An English officer, writing to his friend in England, from Ching Keang Foo, says--"I never saw such loss of life and property as took place here: we lost officers and men enough, but it is impossible even to compute the loss of the Chinese; for when they found they could stand no longer against us, they cut the throats of their wives and children, or drove them into wells and ponds, and then destroyed themselves. In many houses there were from eight to twelve bodies, and I myself have seen a dozen women and children drowning themselves in a small pond the day after the fight. The whole of the city and suburbs are a mass of ruins: whole streets have been burnt down." Oh, the horrors of Christian warfare! About one o'clock in the afternoon I started for Shokoquon, with Mr. John B. Cowan and Elders Orson Hyde and Parley P. Pratt, in sleighs. When we came on the prairie, it was so extremely cold, I proposed to Mr. Cowan to wait till tomorrow; but he chose to go forward, and we arrived in safety at Mr. Rose's, where we had supper; and in the evening I gave a long exposition of Millerism. That night I slept with Mr. Cowan. {278} CHAPTER XV. VISIT OF THE PROPHET TO SHOKOQUON--WOOD CUTTING BEE--THE PROPHET'S SPEECH ON CONDITIONS AT NAUVOO--ON THE COMING OF THE SON OF MAN. [Sidenote: The Visit to Shokoquon.] _Thursday, February 16, 1843_.--After breakfast, we [the Prophet, Mr. Cowan and their party] proceeded towards Shokoquon. After traveling five miles, Brothers Hyde and Pratt's sleigh upset. Brother Hyde hurt his hand; the horse ran away, and we brought it back. After dinner, at McQueen's Mills, we went to Shokoquon, viewed the place and found it a very desirable location for a city, when we returned to the place where we dined. Elder Hyde prayed and I preached to a large and attentive audience two hours (from Rev. xix, 10), and proved to the people that any man that denied himself as being a prophet was not a preacher of righteousness. They opened their eyes, and appeared well pleased. When we had returned as far as McQueen's Mills, Mr. Cowan halted and proposed to call. While waiting a moment, Mr. Crane's horse, (Mr. Crane came with our company,) which was behind us, ran and jumped into our sleigh as we jumped out, and thence over our horse and the fence, sleigh and all, the sleigh being still attached to the horse, and the fence eight rails high; and both horses ran over lots and through the woods, clearing themselves from the sleighs, and had their frolic out without hurting themselves or drivers. It was a truly wonderful feat, and as wonderful a deliverance for the parties. We took supper at Mr. Crane's, and I stayed at Mr. Rose's that night. {279} Dr. Richards invited the brethren to come to my house on Monday next to chop and pile up my wood. [Sidenote: The Prophet at Home.]