From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers: XV

From Nauvoo to Salt Lake in the Van of the Pioneers The Original Diary of Erastus Snow EDITED J!V HIS SON, MORONI SNOW XV In our last, Erastus Snow, in company with others of the pioneers, was just on the point of commencing the journey back to Winter Quarters where they had left their families. The iournal continues. I will now commence the history of our homeward journey, and shall be very brief. Many, both of the soldiers and pioneers who were organized in our return camp, had entirely exhausted their provisions, while scarcely anyone had more than twenty-five or thirty pounds of bread stuffs, and no meat at all, in camp, except a beef that was killed and distributed the morning we left. When this was about gone, we drew our rations from another ox which the hand of Providence seemed to throw in our way, it being one that was lost by Captain Brown's company on the outward trip. Sunday, August 29, 1847. While feeding our teams near Redding's Cove, seventy-five miles from the Valley, Elder E. T. Benson and company arrived with the mail from the long-expected company of emigrants. He reported about five hundred sixty teams on the road, divided into nine companies, the rear of which, when our express met them, were only forty miles west of Fort John. An express was started forthwith to the Valley with the mail, and Brother Benson went with us. We arrived at Fort Bridger Tuesday evening, August 21. Here another ox lost by Brown's company made its appearance, and replenished our stock of meat. We crossed Green River, September 3rd, and met the first company of our brethren on Big Sandy, and camped with them. That evening we held a meeting with

FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE 643 them, and early the next morning sent an express to Little Sandy and detained Elder P. P. Pratt and his company on thai stream where we tarried with them until the 5th, then down to the Pacific Springs, the first water west of the pass. Here we Found three companies, namely: Captains (i. I',. Wallace. A. ( ). Smoot and C. C. Rich. We tarried here with the Saints one day and two nights. September 7. We crossed the pass amidsl a tremendous snow storm which lasted from X o'clock a.m. to 3 o'clock p.m. At the first crossing of the Sweetwater, we found two companies composing Edward Hunter's hundred, in which Elder John Taylor was traveling. This company at 4 o'clock p.m., on the 7th of September, 1847, cleared away the snow and set a table sufficient to accommodate the whole pioneer company, at which we partook with joy and gladness, President Brigham Young at the head of the table and the Twelve by his side; and 1 know not tha,t I have sat at a table better supplied with the luxuries of life, in all my travels, for many years, than was this table set at the Sonth Pass at the foot of the Rocky Mountains. They gave the fragments to the poineers who were destitute, and also killed a buffalo and divided among them. We had a joyful time with these companies and left them on the 8th, and sent messages before us to Captain Joesph B. Noble and Willard Snow with their respective companies that composed Captain J. M. Grant's hundred. We camped with them on a creek, in the midst of the Sweetwater hills, one day and two nights. These were the last of the emigrant companies, and we found them all in prosperous circumstances, health, peace, joy and hilarity in their midst. The only deaths upon the journey out of all the companies were one woman and three or four children, but they had suffered considerably from the loss of horses and cattle, some by the Indians, and more by sickness. At one time, on the Platte, Captain Willard Snow's company lost forty odd head of cattle which took fright in the night and broke out of the corral; breaking to pieces a wagon, they rushed by the guard and ran off with the buffalo, and though the owners pursued them and hunted a week they found but four or five head. The first night we stayed with them on the Sweetwater hills, forty-nine horses and mules were stolen, about half from the (returning) pioneers and the balance

644 IMPROVEMENT ERA from the other two companies. Some of the horses taken were loose and others tied outside the corral. The joy of meeting our friends made us careless about securing our animals, and our guards were remiss in their duty, and we paid dear for it, for the animals that were taken were about the best in camp. Next morning the trails of the horses were found leading in different directions but were followed until all came together on .the main road down the Sweetwater. About twenty horsemen pursued them some thirty or forty miles, until the trail separated in different directions, and they finally returned finding only five of the horses that had been left by the way. September 10. We harnessed our loose and infirm animals, and the other companies did the same, and then manned our wagons and separated each on his course, but we were so crippled by the loss of our best animals that we were obliged to move slowly. The second night after this, ten Indians visited our camp and stole a white horse belonging to J. R. Grant who neglected to tie him up. The guard heard them and fired but they escaped with the horse. On the 16th we reached the Platte. Before this, we began to find buffalo and other game in plenty to supply us with all the meat we wanted. On our journey over the Black Hills, we were carefully watched by a band of the Sioux, and before we were aware that they were in the country, we were surprised by them. On the evening of the 20th, we camped on Big Timber Creek, late in the evening, where there was much timber and shrubbery and precisely the right kind of a place to be surprised. Next morning, while we were gathering our horses, and while but few of the men besides the guard had reached them, about two hundred Sioux emerged suddenly from the brush, and rushing their horses at the top of their speed, and raising a war-whoop and yell, and firing a few guns, they effected their object in setting our horses all frantic and scattering them in all directions, and the fiercest young warriors with the smartest steeds pursued our horses in different directions. In the meantime, the men rushed from camp with their guns, and as many as could get hold of horses were immediately in hot pursuit, and by firing a few guns and showing signs of fight, we checked the movements of the Indians and succeeded in getting our horses all back, except

FROM NAUVOO TO SALT LAKE 645 eleven horses and mules that were rushed off up the creek at the outset toward their camp in the mountains. As soon as the main body of the Indians were opposite our camp, seeing the general rush to arms and fearing the consequences of exposing themselves to our long rifles, the chief called a halt, rallied together all that he could make hear him, and hollowed, "Good Sioux, good Sioux," and wanted to shake hands and be friends. We had three Frenchmen with us who had accompanied us from Fort Bridger, one of whom could talk with them. Through him President Young inquired the cause of their conduct. The reply of the chief was that they had discovered our smoke early in the morning and supposed us to be Snakes with whom they had had a battle on the same ground ten days previous. It was not until some of their unruly young men had driven off our horses that they had discovered their mistake. He further stated that our horses should be returned again. The reader can believe as much of this apology as he pleases. I heard it with much distrust. However, a company of our men accompanied them to their camp and obtained nine out of the eleven animals, the other two being superior ones, could not.be found. They had been secreted, without doubt. Our men also recognized about twenty-five out the forty-four of our animals taken on the Sweetwater in their camp but could not get them. (to be continued) Granite Stake Musical Contest On the 28th, 29th. and 30th of March, the fourth annual M. I. A. Musical Contest of the Granite Stake was held in the stake house. More than forty selections were given. Contests were held in vocal and instrumental solos, quartets, ladies' and male choruses and two large mixed choruses, one of thirty-five voices, the other of forty-five. Suitable trophies were given the winning choruses and G. S. M. I. C. gold medals were awarded the soloists who took first place. Several hundred people attended, and though the number of entries did not exceed those of former years, the quality of the work done was in most cases the best ever witnessed in that stake. A marked increase of interest in good music is observable on account of the contest. The affair was in charge of the stake M. I. A. Music Committee, and the musical adjudication was handled by Messrs. A. H. Peabody, C. F. Stayner and Thomas Giles.