Without knowing it at the moment of halting, we made camp near two
Indian lodges, where lived ten or twelve of the Utah tribe; having
gained so favorable an impression of those savages when some of the
members had visited our camp, Ellen and I, with Eben Jordan, went among
them, finding that they had set themselves up for traders, counting
upon the settlers bound for the land of California, as customers. The
women showed us a store of powder made from sunflower seeds, which had
been parched and then pulverized; this they offered in exchange for
food, or for ammunition. Ellen gave a loaf of corn bread for perhaps a
quart of the stuff, and found it most agreeable to the taste.
[Illustration]
That evening one of the men brought in a fat antelope, and mother made
our portion into as savory a stew as I had eaten since we left Pike
County. After that delicious meal and with the pleasing knowledge that
we had come in safety over so terrible a road, I slept that night as
soundly as I should have slept in my own bed at home.
It was decided that we would remain in that place, which mother
called the Happy Valley, for a day, in order to give the cattle a long
rest before they did more mountain climbing, and the housewives took
advantage of the opportunity to wash clothing, bake bread, and do up
such small chores as were necessary.
Consequently all the young people were busily engaged keeping the fires
going, churning, or performing such other tasks as were required, so
that we gave little heed to what was going on around us until, when
the forenoon was about half spent, Eben Jordan excitedly called our
attention to a huge column of smoke which was rising from the mountains
to the westward.