appointed to inquire into the condition of every team, and to ascertain
the food supply, with the avowed intention of sending all back who
failed to have what were considered the requisites for the journey. I
think that one-third of the company, our wagon included, were found
wanting when weighed in that committee's balances. But when we were
ordered to return, those who gave the command found that they were
without authority and no one would heed them. So the discontent was
patched up for a time, and we proceeded on to Little Salt Lake Valley,
where we struck the old Spanish trail again. Then the company began to
split up, some going on after night, and others stopping.
Brother C. C. Rich told me that it had been shown to him that there was
going to be trouble, and he felt led to believe that if we would go
with the pack train he could at least lead the brethren there back on
to the trail and save them. This was in the night, as we slept together
in the wagon. He awoke and asked me if I were awake. Finding that I
was, he told me what would befall the company. To save the brethren
and all who would heed him, he purchased some ponies and went with the
packers.
As we passed along the Spanish trail--said to be three hundred and
fifty years old--on the great desert, we could follow the route by
the bones of dead animals in many places. It is said that many fierce
battles have been fought between Mexicans and Indians along this trail.
So far as we were concerned, although it was known that the Indians
were very hostile, they gave us no trouble.
When we reached what is called the Rim of the Basin, where the waters
divide, part running into the Colorado River and on to the Pacific
Ocean, and part into the Salt Lake Valley, the company called meetings,
and several made speeches, saying there must be a nearer and better
route than that on which the Mormon guide was leading them. One
Methodist and one Campbellite preacher in the company said that they
had started to California, and not hellwards, as the Mormon guide had
stated at the outset, quoting what Captain Hunt had said just before
starting. Others claimed that they had been on the mountains, and upon
looking west had seen something green, which they asserted was an
indication of water. Some of them celebrated the proposed separation
from us by boring holes in trees then filling these with powder and
firing them, exploded the trees in symbol of the break-up of the
company.
Next morning all but seven wagons turned off to the right,
toward the supposed Walker's Pass. We preferred to follow the guide.
The company was thoroughly warned by Captain Hunt of the danger of
dying from lack of water. In our party there were eleven men, two women
and three children. The main company expressed pity for us and tried
to persuade us to go with them, but we felt confident that our course
was the safest, notwithstanding their superior numbers. They seemed to
rejoice at their conclusion, while we regretted it for their sakes.
Thus we separated, the emigrant company heading for Walker's Pass, and
our small party continuing on the old Spanish trail, or southern route
to California.
CHAPTER XVIII.
CAUGHT IN A SNOWSTORM--VIA THE SANTA CLARA AND RIO VIRGEN TO
THE MUDDY--NEWS OF SAD DISASTER TO THE EMIGRANT COMPANY--MAKING
CHARCOAL AND NAILS--AN APOSTLE AS A BLACKSMITH--SEARCHING FOR WATER
ON THE DESERT--CROSSING AN ALKALI STREAM--DISCOVER GOLD NEAR SALT
SPRINGS--HURRYING ON OVER THE DESERT--CATTLE POISONED AT BITTER
SPRINGS--KILLING ANIMALS TO RELIEVE THEIR SUFFERINGS--FIRST WAGON
OVER CAJON PASS, GOING WEST--SEVERE JOURNEY TO THE SUMMIT OF THE
PASS--ALL GET OVER SAFELY--SENSE OF GREAT RELIEF--GRASS AND WATER IN
ABUNDANCE--OVERTAKEN BY SURVIVORS OF THE EMIGRANT COMPANY--THEIR
STORY OF TERRIBLE SUFFERING--DIVIDE PROVISIONS WITH THEM--CELEBRATING
CHRISTMAS, 1849--CONTINUING THE JOURNEY NORTH--SPANISH WARNING IN A
CEMETERY TO INDIANS--CRUELTY OF THE SPANIARDS TO THE INDIANS--THE
WRITER PLACED IN CHARGE OF THE COMPANY--DIRECTED TO GO TO THE GOLD
MINES.
WHEN the company had separated the weather was very threatening, and it
soon began to snow very fast. We pulled on until late in the afternoon,
and camped on the mountain. Next day we came to some Indian farms
where the savages had raised corn, wheat and squash. We passed on to
the Santa Clara, followed it down for three or four days, and found
a written notice to those who came that way: "Look out, for we have
killed two Indians here." With this warning, we felt that we must keep
a vigilant guard all the time. From the Santa Clara we had a very long
drive across the mountain and down a long, dry, rocky slope until we
came to the Rio Virgen. We went along that stream three or four days;
where we left it we found a cow with an Indian arrow sticking in her.
We next passed over a high plateau to a stream well named the Muddy.
There we laid by and doctored and shod our lame cattle.
While we were on the Muddy, Brother C. C. Rich and party came down
the stream to us, bringing sad and heartrending news from the great
emigrant company, which had broken into factions and become perfectly
demoralized and confused. Some had taken packs on their backs and
started on foot, their cattle dying, their wagons abandoned. All were
despondent, and unwilling to listen to anybody. I think, from the
best information we ever got of them, I would be safe in saying that
four-fifths of them met a most horrible fate, being starved or choked
to death in or near what was afterwards called Death Valley. In after
years the miners of Pahranagat found the irons of the wagons very handy
for use in their pursuits.
On the Muddy we burned charcoal and made nails to shoe our cattle,
having to throw the animals down and hold them while Apostle C. C. Rich
shod them. Brother Rich did his work well, for the shoes never came
loose till they wore off.
From the Muddy I accompanied Captain Hunt and Henry Rollins twelve
miles and found some small pools of water about two miles to the right
of the trail; I went back to turn the packers to it, while Captain
Hunt and Henry Rollins went ahead in search of more pools of water and
found some. George Q. Cannon and I stayed there as guides for the wagon
train, and turned them off to the water. When the train arrived, about
11 o'clock p.m., we had to dip water with cups and water the stock from
buckets. Then we pressed on till daylight, made a halt long enough to
take breakfast, and pushed on, for there was no feed for our stock.
About 2 p.m. we came to the Los Vegas, where we rested a day, then
continued our journey over mountains and across dry deserts from day
to day until we reached a stream of water about three rods wide. It
was so strong with alkali that we dared not allow our cattle to drink
of it, but put the lash to them so that they could not get a sup as we
crossed it twice. Thence we traveled across a very sandy desert for
twelve miles to the Salt Springs, where the train went around a point
of the mountain. A. Pratt and I, with three or four others, followed
on a small trail that passed over a notch of the mountain. While going
through a narrow pass, Brother A. Pratt said it looked as if there
might be gold there. At that we went to looking in the crevices of
the rock, and in a few minutes one of the party found a small scale,
and then another. Among the rest, I saw the precious metal projecting
from a streak of quartz in the granite rock. From there we went over
about one and a half miles to the Salt Springs, and met with the teams.
Several of the party journeyed back to look further for the gold. I
took along a cold chisel and hammer, and chipped out some at the place
I had found, but as our teams were weakening very fast and there was
neither food nor water at that place to sustain our stock, we had to
push on across the sandy desert of seventy-five miles, day and night,
until we came to the Bitter Springs.
These were the springs that Captain Hunt had told the emigrant company
about before they left Salt Lake City, that from thence it was "away
hellward to California or some other place." It certainly began to
look that way now, when our cattle began to weaken and die all along
the trail. The springs would have been as properly named if they had
been called Poison Springs, instead of Bitter, for it seemed that from
that place our cattle began to weaken every moment, and many had to
be turned loose from the yoke and then shot to get them out of their
misery.
We had to shoot one of Brother Pratt's oxen to end its suffering. This
act fell to my lot. Oh, how inhuman and cruel it seemed to me, to drive
the patient and faithful dumb animal into a barren desert, where there
is neither food nor drink, to goad him on until he falls from sheer
exhaustion, so that he bears any punishment, to make him rise, that his
master sees fit to inflict, without giving a single moan, then to walk
around and calmly look him in the face and fire the deadly missile into
his brain, then leave his carcass to the loathsome wolves and birds of
prey!
In looking back over a period of fifty years since then, the writer
cannot call to memory a single act in his life that seemed so cruel
and ungrateful as that; and still there was no earthly means to save
the poor creature from a more horrible death, which would have come if
he had been left in that driving snowstorm, when his whole frame shook
with cold, there to lie and starve--one of the most miserable deaths
that the human mind can conceive of. Of the two evils we chose the
least by ending the suffering in a moment, when it would have taken
hours if it had not been for this act of mercy, as we call it after
taking in the whole situation.
From Bitter Springs our team took the lead to the end of the journey,
or to Williams' Ranch, being the first team that ever crossed over
the Cajon Pass going west, as I remember. Ascending to the first pass
from the Bitter Springs our situation was most gloomy. In mud and
snow, with darkness come on, every rod of the road became more steep
and difficult. The summit was two miles ahead and the nearest team
half a mile back. We moved by hitches and starts, and could only make
three or four rods at a time. Two of us pushed at the wagon while the
other drove. Our guide was a few feet ahead, marking out the road, and
saying, "Crowd up, boys, if possible. Let us wallow on over the summit,
for it is our only salvation to cross and try to open the road if
possible for the weaker teams."
Finally, with a shout of triumph, we reached the summit in two feet of
snow, at 11 o'clock at night. Our guide told us to go on down and build
fires at the first place where we could find anything for our stock,
and he would go back and cheer the rest on as best he could.
The descent being quite steep, we soon made the distance of three or
four miles to where there was but about six inches of snow, and where
we found some feed. Our matches were all damp, and we were wet as could
be. We split up our spare yoke and struck fire with flint and steel,
crawled into the wagon, and started a fire in the frying-pan. Then, as
there was plenty of fuel, we made a roaring fire outside, took a bite
to eat, and turned in for a few moments' rest, being satisfied that the
others of the party had halted before they reached the summit, and as
the guide was with them we thought they would take a rest and come on
at daybreak.
This conjecture proved right, for about 4 o'clock a.m. Captain Hunt
hallooed to us and called for a cup of coffee. He seemed to be chilled
to the bone, so we soon stirred the fire and got him something to eat.
He told us all the teams would make the riffle, but for us to have
a good fire, for some of the men would be chilled nearly to death.
Then he directed us to go ahead until we found feed for the stock,
and he would remain until the company came up. We advanced about ten
miles, and halted for our cattle to feed and rest. In the meantime
we discovered the company coming down the slope of the mountain. Our
feelings, as well as theirs, were much relieved at the sight, as we
beheld each other, and when they had rested their teams they came on to
our camping place for another stop, while we moved ahead to the Mohave
River. When we reached that stream, I presume that we felt as pleased
as a man liberated from a life sentence in a dungeon, for we had reason
to feel assured that we would succeed in our journey, as we had only
one more hard scramble of thirty miles, and had pleasant weather and
plenty of feed and water for our stock, with time to rest in. Some
shouted: "Daylight once more; thank God for our deliverance!"
It was while we lay here that some of the company which had parted
with us at the Rim of the Basin came up to us with packs on their
backs, half-starved. The story of the condition of their comrades was
horrifying beyond description. Men, women and children suffered death
alike by thirst and starvation. This painful episode affords one more
instance of where the majority had been wrong and the minority right.
The new arrivals said that when we parted from them they were sorry for
us. But now we were more sorry for them than they had been for us.
We divided our food the second or third time to relieve these starving
people, then pursued our course up stream for nine or ten days. There
we rested our cattle, did some hunting, and replenished our food supply
with wild meat, principally venison, quail and the gray squirrel. We
found plenty of wild grapes, and also discovered that the raccoon lived
in that part of the world.
It was about the 17th of December when we crossed the Cajon Pass, in
the Sierra Nevada Mountains; from thence we moved via the Cocomonga
Ranch to Williams' Ranch, arriving there on December 24th. At Williams'
we found C. C. Rich and party; we joined in with them and had a
good Christmas dinner. There we traded for new supplies to last us
up to the gold mines on the Mariposa and the Stanislaus rivers, in
northern California, or the upper country. The writer acted as pilot,
interpreter and quartermaster for the company of something like fifty
men.
It was about the 27th of January when we left the ranch, from which
we traveled to Los Angeles, thence twenty miles to the north, where
C. C. Rich and ten or fifteen men left us, and H. Egan took charge of
the company as captain. We followed up the Santa Barbara road at the
rate of fifteen miles per day. The roads were very rough and hilly.
