOPLE— TAKE TUBA AND HIS WIFE HOME-
MORE ABOUT THE DEATH OF YOUNG GEORGE A. SMITH
— SAINTS CALLED TO SETTLE IN ARIZONA — THEY BECOME
DISCOURAGED AND RETURN TO UTAH — NAVAJOES MUR-
DERED IN GRASS VALLEY — WAR IMMINENT — SENT TO
SETTLE THE DIFFICULTY — MY FRIENDS ALARMED — TWO
MINERS ACCOMPANY ME — INDIANS CALL A COUNCIL.
A FEW days after I arrived home from Fort Defiance, I
went on a visit to St. G-eorge, and other settlements. I
took Tuba and his wife with me, that they might have an
opportunity of seeing some of our farming and manufacturing
industries.
After looking through the factory at Washington, where
some three hundred spindles were in motion, Tuba said it
spoiled him for being an Oriba. JHe could never think of
spinning yarn again with his fingers, to make blankets.
108 NAVAJOES COME TO TRADE WITH OUR PEOPLE.
His wife, after looking at the flouring mill, thought it was a
pity that the Hopees (meaning the Oriba women), were obliged
to work so hard to get a little meal to make their bread, when it
could be made so easily.
Tuba and his wife gleaned cotton in the fields one week, on
the Santa Clara, where the cotton had been gathered by our
people, and President Young gave him a suit of clothes.
When we returned to Kanab, we found eighty Navajoes
who had come in there to trade. Most of them were on foot,
and had brought blankets to trade. Some of their women
accompanied them, which is their custom when going on a
peaceable expedition.
Comiarrah, one of their leading men, introduced his wife
to me. She took hold of my hand, and said, "We have
come a long way to trade with your 'people. We are poor,
and have brought all we could on our backs. We have not
much, and we want to do the best we can with it. We came
home to our country three years ago, and found it naked and
destitute of anj7thing to live on. We once had many sheep
and horses, but lost them all in the war. We were taken
prisoners and carried to a poor, desert country, where we
suffered much with hunger and cold. Now we have the
privilege of living in our own country. We want to get a
start of horses and sheep, and would like you to tell your
people to give us as good trade as they can. ' '
They traded for fifty horses in Kanab, then went to St.
George and other settlements, and traded all the blankets
they had for horses, and went back to their own country quite
satisfied.
In September, 1872, I went to take Tuba home, as I had
promised I would do. Brothers I. C. Haight, George Adair
and Joseph Mangum accompanied us. We went by the old
Ute crossing, and left some supplies for Professor Powell's
party, at a point which had before been designated.
On the east side of the river, we crossed some dangerous
places, deep canyons and steep rocks. Some of our animals
fell and bruised their legs ; one was so badly injured that we
were compelled to leave it. Another fell from a cliff into a
canyon, and was killed instantly.
VISIT AMONG THE NAVAJOES. 109
We made a line long enough to reach the animal, by tying
together lariats and ropes. A place was found where a man
could descend to the pack, and the things were hauled up in
parcels.
After five days' traveling, visiting some of the Navajoe
ranches, and talking with the people, we arrived at Tuba's
house in the Oriba village.
After feasting a day or two on peaches and green corn, we
started for the Navajoe agency. We remained there over the
Sabbath, and attended a meeting conducted by a Methodist
minister, employed by the government to preach to the
Navajoes.
We were granted the privilege of speaking in the afternoon.
I spoke on the coming forth of the Book of Mormon, and
about the ancient inhabitants of the American continent.
On our way home we visited some of the principal Navajoe
ranches. Some Navajoes came to us to trade for horses. We
camped one night with a party at the rock where young Geo.
A. Smith was killed.
One of them said he was there when young Smith was
killed, and that some of the Navajoes tried to get up a dance
over his scalp, but the majority of the party were opposed to
it, and the dance did not take place. Most of them contended
that the "Mormons" were a good people. The party that
thought it right to kill the "Mormon," said, if the man who
killed him would go and overtake his friends, and they would
give him a present, they would acknowledge the "Mormons"
to be a good people. He said the Navajoe went on after us,
and returned with a gun that we gave him.
The fact that an Indian overtook us, and that we gave him a
gun, and recognized the revolver of George A. Smith on his
person, has been mentioned in the account of young Brother
Smith's death.
We were told that the murderer soon died a miserable
death, and the Navajoes believed it was because he had killed
a "Mormon."
The Navajoes continued to come to our settlements to trade,
and went about in small parties, or singly, as suited them,
They placed all confidence in us as their friends,
110 MISSIONARIES SENT TO SETTLE ARIZONA.
In 1871-72, I explored many places between Lee's Ferry and
Uinta Valley ; assisted in locating a settlement on the Pah-
reah, in starting a ranch in House Rock Vallej7, and in
building a small boat at Lee's Ferry.
In the winter of 1873-74, I was sent to look out a route for
a wagon-road from Lee's Ferry to the San Francisco forest, or
the head waters of the Little Colorado. I procured the assis-
tance of a Piute who lived on the east side of the Colorado,
and was somewhat acquainted with the country. We readily
found the desired route.
In the spring of 1874, a company of about one hundred
wagons crossed the Colorado, well fitted out, with instructions
to form a settlement on the Little Colorado, or on some of the
tributaries of the Gila. I was requested to pilot the first ten
wagons as far as Moancoppy, and remain there for further
instructions.
For a considerable distance beyond the Moancoppy, the
country is barren and uninviting. After they left that place,
the first company became discouraged and demoralized, and
returned.
In the meantime, I occupied ni37self in putting in a crop.
With some help, I planted twelve acres with corn, beans,
potatoes and other vegetables.
The companies that followed the one that had returned
from the Little Colorado, partook of the same demoralizing
spirit. They could not be prevailed upon to believe that there
was a good country with land, timber and water, a little
beyond where the first company had turned back. They all
returned into Utah, and the great effort to settle the country
south of the Colorado was, for the time being, a failure.
The failure was evidently for want of faith in the mission
they had been called upon to fill by the Lord, through His
servants.
When this company was sent into Arizona, it was the
opportune time for the Saints to occupy the country. Soon
after, the best locations in the country were taken up by
others, and our people have since been compelled to pay out
many thousands of dollars to obtain suitable places for their
homes.
THREE NAVAJOES KILLED BY THE WHITES. Ill
The Navajoes carried on a peaceful trade with our people,
until the winter of 1874-75, when a circumstance occurred
which greatly endangered our peaceful relations with that
people.
A party of four young Navajoes went to the east fork of
the Sevier River, to trade with some Utes in the neighbor-
hood. In Grass Valley, [they encountered a severe snow-
storm, which lasted for three days. They found shelter in a
vacant house belonging to one McCarty. He did not belong
to the Church, and had that animosity towards Indians, too
common with white men, which leads them to slaughter the
savages, as they are called, on the most trifling pretences.
The Navajoes, becoming hungry during the delay, killed a
small animal belonging to Mr. McCarty. In some way he
learned of the presence of the party on his ranch, gathered
up some men of like spirit with himself, came suddenly upon
the Navajoes, and, without giving them an opportunity of
explaining their circumstances, killed three of them and
wounded the fourth.
The wounded man, after enduring excessive hardships,
made his way across the river, and arrived among his own
people.
