--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Solomon F. Kimball collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 18 number: 3 published: 1915-01 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Solomon F. Kimball, "A King of Western Scouts—II," *Improvement Era* 18, no. 3 (January 1915): 209–217.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1803unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera1803unse start_page: 209 end_page: 217 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1803unse publication_year: 1915 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # A King of Western Scouts—II A King of Western Scouts BY SOLOMON F. KIMBALL In Three Parts —Part II To read certain portions of Elder Ephraim K. Hanks' life, as published in the December number of the Improvement Era, would perhaps cause those who are unacquainted with the ways of this remarkable man to believe that he was somewhat uncouth but such is by no means the case. It will be admitted that he was a diamond in the rough. Had he been anything else he could not have withstood the terrible hardships through which he passed, during the early settlement of this intermountain region. Prob- SALT LAKE CITY IN THE LATE 60's, LOOKING SOUTH ably no other man did more for the cause of Zion and her people, along the lines in which he worked, than did he and the most of ; this he did without remuneration. The part played by Elder Hanks during the winter of 1856, in helping the belated handcart people to reach the Salt Lake Valley, has already been told in part. Before he had time to recover from the effects of that trying ordeal, he was called by the authorities of the Church to perform another mission which, in severity, was even greater, if possible, than the one he had just accomplished. It con- sisted in the work of carrying government mail and important mes- 210 IMI'Ui )\ I.M1-.X 1 ERA sages from rreat Salt Lake !ity to Independence, Missouri. I < he 'I winter was the severest experienced for years; and for the ordi- nary western scout ot undertake a journe) of this description, un- der such conditions, would have been nothing short of suicide. Few men connected with the "Mormon" Church were equal to the occasion, hut Presidenl Brigham Young knew who they were. On the morning of Deceniher 11. 1X56, Ephraim K. lank-, I in company with his bosom companion, Feramorz Little, after re- SALl 1. >KK I IIV, LOOKING WEST ceiving a powerful blessing from the Presidency of the Church, started on their perilous journey to the East. They kept no jour- nal, consequently nothing more than a brief account of what oc- curred to them while making that twelve hundred mile trip, can be recorded. From Brother Benjamin Hampton, who was stationed at Devil's Gate that winter, it is learned that Elders Hanks and Lit- tle passed there two days before Christmas, after encountering, near the Continental Divide, one of the- most severe storms ever witnessed in that section of the country. After resting a few hours, they continued on their way in snow up to their horses' knees. The next heard of them was at A.sh Hollow, three hundred miles beyond. Their experience up to this time was severe be- yond measure, and their animals were greatly reduced in flesh and strength. However, they had made good time, and felt assured that they would be able to reach Independence, Missouri, on time, even if they should be compelled to walk the greater part of the way. When they reached Ash Hollow, they were surprised to find \ KING OF WESTERN SCOUTS 211 eight ofMajor & Russell's snowed-in freight teams there. The wagons were loaded with mail for the East, and in care of a Mr. Remick, who was in great trouhle as to what to do, since his food supply was nearly exhausted. Eph assured him that his outfit could be taken to Missouri River, and agreed to furnish the mail Sketch by J. B. Fairbanks E. K. HANKS AND FERAMORZ LITTLE CROSSING THE SOUTH PASS IN A BLIZZARD carrier with all the buffalo meat that his men would need while making the trip. The plan proposed was finally agreed upon, and everything was made ready for an early morning start. A large tribe of Sioux were encamped a short distance away, and Elder Hanks felt impressed to visit them. As soon as he reached their camp he made his way to the chief's tent, where he found no one present except an elderly female. Soon, however, the chief came, and the lodge was filled with representative mem- bers of the tribe. As Ephraim took his place among them, the chief wanted to know who he was, and where he had come from. Elder Hanks answered that he lived in the mountains and belonged to the people who had pulled handcarts across the plains, that his chief's name was Brigham Young, who sometimes talked with the Great Spirit. The chief then wanted to know if Hanks himself could talk with the Great Spirit, which question the scout an- swered in the affirmative. The chief then spoke a few words to the assembled warriors, after which a number of them left the lodge and in a few moments returned, carrying an Indian boy in a blanket. 