The whole country was still in a very wild state. We were frequently
warned to be on our guard for bandits, which were said to be roaming in
the locality. We passed in peace, however, nothing out of the general
routine happening until we arrived at the San Antonio Mission. The
alcalde invited me into the chapel. To me, at that time, it seemed
to be very grand, so attractive was the decoration. The alcalde then
opened the gates of the cemetery, in which I saw a pillar of burnt
adobes with four Indian skulls on it, for the rest of the Indians
to see what they might expect if they committed any outrages on the
citizens.
From all that I have learned about Spain's treatment of the red men,
it has been very cruel, yet the Spaniards claimed their methods were
necessary in order to Christianize the aborigines. At that time the
Indians in California were more cruelly treated than the slaves in the
south; many of them had scars on their backs ten or twelve inches long,
caused by the lash of the Spaniards.
We continued our journey up towards San Francisco until the 11th of
February, when we arrived at a town called the Mission San Juan. There
we received a letter from Apostle C. C. Rich; it was dated February
8, 1850. The mission was old and dilapidated, and at that date was
occupied by a very rough class of men. The surrounding country was very
beautiful and fertile.
About 7 o'clock that same evening Captain Howard Egan assembled the
company together, and called on the writer to take charge. Then he went
forward to overhaul the company that had preceded us. Next morning we
continued on our journey, crossing a deep stream of water, and going to
near Fisher's Ranch, where we received a few lines from Captain Egan,
ordering us to stop the ox teams and forward the mule teams to San Jose
to get provisions. We obeyed, and purchased a beef animal and dried the
meat.
When Captain Egan returned to camp he told me that Apostle C. C. Rich
thought I had better continue with the company on to the mines, until I
saw or heard from him again. Accordingly I did so.
Retracing our steps about four miles, we turned to the left on a trail
that led us to Gilroy's Ranch, thence to Rancho Pacheco. There we met
a Frenchman who directed us across the mountains. Meantime our company
appointed six of us to precede the wagons and mark out the road, as we
were again entering into a wilderness with no roads except Indian and
wild animals' trails.
CHAPTER XIX.
JOURNEYING TOWARD THE GOLD DIGGINGS--THREATENED BY WILD
HORSES--DIFFICULTIES OF TRAVELING--CONVOCATION OF THE FEATHERED
CREATION--REJOIN OUR FRIENDS--FERRYING ACROSS A RIVER--STRIKE
A GOLD PROSPECT--ON A PROSPECTING TOUR--AN AGREEMENT THAT
FAILED--INSTRUCTED TO GO TO SAN FRANCISCO TO PROCEED ON A MISSION--TRIP
TO STOCKTON--GAMBLERS, SHARPERS AND MINERS AT THAT PLACE---A TEMPTATION
OVERCOME--ARRIVE IN SAN FRANCISCO--WELCOMED BY SAINTS--RECEIVE KIND
TREATMENT--ON BOARD A VESSEL BOUND FOR TAHITI.
ON the second day of our journey toward the mines we were confronted
by a band of wild mustang horses. Two of our men who happened to be
half a mile ahead of the other four of us were cut off from us by the
wild animals, so that the confusion of the situation was such that we
did not rejoin them for three days. The band was about three hours
in passing us, and the trail was one mile in width. We thought it a
low estimate to say that there were seven or eight thousand horses.
There seemed to be hundreds of the finest animals dashing up and down,
flanking the main herd, and driving, and shaping the course followed.
To save ourselves and our horses from being taken in by them, we tied
our horses' heads close together, and then stood between them and the
wild band with our rifles in hand ready to shoot the leaders or any
stallion that might attempt to gather in our horses, as we had heard
that they did not hesitate to attempt to do when out on the open plains
as we were. We supposed from all that we could learn that they had been
to the San Joaquin River for water, and were returning over the plains
to the foothills for pasture. The noise made by them as they galloped
past us was like distant, heavy thunder, only it was a long, continuous
roar or rumbling sound; we stood in almost breathless silence, and
mingled fear and delight, and viewed the magnificent picture. At last
the animals passed, and we heaved a sigh of relief.
We proceeded on for about four hours, when we had to call another halt
and take similar precautions, and for the same reason, except that
there were only about five hundred horses. When they passed we steered
our course for the lower end of the Tulare Lake, where, so we had
heard, a ferry had been located a few days before. As there was no road
to travel, we thought we would go high enough and then follow the San
Joaquin River down until we came to the crossing.
Night overtaking us, we camped by a slough where bear tracks, large and
small, were in great abundance. For fear of Indians we dared not make
much fire, so we passed a very lonely night, being filled with anxiety
about our lost comrades, not knowing what had become of them; for, as
near as my memory serves me, this was our second night camp since they
were separated from us. To add to our troubles and gloom, the night was
intensely dark, and a drizzling rain was falling.
Suddenly our horses all broke from us. We followed them by the sound
of their feet as they ran, and after a long chase through swamps and
sloughs we succeeded in capturing them. Then the next trouble came. We
had lost one man and all our pack, and were without supper. Being out
of hailing distance, it was by mere chance that we found our man and
camp late in the night. Our horses had become so frightened that it was
necessary to sit up till morning, to keep them quiet; so that only two
of us could get a dreamy snooze at a time.
Next morning dawned and our friends were still missing. We journeyed
on, passing down the sloughs to the river. At times it seemed that the
whole feathered tribe had met over our heads and all around in one
grand carnival, to consult over the advent of the white man into that
swampy country. We had never before beheld such a grand aggregation of
waterfowl, and the writer has never seen its equal since. For a time,
we could not understand each other's talk, because of the clatter. Our
next surprise was about five hundred elk which passed in front of us,
but the deep sloughs between prevented our replenishing our scanty
store of rations.
Soon we were pleased at falling in with our lost friends. They had
found a lone wagon trail towards the river. We dispatched two of our
party to meet the main company, and the rest of us followed the wagon
trail to the river, where we found a man named Woods who had got
there three days ahead of us, with a rowboat and a small supply of
provisions and groceries. Salt pork and hard sea biscuit were selling
at seventy-five cents per pound, and everything else proportionately
high. The boat had just been launched.
The next day, when the wagons came in, we took them apart and crossed
in a boat, all except my wagon; it being heavy and having the rodometer
attached to it, we got a cable rope and thought to tow the wagon over
with the load, but when it had reached the middle of the river, which
was about fifteen rods wide, the rope parted and the wagon turned over
and over. Then Irwin Stoddard jumped in and made the rope fast to the
hind axle, and as he could not manage the pole of the wagon, I jumped
in to help him. Between us, we liberated the pole, so that after great
exertion and hazard of life we finally succeeded in saving the vehicle,
but we were thoroughly chilled through. We did not cross our animals
till next morning, when we drove them in and they swam over, and we
were soon on our way to and up the Merced River. Six of us proceeded
ahead of the teams, traveling on horseback, to see what we could learn
that would be of benefit to the company.
On the third day, I think it was, we came to a small mining camp called
Burns' Diggings, on the south side of the Merced River. There we struck
a very good prospect, and stopped until the main company came up. As it
was evident that we could take from twelve to fifteen dollars per day to
the man, we advised the company to begin work there, as the country was
so muddy and soft that we could not make much headway in traveling
higher into the foot hills. They agreed to accept our advice; then came
a quite laughable performance. Those who had been the very worst drones
in camp were now the first with the pick and washpan. They pitched into
the creek as if they expected to scoop up the gold by shovelfuls, leaving
their teams hitched to their wagons; while those who had been on hand
early and late, taking a more methodical view of things, first formed
the camp, got their dinner, and then went quietly to prospecting up
and down the creek. By this time our drones decided there was no gold
there, and that they would go where there was some. What a lesson we
learned there of human nature! The next day, however, things settled
down a little more like business, after it was ascertained that some
had been making from fifteen to twenty-five and fifty, and some even as
high as one hundred dollars per day, to the man. Next day, Captain Egan
and five others of our number were elected to go further up into the
mountains and prospect for the company, while the others dug gold. The
latter were to keep an account of all they earned, and when we returned
they were to give us an equal share with those who stayed and worked.
On these conditions six of us set out on horseback and with pack mules.
When we got well into the mountains it began to rain and snow so that
we were not able to do much but cut browse for our horses. The snow
became so deep that we had to go ahead of our horses and break the road
so as to get out. We were soaked to the skin, and our bedclothes were
all wet. Our provisions were almost gone; so we set out for our camp,
after spending ten days in a most miserable condition. We traveled
in snow two and a half feet deep from 2 p.m. until 6 a.m. before we
succeeded in reaching camp, when we found that Apostle Rich had been
there, and the men had sent every dollar's worth of gold they had dug
in our absence to Stockton for supplies of provisions, clothing, tools,
etc., so there was none left to pay us our proportion.
As Apostle C. C. Rich had brought word that Brother A. Pratt desired me
to meet him in San Francisco by a certain date, I packed up my effects,
sold my oxen to Captain Jefferson Hunt for two hundred dollars, and
bade adieu to the rest of the camp, who owed me one hundred dollars,
and they yet owe it.
I traveled in company with C. C. Rich and Howard Egan. On the 20th of
March, when we got out of the hills, we took the main road to Stockton,
crossing the Merced, Tuolumne, and Stanislaus rivers, all tributaries
to the San Joaquin River. We arrived in Stockton on March 28th. The
place was at that time a point of debarkation where freight was landed
for the many mining camps. There were a few trading establishments and
warehouses, and three or four large gambling houses in and around which
were gathered freighters, packers, and one of the most motley gangs it
has ever been my lot to see. Bands of music were in the gambling halls.
At one of these I noted twelve tables, four men at each, armed with
bowie knives and revolvers; and to me it looked as if there were more
gold and silver exposed on those twelve tables than six mules could
draw. On the street and around the door, calling on the passers-by to
come in and have a free drink and listen to the music, were men whom I
soon learned were called cappers, or ropers-in, to the gambling hall;
they would steam men up with drink, get them to gambling, and rob them.
Sometimes men would come in from the mines with their buckskin wallets
containing three to four hundred dollars' worth of gold. They would
stand around with perfect strangers and drink free whisky until they
became dazed, then would set down their wallets of gold on a card, and
the next moment their money would be taken up by the gambler, who would
continue dealing his cards as unconcernedly as he would knock the ashes
from his cigar. The poor, silly miner would turn away with a sickly
look, having not even enough left to get him a change of clothing.
He would go into the street with his old miner's clothes on, without
a dime to pay for his supper or to get a night's lodging. Sometimes
thousands of dollars would change hands in a few moments. This was
in the spring of 1850, when the strong, with revolver and bowie
knife, were law, when gamblers and blacklegs ran many of the towns in
California.
By this time I imagine that the reader asks what, as a missionary,
I was doing there. I might answer by quoting the saying of Christ,
that it was not the righteous but the sinners that He had come to
call to repentance. But I will not offer this excuse, for it was
not applicable; and as open confession is good for the soul, I will
make one, hoping that it may be not only good for my soul, but be a
warning to all who read it. I was twenty-one years old at the time,
and was alone on the street. I did not know where to go or what to
do. My companions had left on business, and as I started along the
street I met with an old time friend who appeared very much pleased to
see me. His pleasure was reciprocated. He asked me to go in and have
something to drink; I thanked him and said that I was not in the habit
of indulging. He said, "Oh, come in, and have a little wine for old
friendship's sake. There is no harm in a little wine; come, go in and
hear the music, anyway." With that I turned in with him to the largest
gambling den in the town. The place was packed with men of almost every
nationality. This was the house I have described.
In the time of great excitement, it must be confessed, the writer was
tempted to lay down a purse of one hundred dollars, as he had that
amount with him. But the next instant the thought came to him, Would
you try to beat a watchmaker or a gunsmith at his trade? The idea
was so absurd that he then thought how foolish it was to try to beat
these professional gamblers at their own game. Then the disgrace that
attached to the act became so repulsive to his nature, that he felt
ashamed that he ever had been tempted; and to this day, in a life of
seventy-two years, he has never gambled. He has always felt thankful
that that simple thought came to him at that time and place.