Telling the story of his wrongs, it aroused all the bitter
spirit of retaliation, so characteristic of the Indians from
tradition and custom. The aflair taking place in the c 'Mor-
mon" country, where the Navajoes naturally supposed they
were among friends, and not distinguishing McCarty as an
outsider, the murder was laid to the "Mormons."
The outrage created considerable excitement among both
whites and Indians. When President Young heard of it, he
requested me to visit the Navajoes, and satisfy them that our
people were not concerned in it.
Feeling that the afiair, without great care, might bring on a
war, I started at once for their country to fill my mission.
I left Kanab alone. My son Joseph overtook me about
fifteen miles out, with a note from Bishop Levi Stewart,
advising my return, as he had learned from the Piutes that
the Navajoes were much exasperated and threatened to
retaliate the first opportunity.
112 IMPORTANT MISSION TO THE NAVAJOES.
I had been appointed to a mission by the highest authority
of God on the earth. My life was of but small moment com-
pared with the lives of the Saints and the interests of the
kingdom of God. I determined to trust in the Lord and go
on. I directed my son to return to Kanab, and tell Bishop
Stewart that I could not make up my mind to return.
Arriving at the -settlement of Pahreah, I found Lehi
Smithson and another man preparing to start for Mowabby.
We remained over night to procure animals for the journey.
That night, my son Joseph came to me again with a note
from Bishop Stewart, advising my return, and stating that if
I went on I would surely be killed by the Navajoes.
When we arrived at the Mawabby, we found that the store
house of two rooms which had been built there, had been
fitted up in the best possible manner for defense. This had
been done by three or four miners who had remained there,
on account of the excitement, for which there appeared to be
considerable reason.
I felt that I had no time to lose. It was important to get
an interview with the Navajoes before the outbreak.
My horse was jaded, and wishing to go to Moancoppy, ten
or twelve miles farther, that night, two brothers by the name
of Smith brought in three of their riding horses, offered me
one, and they mounted the others to accompany me.
At Moancoppy I hoped to find some Oribas who could give
me correct information about the temper of the Navajoes.
Arriving there, we found only a Piute family and one Oriba
woman. From them I learned that the young relatives of
the Navajoes killed in Grass Valley were much exasperated,
but the older men expressed a desire to see me before anything
was done or anyone hurt.
This news was encouraging to me. It being now evening,
we lay down and slept until morning.
Tuba had been living at Moancoppy, and had left on
account of the excitement. Some of his effects were lying
around in a way that indicated that he left in a hurry.
I was informed that Mush-ah, a Navajoe with whom I was
somewhat acquainted, and in whom I had some confidence,
was camped at a watering place twelve miles east of Moan*
INDIANS PREPARE TO HOLD A COUNCIL. 113
coppy. I hoped to be able to see and have a talk with him,
and get up a conciliatory feeling without exposing myself too
much to the ire of the Indians.
Arriving at the water where we expected to find Mush- ah,
we were disappointed. The place was vacated. We met a
Navajoe messenger, riding fast on his way to Mowabby, to
learn of affairs at that place. He appeared much pleased to
see me.
After a little talk, 'he pointed in the distance to a high
mesa, and said the Navajoes were camped at that point, and
wished to see me.
We arrived at the lodges after sun down ; in the neighbor-
hood were gathered a large nunber of horses, sheep and
goats.
Two or three gray-headed men came out to meet us good-
naturedly, but did not appear as friendly as they had for-
merly. I told them my business. Soon afterwards some
young men put in an appearance, whose looks bespoke no
good.
There being a good moon, a messenger was soon on his way
to inform those at a distance of my arrival.
I enquired for Hastele, who had been shown to me by the
principal chief in our final peace talk, three years before, and
for whom I was directed to inquire in case of difficulty.
I got no answer, which indicated to me that they did not
wish for his assistance. 1 communicated to the old men the
circumstances connected with the killing of the Navajoes in
Grass Valley, as I understood them. They replied that they
were not ready for a talk or council, and said, "When the
relatives are all in we will talk. ' '
My spirit was weighed down with gloomy forebodings, and
I would gladly have left the place could I have felt justified
in doing so. Unless the Lord was with us, what were we to
do with all these against us?
114 THE COUNCIL BEGINS.
CHAPTER XX.
INDIANS ASSEMBLE — THE COUNCIL LODGE — ACCUSED OF
LYING TO THE INDIANS — INFORMED THAT I MUST DIE —
PRIVILEGE GRANTED THE SMITH BROTHERS OF ESCAP-
ING— THEY REFUSE TO DESERT ME TO SAVE THEIR
LIVES — VIOLENT SPEECHES — YOUNG INDIANS EAGER FOR
REVENGE — INTERPRETERS AFRAID TO SPEAK — INDIANS
PROPOSE A COMPROMISE — 350 HEAD OF CATTLE AND
HORSES DEMANDED— I REFUSE TO PAY FOR A CRIME
THE "MORMONS" NEVER COMMITTED — THEY THREATEN
TO BURN ME — MY COOLNESS CREATES A FAVORABLE
IMPRESSION— AN AGREEMENT— WE REGAIN OUR LIBEETY.
rPHE night passed, and a part of the forenoon of the follow-
JL ing day, when the Navajoes who had been sent for began
to gather in.
About noon, they informed me they were ready for talk. A
lodge had been emptied of its contents for a council room. It
was about twenty feet long by twelve feet wide. It was con-
structed of logs, with one end set in the ground, and the top
ends leaning to the centre of the lodge, and fitted together.
The logs were covered with about six inches of dirt.
A fire occupied the centre of the lodge, the smoke escaping
through a hole in the roof. There was but one entrance, and
that was in the end.
Into this lodge were crowded some twenty- four Navajoes,
four of whom were councilors of the nation. A few Indians
were gathered about the entrance.
The two Smith's and I were at the farther end from the
entrance, with apparently not one chance in a hundred of
reaching the outside, should it be neceessary to make an
effort to save our lives.
The council opened by the Navajoe spokesman asserting
that what I had said about the murder of their relatives was
INFORMED THAT I MUST BE KILLED. 115
false. He stated that I had advised their people to cross the
great river and trade with my people, and in doing so they
had lost three good young men, who lay on our land for the
wolves to eat. The fourth, he said, came home with a bullet
hole through him, and without a blanket, and he had been
thirteen days in that situation, cold and hungry.
He also stated that I need not think of going home, but
my American friends might if they would start immediately.
I informed the two Smiths of the intention of the Navajoes
concerning the disposal of myself. I told them they had been
obliging to me, and I would not deceive them ; the way was
open for them to go if they desired to do so. ' '
They replied that they would not go until I went.
Our three revolvers were hanging over my head. It was
desirable to have them as well in hand as possible. I took
hold of them, at the same time saying to our Piute interpre-
ter, "These are in my way; what shall I do with them?"
As I spoke I passed them behind me to the Smiths, not
wishing to give any cause for suspicion that I had any fears,
or expected to use the weapons. I told the Smiths not to
make any move until we were obliged to.
The Navajoes continued to talk for some time, when I was
given to understand that my turn had come.
I told them of my long acquaintance with their people, and
of my labors to maintain peace. I hoped they would not
think of killing me for a wrong with which neither myself
nor my people had anything to do ; and that strangers had
done the deed.
I discovered that what I had said the day before had some
influence with the gray haired men. None but gray haired
men belonged to the council, but others were allowed to
speak.
