In the Days of ’49

IN THE DAYS OF '49. BY JOB SMITH, A UTAH PIONEER OF 1848. After the lapse of 58 years, narrations of the many extra- ordinary adventures and dangers experienced by emigrants and trav- elers, and of lives lost in those journeys, are perhaps interesting and readable. It should be remembered, however, that nearly all of the travel across this uninhabited part of the continent was done dur- ing the summer months, in large companies, when grass was abun- dant for feed, and terminated seldom later than October 20, on ac- count of the severity of the storms in the high altitudes. To be later occasioned much suffering, and often loss of life; and then, as to small companies, the Indians were a dangerous menace, for when met with they seldom failed to collect an extravagant tribute. So that a small company starting late took many risks, only justi- fied by the nature of the mission. Energy, coupled with faith in God, made it practicable in the instance here recorded— a mission- ary journey East in 1849. On October 6, 1849, the usual semi-annual conference of the Church was held in a large bowery situated on the southeast cor- ner of the temple block, then otherwise unoccupied. At this con- ference the first general call from this valley for missionaries to preach the gospel in Europe was made. Four of the apostles and twelve other elders were nominated and voted for. Eight were for England, three for France, two for Italy and three for Denmark and Sweden, and announcement made that all should be ready to start on or by the eighteenth of the same month. Preparations were hastily made and on the 19th camp was formed at the mouth of Emigration canyon. The company consisted of the missionaries named and nineteen

496 IMPROVEMENT ERA. other persons— businessmen and teamsters. Of the apostles there were John Taylor, Lorenzo Snow, Erastus Snow and Franklin D Rich- . ards. Of men presumably on business for the Church, I remember Joseph L. Heywood, Edward Hunter, E. D. Woolley, Shadrach Roundy and Jedediah M. Grant. Other prominent business men were Mr. Kinkead (the first Salt Lake valley merchant), Robert Pierce, Levi Stewart, John Reeve, and others whose names I have forgotten. Before starting up the canyon, an organization was effected. President Brigham Young being present. By unanimous consent Shadrach Roundy was appointed captain and J. M. Grant captain of the guard. Guard consisted of each member of the company, and so numbered as to each take his turn standing guard. This was necessary to prevent surprise after dark, and to watch the horses which, of course, had to be loosed to feed on such grasses as were anywhere near the camp. Getting fairly started on the 20 th, progress was made over the first range of mountains by the aid of a number of pairs of oxen furnished for the purpose. On the Weber and in Echo canyon we met companies en route for the Valley with whom the said oxen were returned. One company was being led by Apostle George A. Smith and the other by Apostle Ezra T. Benson. Ready to Move.

7A^ THE DAYS OF '49. 497 Travel the first three hundred miles was unimpeded by any particular obstacle or incident, except getting a buffalo for beef and on November 6 met four men near Greasewood creek carrying mail for Fort Hall. They were in distress, having been robbed the previous day by some "Crow" Indians. Their blankets, provisions, and one of their mules had been taken from them. Such relief as was necessary was promptly furnished them. November 12th about 450 miles had been traveled, and at noon-time on the south bank of the North Platte river a halt was made. Horses were watered and turned loose to find and eat grass. About one-third of a mile in front the road crossed the summit of a ridge which appeared in plain sight. The most of the company were sitting on wagon tongues or boxes eating. Captain Roundy sitting on the wagon tongue next to me suddenly alarmed the camp by shouting, "Indians, boys! Indians, boys! gather your horses, quick." He had been the first to espy, and now all of us could see on the ridge aforesaid a large number of mounted In- dians riding furiously toward us. In hot haste Captain Grant shouted, "Every man, get your guns. Step out here and form a line," repeated several times. Suiting the action to the word he stepped forward and others followed as fast as horses could be gath- The Old Stage-Coach.

498 IMPROVEMENT ERA. ered and safely tied behind the wagons, and their guns secured, so that before the Indians could make the distance a solid line of 35 men had formed. The wagons, eleven in number, being abreast and nearly close together, the line of men covered them. The Indians- turned out to be Cheyennes; about 200 in number, riding directly towards us, were beckoned to keep back, to which they gave little heed until within I judge five or six rods of us, forming a sort of crescent extending beyond our front. Then they stood still staring at us. Each party showed their weapons, but made no further hostile demonstration. A short period of intense suspense while fruitless- efforts were made to communicate was experienced. At length Elder Curtis E. Bolton who could speak French spoke to them in that language which one of the Indians understood. In reply to the question as to what they wanted they replied that they mistook us for a band of "Crows," (Indians) with whom they were at war. In view of the fact that wagons could not well be mistaken for wickiups or tepees, it seemed probable that it was more their in- tention to drive our horses off into the hills and thus leave us help- less and at their mercy. However, that may have been, after a short parley, and collecting from the wagons a few buckets full of Camping at Echo.