As soon as I could arrange a little business that detained me at
Stockton, I boarded a steamboat called the _Captain Sutter_, bound for
San Francisco, paying twenty-five dollars for a seventy-five mile ride
on the crowded deck. I paid two dollars for a dinner that consisted
of tough beef, poor bread, and a cup of tea. Such were "times" in
California in 1850.
We landed at the great wharf in San Francisco about 8 o'clock that
evening, April 5th. I went up town, where the streets were crowded,
then returned and slept on the deck of the boat. Next morning, I took
my trunk to the Boston House, and leaving it there, sought friends.
I was not long in finding Brother Morris, who directed me to Brother
Cade's, who, together with his good lady, received me very kindly. He
inquired if I had any place to stop at, and when I told him no, he
said, "Stop and have dinner with us, then bring your trunk here and
stay until you can do better, if you can do with such fare as we have.
We are old and cannot do very well, but you are welcome to stay with us
as long as my old lady can cook for us."
With thanks, the writer accepted the kind offer, and from there visited
the Saints in San Francisco. I met Amasa M. Lyman and Charles C.
Rich, two of the Twelve Apostles, also found Addison Pratt, my fellow
missionary. Brother and Sister Cade were not willing that I should stop
over night at any other place, or pay for my washing. The good old lady
said she had money enough to last her while she lived and pay for the
washing of my clothes. Sister Ivins, who lived near by, sent for my
clothes and had them well laundered. While I stayed there, Sister Cade
presented me with five dollars and a nice silk handkerchief, and the
old gentleman gave me a good inkstand. Sister Patch, who lived near by,
gave me five dollars and a silk vest, and many of the Saints showed us
favors.
On April 19th we carried our trunks on board the brig _Frederick_,
Captain Dunham commanding. The fare was one hundred dollars each, in
the cabin. We returned on shore and stayed over night, and having
received our instructions and blessings from Apostles A. M. Lyman and
C. C. Rich, we boarded the vessel at 6 o'clock a.m., April 20, and
sailed away to the southwest, for the island of Tahiti, South Pacific
Ocean.
CHAPTER XX.
SAILING FOR THE SOUTH PACIFIC--SEVERE ATTACK OF SEASICKNESS--BECALMED
IN THE TROPICS--INTENSE HEAT--MARQUESAS ISLANDS--CANNIBALS--REACH
TAHITI--LAND AT PAPEETE--MEET WITH FRIENDS--HEARTY WELCOME--PREACHING
TO THE NATIVES--ANIMOSITY OF PROTESTANTS AND CATHOLICS TOWARD THE
MORMONS--JEALOUSY OF FRENCH GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ON THE ISLAND--WATCHED
BY DETECTIVES--SIX NATIVES BAPTIZED--LEARNING THE LANGUAGE--RUMORS
OF AN INTENTION TO EXPEL THE MORMONS--ELDERS B. F. GROUARD AND T.
WHITAKER ARRESTED--APPEAL FOR AID--THEIR RELEASE AND RETURN TO THEIR
MISSIONARY LABORS--MEET WITH BROTHER PRATT AGAIN--INTERVIEW WITH THE
GOVERNOR--THAT OFFICIAL REFUSES ELDERS PRATT AND BROWN PERMISSION TO
VISIT ANOTHER ISLAND--SCARCITY OF FOOD AT HUAUA--EATING SEASNAILS AND
BUGS--STRANGE DISHES OF FOOD--ALMOST PERISH FROM THIRST--VISIT TO
TIARARA--ACQUIRING THE LANGUAGE.
LEAVING San Francisco on April 20, 1850, the wind being fair, we made
about eight knots per hour, and soon lost sight of the land over which
the Stars and Stripes waves. The writer became very seasick, and
remained so for the voyage. He was seven days without an action of his
bowels, and he could not retain any kind of food on his stomach until
we got down in the tropics, when two flying fish flew aboard ship at
night, and the steward cooked them for the sick man. That was the first
thing he had a relish for. The captain said that if he had ever heard
of anybody dying of seasickness he would have had no hopes of getting
the writer ashore.
The monotony of the voyage was broken only by vast fields of seaweed,
so dense that it greatly impeded our progress. Seabirds and fish were
very plentiful, and many times attracted the attention of the voyagers,
who caught several kinds of fish, including dolphin, shark and
porpoise. The fishing afforded some amusing sport, the writer gaining
courage enough at one time to crawl out on the jibboom and catch one
fish.
The most trying event of the whole voyage was a calm in the torrid
zone, where we lay for eight days; it was said that in that time we
gained only eight miles. During that calm all the pitch broiled out of
the seams of the deck, making it leak so that it had to be recalked and
repitched. It became so hot that a man could not endure his bare feet
on it, and if it had not been for the seamen throwing water on deck
it seemed that we could not have lived through the terrible ordeal.
Finally a gentle breeze came to our relief, and we were wafted in sight
of the Marquesas Islands. We passed so close to these that the captain
expressed a fear that we were in danger of being attacked by the
natives of Nukahuia, the principal island. He said they were cannibals,
and that small vessels had been captured by the natives coming off in
such numbers, in canoes, as to overpower the crews. Hence he thought it
dangerous to be so close with such light winds as we had. The wind soon
freshened to a gale, and thus our fears were allayed as we bore down
close along to the northward of the Tuamotu group, sighting some of
them, to Tahiti, on which we landed on May 24, 1850.
Tahiti is the principal island of the Society group; it is said to
be eighty miles in length, varying from two miles at the isthmus to
forty miles in the widest place. The highest mountain summit is said
to be five thousand feet or more. The capital, Papeete, is in latitude
17 degrees 32 minutes south, longitude 144 degrees 34 minutes west.
The islands were invaded by the French in 1843. In 1847 the war was
concluded, but not until much blood had been spilled and the country
laid waste. Then a French protectorate was established there, and
consequently, at the time we arrived, we found ourselves under the
French flag, and had to apply to Governor Bonard for permission to
go on shore. This was granted, but very reluctantly, and we paid the
secretary three francs for each of us.
Once on shore, we found Brother Pratt's old friends, Hamatua and
Pohe, who treated us very kindly and on May 25th got our baggage from
the vessel, then took us in their boat around the northeast of the
island to their home in a little village called Huaua, where we were
met by their families and six or seven Church members. It seemed to
be impossible for them to rejoice any more than they did, and under
the circumstances we could not be treated with greater kindness. They
provided us with the best the land produced, making us cordially
welcome.
Brother Pratt preached to them, while I was deaf and dumb, so far as
the spoken language was concerned; but the actions of the natives spoke
louder than words. When it came to meal time, they spread before us
roast pig, and fish, taro, fais, bananas, cocoanuts, sweet-potatoes,
popoie, oranges, pine and vee apples, doavas, bread fruit, etc. We had
appetites equal to the occasion, and felt no remorse for not having
done justice to the table, or to the chest which was a substitute for a
table.
We soon learned that the Protestant ministers and Catholic priest were
very much prejudiced against us, and were doing all they could to
prevent the people receiving us into their houses, advising them not to
hold any conversation with us, or attend our meetings. We also learned
that the government officials were jealous of Mormon influence, and
that a watch was kept over us, in other words, the natives said that
detectives were on our track, and that a ship of war had been sent
to Tubuoi for Elders B. F. Grouard and T. Whitaker, who were on that
island as Mormon missionaries, and who had been accused of speaking
against the government. It may be imagined, therefore, that in all
respects our stay was not so pleasant as otherwise it might have been.
As it was, however, we made the best of the situation. Brother Pratt
preached and talked much of the time to a few who gathered around, and
he soon baptized six persons. I studied the language by committing a
few words to memory, then forming them into sentences, and having them
corrected by the natives. Then, when I heard one tell another what to
do, I watched what was done. I collected many sentences, and walked
the beach till I committed them to memory. At first it seemed a very
difficult task to catch the sounds, but in a short time I could begin
to understand, and then to talk. For a change I would rest myself
from studying the language by practicing reading and writing, having
provided myself with copybooks and other necessary material before
leaving San Francisco.
The home we had been made so welcome to was situated a few rods from
the beach, and between two little streams of water that came tumbling
down from the steep precipices in the background into a small valley,
which was heavily timbered. There were some six or seven small huts or
dwellings and twenty-five or thirty people all told. No business was
carried on further than gathering the fruit that grew, uncultivated,
in abundance for the needs of the population; and with little effort
they caught fish as they cared to consume it. As most of the people
of the village were quiet and peaceable, it will be understood why we
called the place our lonely retreat, or lonely Huaua. We visited other
villages occasionally, and tried to interest the inhabitants and preach
to them, but in vain. They would give us food, and sometimes offered to
keep us over night, but as a rule they were very cold and indifferent
towards us.
Under the circumstances the best we could do was to study the language
and prepare ourselves for future usefulness as the way might open.
Meanwhile, many rumors were in circulation about the French driving
the Mormons out of the country; and the Protestant ministers and
Catholic priest seemed to spare no pains to spread all the slanderous
stories they ever had heard about the Mormons. So many rumors were in
circulation that we did not know what to believe, so we remained in
suspense till July 17, when, to our surprise, Brother Grouard came in
through a heavy rain and told us that he and Brother Whitaker had been
brought from Tubuoi, where they had been building a small schooner for
the use of the mission. He said they had been arrested on the charge of
speaking against the French government. They had landed that morning
from a ship of war, and he had got permission to come and see us, but
had to return that evening so as to be at the trial next morning. He
had left a horse five miles back, because the road was so rough that he
could cover the distance on foot quicker than on horseback, and had no
time to lose. He greatly desired that Brother Pratt and I should be at
his trial. Said he, "I am innocent, but I do not know what they will
prove, and we want you to stand by us." So it was agreed that Brother
Hamatua and I should go on foot early next morning, and Brothers Pratt
and Pohe would come as soon as the wind quieted down, as it was then
too high to venture out in the boat.
Brother Hamatua and I set out early in the morning, in a heavy rain,
which continued to pour down till we reached Papeete, at 11 o'clock,
when we met Brother Grouard coming from his trial, he having been
discharged. He said Brother Whitaker would also be acquitted, although
the prejudice against them was very strong.
Brothers Grouard and Whitaker thought the government would board and
lodge them at least till it got ready to return them home again, but
in this they were mistaken, so they and I did the best we could for
ourselves. We soon learned that the steamship _Sarien_ would leave for
Tubuoi in three or four days, and the brethren would be taken back on
that. Brother Grouard sought the permission of the governor for Brother
Pratt and me to go on the _Sarien_ with him. This was refused on the
ground that two Mormon missionaries were enough on that island. The
governor did not wish any more to go until he knew more about them.
The wind kept so high that Brother Pratt did not reach Papeete until
Brothers Grouard and Whitaker had been acquitted and had gone. I had
started home, and was overhauled by Brother Grouard, who said something
had broken on the ship and they had to stop to repair it; that he
could not remain to see Brother Pratt, but would stay with me as long
as he could. He had only a few moments to stop, so I proceeded about
six miles, when I learned that Brother Pratt was on the way by boat.
Upon obtaining this information I went back to the house where we had
stayed two or three nights, finding the place barren and uninviting.
Everything was very lonely with no friends there. I feared that I would
be alone that night, but at last Brother Pratt came. The boat had
stopped, with our bedding and provisions, three or four miles up the
coast. Although the night was very dark, and the road lay through the
woods and across creeks, Brother Pratt thought we had better try to
make the boat for the night, as we had to give up going to Tubuoi.
This course was followed, and we found our friends and bedding all
right. Not being satisfied, however, with the situation, we went back
to Papeete next morning, to see the governor ourselves. When we met
him, Brother Pratt asked the reason why we could not be free to go
where we chose. He replied that there had been some trouble with Mr.
Grouard, and as it was his business to look after government affairs,
he wished to inquire into the matter further before permitting more
American missionaries to go there. Said he: "While I do not wish to
interfere with religion, it is my duty to keep peace, and if you will
call again in a month or six weeks, I will let you know more about it."
