THE PIONEERS ENTER THE VALLEY--EXPLORING AND COLONIZING--A RENEWAL OF
COVENANTS--SELECTION OF INHERITANCES--RETURN OF THE LEADERS TO WINTER
QUARTERS.
Heber and Brigham entered the Valley together, on the ever memorable
"Twenty-fourth," the day chosen by the Pioneers to celebrate their
advent into the chambers of the mountains. As a matter of fact,
however, Apostle Orson Pratt with Elder Erastus Snow and others, sent
on from Bear River ahead of the main company to break a road over the
mountains and through the canyons, had penetrated to and partly
explored the Valley three days before. Heber remained behind with the
President, who was ill, having contracted the mountain fever.
Arriving at the camp of Elder Pratt, they found that the brethren had
pitched their tents beside two small streams of pure water, and were
already engaged in ploughing and putting in crops. A shower of rain
fell that afternoon.
The next day being the Sabbath, the usual services were held and the
sacrament administered to the congregation. The speakers of the day
were George A. Smith, Heber C. Kimball, Ezra T. Benson, Wilford
Woodruff, Orson Pratt and Willard Richards. The main theme of the
discourses, naturally enough, was the "land of promise" in the
"mountains of Israel," unto which the God of Jacob had led the
vanguard of His covenant people.
The several days ensuing were passed in exploring the land and
planning future prospects.
"Monday July 26th," says Heber, "I rode out in company with President
Young and the Twelve, to visit some of the high hills which lie a
little north of here. We went on a high peak which President Young
named 'Ensign Peak,' and from thence had a very pleasing view of the
Valley, and a great portion of the Salt Lake. On returning, Elders
Richards, Benson and myself bathed in the Warm Springs. We found it
very pleasant and refreshing. Brother Mathews and John Brown have been
across the Valley to the mountain west, and say it is about sixteen
miles to the mountain, but there is no fresh water after leaving the
outlet."
Next day, Tuesday the 27th, Elder Amasa Lyman, who with others had
left the pioneer camp at Fort Laramie, to meet a detachment of the
Battalion at Pueblo and lead them on to the Valley, arrived in advance
of his company with Elders Rodney Badger, Roswell Stevens and Samuel
Brannan, the last named from California. Says Heber; "I rode out again
with President Young and some others to visit the Hot Springs, and
counsel on the matter of some of the soldiers of the Battalion
accompanying Brother Brannan to San Francisco. Some of the Utah
Indians visited the camp during the day and the brethren traded with
them. They appeared poor and barely clad. Some of the brethren have
been to the mountains to get a log for a skiff.
"Wednesday 28th: Yesterday after riding around a little, we started
for the Salt Lake and arrived in sufficient time to bathe in it. The
water is much saltier than sea water, and it is supposed it would
yield 35 per cent, of pure salt. This morning we started back to camp
and at 8 o'clock in the evening I attended a general meeting, when the
brethren were addressed by President Young on various subjects. We
have selected a place for a city about half a mile north of here, and
calculated to lay it off in ten-acre lots, each block to be divided
into 8 lots of 1 1/4 acres each, exclusive of the streets.
"Thursday 29th. This morning I went in company with President Young to
meet the soldiers and the Pueblo company. We met them in the canyon.
The brethren seemed highly pleased to see us. We got back to camp
about five o'clock.
"Friday 30th. This morning the Twelve met in council with the officers
of the Battalion. In the evening the soldiers were called together and
addressed by President Young. The meeting was opened by 'Hosannas,'
and closed by requesting the brethren to build a bowery to hold our
meetings under.
"Sunday, August 1st, Brother Markham says that there are already about
fifty-three acres of land plowed and most of it planted with corn,
beans, garden seeds, etc. There have been thirteen plows and three
drags at work nearly all the week. At ten o'clock we assembled for
meeting in the bowery. It was decided to build a stockade of adobies,
and adobie houses, and a number of men were selected to commence
making adobies to-morrow.
"We also took a vote to have all the wagons move up and form one camp
at the east end of the city."
The foregoing excerpts from Heber's journal will suffice to show the
nature of the initial labors of the pioneers in preparing a home for
themselves and their brethren and sisters who were to follow them.
A renewal of covenants now took place, the leaders setting the example
by being rebaptized. President Young baptized his brethren of the
Twelve who were present, confirmed them, and sealed upon them anew
their Apostleship. Heber C. Kimball then baptized and confirmed
President Young. This event took place on the sixth of August.
In the afternoon of the day following the Apostles selected their
inheritances, Heber C. Kimball taking a block north of the Temple,
President Young a block east and running south-east, Orson Pratt a
block south, Wilford Woodruff a block cornering the Temple block and
adjoining Elder Pratt's, George A. Smith a block on the west, and the
others lots in the near vicinity.
The same evening Heber baptized fifty-five members of the camp, in
City Creek, for the remission of their sins; and the next day, August
8th, the remainder of the camp renewed their covenants by baptism.