The young men evidently feared that the council would
oppose their desire for revenge. They evinced great intensity
of feeling. The wounded man was brought in, his wounds
exposed to the council, and a stirring appeal was made for
retaliation by a young warrior. It stirred up the Indian blood
from its very depths. He closed by asserting that they could
do no less than put me to death.
116 THREATENED TO BE ROASTED.
For a few minutes I felt that if I was ever permitted to see
friends and home again, I should appreciate the privilege. I
thought I felt one of the Smiths at my back grip his revolver.
I said to him quietly, ' 'Hold still ! Do not make the first
move, and there will be no move made. They never will get
ready to do anything."
This assurance came by the whisperings of the Spirit within
me.
When the excitement had died away a little, I spoke to the
Piute interpreter. He either could not or would not answer
me, neither would he answer the Navajoes, but sat trembling,
apparently with fear.
The Navajoes brought in another Piute, and recommended
him as a man of much courage, and said he would not falter ;
but he was soon in the same dilemma as the other.
After some further conversation they appeared a little
modified, and, in lieu of blood revenge, they proposed to take
cattle and horses for the injury done them. They required
me to give them a writing, obligating me to pay one hundred
head of cattle for each of the three Navajoes killed, and fifty
for the wounded one.
This was a close place for me. I could go home by simply
putting my name to the obligation. I reflected: Shall I
acknowledge by my act, that my people are guilty of a crime
of which I know they are innocent ; and neutralize all the
good results of our labors among this people for fifteen years?
Shall I obligate the Church to pay three hundred and fifty
head of cattle for a crime committed by others? It is
perhaps more than I should be able to earn the rest of my
life.
The sacrifice looked to me more than my life was worth. I
replied that I would not sign the obligation.
One of them remarked that he thought I would by the
time I had been stretched over that bed of coals awhile,
pointing to the fire in the middle of the lodge.
I answered that I had never lied to them, and that I would
not pay for the wrong that other people had done. ' 'Let the
Americans pay for their own mischief, I will not sign a writing
to pay you one hoof. ' '
ASSURE THEM I AM NOT AFRAID. 117
Here the new Piute interpreter would not say anything
more.
A Piute chief standing in the door of the lodge,
spoke to him in an angry tone, and accused him of having a
very small heart and little courage.
The chief then asked if I was not scared.
I asked, "What is there to scare me?"
He replied, "The Navajoes."
I told him I was not afraid of my friends.
"Friends!" said he, "You have not a friend in the Navajoe
nation. Navajoe blood has been spilled on your land. You
have caused a whole nation to mourn. Your friend Ketch-
e-ne, that used to give you meat when you were hungry, and
blankets when you were cold, has gone to mourn for his mur-
dered sons. You have caused the bread he eats to be like
coals of fire in his mouth, and the water he drinks like hot
ashes. Are you not afraid?"
"No;" I replied, "my heart never knew fear."
The Navajoes wished to know what the Piute chief and
myself were talking about. The Piute repeated the conver-
sation in their language. They then conversed among them-
selves; at times they manifested considerable warmth. 1 was
asked if I knew Hastele.
Replying in the affirmative, they asked, "What do you
know about him?"
I answered, "I know that Barben-ce-ta and others of your
leading men said, at the great peace talk, that he was an
honest man, and that all important difficulties between you
and our people should be settled before him. I knew this
affair should be settled before him, and have known it all the
time we have been talking. I came here on a peace mission.
If you will send Hastele into our country to learn the truth
concerning what I have told you, let as many more come along
as you like. I wish you would send the best interpreter you
have along with him. ' '
' ;It is no use to ask me about pay. In the meantime your
people can trade among the "Mormons" in safety. They will
be glad to see you if you will come in the daytime, as our
people come into your country — not to prowl around your
118 INDIANS' FEELINGS SOFTENED.
lodges to steal and kill. I came to do as I agreed to at the
good talk at Fort^ Defiance."
I felt that the last I said had the desired effect. Their feel-
ings began to soften.
After some further conversation among themselves, the
interpreter said, "They are talking good about you now."
I replied, "I am glad ; it is time they talked good. What
have they said about me?"
"They say you have a good heart. They think they will
wait until they see their greater chiefs, and believed that the
matter will be settled before Hastele. ' '
It was then agreed that I should come to Mowabby, in
twenty-five days, and they would see if it was not advisable
to send some one over, and satisfy themselves of the truth of
my statement. Twenty-five notches were cut in a stick, and
when they were all gone by cutting off one notch each morn-
ing, I was to be at Mowabby.
The history of my intercourse with the Indians on the east
side of the Colorado, for fifteen years, had all been talked
over. In fact, I had been on trial before them for all my say-
ings and doings that had come within their knowledge. I was
able to answer all their questions, and give good reasons for
all my acts.
My mind had been taxed to the utmost all this time. I had
been in the farther end of a crowded lodge, with no reason-
able probability of getting out of it if I wished to, and
without the privilege of inhaling a breath of fresh air.
Some roasted mutton was brought in and presented to me
to take the first rib.
The sight of the roasted meat, the sudden change of
affairs, together with the recollection of the threats of a very
different roast to the one I had on hand, turned my stomach.
I said to those around me, "I am sick."
I went to the door of the lodge. It was refreshing to
breathe in the open air, and look out into the glorious moon-
light. I thought it was midnight; if so, the council had
lasted about twelve hours.
A woman's heart seems kindlier than man's among all
people. A Navajoe woman, seeming to comprehend my situ-
SET AT LIBERTY. 119
ation, came to me and asked me if she could not get me
something I would like to eat.
She mentioned several varieties of food she had on hand,
none of which 1 desired. She said she had been at my house
in Kanab, and she saw I liked milk, and she would get me
some. With a dish in her hand she went about among the
goats stripping them by moonlight.
She brought me about a pint of milk, which I drank,
went into the lodge, and lay down and slept until some of the
party said it was light enough to see to get our horses.
I asked the Navajoes to bring up our horses. I felt it was
safer for me to remain in the lodge, than to be out hunting
horses, and liable to meet some of the angry spirits who had
been about the council.
The horses were brought, and the Smiths and I were soon
in our saddles, and leaving behind us the locality of the trying
scenes of the past night.
Again was the promise verified, which was given me by the
Spirit many years before, that if I would not thirsfc for the
blood of the Lamanites, I should never die by their hands.
120 SMITH'S LETTER TO THE "PIOCHE RECORD.''
CHAPTER XXI.
SMITH'S VERSION OF THE TRYING ORDEAL— A GRAPHIC
DESCRIPTION FROM A GENTILE STANDPOINT — SOME OF
HIS STATEMENTS EXPLAINED.
I HERE give place to a letter from Mr. Smith to the Pioche
Record, which was also re-published in the Deseret News :
"MOWABBY, MoHAYE Co., ARIZONA,
February 5, 1874.
& * # # *
"On the 15th of January, we were in the very act of packing
the horses preparatory to a start, when an Indian arrived, who
proved to be Tuba, the chief of the Moquis Indians, a friendly
tribe who live in this part of the country.
"I should have mentioned that this [the ferry] is the residence
of John D. Lee, against whom I was deeply prejudiced on
account of his presumed connection with the terrible Mountain
Meadow massacre, an imputation, however, he utterly denies.