At this we went to the boat, and with our friends returned to lonely
Huaua. Indeed, if it had not been for our friends Hamatua and Pohe and
their families, our stay at the place for some time after this would
have been very uncomfortable. Food had become very scarce, so that we
had to eat seasnails, and bugs that played on the surface of salt water
pools. These bugs were about the size of the end of a man's thumb; in
form and action they very much resembled the little black bugs found
along the edges of our fresh water streams, and called by some people
mellow bugs. I submit that a dish of these, without pepper or salt, was
a strange sight to present to a white man--their legs sticking out in
all directions; yet, when a man has gone long enough without food, they
become quite tempting, and he is not very particular about the legs,
either.
We also had other strange dishes set before us. When other food failed,
the natives would go to the mouths of small fresh water streams, and
dig in the sands, just where the high tide flowed, and at a depth of
twelve to eighteen inches they would find a something that resembled
young snakes more than anything else I can compare them to. They were
from six to ten inches in length, had a snake's mouth, and a spinal
column, or we should have called them worms; they were without fins, or
we might have called them eels. The natives had a name for them, but
I have forgotten it. When they were boiled in salt water--put a quart
or two into a pot of cold seawater, then hang them over the fire and
see them squirm a few moments--they were ready for the missionary's
meal, taken without pepper or salt. When cooked, a person seizes one
by the head and extracts it from the dish, or the banana leaf, as the
case may be. He retains the head between his thumb and forefinger, then
takes hold of the body with his teeth, draws it through these, and
thus strips off the flesh in his mouth. He then lays down the head and
backbone, and repeats the operation until he has completed his repast.
Just a moment, my friendly reader; we have another dish for you on the
Society Islands, that you may enjoy better. It is a peculiar kind of
fish, very rare indeed, for they seldom appear more than once or twice
in a year: then they are present by myriads. They come up out of the
sea into the fresh water streams so thickly that they can be dipped up
with a frying-pan or bucket. Sometimes the natives dip them up with an
open bucket, or with a sack having a hoop in the mouth, thus taking
them by bushels. These fish are of a dark color, and from half an
inch to an inch and a quarter long. When boiled they look like boiled
rice, and a man can eat about as many of them as he can grains of that
vegetable. When they are eaten with the cream of the cocoanut they are
quite palatable. This dish is not very common, as I remember seeing it
in only three or four places.
Besides the dish named, we had a small shellfish called maava. It
lives in a shell so much like a snail's that we called it a seasnail.
It was cooked in the shell, and was quite acceptable for a change in
hard times. We also had a large shellfish called pahua; again, we had
a jelly-fish which, when taken and laid in a dish, very much resembled
the white of an egg; it had neither scales nor bones, and was eaten
raw, without pepper or salt.
Still another course of food which we had was wild boar from the
mountains. I can only say that the flesh is hard and tough. Brother
Pratt shot a boar with his shotgun. This pleased the natives very much.
I also gave chase to one which led me so far away from water that I
felt I should die of thirst and heat. On my descent returning, I came
to a lone cocoanut tree that had plenty of nuts on. I tried in vain to
climb the tree; then I clubbed the nuts that were only forty feet or
so up, but finding that it was impossible to obtain drink in that way,
I sat down in the shade in despair, and felt for a moment that I could
not live to reach water. At last my nerves became somewhat steadied,
and I took aim at the stem of a nut, it being not so thick as my little
finger. The bullet cut one stem entirely away and passed through
another close to the nut. Thus two cocoanuts dropped, and hopes of
life sprung up anew, only to perish, for I found it impossible to open
the nuts. After a brief rest, I started down the mountain again, and
succeeded in reaching a cocoanut grove where an old man was throwing
down nuts. I told him of my suffering and he hastened down, opened a
nut, and gave me a drink that was most refreshing. May he receive a
prophet's reward, for he gave me drink when it seemed that life was
fast ebbing away. The welcome draught refreshed me so that I gained the
village early, being wiser for the experience of following wild boars
in the mountains away from water. Although the temptation came to me
several times afterward, I never chased a wild boar again; but at one
time I killed one which appeared to be about two years old, without a
chase. This, and hunting ducks and fishing a little, greatly relieved
the monotony of our involuntary stay.
For a change from our living at Huaua, I went to visit Pohe, nephew
of my old friend Hamatua, who lived at Tiara, three miles up the
coast, making my home with him. I visited among the people there, and
by hearing none but the Tahitian language spoken, I progressed very
fast therein; indeed my progress astonished the natives at Tiara, who
said. "The Lord helps the Mormon missionaries learn our language, for
in three months they speak it better than other foreigners do in five
years."
CHAPTER XXI.
OFFER OF TRANSPORTATION TO THE ISLAND OF TUBUOI--APPLY TO THE GOVERNOR
FOR PERMISSION TO GO--TROOPS ON PARADE--SUITE OF QUEEN POMERE--CALL
ON THE GOVERNOR--CONVERSATION IN THREE LANGUAGES--DIRECTED TO COME
AGAIN NEXT DAY--PUT OFF BY THE GOVERNOR--LATTER REFUSES THE PERMISSION
ASKED--HIS PREJUDICE AGAINST THE MORMONS--DEMANDS A STATEMENT OF THEIR
DOCTRINES--NOT REQUIRED OF OTHER DENOMINATIONS--WRITER'S INTERVIEW
WITH THE GOVERNOR--RETURN TO HUAUA--OTHER ELDERS REQUESTED TO ASSEMBLE
THERE--BITTERNESS OF PROTESTANT MINISTERS--NATIVES COMMENT ON MORMONS
LEARNING THEIR LANGUAGE QUICKLY.
DURING my stay at Tiara, news came to Brother Pratt that a schooner
from Lurutu was at Papeete, and that the captain had proffered to take
us to Tubuoi free of charge. On receiving this message I returned at
once to Huaua. Brother Pratt requested me to visit Governor Bonard, and
see if we could get permission to make the trip, it being near the time
when we were to call on him again. It was necessary for us to give him
eight days' notice of our coming, and as the vessel was to sail in ten
days, there was no time to lose.
On August 9th I set out, two native boys accompanying me. When we
reached Hapape, we saw there about four hundred soldiers. Then we met
Governor Bonard and staff, and after them saw Queen Pomere and suite,
all in their military dress. It was difficult to tell which made the
finest appearance. On our arrival in Papeete we were told that the
troops had gone out on dress parade and review, preparatory to sailing
to the island of Huhine, to settle some trouble between the natives
of that island and some shipwrecked foreigners. It was late when we
reached Papeete, and we went to the house of a native named Didi,
staying over night; he was very kind to us. I also met with the owner
of the Lurutu vessel, who told me he would take us to Tubuoi free of
charge, if we wished to go. He seemed very friendly toward us.
The next day, August 10th, I went to see the governor. I met a sentinel
at the gate, who ordered me to halt. Then he called for the officer
of the day, who told me to wait till he gave notice to the governor.
The officer went in, and soon returned and beckoned me forward. I
advanced past a second sentinel, when the officer ushered me into the
presence of his excellency, who rose from his seat and met me. When
we had shaken hands, he very politely bade me to be seated, and then
said pleasantly: "Do you speak English?" This question being answered
in the affirmative, he said, "Me speak lete." Then we entered upon a
conversation. As I understood a little French, and both of us could
speak a limited amount of Tahitian, we made a jargon of one-third
English, one-third French, and one-third Tahitian. Then we laughed
heartily at each other because of our novel attempts in the three
languages. The governor invited me to call next morning, when his
French captain, who could speak English, would be there. Then, with
French politeness, he bowed me out and off.
Next morning I went, and met the governor going to church. He said he
had forgotten it was Sunday, so I would have to wait an hour or two,
and come again. This I did, being stopped by the sentinel as before,
going through all the ceremonies of the previous visit, and being
ushered into the same room. I met the English-speaking captain, to whom
I made my business known. Said he, "The governor declines to grant
your request." I was not disappointed, for I was well satisfied from
what I had learned the day before that that would be the result, but
as the talk had not been very conclusive, I had called for a clearer
understanding, hoping the governor might yield when he understood us
better. In this I was mistaken, however, as it seemed the governor was
thoroughly filled with prejudice against even the name of Mormon Elder.
I asked Governor Bonard his reasons for detaining us where we were. He
said that in the first place he had no proof that we were good men,
and he wished to know what we would preach, and what our doctrines
and faith were. I told him that we preached the Gospel which Jesus
Christ and His Apostles preached, and could produce our credentials,
if he desired to see them. He said no, he did not wish that of us;
neither did he wish to interfere with religious matters, but it was
for peace in the country that he wished us to stop there; for if we
and everybody who desired it were allowed to set forth new doctrines
among the people, and get them divided among themselves, they would
be fighting, and it was his place to keep the peace. Said he, "Before
you go from this island, I wish to know more about your doctrine." I
told him that was what we wished him and every good man to know, and to
embrace it if he would. Then he said that he desired the Mormon Elders
to get together, and make a declaration of what they would preach
and how far they would obey the laws. I replied that that was just
what we wished to do, but if he refused us the privilege of going to
Tubuoi we did not know when we could get together. Said he, "You had
better write to your friends at Tubuoi, and have them come here. Your
faces are strange to me, and you are from a foreign country. We have
no proof that you are good men. The doctrine you preach is new to me
and if you will gather all your white brethren, and make a declaration
of the doctrine you preach, and how far you will obey the laws of the
land, signing your names to it, then, if I accept of it as being good
doctrine, you will have liberty to go anywhere you wish, and have our
protection." My answer was that we had no objection to acquainting him
with our doctrine. I asked him if he made the same requirement of other
denominations that he did of us, and received the information that he
did not. Upon this, I inquired why he made it of us, and he stated that
there had been some difficulty already with B. F. Grouard. "Well,"
said I, "did you not acquit Grouard?" "Yes," he said, "but we would
like to look further into the matter, and if possible prevent further
trouble." They had lost two good seamen going after Grouard, and one
fell overboard on the return trip, but they succeeded in rescuing him.
When I found that I could not prevail on the governor to allow us our
liberty, I left and visited the captain of the _Lurutu_. With him I
boarded his novel vessel. It was of very frail construction; all the
stays and braces were made by hand from the bark of a tree called by
the natives burson, and resembling somewhat the basswood of the Eastern
and Middle States. The captain said he sailed by the sun by day, and
at night by the moon and stars, but in cloudy weather by instinct,
or guess. I asked if they did not get lost sometimes; he said no,
they were well acquainted with the sea. They had been three years
in building the schooner. It would carry about forty tons. The crew
conveyed the products of their island three hundred and sixty miles to
Tahiti principally, but occasionally to other islands. To me the vessel
appeared a frail craft, and wholly without comforts, for white men at
least.
Having satisfied my curiosity about the strange craft, I returned
to Huaua on August 11, and reported results to President Pratt, who
wrote immediately to the different Elders to come and sign with us
the document the governor had suggested. The mails were so irregular
and uncertain that we had not the remotest idea when our release
would come, for if ever our letters were received by the Elders, it
might be three or even six months before they could get a passage to
Tahiti. Thus the reader can see that we were doomed to tarry almost as
prisoners in the little valley of Huaua, which was only about eighty
rods wide by one hundred and fifty in length, being bounded on the
south by high, steep mountains, that were almost impossible to cross,
at least by a white man not accustomed to climbing them; and on the
northeast the open sea rolled and surged upon the rocks and the sandy
beach, to within fifteen rods of where we slept, our heads being not
more than ten feet above high water mark. This was not all; for the
Protestant ministers were very bitter against us, and so prejudiced
that it was useless for us to try to enlighten them in regard to
ourselves or our faith. They seemed to spare no pains in spreading
their venom among the people, and in every way possible intimidated the
natives so that our friends were but few, though our enemies had no
power over them. With the aid of a book, however, we could improve in
the language, and did so to the extent that when we had been there five
months the natives who were not of us said, "Surely the Lord is with
the Mormons, for in five months they speak our language better than
other foreigners do in five years. No one can learn our language like
the Mormon Elders unless the Lord helps them." Thus encouraged, we bore
our imprisonment the best we could.
CHAPTER XXII.
VISIT TO PAPEETE--DUCK-HUNTING TRIP--A PECULIAR WOMAN--ALONG A
PERILOUS PATH--AN OPINION OF ENGLISH MINISTERS--ARRIVAL OF ELDER S.
