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
On taking stock of provisions, we found about twenty day's rations. No
salt or bread excepting a few crackers. There was at least five months
of winter before us and nothing much to eat but a few perishing cattle
and what game we might chance to kill. The game was not very certain,
as the severe storms had driven everything away. The first move was to
fix up the fort. Accordingly Brother Alexander, being a practical man,
was appointed to manage the business; Brother Hampton was to see about
the cattle.
I followed the train this day to their second encampment and the next
day traveled with them. There was much suffering, deaths occurring
often. Eph Hanks arrived in camp from the valley and brought word that
some of the teams that had reached South Pass and should have met us
here, had turned back towards home and tried to persuade Redick Allred,
who was left there with a load of flour, to go back with them. The men
who did this might have felt justified; they said it was no use going
farther, that we had doubtless all perished. I will not mention their
names for it was always looked upon by the company as cowardly in the
extreme.
If this had not occurred it was the intention of Captain Grant to have
sent some one down to us with a load of flour. As it was, by the time
any was received, the people were in a starving condition, and could
not spare it.
From the third camp, where I saw the last of the brethren, an express
was sent on to catch the returning supplies and continue on to the
valley, giving word that the train was coming. I know nothing more
of them except from reports. As I am writing mainly from my own
observations, I will simply state that after great suffering and much
assistance (hundreds turning out to help) the emigrants were finally
landed in the valley.
CHAPTER XIV.
We kill our Cattle to keep Them from Wolves--Visit from Two
Brethren--Letter from President Young--A Mail Company nearly Perishes.
I left the company feeling a little downcast, to return to Devil's
Gate. It was pretty well understood that there would be no relief
sent us. My hopes were that we could kill game. We had accepted the
situation, and as far as Capt. Grant was concerned he had done as much
as he could for us. There was more risk for those who went on than for
us remaining.
On returning to camp, I found that the cattle left were very poor. The
weather had moderated and we hoped to get them on good feed and recruit
them a little. Over two hundred head of cattle had died in the vicinity
of the fort. Along the road each way for a day's travel were carcases.
This led droves of prairie wolves into our camp, it was almost
impossible to keep them off from the cattle in the day time. We were
obliged to corral them at night. Once in the day time a small bunch was
taken and run off in spite of the efforts of the herders to stop them.
In fact, it became dangerous to face these wolves, they were at times
almost ready to attack men.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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