I found him, on acquaintance, to be a very agreeable gentleman.
Mr. Lee speaks the Indian language well, and through him we
learned the cause of the chief's visit.
"A Navajoe chief who had received favors from Mr. Lee, and
was well disposed towards him, had arrived at Tuba's lodge that
morning (having ridden all night) to get him to go and tell Mr.
Lee that three Navajoe Indians had been killed and one
wounded by Mormons, a few days before, in an affray in the
neighborhood of Grass Valley, on the north fork of the Sevier
River; that the wounded Indian had arrived at his camp the
night before, and was now actively engaged in striving to rouse
the Navajoes to war; that the young men were clamoring for
revenge ; and to warn him that he would probably be attacked
within four days, and to prepare for defense.
"Here was a dilemma. Ko possibility of obtaining assistance
nearer than one hundred and fifty miles; Mrs. Lee and five
children, and a helpless old man, named Winburn, disabled by
a lame foot, who had not risen from his bed for four months.
"After a brief consultation we sent a letter to Fort Defiance,
announcing the condition of aifairs, Tuba agreeing to forward it
A GENTILE'S VERSION. 121
forthwith by one of his Indians, and JVTr. Lee and his eldest boy
started to Kanab to bring assistance. As soon as he was gone
we placed the house in the best state of defense we could, and
awaited the issue.
"On the third day a Piute Indian, sent by the Navajoes,
arrived. After a long talk, Mrs. Lee acting as interpreter, we
gathered that the young men of the tribe were at first deter-
mined on war, but that the chiefs were opposed to it, for the
present, at least ; and that they desired to await the arrival of
Jacob Hamblin, who has acted as representative of Brigham
Young, in all negotiations of importance with the Indians for
the past twenty years, and learn what settlement of the affair he
was willing to make.
"This was favorable, as two of the slain Indians were sons of
one of the chiefs. He wound up his remarks by inquiring if, in
case the Navajoes did come here, we would purchase peace by
giving up the old man, Winburn, to torture, in which case they
would abstain from further hostilities.
"With difficulty repressing our strong desire to shoot him on
the spot, we declined the offer, and charging him with a message
to the chiefs of the nation, that as soon as Hamblin arrived we
would apprise them of his advent, we let him depart.
"Matters remained in statuo quo until the 29th inst., when
Messrs. Lee, Hamblin and Smithson, a son-in-law of the for-
mer, and his wife arrived, the advance guard of a party from
Kanab, now on the road.
"We communicated to Mr. Hamblin the message from the
Kavajoe chiefs, and, merely pausing to take some refreshments,
he started at once for the nearest Moquis village, eight miles
distant, to send a messenger to them to notify them of his arri-
val, and request their presence, my brother and I accompanying
him.
"We reached there about sundown, and found, to onr extreme
disappointment, that all the Indians had gone to a big dance at
the Oriba villages, sixty miles distant, with the exception of one
lame Piute.
"We remained there that night, and the next morning started
for the Oriba villages, taking Huck-a-bur, the lame Indian, who
is a good interpreter, along with us.
"We had not rode over fifteen miles, when we met the Piute
who had acted as the Navajoe envoy on the former occasion.
He said he was going to see if Hamblin had arrived, and
expressed great delight at seeing him, saying that the Indians
122 THE TRYING ORDEAL.
were extremely anxious to see him, and urging him to go back
with him to the camp of the nearest JSTavajoe chief, which he
said was not more than fifteen miles distant, and talk the matter
over there.
"After consultation, being anxious to lose no time, we con-
sented, and after riding some twenty-five miles, instead of
fifteen, we reached the Navajoe camp, which consisted of only
two lodges. A tall, powerful Indian, on whose head the snows
of many winters had rested, welcomed us with impressiveness
and an embrace like the hug of a grizzly bear, and invited us to
enter.
The lodge (wick-e-up), which was substantially built of heavy
cedar logs about fifteen feet long, was circular in form, like the
skin lodges of the Indians of the plains, with an opening near
the top to give vent to the smoke, and, being covered with bark
and dirt, was very warm and comfortable, which was none the
less agreeable to our party, as it had been snowing hard all the
afternoon. There were three Navajoes and three squaws, one of
the latter a very pretty girl, and two Piutes.
"After a friendly smoke, they furnished us a good and sub-
stantial supper of broiled and boiled goat's flesh and corn meal
mush, the squaws grinding the meal in the old-fashioned way,
between two stones.
"Then the talk commenced. Hamblin, be it remembered,
though perfectly familiar with the Piute tongue, knows nothing
or very little of the Navajoe language, so the services of our
Huck-a-bur were called into requisition. The chief we came to
see, I forgot to mention, was not there, but was only, so they
said, distant a few miles. As we were anxious to get back, we
got the Navajoe to despatch the Piute to him that night, so that
he might be there early in the morning, and the business be
closed that day.
"After his departure the talk went on. The Navajoes present
expressed themselves anxious that the affair should be settled
without further bloodshed, and said that was the wish of the
principal men of the tribe. They said the Navajoes had long
known Hamblin, and they believed he would do what was right.
"Everything looked promising, and after smoking innumer-
able cigarettes with our savage friends, we retired to rest on a
pile of buffalo skins and Navajoe blankets worth a horse apiece,
and slept soundly and well.
"The next morning the Indians gave us an excellent breakfast,
and we passed the morning sauntering about, examining such
THE DEATH SENTENCE. 123
articles of Indian manufacture as were new to us, and endeavor-
ing to while away the time till the arrival of the chief,
"A little before noon twelve Navajoe braves, armed with bows
and arrows and rifles, rode up on a gallop, and dismounting^
entered the lodge without shaking hands, and called in an inso-
lent tone of voice for tobacco. We gave them some, and after
smoking awhile they threw everything out of the lodge, saying
there were more Navajoes coming, enough to fill the lodge.
Sure enough, there soon rode up some more Navajoes, making
ninteen in all, but still no chief.
"To our inquiry as to his whereabouts, they replied he was
gone to Fort Defiance. We took our seats, completely filling
the lodge, and all hands smoked in silence for some time. Then
the Indian whose lodge we occupied commenced talking, and
spoke with only an occasional momentary interruption from the
others for about an hour.
"After him five or six others talked in rapid succession, and
from their earnest tones and impassioned gestures, so different
from the usual manner of Indians, we could see they were much
excited.
"We could not, of course, understand much of what they said,
but could gather enough to know that the temper they were in
boded no good to us. One old scoundrel, of brawny frame and
hair as white as snow, talked in a stentorian voice, and his fre-
quent use of the gestures of drawing his hand across his throat,
looked particularly ominous.
"In about an hour more they ceased speaking, and, after a
pause, told their interpreter to talk. He arose slowly and walk-
ing across the lodge, seated himself by Hamblin. He was a
Piute, a slave of the ISTavajoes, and as they have the unpleasant
habit of sometimes killing their interpreters when they don't
interpret to suit them, and as what he was about to reveal was
not calculated to render us very amiable, I could excuse the
tremor that shook him in every limb.
"He finally commenced, in a low tone, to speak to the follow-
ing effect: The Navajoes believed that all Hamblin had said the
night before was a lie, that they thought he was one of the
parties to the killing, and with the exception of three, our host
and two others of the old Indians, all had given'.their voice for
death.
