PIONEER JOURNEY CONTINUED, 1847.
Elijah Newman Healed.--Indians Attempt Theft.--Antelopes Killed.
Encounter with Indians.--A Buffalo Hunt.--Meet Traders from Laramie.--A
Decision To Keep the North Bank of the Platte.--Immense Herds of
Buffaloes.--William Clayton's Mile Gage.--Letter Left for Next
Company.--Description of the Rodometer.
The task of crossing Loup River had been accomplished safely and
there was a general spirit of gratitude throughout the camp. The
following day was the Sabbath, April 25th. Meeting was held and general
instructions given respecting the observance of the Sabbath. It was
on that day that Elijah Newman was baptized for the restoration of
his health. He was afflicted by a black scurvy in his legs to such an
extent that he could not walk except by aid of sticks and crutches.
After the ordinance and confirmation, he returned to the camp without
any help.
A number of hunters were appointed to go ahead of the camp in quest of
game, seven to be horsemen; and ten, footmen. Here Elder Woodruff saw
for the first time in his life either elk or antelope. Four of each
appeared at different times on the opposite side of the river. Although
he was not one of the hunters, the members of the Twelve were allowed
to join those appointed. From later accounts, it will be seen that
Elder Woodruff took an active part in the chase. From now on till the
foothills of the Rocky Mountains were reached, a strict guard against
the Indians was kept. Of the first early troubles with Indians, Elder
Woodruff writes:
"Early in the morning, before the break of day, two Indians crept upon
their hands and knees, approaching the camp to steal horses. They got
within three years of the guard before they were discovered. The guard
at first thought them to be wolves and snapped at them. They rose and
ran. Two of the guards fired and four others rose out of the grass. The
bugle was sounded and all arose to arms, but no more were seen then.
"I started out in the morning with the hunters. We saw eight deer and
four antelopes, but caught nothing. After traveling {272} eight miles,
we camped for noon. On the opposite side of the river were relics of an
old Indian town. In the afternoon, we traveled seven miles and camped
on Clear Creek which had a hard gravel bottom, the first of the kind we
had found on the road. We killed one wild goose, and saw fresh signs
of buffalo where we camped, the first we had seen. Brothers Young,
Kimball, Richards, and I went on to a high bluff to view the country.
"Just at dusk, a tremendous alarm was given through the camp. The
Indians had crawled up and taken Porter Rockwell and his horse and made
off with them. Many men mounted their horses and rode after them with
all speed, but it was soon discovered that Rockwell was in camp. Only
two horses were gone. They belonged to Dr. Richards and Brother Little.
About twenty men, mounted and armed, went in search of the horses.
"On the morrow we continued our journey in a southerly direction to try
to get on the Platte River. We came to some beautiful green grass, saw
a great many buffalo signs, but found no wood or water. We baited our
horses in a green valley after twelve miles' travel.
"Just as we were starting in the afternoon, we rose to a small bluff
and saw two antelopes in the valley before us. Brothers Young, Kimball,
and myself were together. Brother Brown and another brother were on the
other side of the hill and saw them also. Brother Brown first fired at
one, and then the other man and I fired. We all hit him, but he did not
fall, so we rode up and cut his throat. This was the first antelope
killed. He was dressed and put on board the wagon, and we continued
on and in a short time saw three more looking at us from the top of a
mound. Brother Brown and I went after them, but could not get them, so
we turned about ten degrees east of south and went to the creek and
camped. Our cattle and horses were very dry, not finding any water
during the day. We had a heavy storm of thunder, lightning, wind, and
some rain which lasted about an hour.
"A rifle went off in Brother Brown's wagon by accident and the ball
went through a bag of clothes, set it on fire, then through the wagon,
and broke the leg of a fine horse. The result was the breaking up of
one of the teams of the pioneer company.
"Brother Rockwell and three others had gone in the morning {273} again
in search of the horses which the Indians were supposed to have stolen.
Toward evening they returned and reported that they had been attacked
by fifteen Indians, who were in ambush in the grass. They came upon
them, determined to take their horses from them, but the brethren kept
them off by their rifles and pistols. The Indians were armed with guns
and bows. When they found that they could not scare the brethren, they
professed friendship to get to them; but the brethren were resolute and
determined not to move but to fight, though only four to fifteen. The
Indians finally rushed upon them to catch the horses by the bits. The
brethren drew their pistols upon them, determined to fight and do their
best. The Indians, seeing their determination, broke and ran, but fired
their guns upon the brethren. The balls whistled around them, but no
one was injured. The brethren did not return the fire, not wishing to
kill any of them if they could help it."