At a special conference on the 22nd of August, a stake of Zion was
organized, with Father John Smith as President. It was resolved that
the city then being built should be called the City of the Great Salt
Lake. The various creeks and canyons surrounding were also christened,
and, on motion of Heber C. Kimball, the river to the west of the
settlement was named the Western Jordan.
In the course of his remarks at this conference. Heber used the
following prophetic language: "Brother Brigham is going to be greater
than he was; he will be greater in strength, in beauty, and in glory.
Call upon God and we shall increase here. Away with the spirit of
alienation, and let us be united. This is a paradise to me. It is one
of the most lovely places I ever beheld."
Having now established their feet, spiritually and temporally, upon
this chosen land, the leaders and pioneers, with most of the returning
members of the Battalion, harnessed their teams, and bidding farewell
to their brethren and sisters who were to tarry, set out upon the
return journey to Winter Quarters.
Several companies were now upon the road under the captaincy of such
men as Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor, Edward Hunter, Daniel Spencer and
Jedediah M. Grant. On the 4th of September, President Young and his
company met Apostle P. P. Pratt and Captain Sessions, with their
divisions, on the Little Sandy. Here the quorum of the Twelve held a
council, and the President was under the necessity of rebuking two of
the Apostles "for undoing what the majority of the quorum had done in
the organization of the camps for traveling." Says President Woodruff
in his journal: "President Young said he felt eternity resting upon
him, and was weighed down to the earth with this work; and that
Brother Kimball felt it also, more than any other man except himself.
He should chastise any one of the quorum when out of the way. He had
done it for our good, and had been constrained to it by the power of
God.
"Brother Kimball then addressed President Young: 'I want you, Brother
Brigham,' he said, 'to save yourself, for you are wearing down. I feel
tender towards you, to live, and if I and my brethren do wrong, tell
us of it, and we will repent.'"
On the Sweetwater, they met Apostle Taylor and his company, and were
treated by them to a rich feast, prepared as a surprise to the
returning pioneers.
The Indians had now commenced to be troublesome, prowling around the
camps, stealing horses and cattle, and committing other petty
depredations. An exciting though bloodless affray took place between
them and the pioneers on the morning of the 21st of September. The
brethren were just getting ready to start, when the alarm was given by
the men who had been sent out to gather up the horses, that the
Indians were "rushing" them--driving them off. The camp flew to arms,
just in time to receive the onslaught of the savages, who, emerging
from the timbers and firing their guns, charged upon them at full
speed. There were at least two hundred mounted warriors. A return
volley from the pioneers broke the Indian charge, and the brethren
then gave chase, Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff leading the
counter charge with impetuous zeal. Dashing almost alone at the
swarming savages, the sight of their daring courage spread
consternation among their foes, who broke and fled incontinently.
The old chief who had directed the attack now shouted to his band and
proclaimed peace to the pioneers, telling them that he and his
warriors were good Sioux, and had mistaken them for Crows or Snakes,
with whom they were at war. The brethren thought it good policy to
accept the excuse, transparent though it was, and to appear satisfied
with the explanation. The chief proposed the smoking of the pipe of
peace with them, and wanted the "big chief of his Mormon brothers" to
go to his camp. This, however, was not deemed prudent, but Heber, Col.
Markham and Apostle Woodruff went instead, hoping thus to recover
their horses, eleven of which had been stolen that day, besides many
others on the Sweetwater.
Heber and his companions were kindly received by the Indians, who were
camped about five miles away, and smoked the pipe of peace with their
leading men. Seeing some of the stolen animals in camp, Heber walked
deliberately up to them, took their ropes out of the hands of the
astonished savages, and coolly returned with them, amid the grunts and
approving nods of his swarthy admirers. They named him "the
bald-headed chief." Says he:
"I saw quite a number of horses that were stolen from us on the
Sweetwater, but President Young suggested that we say nothing about
these for the present; but when we should get to Fort Laramie to offer
Mr. Bordeaux $100 to procure them for us; inasmuch as it was deemed
inexpedient to take them by force, numbering as they did some eight
hundred men, and their camp comprising upwards of one hundred lodges.
It was chiefly through my own exertions that we recovered the most of
the horses, and I verily believe that if I had had a few more men with
me of sufficient energy and resolution, while at their camp, I could
have secured all of the stolen horses."
It was President Young's wise policy to placate the Indians and win
their friendship, for the sake of future emigrations.
At Fort Laramie, President Young, Apostle Kimball and others of the
Twelve dined with Commodore Stockton, from the Bay of San Francisco,
who was eastward bound.
Continuing on their way, the pioneers and Battalion "boys" arrived in
safety at Winter Quarters on the 31st of October. Upon the joy of
their meeting with their families and with the Saints, we need not
dwell. They found that during their absence peace and prosperity had
generally prevailed.