"Most of them were of the opinion that it was best not to kill
my brother and myself, as we were 'Americans,' but to make us
witness the torture of Hamblin, and then send us back on foot.
124 INDIANS PACIFIED.
As we were not likely to desert a comrade at such a time, this
was but small comfort.
"Hamblin behaved with admirable coolness, not a muscle in his
face quivered, not a feature changed, as he communicated to us,
in his usual tone of voice, what we then fully believed to be the
death warrant of us alL
"When the interpreter ceased, he, in the same even tone and
collected manner, commenced his reply. He reminded the
Indians of his long acquaintance with their tribe, of the many
negotiations he had conducted between his people and theirs,
and his many dealings with them in the 5Tears gone by, and
challenged them to prove that he had ever deceived them— ever
spoken with a forked tongue. He drew a map of the country
on the ground, and showed them the impossibility of his having
been a participant in the affray.
"To their insolent query, 'Imme-cotch navaggi?' (ain't you
afraid) he replied with admirable presence of mind, 'Why
should we be afraid of our friends? Are not the Navajoes our
friends, and we theirs? Else why did we place ourselves in your
power?'
"He spoke for a long time, and though frequently and rudely
interrupted, his patience and nerve never gave way, and when
he ceased, it was apparent that his reasoning had not been with-
out effect in their stubborn bosoms. But the good influence was
of short duration.
"A young Indian, whom we afterwards learned was a son of the-
chief, and brother of two of the slain Indians, addressed the
assembled warriors, and we could see that the tide was turning
fearfully against us. He wound up his impassioned harrangue
by springing to his feet, and, pointing to an Indian who had not
yet spoken, called to him to come forward. The Indian came
and kneeled before him, when with one hand he took back his
buckskin hunting shirt, revealing the mark of a recent bullet
wound, and with the other pointed to the fire, uttering, or rather
hissing a few emphatic words, which we afterwards learned
were a demand for instant death by fire.
"The effect was electrical. The sight of the wounded brave
roused their passions to the utmost fury, and as we glanced
around the savage circle, our hands involuntarily tightened
their grasp on our six-shooters, for it seemed that our hour had
come.
"Had we shown a symptom of fear, we were lost; but we sat
perfectly quiet, and kept a wary eye on the foe. It was a thril-
SMOKE THE M*E OF PEACE. 125
ling scene. The erect, proud, athletic form of the young chief,
as he stood pointing his finger to the wound in the kneeling
figure before him ; the circle of crouching forms; their dusky
and painted faces animated by every passion that hatred and
ferocity could inspire, and their glittering eyes fixed with one
malignant impulse upon us ; the whole partially illuminated by
the fitful gleam of the firelight (for by this time it was dark),
formed a picture not easy to be forgotten.
"The suspense was broken by the Navajoe, our host, who once
again raised his voice in our behalf, and after a stormy discus-
sion, Hamblin finally compelled them to acknowledge that he
had been their friend ; that he had never lied to them, and that
he was worthy of belief now.
"The strain was over, and we breathed freely once more. We
smoked the pipe, or rather the cigarette, of peace, and a roasted
goat being shortly produced, we fell to with a will, and gnawed
ribs together as amicably as if it had not been just previously
their benevolent intention to roast us instead of the goat.
"By this time it was past midnight, the discussion having been
prolonged for eleven hours. I never was so tired in my life.
Eleven hours in a partially recumbent position, cramped for
room, with every nerve strained to its utmost tension, and
momentarily expecting a conflict which must be to the death, is
tolerably hard work.
"After supper, it was arranged by Hamblin that we should
go home in the morning, and await the arrival of the chief, for
whom they promised to dispatch a trusty messenger. We slept
by turns till morning broke, when we bid our amiable friends
good-by, tand started for Mowabby, where we arrived about
eight o'clock in the evening, to the great joy of Boyd and Pattie,
who had given us up as lost.
This was five days ago, and to-day, the ISTavajoe chief arrived,
and, after a long discussion, agreed to settle the matter for a cer-
tain number of cattle arid horses ; but their demands were so
exorbitant that I am sure they will never be complied with.
"Mr. Hamblin leaves to-morrow morning for St. George, to
lay the matter before Brigham Young, and he is to meet the
chiefs here again, with the answer to their demands, in twenty-
five days from to-day.
"We shall, probably, in the course of the trip, visit the vil-
lage of the Oribas, a people who build three-story houses of
126 "NO BRAVER MAN EVER LIVED."
stone, and whose greatest term of reproach to one another is
he is a lazy man.
uln conclusion, I wish to give my testimony to the bearing of
Mr. Hamblin during the trying scene I have endeavored to
depict. No braver man ever lived.
J. E. S.
The writer of the foregoing letter and his brother acted a
different part from what I did, and acted it well.
He describes some things better than I can. As I have
before remarked, ever since I began to have a correct insight
into Indian character, I have felt anxious to do all the good
in my power, and have endeavored to settle difficulties with
them without bloodshed.
Much good, I trust, has been done by going into their
midst and reasoning with them, when their minds were made
up to avenge some wrong. I reason with an Indian as an
Indian.
For example, Mr. Smith did not understand the motive of
the Piute messenger of the Navajoes, who asked, at Mow-
abby, if they would give up the lame man to torture if the
Navajoes would agree, on that condition, to abstain from fur-
ther hostilities. The Piute thought that the lame man was of
but little use, and hoped by the sacrifice of him to save the
others.
From his standpoint, his motive was good. Had Mr.
Smith understood the Indian character better, he probably
would have had no disposition to kill him.
RETURN HOME, 127
CHAPTER XXII.
START HOME— MEET EMIGRANTS TO MOANCOPPY— VISIT
PRESIDENTS YOUNG AND SMITH — RETURN TO MEET THE
INDIANS, ACCORDING TO AGREEMENT — A SEVERE TRIP-
PROVIDENCE FAVORS ME— HASTELE FAILS TO MEET ME
—RETURN HOME— MOANCOPPY MISSION BROKEN UP-
SENT WITH D. D. M' ARTHUR TO ESTABLISH A TRADING
POST — HASTELE VISITS KANAB — HE STARTS TO THE
SEVIER TO LEARN ABOUT THE MURDER — I CONCLUDE
TO STAY AT HOME— A TESTIMONY THAT I SHOULD
ACCOMPAMY HIM — INDIAN DISCERNMENT — HASTELE IS
SATISFIED.
I STARTED home with my jaded horse, and got along by
alternately riding and walking. I met some families on
their way to settle at Moancoppy.
1 told the brethren that I thought the place could be safely
settled, if they would leave their women and children on the
west side of the river until matters were arranged. I camped
with them over night, and gave them an insight into our
affairs with the Navajoes, and particularly requested that
they would not converse with them about their difficulty
with us.
Soon after arriving at Kanab, I went to St. George and
visited Presidents Brigham Young and GJ-eorge A. Smith. I
then returned to Kanab, and worked about home until it was
time to go over the river to meet the Navajoes as I had
agreed to.
Through hardship and exposure my health was somewhat
impaired. I endeavored to get a light wagon, that I might
travel more comfortably than on horseback, but without suc-
cess. I set out with a horse and three blankets. Soon after
a blowing, chilling storm of rain and sleet commenced, and I
became thoroughly wet.