The morning of April 28th the company reached the eastern end of Grand
Island. There Elder Woodruff accompanied the hunters, but a wolf and a
goose were all they secured. In the evening, they camped on Wood Creek.
Great numbers of deer could be seen on the island, but President Young
thought it dangerous to cross over, as the Indians might be in ambush.
The morning following was very cold. The camp was moved at five
o'clock; and after a drive of three miles, a stop was made for
breakfast. Here the hunters explored Grand Island which they found
covered by rushes and cottonwood. The grass was now in greater
abundance. The cattle and horses were greatly in need of improved feed;
and better grazing meant the entrance into the lands of the deer and
buffalo. They saw great numbers of antelope, but could not reach them.
The hunters killed four geese. Elder Woodruff killed two of them and
shot one deer which he could not overtake.
On May 1st the pioneers were well into the home of the buffalo. It
was a great day for the hunters and welcomed by the pioneers who were
greatly in need of fresh meat. Those who knew President Woodruff's
ardent love of the chase will read the experience of his first buffalo
hunt with some appreciation of what that day meant to him.
{274} "This was an interesting day to the hunters of the camp of
Israel. The pioneers made an early start, and after traveling six
miles, camped for breakfast on the prairie in sight of a herd of
buffaloes feeding on a bluff to the right of us. There were about two
hundred. Three only of the hunters started out. They rode as near to
them as possible and crawled along the grass, but the buffaloes became
frightened and ran away. We had not traveled more than two miles
farther before we discovered another large herd five miles before us.
The hunters assembled and held a council. We determined to get some of
the buffalo meat if possible. We traveled, however, with the camp until
within a mile of the herd when a halt was made and fifteen hunters
started together. Amasa Lyman and myself of the Twelve were with them.
We went along together until we reached a bluff within a few rods of
the herd and then divided, Brother Grover and Luke Johnson went on to
the bluff, O. P. Rockwell and Brother Brown took the entire left, and
so we divided into companies on the right, left, and center. I was with
the company in the center of the herd.
"We all made a charge upon them from the bluffs and rushed on to the
plain. The herd ran down the rough bluff into the plain, but when we
reached the plain we soon overtook them, and each company singled out
its game. We made choice generally of cows, then rushed up to the side
of them and fired upon them with our pistols, which we found much
better to carry than the rifles which were very cumbersome in running.
The first we gave chase to was a cow with her calf. I rode up to her
side and fired two balls, both of which took effect. The other brethren
with me also fired at her until she was killed. I then ran my horse
to the assistance of another party who had wounded one which was soon
dispatched.
"I then saw that O. P. Rockwell had three bulls at bay on the prairie.
Brother Pack and myself ran with our horses to his assistance. At the
same time Brother Kimball came up. We surrounded them and commenced
firing. They bolted ahead. I put spurs to my horse and ran in front and
was within about a rod of them when they all pitched at me and gave me
a chase for a fight. It hurried me to get out of their way. Two broke
for the bluff and Brother Brown followed them; but Rockwell, Kimball,
Pack, {275} and myself stayed with an old bull. I fired two balls into
him, Kimball one, and Pack one. The bull fell dead. We also shot a
calf that was with him. I returned to Brother Brown on the bluff and
found that one of the bulls to which he had given chase was wounded and
had lain down; but Brother Brown having no more powder or ball, the
bull got up again and ran into the herd on the bluff before I could
reach him. We now all returned to our hunting ground to gather up the
buffaloes we had killed, there being three cows, three bulls, and five
calves, making eleven in all.
"In the morning, Brother Solomon Hancock had gone out to hunt buffaloes
on foot. As he did not return in the evening, we felt greatly concerned
about him; but in the morning he returned, having killed a three year
old cow which he watched during the night to keep the wolves from
eating her. Three wolves came upon him. He shot one and the rest ran
away. This was our first day's buffalo hunt and we considered the
results quite good in as much as we were all strangers to a buffalo
hunt, very few of us having ever seen one before.
"We dressed our meat and the wagons came from the camp to take it in.
A part of our chase was through an immense prairie dog town nearly ten
miles long by two miles wide, with burrows at nearly every rod. This
was very dangerous for our horses. My horse, in fact, ran into one and
nearly fell, but no harm was done to any of the hunters by the prairie
dog holes."
