Jacob Hamblin: A Narrative of His Personal Experience as a Frontiersman, Missionary to the Indians and Explorer, Disclosing Interpositions of Providence, Severe Privations, Perilous Situations and Remarkable Escapes: Fifth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day SaintsHamblin, Jacob
History
Jacob Hamblin: A Narrative of His Personal Experience as a Frontiersman, Missionary to the Indians and Explorer, Disclosing Interpositions of Providence, Severe Privations, Perilous Situations and Remarkable Escapes: Fifth Book of the Faith-Promoting Series, Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints
Hamblin, Jacob
Frontier and pioneer life -- Utah; Hamblin, Jacob, 1819-1886; Indians of North America -- Utah; Latter Day Saint churches -- Utah
In the spring and summer of 1867 I was called upon to visit the bands
of Indians to the east of the settlements on the Rio Virgen, and
farther north. A number of settlements had been deserted on the Sevier
River, and it was desirable that the temper of the Indians should be so
modified that they could be re-established.
I went east seventy-five miles, to the present location of Kanab. After
gathering around me some of the Indians, and planting some corn and
vegetables, I crossed over the rim of the basin, north, and traveled
down the valley of the Sevier.
I sought out places where the Indians were gathered in the largest
numbers. I had many long talks with them, which seemed to have a good
effect. Although some of the bands were considered quite hostile and
dangerous to visit, I felt that I was laboring for good, and had
nothing to fear.
In the fall of 1867, as soon as the water in the Colorado was low
enough for the Navajos to ford it, I kept close watch of the eastern
frontiers of Southern Utah. I met with quite a number of young Piutes
when I first went into the country. They said they had dreamed that I
was coming out into their country, and they proposed to assist me in
watching the frontiers. They proved to be quite useful in watching the
passes, and waylaid and shot several raiders.
The season of 1868 was spent in a similar manner to that of 1867, in
visiting the Indians in southeastern Utah, and cultivating peace among
them.
In October, 1869, I was requested to make another trip to the Moqui
towns, to talk with the people, and learn, if possible, whether there
were other Indians besides the Navajos raiding on our borders.
I started with a company of forty men, twenty of the brethren and
twenty Piutes. We crossed the Colorado where Lee's Ferry now is. Our
luggage went over on rafts made of floatwood, fastened together by
withes.
On arriving at the Moqui towns, I thought some of the people received
us rather coldly. My old acquaintances told me that the Navajos
intended to make another raid on our people in a short time. I felt
like returning to our settlements immediately.
When we left the towns, I felt much impressed to take the old Ute
trail, and cross the river thirty miles above where we crossed going
out. Some of the company objected to this and made much of the
difficulties of the crossing.
When we came to where a trail led to each of the crossings, I told the
company that I did not know why, but I was satisfied that it was our
duty to go home by the old Ute trail. I was much surprised to find that
more than half of the brethren had made up their minds not to go that
way. I told them if I knew anything about the mind and will of the
Lord, it was for us to go that way.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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