Forty Years Among the Indians: A true yet thrilling narrative of the author's experiences among the nativesJones, Daniel W. (Daniel Webster)
History
Forty Years Among the Indians: A true yet thrilling narrative of the author's experiences among the natives
Jones, Daniel W. (Daniel Webster)
Frontier and pioneer life -- West (U.S.); Indians of North America; Latter Day Saint pioneers -- Biography
We Visit the Governor of Arizona--An Indian Country--My Talk with the
Natives--The Custom Officer--He Favors our Entry into Mexico.
On leaving the Gila our route led to Tucson. We crossed the eighty-five
mile desert where the Battalion suffered so much for water. When we
crossed there were two wells furnishing good, pure water. One, two
hundred feet deep, where there was a small stock ranch and station. For
support, the owner sold water to travelers.
At Tucson we received a letter from Brigham Young, from which I will
give a short extract, dated, Salt Lake City, November, 8th, 1875.
"Since your departure from Salt Lake City on your way southward, more
than one hundred and fifty have been called to aid in the building up
of the Kingdom of God, in various parts of the earth. Among these, a
party have started in charge of Elder James S. Brown, who intends to
winter somewhere in the neighborhood of the Moencoppy (without a more
suitable place is found) and from there spread out as opportunity
offers."
At Tucson, we found quite a number of white residents. This old town
has been so well described by many writers, that I will simply say,
it never was, is not now, and never will be much. Its only merit is
in its being so very old; some two hundred and seventy-one years. Our
intention had been to go from Tucson to Sonora. But at the time there
was a hot revolution under way, and everything was in confusion. There
was no safety whatever for anyone entering the country.
We had a letter of introduction from C. T. Hayden of Tempe to Gov.
Safford who resided in Tucson. We had a pleasant visit with his
excellency. Mr. Safford is much respected by the inhabitants of
Arizona, he having been the framer of the Arizona public school
system, which is acknowledged to be excellent. From the Governor we
received a letter to Mr. Jeffries, the Indian agent at Apache Pass. We
were invited to preach in the court house at Tucson, and had a good
attendance and attention.
The _Police Gazette_ had me pictured out as being rotten-egged by a lot
of women, while preaching in a town in Arizona. Tucson was the only
town we preached in, in Arizona, while on this mission. So much for
sensational reports.
Owing to the unsettled state of affairs in Sonora, we concluded to go
farther east and visit El Paso and then go into the state of Chihuahua.
Our mixed outfit, both wagon and pack animals were inconvenient; and
as the roads were good, we concluded to get another wagon. Having sold
some of our animals we had money to spare, so we bought an excellent
wagon from the quartermaster, at the post, near Tucson.
We now had a good outfit. Our wagons took the place of the pack
animals, but we retained our saddle horses.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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