Life of Heber C. Kimball, an Apostle Part 37

108 John S. Higbee.

109 John Wheeler.

110 Solomon Chamberlin.

111 Conrad Klineman.

112 Joseph Rooker.

113 Perry Fitzgerald.

114 John H. Tippitts.

115 James Davenport.

116 Henson Walker.

117 Benjamin W. Rolfe.

118 Norton Jacobs.

119 Charles A. Harper.

120 George Woodard.

121 Stephen Markham.

122 Lewis Barney.

123 George Mills.

124 Andrew S. Gibbons.

125 Joseph Hanc.o.c.k.

126 John W. Norton.

127 Shadrach Roundy.

128 Hans C. Hanson.

129 Levi Jackman.

130 Lyman Curtis.

131 John Brown.

132 Matthew Ivory.

133 David Powell.

134 Hark Lark (colored).

135 Oscar Crosby (colored).

136 Joseph Matthews.

137 Gilburd Summe.

138 John Gleason.

139 Charles Burke.

140 Alexander P. Chessley.

141 Rodney Badger.

142 Norman Taylor.

143 Green Flake (colored).

The above names, with the exception of the first eight (the Apostles) are given in their order, as divided into companies of tens.

The three women who accompanied the pioneers were Ellen Sanders, one of the wives of Heber C. Kimball; Clara Decker, a wife of Brigham Young; and Harriet P. Young, her mother, wife of Lorenzo D. Young. The children were Sobieski Young, son of Lorenzo, and Perry Decker, own brother to Clara Decker Young.

President Brigham Young was the leader of the company, which, as seen, numbered among its members seven others of the Twelve. Apostles Parley P. Pratt, Orson Hyde and John Taylor were absent on missions.

The object of the pioneers, as shown, was to explore the region of the Great Salt Lake, and if possible find a home for the Saints in the midst of the Rocky Mountains. A few leaves from Heber's pioneer journal will now be interesting. He writes:

"On the 5th day of April, 1847, I started with six of my teams and went out about four miles, where I formed an encampment with several others of my division. The same day I returned home and remained in Winter Quarters during the conference on the 6th. On the 7th and 8th I was still making preparations for my journey, and called my family together and spent some time in giving them instructions, blessing them and dedicating and consecrating them to the Most High G.o.d."

Horace K. Whitney, one of the pioneers and Heber's son-in-law, who was present at this family meeting, in his own journal says:

"Brother Kimball expressed his feelings at length. He said that any person who attempted to come into his family and sow discord among them, and promote disunion, and strive to alienate their minds from him in his absence, would be cursed. 'Don't you think so, Brother Whitney?' addressing my father. Father replied, 'Yes.' He further observed that there was not that person living in the world in whom he placed more confidence than he did in Bishop Whitney, and that there was no person in the world who would have so much influence in his (Brother K's.) absence as Bishop Whitney, and he recommended him to them as a worthy, good and exemplary man, to counsel them in his absence. He told his wife Vilate that if any person should presume to come into his house and speak against him, or any member of his family, while he was gone, to arise and command them to leave the house, _in the name of Heber C. Kimball!_"

"On the 8th," continues Heber, "Brother Parley P. Pratt arrived in Winter Quarters, having returned from his mission to England. Those of the Twelve who had departed, hearing of his arrival, returned, and in the evening we held a council at Dr. Richard's office; and it was a time of rejoicing with us to behold our beloved brother and companion in tribulation. He gave us a history of his mission, and of the success, peace and prosperity of the Saints in England. They had annihilated the Joint Stock Company, cut Reuben Hedlock and Ward off from the Church, who were the instigators of it, being the men we had left to preside there, and who had called the Elders of Israel from their duties of preaching life and salvation, and set them to preaching up joint-stockism to get gain. Now things have changed, and the Elders are all preaching the everlasting Gospel, and an entire reformation has commenced, and may the Lord G.o.d of Israel roll it forth until Israel shall be saved!

"On the 9th the Twelve started again on their journey. My son William carried out President Young, Bishop Whitney (who was going with us a few miles) and myself in my carriage. The whole camp, after our arrival, started out and went to within four miles of Pappea, being about fourteen miles from Winter Quarters, and camped for the night. I lodged in the wagon with President Young, as he had fitted up a wagon for him and me to lodge together through the journey.

"In the course of the evening Bishop Whitney and myself went some distance upon the prairie, where we bowed down before the Lord and both offered up our prayers to the Most High G.o.d in behalf of the pioneers and the Twelve, that they might be protected and upheld and sustained by the Almighty; that His angels might go before them to lead them to a land which the Lord should designate to be a resting place for His people Israel; also in behalf of our families, our wives and children, and all Israel that are left behind.