IN THE DAYS OF U!>. 499 provisions and tobacco to pay over as a sort of toll for crossing their country, we quickly hitched up our teams and drove on along the road through the middle of the crowd, using the caution to place a man with his gun on each side of every wagon in addition to the driver, and so passed on without molestation. The Indians were evidently much struck by the promptness with which we placed ourselves in our own defense, and yet offered no offense. So that they made congratulatory remarks to the leaders and invited them to visit their camp some distance from the roai which Apostle Taylor, Bishop Hunter and Erastus Snow (as near as I can remember) responded to, they having riding horses. They were treated with courtesy at the Indian camp, and returned to the road and reached our camp the same evening, the main company having made the usual afternoon distance. Two more days travel brought us to Fort Laramie. Here, through the courtesy of the officer in charge, (a Major Anderson) , we were enabled to replenish our stock of provisions at eastern prices or , about one half of what a merchant would have charged us, if there had been one there. Pursuing our journey another hundred miles, the clouds towards the became very threatening, and as we traveled east we could see snow falling almost entirely around us, and yet not falling upon us, which was very favorable to our teams, instead of being compelled to travel in a snow-storm. Soon, however, we came to where the snow had fallen a foot deep. Here again we thought Providence favored us, for instead of breaking a road through a foot of snow we traveled along a dry road track which the wind had swept quite clean, nearly a hundred and fifty miles or near to Fort Kearney, where we arrived November 27. Had we been compelled to have broken road all the distance mentioned, our teams would have been so jaded that they could have been of no further service, and it is doubtful if we could have got our wagons through at all, as the dry grass was covered up, and nothing visible except the dry ends of what is called wheat grass, which is quite tall but very poor for animal food, upon which, of course, our animals had to live. And there were no other teams or source of human aid since leaving Laramie. Here (at Kearney) we rested one day, and replenished our stock

500 IMPROVEMENT ERA. of provisions and grain for horses. From this point eastward the snow continued quite deep, and covered the road-way. But a day or two preceding our arrival, a government train of wagons had broken a track some fifty miles, after which the track had been covered by more snow. The remaining distance there was no track. Bad traveling required a longer time to reach the Missouri river than we expected, and caused us to experience a two days' fast before reaching the river, which we did on Friday, December 7. Here we found a small hotel, a sort of deserted barracks, where we obtained a much needed square meal. Our journey so far had been performed without the loss of an animal or any accident causing detention. But here was a river to cross, more than half a mile wide, which required ferrying, and no ferry could operate because the current was full of floating ice against which no boat could contend. Here now was another obstacle which nature alone could solve. It might bea week or a month before the river would freeze over. No prophet could tell. The following night, however, was very cold and still. No waves ruffled the river, but a stiff current kept the flakes moving until they became so large that jutting against the banks in a bend they clogged, until reaching from shore to shore they became stationary, and formed a natural bridge. It was not, however, a sheet of ice like a skating pond. Far from it. Small flakes or flat chunks of ice had crowded up one against another and edged up so as to form the roughest conceivable sur- face, varied here and there with small holes and crevices made by the under current of the river. The two following days were oc- cupied by smoothing a track with axes, picks and shovels — wide enough for wagons to pass. This being accomplished, a crossing was effected on the 10th. This was done by leading the horses over one at a time, and pulling the wagons with a long rope at- tached to the end of the tongue by a string of eight or ten men, one wagon at a time. This method was necessary on account of the ice being so rough and treacherous. Several accidents with the horses occurred, but all got safely over at last. Men having valu- ables took the precaution to carry them over on foot, rather than to risk them in the wagon. The last wagon presumably the heavi- , est, went down just as the front wheels neared the east bank, but with

IN THE DAYS OF '40. 501 extra force was pulled safely up, leaving a broken bridge behind to the dismay of others who wished to cross westward. Our journey was now resumed, and without further incident we reached Kanesville December 12, 1849. At this period of time Kanesville and surrounding country was the temporary home of a large number of Latter-day Saints whose means had not been to enable them to proceed to the sufficient "Valley" the previous years. They were presided over by Apostle Orson Hyde, and had their schoolhouse or place of worship. They built houses, fenced farms, and fixed up things generally as if to stay. (They sold out afterwards for traveling outfits.) Our company being the first band of missionaries from the "Valley," the welcome that was accorded us was spontaneous and overwhelming, amid great rejoicing over the success of our journey. Looking back through the series of years since the journey \Vas made, at a time when there were no human habitations except Indian tepees and two small U. S. (so called) forts, the whole dis- tance of eleven hundred miles performed after the usual season of the year when traveling was safe, we, that is, the members of the party, have never ceased to acknowledge the over-ruling hand of Providence in our protection from dangers seen and unseen, seeing that we were messengers of the restored gospel to four different nations of Europe, three of which had never heard it. At this date only two of us remain to tell the story by memory; namely. Patriarch Joseph L. Hey wood of Panguitch and myself. The elders all safely reached their destination, each performed an honorable and successful mission, and all returned safely to their homes in Utah, accompanied by large numbers of European converts. The English mission was my field, where I labored four years, and re- turned in conduct of thirty-five families across the plains. Sugar House, Utah.