Arose soon after five. The morning fine and pleasant. During the night
the guard fired twice but they supposed they were wolves they fired
at. I went back to the old Indian village before breakfast, and also
with O. P. Rockwell, to see if any tracks of the lost horses could
be found. He followed one track some way into a bunch of willows, but
having no arms we returned. At 7:45 the wagons commenced moving and
traveled till 2:15 being about twelve miles nearly a south course, the
design being to go to the main branch of the Platte. President Young,
Kimball and others went forward again to point out the road. O. P.
Rockwell and some others started back to hunt the horses about the time
we started. The land today has been very rolling and uneven. It is also
very sandy and dry. After traveling about four miles through dead grass
we found a large space where the grass had been burned off. Here it is
quite green, and there are quantities of buffalo dung, which proves
that we are not far distant from some of them. The hunters have been
out again but have not discovered any. There are a great many lizards
on these sand ridges, but they are of a small size. President Young and
Kimball discovered a dog town a piece back, and many little prairie
dogs. In one hole was a very large rattlesnake, and around the holes
many small owls which seem to correspond with what travelers have said
previously, that the prairie dog, rattlesnakes, and owls all live in
the same hole together. The sun is very hot but there is a nice west
wind although it is dry and parches our lips. When we stopped at noon
the brethren dug several holes and obtained a little water, as there is
none here above the surface. They could not obtain any for the cattle
and horses. At 3:15 the teams commenced to move again. Just as they
started, John Brown, Roswell Stevens and Brother Woodruff all shot
at an antelope. They all hit him and killed him. Having skinned it,
they put it into one of the wagons. The afternoon was very hot and the
roads very dusty. After traveling about two miles some of the ox teams
gave out and had to stop and feed. The rest went on till they found
a small branch of water and the grass being very good we stopped for
the night at half past five, having traveled about four miles, course
about south. President Young and several others went back with mules
and horses to assist the teams up which are behind. Luke Johnson shot
a very large rattlesnake and brought it to camp for the oil. Roswell
Stevens killed a hare, the nearest like the English hare of any I have
seen in this country. Soon after we arrived here it began to lightning
and thunder and we had a light shower with a very strong wind. There is
an appearance of more rain which is very much needed indeed. At 6:30
O. P. Rockwell, Joseph Mathews, John Eldridge and Thomas Brown
returned from hunting the two lost horses. They reported that they
went back to within about two miles of where we encamped on Sunday and
looking off towards the river they saw something move in the grass at
the foot of a high mole. They proceeded towards it thinking it was a
wolf, when within about twelve or fourteen rods Porter stopped to shoot
at the supposed wolf. The moment he elevated his rifle, fifteen Indians
sprang to their feet, all naked except the breech cloth, and armed
with rifles and bows and arrows. Each man having a rifle slung on his
back, and his bow strung tight in his hand and about twenty arrows.
The Indians advanced towards them but the brethren motioned and told
them to stop and held their rifles and pistols ready to meet them. When
the Indians saw this they began to holler "bacco! bacco!" The brethren
told them they had not tobacco. One of the Indians came close beside
J. Mathew's horse to shake hands with Mathews but kept his eye on the
horse's bridle. When nearly within reach of the bridle, Brown cocked
his pistol and pointed at the Indian shouting if he did not leave he
would kill him. At which, the Indian seeing the pistol ready to fire,
retreated. The Indians made signs to get the brethren lower down the
river, but the brethren turned their horses to come to camp, thinking
it unsafe to go near to the timber where they expected more Indians
lay in ambush. When the brethren turned to come back the Indians fired
six shots at them with their rifles and the brethren immediately faced
about at which the Indians fled towards the timber below. The brethren
did not shoot at the Indians, even when the Indians shot at them. They
saw the tracks of the horses which are missing and returned satisfied
that Pawnees have got them, and no doubt intended to get the horses on
which the brethren rode, but they met with too stern a reception to
risk an attempt. Some of these same Indians were amongst those who came
into camp when we stopped for dinner near their village, and proves
that they eyed the horses pretty close, and also proves that they have
followed us close ever since. The brethren ran great risks indeed, but
got back safe to camp without harm.
About the same time the brethren returned, a gun accidentally went
off and broke the nigh fore leg of Brother Mathew's horse. Those who
saw the accident state that when the rain came on, some of the men
put their guns in John Brown's wagon, loaded and with the caps on.
Brother Brown threw his coat on the guns, and soon after went to get
his coat and plucking it up, some part of the coat caught the cock
of the gun and raised it so that when the coat slipped off, the gun
went off, and the ball struck the horse's leg on the back side about
half way between the knee and upper joint. The bone was broke entirely
off. There were several men and horses close by the wagon at the time.
The wagon was set on fire, but soon put out with little damage. This
makes four of the best horses lost within the last four days, but the
last circumstance is by far the most painful, and breaks up Brother
Markham's team. Brother Brown made Heber a present of a little antelope
meat. About dark the wind moved to the north and blew strong a little
while and we had a little more rain.