"In the forenoon of Sunday, the 11th, we arrived at the Elk Horn, which we crossed by means of a raft that had been constructed by some of the first pioneers that went on, at a point two and a half miles south of its junction with the Platte. Seventy-two wagons crossed the 'Horn,' three of which afterwards returned to Winter Quarters, leaving the others to go on with the pioneers. It was not our intention to have encroached on the Sabbath, but the camp were in a disordered state, some being on one side of the 'Horn,' and some on the other, and it was thought wisdom to get them together, lest they should be attacked by Indians and be unprepared for defense."

Leaving the Camp to pursue its journey towards the Platte river, the Apostles with Bishop Whitney now returned to Winter Quarters to greet Elder John Taylor, who had just arrived from Europe, bringing with him over two thousand dollars for the Church. From him they learned that Elder Orson Hyde was also on his way west. On the 15th, Heber, Brigham and others rejoined the Pioneers beyond the Elk Horn.

The camp was now organized as a military body, into companies of hundreds, fifties and tens, agreeable to "the word and will of the Lord," with the following as officers:

Brigham Young, Lieutenant-General; Stephen Markham, Colonel; John Pack and Shadrach Roundy, Majors; Captains of companies, Wilford Woodruff, Ezra T. Benson, Phineas H. Young, Luke Johnson, Stephen H. G.o.ddard, Charles Shumway, James Case, Seth Taft, Howard Egan, Appleton M.

Harmon, John Higbee, Norton Jacobs, John Brown, and Joseph Matthews.

Thomas Bullock was appointed clerk, and Thomas Tanner captain of artillery. The "artillery" consisted of one cannon mounted on a pair of wheels, and taken along to frighten hostile Indians into a due regard for the rights of the pioneers, or to perform more serious execution if found necessary.

General Young instructed the camp as follows: The men were to travel in a compact body, every man to keep his loaded gun in his hand, or, if a teamster, in his wagon, ready for instant use; every man to walk by the side of his wagon unless sent by the officer in command, and the wagons to be formed two abreast, where practicable, on the march.

At the call of the bugle, at five A. M., the pioneers were to arise, a.s.semble for prayers, get breakfast, and be ready to start at the second call of the bugle at seven. At night, at half past eight, at the command from the bugle, each was to retire for prayer in his own wagon, and to bed at nine o'clock. Tents were to be pitched on Sat.u.r.day nights, and the Sabbath kept.

Thus organized and equipped, the pioneers proceeded on their way, traveling up the north bank of the Platte. Towards the latter end of April they found themselves in the heart of the p.a.w.nee Indian country.

"At one o'clock p. m. of April 21st," says Heber, "we stopped to feed beside a long narrow lake, close by the river. As soon as the wagons were formed in a semi-circle on the banks of the lake, a guard was placed to watch the Indians and take care of our teams. Many of the Indians had forded the river and followed us to where we stopped, among the number the grand chief of the p.a.w.nee nation, 'Shefmolun.' He presented several certificates signed by travelers who had previously pa.s.sed through the p.a.w.nee country, all setting forth that the p.a.w.nee chief was friendly and that they had made him presents of a little flour, powder, lead, etc. His object appeared to be to obtain something from the camp. I made him a present of some salt, some tobacco, etc, and President Young also gave him some powder, lead, salt and other articles. Many of the brethren also contributed a little flour, etc. But with all this the old chief did not appear satisfied. He seemed to intimate that he expected larger presents from such a large company, and also said he did not like us to travel through their country, he was afraid we would kill their buffalo and drive them off. This was interpreted by a young man of the tribe who could talk a little English. There was not the least appearance of hostility, but, on the contrary, all who came appeared friendly and pleased to shake hands with us. Brother Shumway says there are about twelve thousand of the p.a.w.nees in this neighborhood, and it is reported there are as many as five thousand warriors among them. We have no fears, however, because their only object appears to be to plunder, and it is the calculation of the brethren to be on the alert and well prepared by night and by day.

"We continued our journey till half past five, and then formed the encampment on the banks of the Loup Fork of the Platte river. The brethren were called together and addressed by President Young in reference to what pa.s.sed at the p.a.w.nee village, their apparent dissatisfaction, etc., and he recommended that we have a strong guard over our horses and around the camp through the night. He then called for volunteers to stand guard, and about one hundred responded, and in the number nearly all the Twelve. President Young and myself both volunteered and stood the first part of the night, till one o'clock.