A. DUNN--LEARN OF MORE MISSIONARIES ARRIVING AT TUBUOI--NEWS FROM MY
FATHER AND OTHERS--LETTERS FROM THE FIRST PRESIDENCY AND SOME OF THE
APOSTLES--WRITTEN STATEMENT SENT TO THE GOVERNOR OF TAHITI--VISIT THE
GOVERNOR--OUR STATEMENT REJECTED--LIST OF QUESTIONS AND STATEMENT
PRESENTED BY THE GOVERNOR--REPLY OF ELDER A. PRATT--OBJECTIONS BY THE
GOVERNOR--PERMISSION GIVEN US TO TRAVEL AND PREACH ON THE ISLANDS.
ON September 5th, 1850, I met with the opportunity of going to Papeete
in a boat that was passing. My friends took me out in a canoe to the
larger vessel. I was very seasick. The wind was so high that in two
hours we were in Taunoa, where we stayed over night. On the 6th we got
to Papeete, where I received a letter from B. F. Grouard. I answered
it the same day. We found friends who treated us very kindly; then
returned to our lonely retreat, traveling through a heavy rainstorm all
the way.
We continued our studies without anything to vary the monotony until
October 2nd, when President Pratt and Hamatua, and three children from
the latter's family, took their blankets and went into the mountains
for a change, while I made a visit to my friend Pohe to get my books,
which had been left with him. When I returned I continued my studies
alone until Brother Pratt and party came back; then, on September 15th,
I went to Papeno, duck-hunting. As Sister Hamatua had some relatives
there, she and her stepdaughter accompanied me, thinking that my stay
would be made more pleasant. Sister Hamatua was between fifty and sixty
years of age, was well versed in the scriptures, and as true to her
religion as anyone I have ever met. She had never had any children of
her own, and yet she had taken three young babes, from their birth, and
nursed them at her own breast, and gave them suck and reared them. I
think one mother had died at her child's birth, and with another child
the young mother had cast it away to die, as it was illegitimate, and
she denied its being her child. The third had been promised to Sister
Hamatua before its birth, and at that time she claimed it and took it
home the same hour. I saw the children, and the natives bore witness to
the truth of the narrative here given. The youngest child was princess
of Tubuoi, her name was Aura, and at the time I write of she was a
bright girl of eight years.
We went on our journey to Papeno, passing down along the cliffs of rock
and precipitous and deep, dark caverns that were almost impassable.
The shrieking and howling of the wind as it was forced up through
the crevices in the rocks by the surging waves from the open sea,
combined with the dangers of the route, had such an effect on my nerves
that I have never desired a repetition of the hazardous trip, though
I traveled many times on the Brom (state road), parallel with the
perilous path. I had no desire to pass over or even to think of the
jeopardy we were in on that terrible trail. Suffice it to say, that we
reached our journey's end in safety, and stayed with the governor of
the village, who treated us very kindly. We returned next day, the 16th
of September. On our way we saw a ship heading for Papeete. This gave
us hope that we would get some news from the outer world.
September 22nd. Pipitila and I started for Papeete, thinking we would
meet with the Elders, or at least get some word from them. All that we
could learn was that they were expected in Tubuoi instead of in Tahiti.
We stayed in Taunaa, where we met with friends who treated us well. One
old man said that he had become tired of the English ministers, for
they preached one thing and did the opposite. Said he, "I have been a
fool that has no eyes all my life. I have belonged to the Protestant
church ever since it has been here, and still I am like a fool, for I
am black or dark in my heart. I have tried ever since the missionaries
came to get light. They came and went back and died, and still I am
a fool, and darkness fills my soul, for I never learned before that
Christ was baptized. You have given me the first light that I have ever
had on the Gospel." We returned to our home on September 25th and found
all well. On October 3rd friends from Tiara came to visit us, and for a
time broke the monotony of our island-prison life.
Nothing out of the usual happened till November 6th, when I was ready
to start on a trip of inquiry. A little girl came in and said there
was an old white man out at the creek, and that he was asking for
Brother Pratt. In a few minutes Brother S. A. Dunn came in, and to our
great surprise and joy he brought word that Brother Pratt's family and
a company of Elders had arrived at Tubuoi, all well. He had letters
for us, too. I received one from my father--the first word that I had
had since 1847. I also had a letter from my old friend and comrade,
Jonathan C. Holmes, stating that my Uncle Alexander Stephens had been
wounded in a battle with the Ute Indians in Utah County, but that he
was getting around again very well.
Brother Pratt received letters from the First Presidency of the Church,
also from Apostles Amasa M. Lyman and Charles C. Rich, all bringing
good news and words of encouragement to us. Elder Dunn told us that he
had called on Governor Bonard, who seemed very pleasant and who told
him that as soon as we would get together and make a statement of what
we would preach, and signed the same, we would have liberty to go where
we chose, and should have the protection of the French government.
November 8th we wrote as follows to the governor:
"Whereas, we, the undersigned, have been requested by his excellency,
Governor Bonard, of Tahiti, to make a statement of the intentions of
our mission to the Society Islands, in compliance therewith we proceed
to give the following:
"1st. To preach the everlasting Gospel, which brings life and salvation
to the children of men. 'For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ,
for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth,
to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.'--(Romans 1:16.)
"2nd. To teach the people by precept and by example the habits of
virtue and industry, which are so desirable to the happiness and
prosperity of civilized life.
"3rd. To observe and keep the laws of every land wherein we dwell,
so far as it is required of preachers of the Gospel in Christian
countries; and to teach and admonish the people to observe and keep the
laws of the land.
"Huaua, Tahiti, November 8, 1850.
"[Signed] Addison Pratt,
"Simeon A. Dunn,
"James S. Brown."
We started on November 10th to see the governor and present to him
the foregoing. Traveling on foot, we went to Papeno, where we were
very kindly received by the governor, at whose house we stopped over
night. Many of his friends called to see and greet us. On the 11th we
proceeded to Papeete, arriving there in time to pass the guard and
be ushered into the governor's office, where we were received very
coldly. The governor was engaged talking with two officers. We stood
until observed, from a side room, by a French officer, who invited
us (speaking in English) to come in and be seated; he then called an
interpreter. When the latter came he looked over the article that we
had presented, and rejected it. Then he produced one which the governor
had had drawn up, and which he read as follows:
"On my arrival at Tahiti, two or three persons styled Mormon
missionaries were residing either at Tubuoi or at the Pamutus. As
they were already there, I thought it proper to allow them to remain,
considering the small number of persons forming the mission, upon
conditions, however, that they attended strictly to the laws which
govern the lands of the protectorate, not interfering in any way with
politics or civil matters, but solely religious, with which I have no
intention whatever to interfere.
"Now that a large number of persons attached to the Mormon mission
request permission to reside at the Society Islands, tending to create
a sort of church government embracing all the lands of the protectorate
of France, to create, it might be said, a new existence in the
population of the islands, it is now my duty to interfere.
"I requested to be informed as to what are the means of the Mormons for
their living.
"1st. From whence the society of Mormon missionaries derive the power
of forming themselves into a body?
"2nd. What are the forms of government and the discipline which govern
this society?
"3rd. What guarantee of morality and good conduct do they require from
members appointed as missionaries for the foreigners?
"4th. What guarantee do they require before conferring grades and
offices on natives?
"5th. What duty do they require either from foreigners or from native
members, not including religious dogmas, with which I shall not
interfere?
"6th. What number of religious services do they hold weekly or monthly?
"7th. Finally, what morals do the Mormons preach?
"These questions put, and satisfactorily answered. This is what it is
my duty to make known to the Mormon missionaries: As men, they, as all
foreigners, are permitted to reside in the islands of the protectorate,
and have a right to French protection by conforming themselves to the
laws of the country; as missionaries, with an open pulpit which might
consequently give them great influence over the population, and create,
as it were, a new power, it is my duty to impose conditions that they
guarantee, consequently:
"1st. The Mormon missionaries shall bind themselves to preach their
religion without interfering in any way or under any pretext with
politics or civil matters.
"2nd. They shall withhold from speaking from the pulpit against the
religion established in the islands of the protectorate, or the laws
and the acts emanating from the authorities.
"3rd. They shall not exact from the inhabitants of the islands of the
protectorate any tax, either in money, labor, provisions or material.
"4th. They shall not inflict penalties upon any one, either in money,
labor, provisions, or material, for failing to comply with the rules of
the religion they preach.
"5th. They cannot acquire land in the name of the society, without the
approbation of the protectorate government.
"6th. No person can be allowed to unite himself with them, as a Mormon
missionary, in the Society Islands, before having signed that he
adheres to the present declaration, and whenever proof might be made
of guilt of an infringement of these articles, it would occasion his
exclusion from the islands of the protectorate.
"The persons calling themselves Mormon missionaries, and who sent
a delegate to me whom I could not recognize officially, are hereby
informed that before I can authorize them as a society they must reply
categorically to the questions which I have put to them; that until
then their residence is illegal, and I refuse, as it is my duty to
do, all authorization to the Mormon missionaries to take up their
residence. Moreover, it is my duty to inform them that when they are
constituted a society no meetings, except on days regularly known as
days of prayer and preaching, can be held without the permission of the
authorities, on pain of being prosecuted according to law."
When this long and proscriptive roll had been read and strongly
emphasized, we were handed a copy, and the interpreter said we could
make such answers as we saw fit. At this we went to a quiet place, and
on November 12th President Pratt wrote out the following reply:
"As it has been requested by his excellency, the governor of Tahiti,
to give answer to certain questions that he has propounded to us, we
herein comply:
"1st. First, as it is declared in the New Testament of our Lord and
Savior Jesus Christ, that they that preach the Gospel shall live off
the Gospel, we are sent forth by the authority of the Church to which
we belong with expectation that those to whom we preach will contribute
to our necessities, so far as life and health are concerned, of their
own free will. Second, we have no authority from those who sent us to
the islands to form ourselves into a body compact, either civil or
religious, nor have we any intention of so doing. Third, the reason of
our going to Tubuoi is this: I, Addison Pratt, arrived at Tubuoi in
the year 1844, in the capacity of a missionary of the Gospel of Jesus
Christ. I remained there in that capacity about nineteen months, and
when I was about to leave there I was invited, by the authorities of
the island then in power, to return to them with my family, and reside
with them as their preacher. They wished also to be instructed in the
arts and sciences of civilized life. After I left Tubuoi, I went to
Anaa, to assist Mr. Grouard in his missionary labors, having been sent
for by request of the people living there. I remained at Anaa about
nine months, and while there a general conference was held, by the
people we had baptized, on the 6th of October, 1846. At that meeting a
request was made by the people of whom Aniipa was head, to send by me
to our Church, in North America, for more missionaries to assist Mr.
Grouard and myself, as the Gospel had spread in several islands of that
group. The company that has arrived at Tubuoi are the missionaries who
have been sent for, as I returned to North America in the year 1847
and laid the minutes of the conference held at Anaa, and the request
of the people of Tubuoi, before the Church. A part of that company
now at Tubuoi are preachers of the Gospel, and a part of them are
mechanics and husbandmen; they have brought with them tools and seeds
for carrying out the object for which they were sent.
"2nd. The forms of government by which the society is governed are
those set forth by Jesus Christ and His Apostles, as laid down in the
New Testament, to which we have referred.
"3rd. We request them to be strictly virtuous in every sense of the
word, observing and keeping the laws of the land wherein they dwell,
and teaching the people so to do.
"4th. We request of them all that is contained in the articles.
"5th. We request of them what is contained in the third article and
nothing more.
"6th. We have no stated times for religious services except upon the
Sabbath; we hold semi-annual conferences. Besides these, we are subject
to the will of the people.
"7th. We preach to and admonish the people to keep all the commandments
of God, and strictly obey the laws of the land wherein they dwell."
Our answer was signed by Addison Pratt, Simeon A. Dunn and James S.
Brown, and was presented to his excellency, who objected to the first
statement, about our means of support. He said he wished men to get a
living in a more honorable way than that. The second paragraph he did
not like. He seemed to dislike scripture references. We told him we had
been reared to work, that we still expected to labor for our living,
and that a part of our people had come to work and a part to preach the
Gospel.
After he had interrogated us to his satisfaction, and placed about us
all the restrictions that seemed possible, the governor told us that
if we would go with Mr. Dugard, one of his officers, he would give us
permits to reside among the islands of the protectorate, after we had
signed the articles he presented to us.