The next day was the Sabbath, "and all were busy cooking and saving
their meat." In the afternoon, the camp was moved on three miles in
order that better feed might be found. While the pioneers were in
camp, a herd of buffaloes came to the river to drink at a place within
two miles of the camp. The hunters were anxious to give them a chase,
but President Young prevailed on them not to do so. It was not a work
of necessity. Here the Indians impeded the progress of the company
by setting fire to the prairie, which rapidly burned a large area of
country. That evening Presidents Young and Kimball went ahead several
miles to examine the fire and make general observations.
On Monday, the 3rd of May, the pioneers did not move camp on account of
the weakened condition of the teams. A company {276} of twenty hunters
were called to go in quest of game. "We started out with two wagons. I
had taken a severe cold which had settled in my side where my bones had
been broken last fall, and it made me sick and I was not fit for the
hunt, yet I started with the hunters. I had shaken myself up badly the
Saturday before and was now feeling the effects of it."
At the same time another party were out to explore the country ahead
of them, as the Indians had been burning the grass for several days.
After traveling about ten miles to and fro, and seeing no game, Elders
Woodruff and Lyman began a retreat for camp. "We sat down upon the edge
of a bluff in sight of the camp when a company of horsemen approached,
bearing a red flag. When they came within a mile of us, we trailed
our guns and went down to meet them. We were informed that the party
who had gone up the river had come upon a camp of about four hundred
Indian warriors, and that about one hundred of them had followed the
party down a ravine to cut off retreat. These horsemen had gone out to
call in the hunters. On their return the horsemen came on to a herd of
buffaloes. They brought in with them three calves and four antelopes.
"During the night a strong guard was kept and early in the morning the
cannon was fired twice to let the Indians know the company was awake.
To provide against surprises, the wagons were driven five abreast.
After traveling about five miles, some wagons were seen on the opposite
side of the river, going down the Platte. One of their men waded the
river to find out who the pioneers were and to learn what he could of
their movements. They were traders from Fort Laramie, and had been on
the way sixteen days from that place.
"The grass, he informed us, was good on the south side of the river,
but burned on the north side by the Indians. He consented to carry
letters for us to Sarpee who lived near Winter Quarters. Here the
pioneers stopped long enough to write fifty-two letters. An epistle was
written to the Church at Winter Quarters; and three of the brethren
accompanied the Frenchman across the Platte, where they met the other
men of his company, nine in all. They informed the brethren that they
had not seen an Indian since they left Laramie where there was a ferry.
{277} "We drove on three miles and let our teams graze until the
brethren returned from the French traders. They made a report to the
camp of what was said to them. A council of the whole company of
the pioneers was then called to determine whether we should cross
the Platte, or continue along the north side of the river. We were
convinced that it would be better for us to cross the river on to the
old traveled road to Laramie as there was good grass on that side,
while the Indians were burning it off on the north side where we were
traveling.
"When, however, we took into consideration the fact that other
companies would soon follow and that we were the pioneers, and had
not our wives and children with us, we thought it best to keep on the
north banks and face the difficulties of burning prairies. A road would
thus be made which would serve as a permanent route, independent of
the old immigrant trail. There was the further consideration that the
river would separate us from other immigrant companies that might be
disposed to quarrel with us over grass or water. Besides, by the time
the next company came along, the grass would be much better than on
the south side of the river. A vote was called for, and the decision
was unanimous that we continue along the north banks of the Platte.
Col. Markham called the men together and drilled them in a military
capacity. The cannon was unloaded and carried on wheels.
"The Frenchman informed us that he had never seen so many buffaloes on
the route before as there were this season and that several times the
traders were compelled to stop while the herds passed. We saw many deer
and antelope today and a few buffaloes. At night we camped near a herd
a short distance from us. We also afterwards learned that the alarm of
the 3rd about the four hundred Indian warriors was a false one, and
that a man had been frightened by a herd of antelope. He supposed them
in the distance to be Indians."
The decision to keep the north bank of the Platte was justified by
the needs of the people in the movements of subsequent companies, and
the general lay of the country. Later, when the engineer applied the
accuracy of his instrument to the scientific methods of road building,
the old "Mormon Trail," as it was popularly called, was chosen for the
Union Pacific Railroad which {278} covered that "trail" for hundreds of
miles. In the years of follow there was a rush to the gold fields of
California. The frontiers-men of Illinois and Missouri who had given
the Saints so much trouble were among the gold seekers. It was the part
of wisdom to have between them and the migrating Saints the Platte
River.