128 ALMOST PEfttSH IN A STORM.
I rode twelve miles to Johnson, when I was scarcely able to
sit on my horse. I could proceed no farther, and stopped
with Brother Watson, who was living in his wagons and a
temporary camp prepared for winter. Sister Watson cared
for me as well as circumstances would permit.
The storm continued the next day until afternoon, when the
weather appeared a. little more favorable. I was scarcely
able to mount my horse, but I did, and started on my way.
The storm soon came on again, and again I was thoroughly
wet. I traveled until after dark, and stopped at a vacated
house at the Navajoe Wells, ten miles from Johnson. In dis-
mounting, I fell to the ground.
It was in a place where travelers on that road usually
camped, and the wood had been gathered for a considerable
distance around ; and had there been fuel I would not have
been able to go after it.
It was a dark, dismal time, and it appeared to me that I
could not live until morning. I prayed to the Lord to have
pity on me, and save my life. I succeeded in getting myself
and horse into the house out of the storm.
I felt my way to the fireplace, and was much surprised to
find some good, dry wood. I soon had a fire, and, leaning
against one side of the fireplace, with my blankets drawn
closely around me, and with a small blaze of fire, I was soon
warm, and slept until morning.
When I awoke I felt well, and quite able to pursue my
journey. I went by the Pahreah settlement, and from there
Brothers Thos. Adair and Lehi Smithson accompanied me to
Mowabby. There I found Ketch- e-ne and a deputation from
the Moquis towns.
Ketch-e-ne renewed the former demand for three hundred
and fifty head of cattle for the injury done himself and his
people. I told him that when I went home I might talk
with the chiefs of my people about it, but would make no
promises.
Hastele, whom I wished to see, did not put in an appear-
ance.
I went on and visited all the Moquis towns, and told the
people the object of my visit. I requested them to tell all
MOANCOPPY MISSION BROKEN tfP. 120
the Navajoes they had an opportunity of seeing, that I had
come there according to agreement, and, as they had failed to
meet me as I had expected, if they would come over the
river, I would be on hand to show them that I had told the
truth. Feeling satisfied that things would work all right, I
returned home.
Some of the brethren who went to Moancappy visited the
Navajoes, and talked unwisely about affairs. They, in turn,
talked and threatened in a way that frightened our people,
because they found they could do it, and the mission was
broken up.
I had passed through many perils to establish a mission
among the Indians on the east side of the Colorado, but on
account of the sayings and doings of unwise brethren, the
time came for it to be broken up. The Moancoppy was
ordered to be vacated, and I went to assist in bringing the
people away. They brought away the feeling with them that
there would be another Navajoe war.
I attended the quarterly conference at St. George, in May.
The war question and the necessity of putting a guard at the
crossing of the Colorado were agitated.
In speaking in the tabernacle on Sunday, I told the congre-
gation there would be no trouble with the Navajoes, and as
soon as the summer rains commenced, there would be a party
of them over. I felt an assurance of this from what I
knew of circumstances, and the whisperings of the Spirit
within me.
It was decided to establish a trading post at one of the
crossings of the Colorado, east of St. George. For this pur-
pose a party was sent out under the direction of Bishop
Daniel D. McArthur.
As I was acquainted with both crossings, I was called upon
to go with them. The ferry was selected. In traveling with
Brother McArthur to the Ute crossing, thirty miles above the
ferry, and back, I gave him a detailed account of our affairs
with the Navajoes.
I told him that I considered the breaking up of the Moan-
coppy mission as unnecessary ; there would be no trouble with
the Navajoes, and some of those among them who had
130 ARRIVE AT KANAB.
authority to settle their difficulties with us would be over as
soon as the first rain fell.
That night there was a heavy shower. The following day I
started for home by way of the Pahreah settlement, and
Brother Me Arthur went on to the ferry.
Before separating, I told the brethren they would meet the
Navajoe peace party that night at the ferry, and they would
travel to Kanab together.
They asked me how I knew. I told them I knew they
would be over, for they would just have time to get to the
ferry since the rain.
Arriving at Kanab I found Hastele and his party, including
two good interpreters.
I had been away so much, that my family seemed badly in
need of my help at home, and I, at the time, thought I was
justified in remaining with them. I requested Brother
Ammon M. Tenney to go with Hastele over on to the Sevier
River, and satisfy him of the facts concerning the murder of
the young Navajoes.
After the party had gone I began to work in the garden,
but everything went wrong, and I felt that I had done wrong
in remaining behind.
I continued to try to accomplish some necessary work, until.
I was seized with such a violent pain in one of my knees, that
I had to be assisted into the house. I sent for my horse, was
assisted into the saddle, and was soon on my way to overtake
Hastele. The pain left my knee, and I was soon all right.
I overtook the Navajoes sixty miles from Kanab. Every-
thing worked well for showing up the facts connected with the
murder. The brethren we fell in with rendered all the assis-
tance in their power.
I had talked with the Navajoes and explained to them the
locations of the ' 'Mormons' ' and the Gentiles, and what took
place at McCarty's ranch. I had telegraphed to Bishop
Thurber, of Richfield, and Brother Helaman Pratt to meet
us at the lower end of Circle Valley. We arrived there
before them and waited. I told Hastele there would be two
''Mormons" there that evening, who knew more about the
affair than I did, and they were men of truth.
HASTELE SATISFIED. 131
We were camped near the road, where men were passing
both ways, on horseback and in wagons. When the two
brethren were approaching, and still a considerable distance
off, Hastele arose to his feet, saying, "There come the two
men we are waiting for. ' '
As they drew near, he remarked, ' 'Yes, they are good men,
men of God."
As the brethren dismounted, Hastele embraced them in true
Navajoe style.
I mention this as one of the many circumstances that have
come under my notice, which prove to me that many of the
Indians, and especially the honest-hearted, are blessed with
much of the spirit of revelation and discernment.
The following morning when arranging to visit the spot
where the Navajoes were killed, Hastele spoke as follows: UI
am satisfied ; I have gone far enough ; I know our friends,
the 'Mormons,' are our true friends. No other people
we ever knew would have taken the trouble they have to show
us the truth. I believe they have good hearts. Here is
Jacob ; he has been traveling about to do good all winter and
spring, and is going yet. When I get home I do not intend
my tongue to lay idle until the Navajoes learn the particulars
of this affair. ' '
Hastele started for Kanab ; Brothers Thurber and Pratt, a
Mr. Boyd, who was sent by the agent at Fort Defiance to
accompany the Navajoe delegation, the two Navajoe interpre-
ters and I went to Grass Valley, to see the place where the
Navajoes were killed. Having satisfied the interpreters, we
returned by way of Richfield.
132 VISIT PORT DEFIANCE.
CHAPTER XXIII.
VISIT TO FORT DEFIANCE — MR. DANIELS, INSPECTOR OF
INDIAN AGENCIES — HIS PREJUDICE AGAINST THE "MOR-
MONS " — MR. TREWAX, THE PREACHER — FINAL PEACE
TALK— MOANCOPPY MISSIOM AGAIN ESTABLISHED.
to Kanab, we found Hastele and his com-
Xi panion waiting for us. It was thought advisable for me,
with Brother A. M. Tenney as Spanish interpreter, to visit the
Indians on the east side of the Colorado Biver, and go to Fort
Defiance and have matters properly understood there. We
visited the Moquis towns, and had much interesting talk with
the people.
Arriving at the Navajoe agency, we found there a Mr.
