FESTIVITIES AMONG THE SAINTS.

251

New-year's day was ushered in at Winter Quarters by the firing of cannon.1 There were frequent assemblies for dancing, and in February several picnics were held. In inaugurating these festivities, Brigham told the people he would show them how to go forth in the dance in an acceptable manner before the Lord, and to the sound of music led the dance. A picnic lasting for three days was also given, at which three hundred of the poor were feasted.

32

33

31 The thermometer was during that week from 2° to 8° below zero, later falling several degrees lower.

32 I then knelt down and prayed to God in behalf of the meeting,...and dedicated the meeting and house to the Lord,...and led forth in the dance.' Hist. B. Young, MS., 1847, 27. In an address Brigham said: 'For some weeks past I could not wake up at any time of the night but I heard the axe at work,...and now my feelings are, dance all night if you desire to do so.' p. 48. "The "Silver Greys" and spectacled dames,...some nearly a hundred years old,...dancing like ancient Israel.' p. 49.

33 There were 117 poor adults,...divided into three wards... Shortly after noon I met with 66 of my family, including my adopted children.' Id.,

p. 53.

CHAPTER X.

MIGRATION TO UTAH.

1847.

CAMP NEAR THE MISSOURI-PREPARATIONS AT WINTER QUARTERS-DEPARTURE OF THE PIONEER BAND-ELKHORN RENDEZVOUS-ROUTE AND ROUTINE-INCIDENTS OF JOURNEY-APPROACH TO ZION-IN THE CAÑONHOSANNA! HALLELUJAH!-ENTRY INTO THE VALLEY OF THE GREAT SALT LAKE PLOUGHING AND PLANTING-PRAYING AND PRAISING-SITE FOR A CITY CHOSEN-TEMPLE BLOCK SELECTED-Return OF COMPANIES TO WINTER QUARTERS-THEIR MEETING WITH THE WESTWARD-BOUND -GENERAL EPISTLE OF THE TWELVE.

In the spring of 1847 we find the saints still in camp in the vicinity of the Missouri. Considering what they had been called upon to undergo, they were in good health and spirits. There is nothing like the spiritual in man to stimulate and sustain the physical; and this result is equally accomplished by the most exalted piety of the true believer, or by the most stupid fanaticism or barbaric ignorance; for all of us are true believers, in our own eyes. There is nothing like religion to sustain, bear up, and carry men along under trying circumstances. They make of it a fight; and they are determined that the world, the flesh, and the devil shall not conquer.

In the present instance it was of course a miracle in their eyes that so many of their number were preserved; it was to this belief, and to the superhuman skill and wisdom of their leader, and partly to their own concert of action, that their preservation was due.

Frequent meetings had been held by the council to consider plans for further explorations by a pioneer

DEPARTURE OF THE PIONEER BAND.

253

band.1 A call was made for volunteers of young and able-bodied men, and in April a company was organized, with Brigham Young as lieutenant-general, Stephan Markham colonel, John Pack major, and fourteen captains. The company consisted of 143 persons, including three women, wives of Brigham Young, Lorenzo Young, and Heber C. Kimball. They had 73 wagons drawn by horses and mules, and loaded chiefly with grain and farming implements, and with provisions which were expected to last them for the return journey.

Early in April a detachment moved out of Winter Quarters for the rendezvous on the Elkhorn, and on the 14th the pioneer band, accompanied by eight members of the council, began the long journey westward in search of a site for their new Zion. If none were found, they were to plant crops and establish a settlement at some suitable spot which might serve as a base for future explorations.*

The route was along the north branch of the Platte, and for more than 500 miles the country was bare of

1 The octagon house of Dr Richards in which the council met is described as a queer-looking thing, much resembling a New England potato-heap in time of frost. 'Council voted a load of wood for each day they met in his house.' Hist. B. Young, MS., 1847, 2.

2 Woodruff's Journal, MS., Apr. 17, 1847.

John Taylor, Parley Pratt, and Orson Hyde were engaged in missionary work abroad. Pratt's Autobiog., 383.

The impression was that they would reach as soon as possible 'the foot of the mountains somewhere in the region of the Yellowstone River, perhaps at the fork of Tongue River, say 2 days' ride north of the Oregon road, and a week's travel west of Ft Laramie...I informed Bishop Miller that when we moved hence it would be to the great basin.' Hist. B. Young, MS., 79. No one knew whither they were going, not even the leaders. We have learned by letter to Elder G. D. Watt that a company left Council Bluffs for the mountains on the 12th of April to seek a location for a stake in Zion.' Millennial Star, ix. 235. The pioneers started for the mountains to seek out a resting-place for the saints.' Brown's Testimonies for the Truth, 26. In Niles' Register, lxxii. 206 (May 29, 1847), we read: 'Their intention is to proceed as far as possible up to the period of necessary planting-time, when they will stop and commence a crop. The leaders will make but a short delay at this point, and will proceed over into California and communicate with or join the disbanded forces of the Mormon battalion, whose period of service will expire about the 1st of July next.' 'When President Young was questioned by any of the pioneers as to the definite point of our destination, all he could say to them was, that he would know it when he should see it.' Erastus Snow, in Utah Pioneers, 33d ann., 44.

vegetation. Roused by the call of the bugle at five o'clock in the morning, they assembled for prayers; then they breakfasted, and upon a second call of the bugle at seven o'clock they started, and travelled about twenty miles for the day. At night the note of the bugle sent each to his own wagon to prayers and at nine o'clock to bed. They rested on Sunday, giving up the day to fasting and prayer. They were careful in marching to preserve order, with loaded guns and powder-horn ready. And the better to present a compact front, the wagons were kept well together, usually two abreast where the ground would permit, and the men were required to walk by the wagons. They felled cotton-wood trees for their horses and

cattle to browse upon, and at last were obliged to feed them from the grain, flour, and biscuit they carried, subsisting meanwhile themselves on game and fish. In the valley of the Platte roamed such vast herds of buffaloes that it was often necessary to send parties in advance and clear the road before the teams could pass. At night the wagons would be drawn up in a semicircle on the bank, the river forming a defence upon one side. The tongues of the wagons were on the outside, and a fore wheel of each was placed against the hind wheel of the wagon before it; all the horses and cattle were brought inside of the enclosure. The corral thus formed was oblong, with an

2

JOURNEY OF THE PIONEERS.

255

opening at either end, where was stationed a guard. The tents were pitched outside of the corral.5

In crossing the Loup River on the 24th, they used a leathern boat made for this expedition, and called The Revenue Cutter. On the 4th of May letters were sent back to Winter Quarters by a trader named Charles Beaumont. On the 22d they encamped at Ancient Bluff Ruins. Here the spirits of the people reached such high hilarity that their commanding

officer was obliged to rebuke them, whereupon all covenanted to humble themselves."

Early in June they reached the Black Hills by way of Fort Laramie.' Here they rested for two or three

Woodruff's Journal, MS., April 19, 1847. On May 4th they 'established a post-office and guide system for the benefit of the next camp following. Every ten miles...we put up a guide-board.'

6I have told the few who did not belong to the church that they were not at liberty to introduce cards, dancing, or iniquity of any description.' Hist. B. Young, MS., 1847, 90.

Fort John, or Laramie, was occupied by James Bordeaux and about eighteen French half-breeds and a few Sioux...There had been no rain for the last two years...Two or three of us visited Mr Bordeaux at the fort.