It was very cold indeed, and about the middle of the night it rained again.

"Thursday, 22nd. Morning fine but cool. We have not been troubled by the Indians, and all is peace and quiet around the camp. The cannon was unlimbered last night and placed outside the wagons, ready for action in case of necessity. There were some merry jokes pa.s.sed this morning on account of two of the picket guard losing their guns, and Colonel Markham losing his hat, during the night. It is reported that they were found asleep on their posts, and those who found them took their guns, etc., to stir up their minds by way of remembrance and to show what the Indians might do while they were sleeping on guard. It is easy to suppose that after the brethren have traveled twenty miles in the day, taken care of their teams, made fires and cooked their victuals, and stood guard night after night, that it will require some energy to keep themselves awake."

The Loup Fork was crossed with difficulty and considerable danger, owing to the quicksands. Heber and others leaped into the stream, at one time, to prevent some of the wagons being overturned. A couple of rafts were built, and the sands packing down more firmly as the horses continued fording, the pa.s.sage was finally effected without accident or loss. During the next few days, however, several valuable horses were lost, two of them being killed by the accidental discharge of guns, and the others stolen by Indians.

Several of the brethren were shot at by Indians, while out hunting for the stolen animals.

The camp was quite complete in its equipment, industrial, military, literary and otherwise. Ever and anon, as often as the wagons needed repairs, Burr Frost the blacksmith and his a.s.sistants would put up their portable forge and reset the tires of wheels, etc. William Clayton and Willard Richards, scribes and historians, invented a machine to measure the distance. This was done by driving a nail into one of the spokes of a wagon wheel, which at every revolution was made to strike upon a saw projecting from the wagon. The circ.u.mference of the wheel being known, the number of its revolutions indicated the distance.

The country through which they were pa.s.sing is thus described: "The country is beautiful and pleasing to the eye of the traveler, notwithstanding there is only the same kind of scenery from day to day, namely, on the left the majestic Platte, with its muddy waters rolling over the universal beds of quicksands, the river frequently hid from view by the many handsome cottonwood groves; before and behind, on the right and left, a vast level prairie, and on the right at a distance the continued range of majestic bluffs. There is a loveliness and beauty connected with the scenery from day to day, but the country is not at all calculated for farming purposes, not only on account of the scarcity of timber, but also on account of the sandy nature of the whole surface of land."

CHAPTER LIV.

ARRIVAL AT GRAND ISLAND--THE PIONEER BUFFALO HUNT--HEBER KILLS HIS FIRST BISON--THE SPIRIT OF LEVITY REBUKED--THE PIONEERS REACH FORT LARAMIE.

About the 1st of May the Pioneers reached Grand Island. Here the prairies swarmed with buffalo, in herds of tens of thousands. A grand hunt was indulged in by the brethren, most of whom had never seen a buffalo before, and after much exciting sport, ten of the animals were killed and brought to camp. The following sketch, descriptive of this, the first buffalo hunt of the Pioneers, is from the graphic pen of Horace K. Whitney:

"Some time before we arrived here, we saw through a spy-gla.s.s three buffalo grazing on the top of the bluff to our right, some five or six miles. Two or three footmen went out in pursuit, also three hors.e.m.e.n, viz., Porter Rockwell, Thomas Brown and Luke Johnson. Just before we arrived here we saw a large herd some distance in advance of us, also about five or six miles to our right. Brother O. Pratt counted seventy-four by the aid of his spy-gla.s.s. They are now quite visible from our present stopping place. It is about fifty yards across the channel to Grand Island at this place. We traveled about four miles and crossed a slough or pond, which 'puts up' from the river, about noon. Soon after, Porter, T. Brown and Luke Johnson returned. They had wounded, as they supposed mortally, two buffaloes, which, however, managed to get away from them. About one o'clock p.m., we descried, at the distance of five or six miles to our right, on the side of the hill or bluff, two or three herds of buffalo grazing. An immediate halt was made. A band of ten or twelve hors.e.m.e.n (hunters) speedily collected and made arrangements for the chase. They soon got ready and started. Brother Heber soon followed. The wagons traveled along slowly, being in full view of the chase. The hors.e.m.e.n took a circuitous route, in order to head the herd, but were prevented from doing so immediately by an unforeseen occurrence. An antelope pa.s.sing by near us was shot at by one of the brethren (a footman) but the shot did not take effect. Directly the animal made towards the bluff, seeing which, two dogs went off in full chase.

The three went right among the buffaloes which, alarmed at the appearance of the dogs, began to move off. Soon after, the hors.e.m.e.n made their appearance upon the brow of the hill.