Daniels, who had been sent out by the government to inspect
the Indian agencies. He had called on the agent at Fort
Defiance to report the condition of his agency. Learning of
the Utah difficulty with the Navajoes, he made an effort to
throw the blame on the "Mormons."
The Indian who escaped wounded from the massacre in
Grass Valley was there. Mr. Daniels examined him very
closely. He also heard the report of Mr. Boyd, who accom-
panied Hastele, to learn the facts of the case. All the facts
elicited, gave a favorable showing for our people. Mr.
Daniels was disappointed and evidently vexed. He gave me
to understand that I did not belong to the council, and was
not wanted there.
As I left the room, a Rev. Mr. Trewax, who was there by
government appointment to preach to the Indians, invited me
to his room, saying that he would very much like to talk with
me.
I replied that I had no objection to talking with him if his
object was to obtain correct information.
Being seated in his quarters, he asked what our religious
faith was, and from what source we had derived it.
CONVERSATION WITH REV. MR. TREWAX. 133
I told him "We prove the truth of our religion by that
book" (pointing to a Bible that lay on the table). "If you
will read what Christ taught, you will learn what our prin-
ciples are. They are from heaven."
"Is it possible," said he, "that your people believe the
Bible?"
I replied, "We are the only people I have met during the
last forty years that do believe the Bible. Many profess to
believe it, but when I open and read it to them, I find they
do not."
Said he, "My dear sir, I believe every word of it."
I replied, ' 'Then we are brethren. ' ' I spent nearly half a
day with him. He assented to the principles of the gospel as
expounded in the New Testament, and^jUi^lhe, patriarchaL
order of marriage.
When asked to explain what was meant by the stick of
Ephraim and the stick of Joseph, in the 37th chapter of
Ezekiel, he said he thought it meant that both Judah and
Ephraim should write. He believed the Bible to be the stick
of Judah, but where the stick of Ephraim was he did not
know. He had thought much about it, but it was a mystery
to him.
I told him to wait a short time, and I would bring him the
stick of Ephraim. I went out and came back with a copy of
the Book of Mormon, which I had brought from home. He
appeared much surprised, and grasped the book with some
energy. He examined the testimony of the three witnesses,
and said, "Surely this book is the best or worst thing that
ever was."
1 permitted him to keep it. When I left the place he told
me he had read some thirty pages of it, and had not dis-
covered anything in it contrary to the Bible.
Matters were settled between the "Mormons" and Navajoes
on the basis of our great peace talk at the same place, the
2nd of November, 1871. The truth was brought to light,
and those who wished to throw the blame of murdering the
young Navajoes upon the Saints were confounded.
This business was finally closed at Fort Defiance, on the 21st
of August, 1874. The Navajoes expressed themselves as
134 MY PEACE MISSION ENDED.
fully satisfied that 1 had told them the truth when I visited
them the previous winter. I felt that the Lord had greatly
blessed me in filling the mission assigned me, of convincing
the Indians that we had not injured them, and thereby main-
taining peace.
Doubtless a war had been prevented, and the faith of the
Indians on the east side of the Colorado greatly strengthened
in our people.
It is evident to me that I was indebted to the special favor
of my Heavenly Father, for the preservation of my life to
accomplish this work. At the close of these labors I found
myself three hundred miles from home, rather jaded and care-
worn, but full of thanksgiving for the happy termination of
my labors.
On our way home we had some very pleasant visits with the
Indians.
In the winter of 1874-5, I assisted in carrying on a trade
with the Navajoes at Lee's Ferry. One of my sons was with
me. I introduced the boy to Ketch-e-ne, the father of two of
the Indians Id1 led in Grass Valley. He turned away and
wept, apparently much dejected. His friends told me that
the loss of his sons was killing him. I afterwards learned that
he died about two months after I saw him at the river.
The Navajoes carried on quite an extensive trade with our
people, principally in exchanging blankets for horses.
In 1875, a number of brethren were called to again establish
a mission at Moancoppy.
The winter of 1875-6 I had the privilege of remaining at
home. My family was destitute of many things. Some
mining prospectors came along, and offered me five dollars a
day to go with them, as a protection against the Indians. To
go with them could not injure the interests of our people. It
seemed like a special providence to provide necessaries for my
family, and I accepted the offer. I was gone sixty days, for
which I received three hundred dollars.
VISIT THE NEW SETTLEMENTS IN ARIZONA. 135
CHAPTER XXIV.
A COMPANY START TO VISIT THE ARIZONA SETTLEMENTS-
DISASTER IN THE COLORADO RIVER — BISHOP ROUNDY
DROWNED — OTHERS BARELY ESCAPE — EXPLORE A NEW
ROUTE FOR A WAGON ROAD — PRESIDENT YOUNG' S
PROMISE FULFILLED— VISIT THE LITTLE COLORADO SET-
TLEMENTS— SEVERE EXPERIENCE ON THE HOMEWARD
TRIP— ASSURANCE OF APPROVAL FROM PRESIDENT
YOUNG— TRIP ACROSS THE COLORADO IN SEARCH OF A
CRIMINAL— MOQUIS CEREMONIES TO BRING RAIN— THE
RAIN COMES — CONCLUSION.
In May, 1876, Brothers D. H. Wells, Erastus Snow and
other leading men among the Saints, were sent to visit the
new settlements in Arizona. I was sent with them as a guide.
The Colorado was then high — a raging torrent. The current
shifted from side to side, and the surging of the waters
against the rocks caused large and dangerous whirlpools.
We put three wagons and some luggage on the ferry boat.
We were under the necessity of towing the boat up stream
one mile, to give a chance for landing at the proper place on
the other side of the river. When taking the boat around a
point of rock, the water poured over the bow. Word was
given to slacken the tow rope. In doing so, the rope caught
in the seam of a rock, and the draft on the boat continuing,
the bow was drawn under water.
In a moment the rapid current swept the boat clear of its
contents. Men, wagons and luggage went into the surging
waters.
When I plunged into the cold snow-water to swim, my
right arm cramped, which caused me to almost despair of
getting ashore. A large oar was passing me, and I threw my
arm over it to save myself from sinking. About the same
time Brother L. John Nuttall caught the same oar, so I
136 SENT ON ANOTHER MISSION.
thought it best to try to swim with one arm. However, I was
soon able to use both, and went safely to shore.
I ran down the river bank, got into a skiff with two others,
pulled out to the head of the rapids, and saved a wagon and
its contents on an island. The other two wagons, with all
the valuables they contained, including the most of our sup-
plies, passed over the rapids into the Grand Canyon of the
Colorado.
On getting together we found that Brother Lorenzo W.
Eoundy was missing. He was said to be a good swimmer,
and it is probable he was taken with the cramp and sank at
once. His body has never been found.
Brother Lorenzo Hatch sank deep into the river, but saved
himself from drowning and was picked up by the skiff.
Brother Warren Johnson and another man hung to a
wagon until they were taken up with the skiff, just in time to
save them from going over the rapids.
This unfortunate affair occurred on the 28th of May. We
gathered up what was left of our outfit, and visited the mis-
sions at Mowabby and Moancoppy, and the settlements on the
Little Colorado.
About the 1st of December, President Young desired me
to take a small company, and look out a route for a wagon
road from Pierce's Ferry, south of St. G-eorge, to Sunset on
the Little Colorado; "for," said he, "our people will want all
the choice places where there is water and grass."