On May 5th a guard was kept in advance to keep the buffaloes from
mixing with the cattle. In the afternoon, one cow and five calves were
killed. A wounded bull calf was brought into camp with the intention of
keeping it. It was true to its instincts and bunted men and dogs about
whenever it could reach them. The day following, it died.
"We stopped for the night, but found the grass on fire and had to
return a mile, and then camped on the bank of the river on a spot which
had escaped the flames. Some, however, took their horses on to an
island near by in the river and cut down cottonwoods, from the barks of
which they fed."
On the morning of the 6th, an early start was made; and the camp,
after traveling three miles, stopped where the grass was better for
breakfast. "This morning the herds of buffaloes were numerous on both
sides of the river and the antelope were in great abundance, some of
which ran into camp. A young buffalo calf also came in and followed us.
We gave it some milk and left it.
"As we continued our journey, we saw many herds of buffaloes and
antelopes and one large herd of elk. Two antelopes were killed in the
morning. As there was much meat in the camp already, it was thought
best not to kill any more game than we needed. Dr. Richards, George A.
Smith, and myself walked up quite near several herds of buffaloes and
examined them through our glasses. They were shedding their coats. One
bull had a mass of hair swinging by his side like a loose robe. Our
herd of cows started to run among the buffaloes, but President Young
galloped his horse to separate them and had great difficulty in doing
so. He lost a glass worth forty dollars in the chase. We continued our
journey among herds of buffaloes and were not at any time out of sight
of them. They had eaten the grass to such an extent that there was
little remaining for the cattle, and timber was also scarce. At night
we camped near a herd of buffaloes {279} that reached as far as the eye
could see. This day the camp made twenty miles."
The day following was given in part for rest for the cattle and horses.
The meagre supply of grass made it necessary to lay over where there
was any supply of feed. A part of the day was devoted to military
tactics. Such drills had a double purpose. They prepared the men for
discipline in case it became necessary to defend themselves against
the Indians, and it further occupied their minds and consumed energy
that might otherwise have made them restless, and dissatisfied. Porter
Rockwell and those who went back with him in search of the field-glass,
lost the day before by President Young, were successful. Others went
ahead to mark out a road. Ever since the pioneers had left the crossing
at Loup Fork, they were obliged to pioneer their way. Had they chosen
to take the other side of the river, they would have found a road
already made for them.
"We saw today ten thousand buffaloes, and came near one herd with an
unusual number of calves, yearlings, and two-year olds. We also saw
several large dead ones being devoured by wolves which could be seen
on every hand following the herds to eat those that died by wounds and
from other causes.
"The next morning, May 8th, was very pleasant and not so cold and windy
as the day before. A start was not made until 10 o'clock as the teams
needed rest and feed badly. I rode forward to-day with the Twelve and
others, and the buffaloes that our eyes beheld were most astonishing.
Thousands upon thousands would crowd together as they came from the
bluffs to the bottom-land to go to the river and sloughs to drink,
until the river and land on both sides of it looked as though the face
of the earth was alive and moving like the waves of the sea. Brother
Kimball remarked that he had heard many buffalo tales told, but never
expected to behold what his eyes now saw. The half had not been told
him.
"When we stopped at noon, many of the buffaloes walked along side of
our wagons so that it would have been easy to shoot them down. O. P.
Rockwell did shoot one through the neck and she dropped dead. It was
a two year old heifer and good meat. We {280} had great difficulty in
keeping our cattle and horses from getting among the herds; and if they
had got mixed, it would have been almost impossible ever to get them
again.
"We traveled eleven and one-fourth miles this day until we came to the
bluffs that made down to the river and then we camped for the night.
Brother William Clayton had prepared a mile-gage on the hind wheel of
his wagon so that the distance could be measured easily.
"Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, George A. Smith, and myself went on
the highest bluff near by and took a survey of the surrounding country
without glasses, and the scene before us, north, east, and west as far
as our vision extended, looked as rough as the sea in a storm with the
ridges and valley mostly sand and scarcely any green thing upon it
except a little scattering grass, and the Spanish soap root, which the
Mexicans used for washing. The top resembles a pineapple. I brought in
one root twenty-four inches long and two inches in diameter. I pounded
a little of it and found that it would fill a dish with suds like soap."
The bones of buffaloes had been more or less abundant since the company
left Loup Fork. This probably indicated the eastern limit of the
buffalo range. Among their bones there were frequently found skulls of
human beings, probably Indians.
