It was decided to remain here today to rest the teams, but our ten
obtained leave to go on to Sweet Water, expecting to meet the company,
and after reading the letter of instructions from the council to
this camp, my wagon proceeded on slowly. At the Springs, we saw
an aged Indian squaw near the road dwelling in a shelter composed
merely of wild sage and apparently dependent on passing emigrants
for subsistence. She is doubtless left to perish on account of age
and infirmity, but it is likely she will live some time on what she
receives from those who pass by. When we arrived near the summit of the
dividing ridge or south pass, two Indians rode towards us and motioned
for us to stop. Not seeing the other wagons coming after, we stopped to
wait for the wagons and the Indians soon arrived. They made signs that
a large party of them were over the mountain north and they wanted to
"swap." While they were conversing a number more rode over the ridge
and soon after a still larger number. About this time the wagons came
in sight and when the brethren saw so many Indians they were alarmed.
John Pack rode back to the main camp to get some of the brethren to
come up, but J. R. said he would not budge a foot. The brethren
behind were much alarmed, some expecting to be scalped and one W. Carr
ran and hid himself in the sage bushes. No one returned with John Pack
but Norman Taylor and the wagons proceeded towards us. In the meantime,
after learning the object for which the Indians sought us, that none of
them were armed except two, and by a certificate that the first visitor
was a Shoshone chief, Brother Lamb and myself signified that we would
trade with them and soon some of them returned with antelope, buck and
elk skins and robes to trade. I traded some balls and a little powder
for one robe, one elk skin, two buckskins and nine antelope skins and
a pair of moccasins. Lamb bought five antelope skins. While we were
trading, the other wagons arrived and also commenced trading. The
Indians, about sixty in number, about twenty of them boys, all mounted,
seemed highly pleased to trade with us which we did mostly through the
chief. By request of the chief, I gave him a certificate stating that
he appeared friendly and wanted to trade with the whites, etc. The
chief gave us a very strong invitation to go to their camp to trade and
made signs that they would feed us well and we should sleep with them.
I answered him by signs that we should camp when we arrived where the
road crossed the Sweet Water but they were very anxious to have us then
turn off the road and camp. After we started, the chief came up and
wanted to swap a good mule for my spy glass but I refused. I had let
him look through it and he seemed very wishful to try it. When they saw
we were determined to go on, they left us and returned to their camp
while we pursued our journey to the first crossing of Sweet Water where
we arrived and camped at six o'clock, having traveled fourteen miles.