212 IMPROVEMENT ERA It seems that the boy, while out on a buffalo hunt, had been thrown from his horse. His back was so badly injured that he had not been able to move for months. The chief, pointing to the boy, asked Elder Hanks if he would talk to the Great Spirit in behalf of the injured lad, which Ephraim consented to do. After the clothing had been removed from the boy's body, Elder Hanks anointed the afflicted parts with consecrated oil, which he always carried with him, and then administered to him in the name of Jesus Christ, promising that he should be made whole from that very moment. The boy immediately arose from his bed of afflic- tion and walked out of the lodge, to the astonishment of all who saw. Elder Hanks informed the Indians that the company of freighters at Ash Hollow, which he was about to escort to the States, were nearly out of provisions, and wanted to know what Sketch by G. M. Ottingcr DEVIL'S GATE AND THE OLD FORT, AS IT APPEARED IN THE WINTER OF 1856 they could do towards replenishing their food supply. They told him that there had been no buffaloes in that section of country for months, and that their people were on the eve of starvation on account of it. Upon this, it is related that the spirit of prophecy came upon Ephraim, to a remarkable degree, and he promised A KING OF WESTERN SCOUTS 213 them in the name of the Great Spirit, that within three days from that time the whole country for miles around would be overrun with buffaloes, which prediction caused a general stir throughout the camp. He then bade them good-bye and returned to his camp, filled with the Spirit of the Lord, but said nothing to his com- panions about what had occurred. Next morning, as the company was about to start on its six- hundred-mile journey, about thirty prominent Indians formed into line on either side of the road and, as Elder Hanks passed by in Sketch by G. M. Ottinger INDIAN CAMP AT ASH HOLLOW the lead wagon, each of them gave him a package of the choicest kind of sausage, made from buffalo meat, which proved to be nothing short of a Godsend to them all. The Indians were anx- ious to learn when their pale-faced benefactor would return for, ; by this time, they had become intensely interested in the man whose prayer could heal the sick and who had promised them meat when they were in need of food. Ephraim informed them that he would return later in the season, and as he passed that way, would call upon them. Tears were seen upon their dusky cheeks as Elder Hanks gave them another parting shake of the hand and bade them farewell. Messrs. Remick & Little asked to know what all this meant, as this was the first time that they ever had known the Indians to give food away, and especially in times of famine. Eph told the boys that he had always been kind to the Redmen of the plains, and that they were a class of people who never overlooked a kind act. 214 IMP Km \| MKNT KRA This answer did not satisfy his companions, as they wort- fully convinced that something of an unusual nature must have oc- curred the night before between lanks and the Indians. I <)n these long and tedious journeys across the plains, Elder I lanks was often blessed with impressive dreams and inspirations that proved of great benefit to him on numerous occasions. The predictions be made, while journeying from Ash Hollow to Fort Kearney, were so literally Fulfilled in every instance thai Captain INDIAN SQUAWS OF THE PLAINS Remick, on more than one occasion, declared him to be a man of very unusual foresight. One night, soon after leaving Ash Hollow, Eph dreamed that his company had all the fresh bison that they could take care of, and that even their animals joined them in the feast. The next morning, he predicted that such would be the case. He was ridi- culed by the crowd, who said that such a thing as mules eating fresh meat was nonsense in the extreme. The next day the boys began to taunt Eph about his ridiculous prediction, but he took it all in good part, at the same time reiter- ating what he had predicted the day before. That evening, as he was looking for a camping ground, he spied and killed a big buf- falo bull near a small stream of water. When the teams drove up, the boys could hardly believe their own eyes. All admitted that that part of the prediction had been fulfilled, but the other part, relating to their mules enjoying the feast, never would be. That evening the cook filled a large camp kettle with fresh bison that \ KING OF WESTERN SCOUTS 215 had been cut into small pieces. As he did so he mixed plenty of flour with it. The fire was booming, the j^^ kettle was boiling, and before the cook was aware of it, the pot of stew was burned. The cook, not over