On Sunday the 9th the camp moved four miles and laid over for the day.
Timber grew scarcer and the pioneers learned the value of the buffalo
chip for making fires. At this season of the year, the cottonwood trees
became green and were not fit for fires. "I wrote two letters for
Brother Wolsen to take with him to Pueblo. One was to Brother Ferguson
and the other to Brother Bevin. We had a meeting and a good one. The
spirit of God ruled over the camp. Peace, quiet, and contentment
pervaded almost every heart. The Twelve met and it was thought best for
the brethren not to start for Pueblo until they arrived at Laramie. I
rode with the Twelve and others four miles up the river and saw large
herds of buffaloes come to water."
The tenth was cold, the thermometer standing at 33 degrees, with a
moderate wind. Before leaving camp, a letter was put in a board by
sawing an opening the width of the saw. It was nailed {281} to a post
which was planted firmly in the earth. The letter was for the next
company which was expected along in six or eight weeks. On the board
were the words: "Open this box and you will find a letter; 316 miles
from Winter Quarters; Pioneers; Latitude 40 degrees." The letter
contained an account of the journey.
The grass was so completely eaten off that the cattle were very
poor and unfit for long journeys. The movement of the buffaloes was
eastward and they ate everything before them. It did not require many
days, however, at this season of the year for the grass to make a
considerable growth. "We passed through some miles of dead grass which
we burned to give new feed for the next company. It made a great fire
indeed."
Here in the midst of the journey, more than 300 miles from the
Missouri River, with scant material, and few mechanical appliances,
the ingenious nature of man asserted itself to meet a daily desire to
know just how far the pioneers were traveling each day. William Clayton
writes under date of May 8, 1847:
"I have counted the revolutions of a wagon wheel in order to get the
exact distance we have traveled. The reason why I have taken this
method which is somewhat tedious, is because there is generally a
difference of two, and sometimes four, miles in a day's travel between
my estimation and that of some others, and they have all thought I
underrated it. This morning I determined to take pains in order to know
for a certainty how far we would travel today. Accordingly I measured
the circumference of one of the hind wheels of Brother Kimball's
wagon, being the one I sleep in, in charge of Philo Johnson. I found
the wheel exactly fourteen feet eight inches in circumference, not
varying one eighth of an inch. I then calculated how many revolutions
it would require for one mile and found it precisely 360, not varying
one fraction, which somewhat astonished me. I have counted all the
revolutions during the day's travel and find it to be a little over 11
1/4 miles. According to my previous calculations we were 285 miles from
Winter Quarters this morning before we started, and after traveling
ten miles I placed a small cedar post in the ground with these words
inscribed on it with a pencil. 'From Winter Quarters 295 miles, May 8,
1847. Camp {282} all well. Wm. Clayton.' Some have estimated the day's
journey at 13 and some 14 miles, which serves to convince more strongly
that the distances are overrated. I have repeatedly suggested a plan of
fixing machinery to a wagon wheel to tell the exact distance we travel,
and many begin to be sanguine for carrying it into effect."
This tedious effort led to a mechanical contrivance which was later put
into effect. Considering the circumstances of the pioneers, it was not
a little extraordinary that such a rodometer should be constructed at
such a time and under such circumstances. Here is a description of it:
"Let a wagon wheel be of such a circumference, that 360 revolutions
make one mile. (It happens that one of the requisite dimensions is now
in camp.) Let this wheel act upon a screw in such a manner that six
revolutions of the wagon wheel shall give the screw one revolution.
Let the threads of this screw act upon a wheel of sixty cogs, which
will evidently perform one revolution per mile. Let this wheel of
sixty cogs, be the head of another screw, acting upon another wheel of
thirty cogs; it is evident that in the movements of this second wheel,
each cog will represent one mile. Now, if the cogs were numbered from
0 to 30, the number of miles traveled will be indicated during every
part of the day. Let every sixth cog of the first wheel be numbered
from 0 to 10, and this division will indicate the fractional parts of
a mile, or tenths; while if any one should be desirous to ascertain
still smaller divisional fractions, each cog between this division,
will give five and one-third rods. This machinery (which may be called
the double endless screw) will be simple in construction, and of very
small bulk, requiring scarcely any sensible additional power, and the
knowledge obtained respecting distances in traveling will certainly be
very satisfactory to every traveler, especially in a country but little
known. The weight of this machinery need not exceed three pounds."
{283}