As we left the governor's presence, Mr. Dugard told us that, as it was
getting rather late, we had better call at his office the next morning
at 8 o'clock, and he would attend to our case. We complied with his
suggestion but did not find him at home. The lady of the house told
us to call at 2 o'clock and he would be there. In a short time we met
the interpreter who advised us to call at 11 o'clock, which we did,
finding the official ready to wait on us, as we supposed; but instead,
he directed us to go to a certain notary public, who would give us our
permits. We did as instructed and obtained the documents, paying three
francs each. Thus we were permitted to go as ministers of the Gospel
among the islands of the French protectorate.
CHAPTER XXIII.
RETURN TO HUAUA--HEAVY RAINSTORMS--REFUSAL OF AN OFFER TO BE
CARRIED OVER A STREAM--PERILOUS SWIMMING FEAT--EPISODE WITH A WILD
BOAR--START ON A TRIP AROUND THE ISLAND--OBTAIN A LOAF OF BREAD--PEOPLE
NOT DESIROUS OF LISTENING TO THE MORMON ELDERS--CUSTOMS OF THE
NATIVES--REPUTATION OF PROTESTANT CLERGY ON TAHITI--WITH THE CHIEF
MAGISTRATE OF UAIRAI--ACROSS A SMALL BAY IN A CANOE--FRENCH GARRISON AT
THE ISTHMUS--WITH MY FRIEND POHE--REVIEW OF A HARD JOURNEY--AGAIN AT
HUAUA.
AS there were no vessels bound for where we wished to go at this time,
on November 13th we started on our return from Papeete to Huaua, but it
rained so hard that we had to seek shelter after traveling six miles.
We came to a creek about two rods across, and began to take off our
shoes preparatory to wading it. Just then a sprightly little woman came
along and told us she would carry us across on her back. She said,
"There are little sharp shells and rocks that will cut your feet, and
they will not hurt mine, for I am used to them. My feet are tough, but
you are not used to going barefoot like us, and your feet are tender.
I will gladly carry you over free rather than see you cut your feet."
She plead with such earnestness and so innocently that it became almost
a temptation, especially as she would have considered it a great honor
to carry the servants of God, as she was pleased to call us. Said she,
"You need not be afraid that I will fall down with you; I can carry you
with ease." When her very kind offer was declined, she seemed very much
disappointed. We tried to console her by telling her how greatly we
appreciated her kindness, then proceeded on our way, but owing to the
heavy rain soon called at a native's house, where we were pleasantly
entertained. He spread the best food he had. This was put on the bed.
He also asked us to take seats on the bed, offering as an excuse, "The
fleas are so bad we have to get up there to be out of the way, or they
will get in the food."
We accepted the situation with thanks, and felt that we were right
royally treated. The people from around flocked in until the house
was so thoroughly packed with humanity that the fleas had a fine
opportunity to gorge themselves. The people did not seem to be much
annoyed by them, but talked and sang till 11, o'clock, when we turned
in for the remainder of the night, concluding that the fleas had been
so feasted that they were willing to let us slumber in peace, which we
did.
November 14th we resumed our journey, only to be driven in by the rain,
but not until we were thoroughly drenched. Having met with our old and
well tried friend, Hamatua, when the storm subsided we continued our
journey to Papeno. A call was made on the governor of that district,
who told us that the river was so swollen that it was not safe for
white men to attempt to cross. He said the natives could go over
safely, but we could not do so, and told the party they were welcome
to stay with him all night. The writer thought that if a native could
cross the river he could, so he prepared for the attempt. The stream
was about fifteen rods wide. The governor, himself a very large and
powerful man, said, "If you go I will go with and assist you, for you
cannot cross there alone. Two natives have been swept down to the sea
and drowned. If I go with you we can cross safely, but I am afraid to
have you go alone." At that both of us got ready to cross. He took
hold of my right arm close to the shoulder. We waded in till the swift
current took our feet from under us, then we swam with all our power,
and finally gained the opposite shore by swimming three times the
width of the river. The governor could have turned and swam back again
without any trouble, but I had quite enough to satisfy my conceit, and
ever since have been willing to acknowledge that a native can beat me
in the water.
Brothers Pratt and Dunn were well satisfied to wait for the water to
fall before they tried to cross, and by late in the evening the stream
was down so that they came over with comparative ease. We stayed with
some very good friends, and on the 15th of November reached home. All
were well. Things went on as usual until the 28th, when the natives
came running and said a wild hog had come down from the mountains and
was at the next door neighbor's, with his tame hogs. The people wished
us to come with bubus (guns) and shoot him. On a previous occasion,
before I could understand the natives, a wild hog had come down and
was with the hogs of our host. There was great excitement among the
natives, so Brother Pratt hastened and got his shotgun, and went out
and killed the hog. He told me to hold on with my gun, and would not
let me know what the excitement was until it was over. Now, the natives
shouted that Prita's (Pratt's) gun was the strong one, that he was the
brave hunter and knew how to shoot, but that my weapon was too small
a bore--it could not kill if I hit the hog. But on this occasion I
outdistanced the old gentleman with my small-bore rifle. I shot the
hog just behind the shoulder; it ran a few jumps and fell in the thick
brake. As the animal was out of sight, and the natives could not see
any evidence of its having been hit, they blamed me for not letting
Brother Pratt get there first, saying he would have killed the hog and
we would have had something to eat. Brother Pratt good naturedly joined
in with them; they looked disappointed, and tried to laugh me to shame,
but in the height of their ridiculing me a lad who had followed the
track a rod or two into the brake shrieked out in terror: "Here is the
hog, dead! I was near stepping on him before I saw him!" The laugh was
turned.
The hog was soon dressed, and the natives had to examine my gun. They
concluded that both Brother Pratt and I were good gunners, and had good
weapons. The hog was a boar, a year and a half old or more, and if
it had been fat would have dressed two hundred pounds. All were well
pleased for it was a time of scarcity of food.
On December 2nd Brother Dunn and I started to go around Tahiti on foot,
passing by Papeete. Hametua Vaheni, John Layton's wife, and the two
small girls of the house, went with us to Papeete. We stayed at Faripo
the first night, with Noiini, who was very kind to us. Next morning we
proceeded on our way to Hapape, where we stopped at the house of Teahi,
a relative of Hametua Vaheni. There we took breakfast, and continued
our journey to Taunoa, where we remained over night with Tamari. There
we left our baggage while we went on to Papeete to see what news we
could get. We spent most of the day to no purpose, returning to where
we had stayed the night before.
Next morning, the 4th, we started without breakfast. On the way we
purchased a loaf of bread--a rare treat to us, as we had not even seen
bread for several days. We ate it as we walked along, stopping at a
small brook to get a drink. At Wamau, a man invited us into his house.
As it had begun to rain we accepted his kind offer with thankfulness.
Upon entering the house we were requested to take a seat upon the bed.
Some very fine oranges were set before us, and soon the house was
filled with young people mostly, who seemed very desirous of learning
who we were, where we were from, and what our business was. We told
them, and they appeared to be very much disappointed. We soon found
that they had no use for us, so we went on our way and soon came to a
cemetery in which was a large monument of masonry with an iron cross on
it. At one grave there was a candle burning. We were told by some of
the people that in the time of the war a great battle had been fought
there between the natives and the French, and that the monument had
been built in honor of a great French general who had fallen.
From there we passed on through a large cocoanut grove, and in a short
time came to a small village called Tapuna. We turned into a house and
not finding anyone at home, sat down for a rest. In a little while we
were discovered by some of the villagers, who invited us in, and as is
usual among that people, inquired of us, saying, "Who are you, where do
you come from, where are you going, and what is your business here in
our land?" When we informed them that we were ministers of the Gospel,
they were very much pleased, but when we told them that our Church
was called the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, commonly
known as the Mormon Church, they almost invariably showed signs of
disappointment, and seemed to have less interest in us. Still there
were some in almost every village who were kind enough to keep us over
night, give us the very best they had, and often go with us a little
way on our journey the next day. They never failed to have a hymn sung,
and often a chapter from the Bible read, and would call on us to offer
prayer. Then the eldest of the young men who had called in--sometimes
there were ten or fifteen--would shake hands with us, followed by all
the rest, apparently according to age. The young women then would do
likewise, observing the same rule, after which the older people would
follow, the women coming first in this case, such being their custom.
Before we left Tapuna, one man desired us to visit his mother, who
was sick with consumption. We complied with this wish, but found that
she had no faith in the Gospel. From there we passed on to an English
missionary's home, the headquarters of one Mr. Chisholm. He was not in,
so we passed on to the next house, where, according to what the people
said, a very dissipated missionary had lived, and the other had come to
take his place. We were told that the newcomer was no better than the
old one, for both were drunken and lustful and behaved very badly with
the women. Such was the general reputation, among the natives, of the
Protestant clergy at that date.
We went on till we were called into a house where the people said they
wished to know what we had to say of religion. As soon as they learned
that we differed from their views they displayed no further concern in
us, and we departed. After wading many streams, and getting very tired
and hungry, we reached a village called Uairai, where we were invited
in to have a meal. We had been indoors but a few minutes when the
people of the village came running in as if to a dog fight or a monkey
show; for it was rarely they saw two white men traveling as we were,
they being accustomed to seeing the missionary in a hammock carried by
four stout men.
When we had been there a short time two men came in with a message from
the governor or chief magistrate of the village, desiring us to call at
his residence. As soon as we had partaken of refreshments we complied
with the request, the whole assemblage of people following us. We found
his honor holding some kind of meeting with the more aged people, the
exact nature of which we did not learn. He invited us in, gave us
seats, and shook hands with us very warmly. He then stood before us and
said, "Who are you, where do you come from, what is your business here,
and where are you going?" We answered that we were ministers of the
true Gospel of Jesus Christ, and were traveling to preach to all people
that were willing or wished to hear the Gospel of salvation. "Well," he
said, "that is what we want here, but I must see the French governor
and our ministers before I can give permission for any one to preach."
When the meeting was over he came to us again and said he would be
pleased to have us stop over night with him. We accepted his kind
invitation to visit his house, and all the congregation followed, for
a time seeming very desirous of learning from us the true Gospel. We
conversed with them quite awhile and there was not one to oppose us,
but all seemed very well pleased with what we had to say.
Supper over, we returned to the house of Miapui, where we had left our
valises, and where we spent the night, being well treated by our host
and by all who called on us.
Next morning our host accompanied us on our way until we met his
brother, whom he instructed to see us across a small bay that extended
up to the base of the mountain, which was so steep that we could not
go around its head. We were taken across in a canoe, paying a dollar
and a half. The man said the use of the canoe cost him that amount, but
he would take nothing for his services. He then conducted us through a
thick forest of timber and underbrush to the Brom (state) road.
We next proceed to the isthmus, to a French fort garrisoned by one
company of soldiers. The isthmus is about one and a half miles across.
From there we turned to the northwest, towards Huaua, as it was too
rough, steep and dangerous to proceed closely along the coast. We
traveled homeward till 1 o'clock p.m., when we came to a little hamlet
called Otufai. There we met a man named Aili, who invited us to dinner.
We accepted his courtesy and while there the school-teacher called and
asked us to go home with him. We also availed ourselves of this kind
invitation, finding the teacher, whose name was Tuamau, very friendly.
We spent the night with him, being treated well, but he did not evince
much interest in what we had to say on religious matters.
The following morning it was raining very hard, and for a time it
seemed that we were weatherbound; but breakfast over, it cleared off,
and we proceeded on our way to Hitia, where we stopped at the house of
Fenuas and got dinner. Then we went on to Tiara and visited with our
friend Pohe (in English, dead), or, as he was sometimes called, Mahena
Toru (third day). He made us feel very much at home. This we were in a
condition to fully appreciate, for we had traveled on foot in the hot
sands and sun about one hundred and fifty miles, until we felt that
we were almost parboiled. We had waded many streams of water, which,
though very disagreeable, helped to make our journey more tolerable,
through being cooling. The sharp rocks and shells in the water courses
made us pay penance instead of pennies for crossing them. Sometimes the
streams were so swollen and ran so swiftly as to be very dangerous,
because the crossings were so near the sea that if a man were to lose
his footing he was liable to be carried into the billows, from whence
it would be almost if not quite impossible to escape.