Brothers Wilford Halliday from Kanab, Joseph Crosby,
Calvin Kelsey, Samuel Alger and Hyrum Williams from St.
George, accompanied me.
We left St. George the 13th of December, 1876. We took
a route to the ferry a little east of our former one, in order to
strike the new crossing of the Colorado, five miles above the
old one.
We remained at the river two days, and assisted Brother
Harrison Pierce to construct a skiff, with which we conveyed
our luggage across ; but we forded our animals. After cross-
ing the river, we still took a course east of our former one
and the first dny arrived in Wallipie Valley, an unknown
country to me.
PROVIDENTIALLY SUPPLIED WITH WATER. 137
We camped on the north side of the valley under a bluff,
where we found a seep of water, or wet ground. We dug
a little, and found sufficient water for our use.
The finding of this was entirely providential, as none of us
were acquainted with the country, and we had no guide. It
fulfilled a promise made to us by President Young when we
left St. George, that when thirsty we should find water where
we did not expect it.
In the morning we took with us what water we could. We
traveled a south-easternly direction, and, as fast as was practic-
able. At night we made a dry camp, and guarded our
animals. The next day we pursued the same course as the
day before.
During the long, weary day's travel, the brethren asked
when I thought we would get water again. I told them they
knew as much about the water as I did, on the course we were
going, but we were going the course President Young had
told me to take, and I felt impressed that we would get water
that night.
We slowly wore away the miles, until, nearing the foothills
of a mountain peak, our hopes ran high on discovering signs
of stock. Two or three miles farther, as we turned around
the point of a hill, we came to a house and corral. We found
the place occupied by a Mr. Stevenson. He told us to turn
our animals into his yard, and that there was a pump and
good water.
It was a mining camp, and water had been obtained by dig-
ging. From Mr. Stevenson I obtained information of the
watering places between there and the part of the country I
had before traveled over. This relieved us from any anxiety
about water.
The day we left Mr. Stevenson's, we came to an old road
which had not been used for some time, but it could be
followed. This led us to our settlements on the Little
Colorado.
Arriving there, we found the Saints feeling well. I was
much pleased to see my daughter Louise. One is likely to
appreciate friends and relatives when found by traveling in
the desert.
138 DESTITUTE OF PROVISIONS.
After a short visit we started home, intending to return the
same way we had come. The third night out it commenced
snowing and blowing. In the morning we concluded that it
would not do to continue our journey, as we could see only a
short distance on account of the storm.
The best available shelter we could find was a log cabin
without a roof, and the spaces between the logs unchinked.
We had a wagon sheet which we stretched over our heads,
and we were partially sheltered from the driving storm.
There we remained two days and nights, during which time it
snowed incessantly.
The storm abated the third morning, but the snow lay very
deep. Hunger and cold had so used up our horses that we
concluded to make the best of our way south, out of the
mountains. The third day we got out of the snow, and to
the sunny side of a hill, where there was plenty of green,
luxuriant grass for our animals. They had plenty, but there
was little food for ourselves.
Going out, we had cached supplies for our return trip, but
being under the necessity of taking a different route, it was
not available.
We went to a military post called Camp Apache, and asked
for supplies. We were refused, as it would break orders from
the government to let us have them. We applied to a Mr.
Head, who kept a sutler's store, and made known our situa-
tion. He thought we ought to know better than to travel
without money.
I prayed to the Lord to soften the heart of some one, that
we might obtain food. I again went to Mr. Head, and told
him that we were from Utah ; that when we left home we did
not expect to see any one to spend money with ; that instead
of money we took plenty of supplies, which we left in the
mountains to use on our return trip, but we could not go
the same way home on account of the snow, and if he would
let us have enough food to last us home we would send him
the pay.
"Oh," said he "you are Mormons, are you! What do you
want to last you home?"
He then let us have what we asked for.
MY LAST INTERVIEW WITH PRESIDENT YOUNG. 139
Arriving at the crossing of the Colorado, south, of St.
George, we found that the flour and meat we had left there
had been used, but we obtained some wheat which we boiled
and lived on for five days, or until our arrival in St. George.
I gave President Young an account of my trip. I had con-
siderable additional conversation with him, in which he said
to me:
' ll know your history. You have always kept the Church
and Kingdom of God first and foremost in your mind. That
is right. There is no greater gift than that. If there are
any men who have cleared their skirts of the blood of this
generation, I believe you are one of them, and you can
have all the blessings there are for any men in the temple. ' '
It was the last time I talked with President Young. He
died the following August. The assurance that the Lord and
His servant accepted my labors up to that time, has been a
great comfort to me.
In the spring of 1877 I thought I would try to raise a crop.
1 found that the land had been so divided in the Kanab field,
that what was considered my share was nearly worthless. I
sowed some wheat, but it proved a failure.
Some time in August I gathered up a little grain, and
started for the mill, about one mile and a half above Kanab,
in the canyon. On the way I met an expressman, who had
directions for me to start forthwith to the Navajoe country,
with Deputy- sheriff Fouts, of Richfield. A criminal had
broken from jail, and it was believed that we could prevent his
escape.
I took my horses from the wagon, agreed with another man
to do my milling, and in a very short time was on ray way for
the crossing of the Colorado.
Here we first learned of the death of President B. Young.
We learned that the man we were in pursuit of had not
crossed there. It was thought advisable to visit the Moquis
agency, and make arrangements to secure his arrest should he
appear in that part of the country. We traveled one
hundred and fifty miles east, in the hot days of August.
In passing through the Moquis towns, we found the people
making much ado to bring rain to save their crops. They
140 CONCLUSION.
scattered corn meal in the paths leading to their fields ; the
women dressed in white, and sat on the tops of* their houses,
looking to the ground through an opening in a blanket
wrapped around their heads.
Others of the people went about with solemn countenances
to induce the great Father of us all, as they express it, to
send rain. By doing as they did, they believed He would be
more ready to pity them and grant their request.
Several came to me and requested that I would pray for
rain, asserting that I used to help the Piutes to bring rain,
and they thought they were as much entitled to my prayers as
the Piutes.
I felt to exercise all the faith I could for them, that they
might not suffer from famine. In all their towns there fell,
the following night, an abundance of rain.
Returning from the Moquis agency, we found the people of
the towns feeling well. They said enough rain had fallen to
ensure them a crop of corn, squashes and beans. We
noticed that in and around their towns and fields it had
rained very heavily, but on either side the ground was dry and
dusty.
On my return home, I found that the fall crop I had
planted was too far gone with drouth to make anything, but.
through the blessings of the Lord I was able to provide
necessaries for my family.
This seems a fitting place to close this little narrative of
incidents in my life.
In my simple way I have furnished the facts for the pen of
Brother Little, with the hope that their publication may be a
testimony to many of the truth of the gospel, and of the
power of revelation to all who will seek for the whisperings of
the Holy Spirit.
I desire this narrative to be a testimony to all who may
read it, that the Lord is not slack concerning any of His
promises to His children. My whole life, since I embraced
the gospel proves this fact.
If this little book shall leave a testimony of this to the
coming generation, I shall be satisfied.
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142 CATALOGUE.
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CATALOGUE. 143
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HISTORIES AN» BIOGRAPHIES.
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MISCEI^AJTOOUS WORKS.
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