In the winter season, my family usually lived at the Santa Clara
settlement, thirty miles south of the Mountain Meadows, to which place
they moved in the spring, to keep stock during the summer.
Late in the autumn of 1857, a company came along on their way to
California. They brought a letter from President Brigham Young,
directing me to see this company and their effects safely through to
California. They were mostly merchants who had been doing business in
Salt Lake City, and, anticipating difficulty between the people of Utah
and the United States army, were fleeing to the Eastern States by way
of California and the Isthmus of Panama.
When the company arrived in Cedar City, they sent a messenger ahead of
them with the letter to me. Having occasion to go to Cedar City about
the same time, I met the messenger. I directed him to return to the
company and tell them to come on, and I would be with them in time.
I returned to Santa Clara to make some preparations for the journey,
and then started to meet the company on the creek, twelve miles from
the settlement.
When I reached the California road, the company had passed, and was
some distance ahead of me. While traveling to overtake it, I found a
man who had been traveling alone, also in pursuit of the company, with
a view of getting through with it to California.
When I found him he was already in the hands of the Indians, and
stripped of his clothing. They were making calculations to have a good
time with him, as they expressed it, that is, they intended to take him
to their camp and torture him.
The stranger, seeing I had influence with the Indians, begged me to
save his life, and said if I would do so he would serve me as long as
he lived.
I replied that I did not wish any reward for saving him.
In answer to his inquiry, I informed him that I was a "Mormon."
"Well," said he, "I am not a Mormon, but I wish you would save my life."
I assured him that it made no difference to me whether he was a
"Mormon" or not. I told the Indians to bring back his clothing, which
they did, except his shoes, and I took him along with me to the company.
I found a few Indians around the company, and there appeared to be some
excitement. One of the merchants asked me if I could save the ship.
I replied that I could see nothing to hinder me. He said: "You can
take the helm, but do not run it too near the rocks or shoals; we have
plenty of presents for the Indians."
He wished to know what they should do with their animals. I told him I
knew where there was good grass, and I would send two Indians to take
care of them; to let the two Indians have their suppers, and a shirt
each when they brought in the animals in the morning.
At first they refused to let the animals go. I assured them that if I
was to direct matters, I should do it in my own way.
After some consultation, they concluded to let me have my own way. The
animals were sent out to feed in charge of the Indians, but I presume
that some of the company did not sleep much during the night.
The animals were all brought safely into camp in the morning.
After that the company appeared to feel quite safe, and took much pains
to have things move as I directed.
When we had traveled about sixty miles towards Muddy Creek, a Moapat
Indian told me that the Indians on that stream were preparing to attack
the company. I started at daydawn the following morning, and arrived at
the crossing of the Muddy about two hours in advance of the company.
The Indians had collected in the vicinity of the crossing, with the
view of attacking the company when in camp. They believed they could
easily kill the men, and obtain a large amount of spoil.
I called them together, and sat down and smoked a little tobacco with
them, which I had brought along for that purpose. I then said: "You
have listened to my talk in times past; you believe that it is good to
hear and do what I say." They all answered, "Yes."
I then told them I was going through to California with some friends,
Americans and merchants; and that we had brought along many blankets,
shirts and other useful articles. I hoped they would see that none of
the animals were stolen, and if any strayed, they would bring them into
camp. Some of the Indians did not readily consent to let the company
pass in peace.
For further security, I sent for their women and children to come out
of their hiding place, where they had been sent for safety, as is the
custom of the Indians when preparing for battle.
I had matters in a much better shape on the arrival of the company than
I found them. I was careful to listen to all the talk of the Indians,
and spent the evening and also the night with the largest collection of
them, so that they could not make any general move without my knowledge.
We continued our journey across the fifty-six mile desert to Los Vegas
springs. There we met Brothers Ira Hatch and Dudley Leavitt, on their
return from a mission to the Mohave Indians.
Those Indians, on the arrival of these brethren among them, took their
horses, and then held a council to decide whether they should kill the
brethren or not. The chief called a vote of his people, and it was
decided that the brethren should die.
A Piute friend who had accompanied the Elders from Las Vegas, began to
mourn over their fate, and said to them, "I told you that the Mohaves
would kill you if you came here, and now they are going to do it."
Brother Hatch told their Piute friend, who acted as interpreter, to
tell the Mohave chief, Chanawanse, to let him pray before he was killed.
The chief consented, and Brother Hatch knelt down among the
bloodthirsty savages, and asked the Lord to soften their hearts, that
they might not shed their blood. He also said more that was appropriate
to the occasion.
The prayer was repeated in measured sentences by the interpreter.
It had the desired effect. The heart of the chief was softened. He took
the brethren to his lodge, and put them at the farther end of it, in
a secure place. There he guarded them until nearly morning, then told
them to go as fast as they could to Las Vegas, eighty miles distant.
They traveled this distance on foot, and with but little food. When I
met them they were living on muskeet bread. This is an article of food
manufactured from a pod resembling that of a bean, which grows on the
muskeet tree. These circumstances were related to me by the Elders when
we met.
At Las Vegas I learned that the Indians there expected that the company
would have been massacred at the Muddy Creek.
After we left this watering place, three Indians followed us and made
an effort to steal. They were brought into camp and guarded until
morning. The remainder of the journey we had no more trouble with the
Indians.
We met companies of our people on their way from San Bernardino to Utah.
I was engaged the remainder of the autumn and the winter of 1857-8, on
the road between the Santa Clara and Las Vegas springs, in assisting
the Saints who were moving to Utah.
On the return of spring I removed my family, as was my custom, to the
Mountain Meadows, to take care of our stock.