On the 9th of December we passed down three miles to Huaua, where we
found all our friends well, and some prospects of getting an opening to
preach.
CHAPTER XXIV.
SCARCITY OF FOOD--TRAVELING IN HEAVY RAINS--CALL ON A PROTESTANT
MINISTER--ARRIVAL OF ANOTHER MISSIONARY AND LETTERS FROM
HOME--VISITORS FROM METIA--HOLD A SACRAMENT MEETING--GO TO
PAPARA--ABUSED RY THE PROTESTANT MINISTER--PREACH TO THE PEOPLE--YOUNG
WOMAN MIRACULOUSLY HEALED AT BAPTISM--GREAT EXCITEMENT--RAGE
OF THE PROTESTANT MINISTERS--PERSECUTION INSTITUTED--ARRESTED
FOR PREACHING--RELEASED ON PROMISING TO RETURN TO HUAUA--PLENTY
OF FRIENDS--UNINTENTIONAL ESCAPE FROM GEN D' ARMES--ARRIVAL AT
PAPEETE--CHARGE ON WHICH OFFICERS SEEK TO ARREST ME--ABUSED BY REV. MR.
HOWE--A QUIET ANSWER CALLS OUT CHEERS FROM THE CROWD--TIDE TURNS IN MY
FAVOR--EXCITEMENT CALMS DOWN, AND EFFORTS TO ARREST ME CEASE.
ON the 16th of December I set out from Huaua on a short journey to
a small hamlet called Tapuna. Everywhere I went the people were
complaining of the great scarcity of food; still they managed to
furnish me with plenty, treating me very hospitably. About the 20th I
returned to Huaua and preached to the people. On the 29th and 30th I
attended to my correspondence.
January 1, 1851, I started for Tarepu, finding the roads quite muddy.
It rained heavily, so that all the streams were so swollen as to make
my journey very hard and tiresome. The majority of the people were
rather surly and indifferent, so much so as not to invite me in out of
the storm, so I had to pass along to where I found more hospitality.
The trip altogether was a hard and ungrateful one. I had to swim some
of the watercourses, and barely escaped being carried into the sea.
I got everything I had with me, even to my watch, thoroughly soaked.
Then I sought a place sheltered from the view of the passers-by, and
there dried my clothes. As I was alone almost all the time on this trip
I felt it to be long and tedious, without any profitable results, as
far as I could see. Yet I remembered that my experience was that of a
fisherman; and as my calling was to fish for men I did not complain,
but continued my journey to Hitia. There I called on one Mr. Baff, a
Protestant minister. I left a copy of the Voice of Warning for him to
read. When he returned it he sent a note thanking me for the privilege
of perusing it, but he did not express an opinion of the work. I never
had the pleasure of meeting the gentleman again.
Having been informed that Elders Pratt and Dunn had an opportunity of
going to Tubuoi, I hastened back to Huaua, to find that they had not
yet engaged their passage. After resting two or three days, Brother
Pratt sent me down to Papeete to secure passage for them on Captain
Johnson's schooner, which was expected to sail in a few days. I met
Mr. Johnson, with whom I made a contract, and returned next day. Then,
on January 13th, all hands went down to Papeete. We found that Brother
John Layton had come from California, and brought letters for us from
the Elders who had been sent to the Sandwich Islands.
Mail matters considered and answers written, the program was changed so
that Elder Dunn did not go to Tubuoi, and as Brother Pratt had to wait
a few days before he could start, part of the native family that had
accompanied us remained to see him off, while the others returned with
Brother Dunn and I to lonely Huaua. In the meantime we learned that
Priest John Hawkins was expected down from Anaa in a few days, when
Brother Dunn was to return with him to Anaa.
When we were at Huaua without Brother Pratt, the place seemed doubly
lonesome. On January 30th, I went to Papeete and learned that Brother
Hawkins had arrived with some native brethren from Metia, and that all
had started in their canoes for Huaua, to which place I repaired the
next day. All were well. The native brethren went back to Papeete, and
Brother Hawkins and wife stayed at Huaua a day or two; then he also
went down, returning to us in eight or ten days, accompanied by Elder
Joseph Busby, from Tubuoi. The latter said that he had started for
home, if it was agreeable to the brethren. He told us that it would
be two months before the brethren would come with their new schooner,
which they were building.
March 2nd, all hands went to Taunua, to a sacrament meeting. We met in
a house close down by the beach, where we saw the vessel that Brother
Busby sailed on for home. There were sixty-seven brethren and sisters
at the meeting, and we had a very good-spirited time. We returned
to Huaua; and it was on March 12th, when, in company with our old,
faithful friend and brother, Hamatua, and family, I set sail in a
whaleboat for Papara. We had a fine breeze till we came to a hamlet
called Otura, where we stayed one night and were well cared for by our
host, a brother in the Church. On the 13th we continued our voyage by
sea, having to row most of the time, for there was no wind. We reached
our destination, Papara, on the 14th, and stopped at the house of
Purua, a brother of Hamatua, who had died, and his widow had sent for
Hamatua to come and move her and her family to his home. We found our
friends here very kind, and well pleased to meet us.
While at Papara, many people came in to see us. These manifested a
desire to know who I was, and my business there, but showed great
reluctance in shaking hands with me. I learned that the cause of this
diffidence was that they were afraid of the Protestant ministers. For
a while they kept very shy of me. I called on their minister, Mr.
Chisholm, and presented him with a Voice of Warning, which I asked him
to read; but when I held it out to him he said no, he would not read
it or anything the Mormons had; "but," said he, "I want to exhort you,
and show you that you are deluded." I asked what he knew about our
Church to cause him to be so excited. He said he had had a letter from
Simeon A. Dunn, one of our Elders, and that public opinion was enough
to satisfy him that we were false teachers and deceivers of the people.
At that he called one Mr. Davis from a side room. The latter was
totally blind, and had spent most of his life on the islands. Both of
them reviled at me, and rehearsed many of the old slanders about Joseph
Smith and the Mormons. I left them in disgust, returning to my friends,
where I found many people congregated. These were quite sociable.
Soon a messenger came from the minister and asked what kind of baptism
we believed in. When I said that we believed in immersion, that seemed
to please the people very much, as I turned to the third chapter of
Matthew and showed them that Christ was baptized in that manner. From
that time the house was thronged with people anxiously inquiring for
the doctrines we taught.
On March 16th I was sent for by a sick man, who wanted to be anointed.
When I told him about the order of the Church, and that he should
repent and be baptized for the remission of his sins, and thus become
entitled to the blessings of the Gospel, he said that it was of no use
to him for he was a great sinner and could not repent in one day. Then
he said, "I shall have to remain sick." He had his own way to look at
things, and as we were unable to convince him otherwise, we returned to
our stopping place.
Shortly after this I was called to see a young woman who had been under
medical treatment by the Protestant ministers for four months. Her
name was Maui. She had been reduced to a mere skeleton, and was unable
to stand alone. When I came, she said she had heard of the doctrine
that I had preached to the people, and knew it was true, "for," said
she, "it is all in the Bible." She was the foremost scholar of the
district, and was highly respected by the ministers as well as by the
whole people. When it became known that I had been called to see her,
it aroused an excitement, and many people came together, insomuch that
the house could not hold them all. As I talked with her on the first
principles of the Gospel, she would say, "Yes, that is so, for it is in
the Bible;" and she said, "I am willing to be baptized now, for I know
that what you tell me is the truth." I asked the consent of her parents
and of her young husband, who readily acceded to her desire. Then I
told them that if they would take her to a suitable place by the creek,
I would meet them there and attend to the baptizing. Accordingly, they
carried her to the creek, some ten or twelve rods away, where I met
them, prepared for the work. There were probably one hundred people
assembled. After singing and prayer, I went into the water and the
friends of the young woman helped her to me, I having to aid in holding
her on her feet while I said the baptismal ceremony. When she came up
out of the water she thanked God, saying, "I am healed of the Lord,"
and walked out of the water and home without assistance, although her
friends offered aid. This excited the people so much that some of the
young woman's particular friends prepared to come into the water of
baptism, but the older ones prevailed on them to wait a while, saying
maybe they would all go together.
When I had changed my clothing and had gone to where the new convert
was, I found her sitting on the bed and praising God, bearing her
testimony that she was healed of the Lord, and that we had the true
Gospel. The baptism of this young woman was the first that I had
administered, she being my first convert. The house where we had
assembled was crowded to overflowing, and when I had confirmed her I
returned to my stopping place, the people following me. There must have
been at least three hundred of them. Several brought bedding and camped
under the trees around the house, while others were preparing a feast
for the occasion, in which they roasted eleven big hogs, and gathered
fish, fruit and vegetables for the roast.
This was too much for the Protestant ministers, for, as I was sitting
at a table expounding the scriptures to the people, in came a lusty
Frenchman in citizen's clothes. He took a seat among the people for a
short time, then slipped away and donned his police uniform, with belt,
sword and pistol; then, with a comrade similarly attired, he reappeared
at the door and asked me if I had a permit from the governor. I told
him I had one at home, but not with me. At that he, in a rather rough
tone of voice, bade me follow them. Without hesitation I did so, and
about a hundred of the people came after us to the mission station,
where I was ushered into the presence of Messrs. Chisholm, Howe
and Davis. All of them were what were called English or Protestant
missionaries. Mr. Howe acted as chief spokesman or prosecutor, while
Mr. Chisholm filled the role of justice, Mr. Davis appearing to be his
assistant. Thus arrayed, they told me that I had been arrested and
brought before them because I had raised a very unusual excitement
among the people, and I could not produce a permit from the government
as a resident on the island. They said I was capable of making much
disturbance among the people, and the decision they had come to was
that if I would not agree to leave the place by 8 a.m. next day I would
be locked up in a dungeon until I did agree to leave.
Of course I consented to depart at the appointed time, thinking I
could get my permit and return in a few days. Then they told me I
was at liberty, but they did not release me until they had scored
me unmercifully with their tongues for belonging to such a set of
impostors as "Old Joe Smith and the Mormons" were. Said Mr. Chisholm,
"You are a fine young man, capable of doing much good if you had not
been deceived by that impostor, Old Joe Smith." They told me to cease
my preaching and deceiving the people, and that I had better go home.
At that I pocketed their insults and left them. Many of the people
followed me to my stopping place, some of them shouting triumphantly
for the young Mormon missionary, and calling shame on the English
ministers.
A house full of people had assembled, and we sat up till a late hour
that night talking on the principles of the Gospel. Early next morning
our boat was filled with the family and provisions, and we sailed at 8
o'clock. I put on a fisherman's suit and took the helm, facing outward
from the shore. I did not have any particular object in view at the
time in doing this, yet it seemed to serve a purpose, for we had sailed
but a few miles when we saw two mounted gen d' armes come out of the
woods to the sandy beach, where they stopped and watched our boat till
they seemed satisfied there was no missionary on board, and passed on.
Then it occurred to us that if I had not been in the unintentional
disguise they would have stopped our boat and arrested me, for they
were well armed, and could have reached us easily with their firearms.
As we afterwards learned, they passed on to where we had come from
and made a thorough search for me, going through houses, turning up
the beds, and scouring the coffee groves and every place the supposed
Mormon missionary could have hidden. Then they and the Protestant
missionaries called a meeting of the people and thoroughly warned them
against the Mormons, and especially against young Iatobo (James), as
they called me. At this mass meeting Mr. Baff, one of the oldest of the
English missionaries, appeared with the others I have mentioned.
There was another incident that seemed to be very providential, though
disagreeable at the time. The wind died away to a perfect calm, and
when we came to an opening in the outlying coral reef, we thought that
by going out through the opening we might catch a breeze, and could
hoist the sail and make better headway; so we steered for the open
sea. There we found that we had to row all day before we could get
back within the reef. Thus we were carried so far from the land that
passers-by could not discern who we were, and we were kept from the gen
d' armes till sundown. Then we landed away from the thoroughfare, in
heavy timber. In that way we escaped our enemies, for next morning we
were off and out in the open sea soon after sunrise. We rowed all day
and till 11 o'clock p.m., then landed in an obscure place, and were up
and off again by sunrise, putting out to sea and keeping there till we
reached the western passage to the harbor of Papeete. There we went
ashore near a large American tile establishment's wholesale and retail
department. Just in front of this lay a large American warship. The
water was very deep, so that the vessel was moored to the shore, the
gangway resting upon the street, where a great many people had gathered.