good-natur- edly, dumped the meat out on the ground. After smothering the hungry freighters with his apologies, he soon started an- other pot of meat boiling. By this time the hungry animals began to stroll into camp and soon discovered the burned stew scattered over the ground. They made a rush for it, and in a short time the mules cleaned up everything, meat and all. Each man looked at the other in won- derment, while Eph looked on and smiled. EPH. K. HANKS A day or two later Eph told his com panions that they would cross a river that day, and if they would do as he told them they would not get wet. "What is that. Mr. Wizard?" asked ."aptain Remick, thinking, of course, that Hanks intended play some practical to joke upon them. However, they soon came to the river, anil as Mr. Remick was driving over the ice, Eph called to him to halt, but Mr. Remick, thinking that it was all meant for a joke, continued on his way. He had not gone far, when down went his wagon, mules and all, in water up to the wagon bed. No one was hurt, but Mr. Remick and several of his team- sters were drenched to the skin before they reached shore. When the company arrived within twenty-five or thirty miles of Fort Kear- ney, Captain Remick said to Eph, "What FERAMORZ LITTLE next, Mr. Prophet?" "You will go into Fort Kearney blindfolded," was the reply. "Will I get sick?" asked Mr. Remick. "No; you will simply ride into the Fort blindfolded." "When the sun came out bright, the next day. the reflection on the snow was so great that Captain Remick and several of the teamsters became so snow blind that they were compelled to bandage their eyes, so intense was the pain. The officer at Fort Kearney informed Mr. Remick that it would be impossible to go any farther with the mail on account of GROUP OF INDIANS OF THE PLAINS Top Row: Pacer, Stumbling Bear, Woman's Heart. Center Row: Powder Face, Big Bow. Bottom Row: Horseback-, Lone Wolf, Brown Bear. A KING OF WESTERN SCOUTS 217 the deep snow; whereupon the captain remarked, "We can go through all right, as we are being piloted by a man who can take us anywhere." The officer said, "Very well, Captain, if that is so, go ahead and we will furnish you with such things as you need." The company then continued on their way in snow almost two feet deep and arrived at Independence, Missouri, February 27, 1857, the Salt Lake boys having been on the road just seventy- eight days. As soon as they reached their destination they were dumb- founded to find the air filled with rumors of war, and government agents scurrying over the country in every direction, buying sup- plies for Johnston's army, who were about to march against the "Mormons," who had, according to Judge Drummond's untruth- ful stories, destroyed the Supreme court records of Utah. We next hear of Elders Hanks and Little in a letter published in the New York Herald, under date of April 15, 1857, and signed by the latter. The first paragraph is as follows "As myself and Mr. E. K. Hanks are the last persons who have come to the States from Great Salt Lake City, I deem it my duty to bear testimony against the lying scribblers who seem to be doing their utmost to stir up a bad feeling against the Utonians. We left our homes on the 11th of December, brought the last mail to the States, and certainly should know of the state of things there. The charges of Judge Drummond are as false as he is corrupt. Before I left for the States, I was five days every week in Great Salt Lake City, and I witness to all the world that I never heard one word of the burning of nine hun- dred volumes of law, records, etc., nor anything of that character, nor do I know, or even heard, of anything of the dumb-boy story he talks of." Elders Hanks and Little remained in the States for several months, and after gathering what information they could concern- ing the Johnston army they started for home about the first of June, with three wagons loaded with mail. When they arrived in the neighborhood of Ash Hollow, the mountaineers in that vicinity wanted to know what they had done for the Indians to cause such a stir among them. They said that the Redmen had been inquiring after them for the last month or two, and had been "going up and down the country for miles looking for them. Eph asked the men if they had seen any buffaloes since he left there, several months before. Their answer was "Yes about three days aftere you left, : ; one of the largest herds of bison that has been seen in this part of the country for a long time passed by here, and they came just in time to save us from starvation, as our food supply was nearly gone." The moment Elder Hanks made his appearance among the Ash Hollow Indians, the news spread throughout their camp like wildfire, and the whole tribe turned out en masse, Warring Redmen wept for joy; the women danced with gladness; Shouts from Redskins rent the air, that vanished care and sadness.