The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt: One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry, and TravelsPratt, Parley P. (Parley Parker)
Religion
The Autobiography of Parley Parker Pratt: One of the Twelve Apostles of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Embracing His Life, Ministry, and Travels
Pratt, Parley P. (Parley Parker)
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints -- Apostles -- Biography; Pratt, Parley P. (Parley Parker), 1807-1857
After journeying for several hundred miles up the Platte, we at
length met two messengers from the pioneers under President Young,
from Salt Lake Valley. These were P. Rockwell and E. T. Benson; who
had been sent out to try to find us and report our progress and
circumstances. Having visited all the camps, they returned to the
valley, or rather to where they met the President and pioneers, on
their way back to Winter Quarters on the Missouri. I accompanied
them back nearly one day's ride on the way, and then bid them God
speed, and returned to my own camp. Soon after this our fifty met
the President and company of pioneers and camped with them one day.
A council was called, in which I was highly censured and
chastened by President Young and others. This arose in part from
some defect in the organization under my superintendence at the Elk
Horn, and in part from other misunderstandings on the road. I was
charged with neglecting to observe the order of organization
entered into under the superintendence of the President before he
left the camps at Winter Quarters; and of variously interfering
with previous arrangements. In short, I was severely reproved and
chastened. I no doubt deserved this chastisement; and I humbled
myself, acknowledged my faults and errors, and asked forgiveness. I
was frankly forgiven, and, bidding each other farewell, each
company passed on their way. This school of experience made me more
humble and careful in future, and I think it was the means of
making me a wiser and better man ever after.
After bidding farewell to the President and pioneers, and to my
own brother, Orson Pratt, who was one of them, we continued our
journey; and after many toils, vexations and trials, such as
breaking wagons, losing cattle, upsetting, etc., we arrived in the
Valley of Great Salt Lake late in September, 1847. Here we found a
fort commenced and partly built by the pioneers, consisting of an
enclosure of a block of ten acres with a wall, or in part of
buildings of adobes or logs. We also found a city laid out and a
public square dedicated for a Temple of God. We found also much
ground planted in late crops, which, however, did not mature, being
planted late in July; although there were obtained for seed a few
small potatoes, from the size of a pea upward to that of half an
inch in diameter. These being sound and planted another year
produced some very fine potatoes, and, finally, contributed mainly
in seeding the territory with that almost indispensable article of
food.
After we had arrived on the ground of Great Salt Lake City we
pitched our tents by the side of a spring of water; and, after
resting a little, I devoted my time chiefly to building temporary
houses, putting in crops, and obtaining fuel from the mountains.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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