As soon as we landed I stepped into the retail department referred to,
on some little errand. In a couple of minutes or so I was confronted by
the Rev. Mr. Howe, who has been mentioned before. He was a fine-looking
English gentleman of thirty-five or forty years of age. He came up and
shook hands with me, saying, "Mr. Brown, are you aware that the gen
d' armes are in search of you? You must have been in hiding somewhere.
They have searched Papara for you, and now are searching this town, and
there is great excitement over your actions. You had better be cautious
what you are about." I could not understand at first what he meant, so
I asked him what I had done to create such a great excitement as to
have the police hunting for me. I said I had not been in hiding at all,
had not thought of such a thing. He replied, "Why, sir, you have gone
and plunged a young lady head and ears into the cold water, and we have
had her under medical treatment for four months, and expected her to
die. Now you have endangered her life by plunging her into cold water.
She is one of the most talented and smartest women of this island. We
have taken great pains to educate her, and she is widely known and
respected by everyone who knows her."
"Well," said I, "what harm have I done? She was healed of her sickness,
as she and her mother testified to me before I left, and every person
who was present can bear witness of the same."
"Ah, well," said he, "you have such a fierce countenance and expressive
voice as to excite a person under the most excruciating pain until
they would not realize they had any suffering at all. She may relapse
and die, then you will have grave responsibilities to meet for your
unwarranted act." He continued talking, turning to intimidation and
abusive language until he said it was a great pity that one of my
natural endowments lacked in educational attainments, for if I had
been taught in Greek or Latin I would have understood that baptism was
_baptiso_ in Latin, and meant merely the application of water, and not
to plunge people head and ears in the shameful and ridiculous manner
that he said I had done.
By this time we were talking so very loud as to attract the attention
of all around. Finally Mr. Howe said, "Do you teach the people that
baptism is essential to the salvation of man or the soul?" I told him
I did. "Then," said he, "you teach a lie, and I will follow you up and
tell the people that you are a liar and teach false doctrine." As my
calling as a missionary would not admit of a violent retaliation, I
merely said to him that in my country that would be very ungentlemanly
language for one minister to use towards another, but I supposed it was
some of the Greek and Latin that he had been learned in. Then I turned
away from him.
My action brought a tremendous cheer from the Americans on board the
warship, and from all who understood the conversation. The people
assembled hurrahed for the Mormon boy. At that my antagonist turned
very red in the face. Some of the natives ran up to him, pointing their
fingers at him, and shouting, "Look how red his nose is! The Mormon boy
has whipped him!" They rushed around me to shake hands, and seemed as
if they would carry me on their shoulders. It should be understood that
we talked partly in English and partly in Tahitian, so that all could
understand in a general way what we said, for we had grown very earnest
if not heated in our discussion.
Soon after this I went up through the town and there learned from
several people that there had been much excitement over my having
baptized the sick young lady, and that the police had searched the
place over for me. I realized then that if it had not been for the
calm weather we had had at sea we would have got into town just at
the height of the excitement, and I would have been locked in prison.
So, thanks for the calm, although when we were in it we wished for
wind that we might make better headway; but that delay gave time for
reflection, and for the news of the young lady's convalescence to reach
Papeete, so that I could pass on my way without further insult.
CHAPTER XXV.
SEVERAL BAPTISMS--VISIT PAPARA AGAIN--COLDNESS OF THE PEOPLE--BITTER
EFFORTS OF THE PROTESTANT MINISTERS--NATIVES VISIT ME IN
SECRET--ANTI-MORMON MASS MEETING--FOOLISH AND VICIOUS SCHEME TO
ENSNARE THE WRITER--IT IS EASILY DEFEATED--RETURN TO PAPEETE--MORE
BAPTISMS--DEPARTURE OF ELDER DUNN--I AM LEFT ALONE--BRETHREN COME
FROM TUBUOI--ELDERS APPOINTED TO LABOR IN DIFFERENT ISLANDS--THE
WRITER ASSIGNED TO THE TUAMOTU GROUP--LEAVE ON THE ELDERS' SCHOONER,
THE RAVAI OR FISHER--MEET WITH CONTRARY WINDS--DRIVEN TO VARIOUS
ISLANDS--ENCOUNTER A VIOLENT STORM--IN GREAT PERIL--VESSEL BEYOND
CONTROL--STORM CALMS DOWN--REACH TUBUOI--FIRST PREACHING OF THE GOSPEL
THERE, IN 1844.
WE reached our home at Huaua on the 20th of March, and found all well.
On the 23rd I baptized Tereino and Maioa, and on the 24th Brother Dunn
baptized two other persons besides Brother Hamatua and two of his
children. Then I sailed for Papara, after providing myself with the
permit that I lacked on our previous visit. We stopped at Taunua the
first night, the 25th, having had to row all the way.
On the 26th we reached Papara, where the people acted very coolly
towards us. There was one friend, however, who dared invite us in and
provide us with food and lodging. On inquiry, we learned that the young
lady who had been ill and was healed at her baptism was sound and well,
and had been so from the time she was baptized. We also learned that
Messrs. Howe, Chisholm, Baff and Davis had called the people together
after the baptism, inquired of them where I was, had the town searched
for me, and had sought diligently to learn if I had spoken against them
or against the French government; but they failed to learn anything of
this kind on which to base an accusation against me and had to content
themselves by telling the people all the foul slanders they had heard
against the Mormons and Joseph Smith, and by warning the people against
us, saying that if they took us in or bade us Godspeed they would
not be permitted to partake of the sacrament in their church, and if
they went to hear us preach they would be excommunicated. They sent a
delegation to the young lady whom I had baptized, to see if she had
been healed, and through being intimidated she said no. Her relatives
had quarreled over the matter, some being in favor of her saying that
she was not, while others said that she was healed. The report that the
delegation made to their masters, however, was that she said she had
not been healed; when I went to see her, she ran out to meet me, and
told me that she had not been sick one day since she had been baptized.
By such means as those I have named, the ministers sought to turn the
people against us, and strongly forbade them to show us any favors
whatever; and when the natives could come secretly and talk with us
they would explain, "Now, if we come openly and investigate your
doctrine and are not satisfied with it, then we will be turned out
of society. For that reason we dare not receive you or come and talk
openly with you. Our hearts are good towards you, but we are watched by
the police, so that we dare not be friendly with you where we can be
seen."
As soon as the ministers learned that we had returned, they called
another meeting, at which they seemed to take delight in abusing and
vilifying the Mormons in general and me in particular. When the meeting
was over, they called two pretty young women, and privately told them
to dress themselves as nicely as they could and perfume themselves and
make themselves as attractive as possible, then to take their Bibles
and hymn books and get into conversation with the Mormon missionary,
Iatobo (James). They were to be very sociable and friendly to me.
They had been told also that they would learn that the Mormons were
licentious deceivers, and that my actions would show that I was a
licentious rascal and would lead them astray. Orders were also given
them that when they had proved this they were to return and report to
the ministers. I came into possession of this information regarding the
scheme through the spirit of discernment, and by the confession of the
parties themselves.
The young ladies came as instructed, and the moment they entered the
door and I inhaled the perfumes I had the discernment of their mission
and the instructions they were under from their ministers. Nevertheless
they were welcomed in and took seats just in front of and close to the
writer, on a mat. In the blandest and most pleasant manner they began
to make scripture inquiries, accepting every answer as final, and
assenting to all I had to say. They became more and more sociable and
bold, until at length one of them raised on her knees, and placing her
open Bible upon the writer's knee, at the same time looked him squarely
in the face with her most pleasant smile. He at once moved his chair
back, and said to them, "You have not come here with the object that
you profess to come with, but your mission is a deceptive one, and you
have been sent here by your ministers to try to deceive me, thinking to
lead me into lewd and wicked practices that I am a stranger to. Now,
if you wish anything of that kind you must return to your masters who
sent you, and tell them that if they wish you to be accommodated in
that way, they will have to do it themselves, for Mormon Elders are not
guilty of such practices, though they have proofs that the ministers
are. And I exhort you to be ashamed and to repent of your sins, and be
baptized for their remission, and you will know that what I have told
you is true."
At this rebuke, they both confessed openly that every word I had said
was true, and that they had been sent for no other purpose than the one
I have stated. As they had come straight from the minister's house,
they wondered how the writer could tell them so directly what their
ministers had ordered them to do, and how he came to read their mission
so accurately. They said, "_No te varua tera_" (that is of the Spirit);
for no one else could have told him so correctly. At that they took
their leave, and I heard no more of them or their mission.
The ministers called another meeting on March 29th. I attended that,
and after service asked permission to speak a few moments. This being
granted by Mr. Davis, I merely gave notice that I was a minister of
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, there on a mission
to teach the true Gospel, and if any wished to hear me I was at their
service, if they would permit. There was no response, so a hymn was
sung, and the people dispersed. At night a few came to hear me, but
seemed to be under such restraint that there was no pleasure in talking
to them.
We spent several days at the place without any success, owing to the
great prejudice of the people, and the unwarranted hatred of their
ministers. Then we left for Papeete, starting on April 2nd, and
arriving at our destination at daylight on the 3rd. Having had to row
all the way, we were very tired, so stopped to get some needed rest.
In the evening we baptized one person, Maua. On the 6th we attended
meeting with about twenty of the Tuamotu Saints, then the boat and the
others of the party went home while I tarried till the next day, going
home by land to Hapape, where I found a boat bound direct for Huaua, so
I took passage on it, and was wafted there speedily.
It was on April 19th that I started for Otumaro. On the 21st we got to
that place, where I stayed while the others of the party made a visit
to Papara. On their return I joined them and proceeded to Papeete,
where I left the boat again and walked the remainder of the journey.
The next day the rest of the party came up by sea; and on the 29th we
baptized three more persons.
While at Otumaro, some Matia brethren came from Hitia after a
missionary or two. Matia is a small island about ninety miles north
of Tahiti. Brother Dunn, being very tired of Huaua, concluded that
he would go with them, they taking his trunk and bedding on their
shoulders and marching off, apparently in triumph. They insisted that
I should go with them as well, but having been left in charge of the
mission on Tahiti, I did not feel at liberty to leave, as Brother Pratt
had told me to remain there until the new schooner should arrive.
Therefore I turned alone to my missionary labors. On the 29th I
baptized Tuane; and at Huaua on May 4th I baptized Tafatua and Tafai,
who had been baptized by Brother Pratt; they confessed that they had
been led astray, but desired to return to the true fold. The same day I
administered the sacrament to twenty-one souls.
Just at dark on May 12th, 1851, we heard a gun fired at sea. We
hastened to the beach, and, sure enough, it was our long-looked-for
brethren on their new schooner, which was named the Ravai (Fisher.)
Brother John Hawkins having joined us, he and Hamatua went off in a
canoe to get the news. They found all well. Next day we joined them in
the harbor of Papeete, and remained with them on board the schooner and
wrote letters.
On the 15th Brothers Pratt, John Layton, Hawkins and the wives of the
last two, as well as some of the native brethren, sailed in a whaleboat
for Huaua, while we stopped at Hapape and took a nap, and at 2 o'clock
a.m. started back, reaching our destination at daylight on the 16th.
We rested on the 17th, and on the 18th, in council, Elders Thomas
Whitaker, Julian Moses and two native brethren were appointed to
labor as missionaries on Tahiti; Elders John Hawkins, Alviras Hanks,
Simeon A. Dunn and James S. Brown were appointed to labor among the
inhabitants of the Tuamotu group of islands.
On May 19th, Brothers Pratt, Layton and Hawkins set out for Papeete,
and at 3 p.m. Brothers T. Whitaker and Pohe, with their families,
started for Pueu in a boat belonging to some of their relatives. On
the 21st, the schooner--the new one built at Tubuoi, and commanded by
Benjamin F. Grouard--called with the brethren who went down the day
before on board. She was bound for Anaa, two hundred and ten miles
east, or nearly so. When they got opposite Huaua, Captain Grouard came
ashore and said they desired me to accompany them, as they intended to
call by Tubuoi before returning to Tahiti.