CHAPTER LVI.
THE PIONEERS ENTER THE VALLEY—EXPLORING AND COLONIZING—A RENEWAL OF COVENANTS—SELECTION OF INHERITANCES—RETURN OF THE LEADERS TO WINTER QUARTERS.
Heber and Brigham entered the Valley together, on the ever memorable "Twenty-fourth," the day chosen by the Pioneers to celebrate their advent into the chambers of the mountains. As a matter of fact, however, Apostle Orson Pratt with Elder Erastus Snow and others, sent on from Bear River ahead of the main company to break a road over the mountains and through the canyons, had penetrated to and partly explored the Valley three days before. Heber remained behind with the President, who was ill, having contracted the mountain fever.
Arriving at the camp of Elder Pratt, they found that the brethren had pitched their tents beside two small streams of pure water, and were already engaged in ploughing and putting in crops. A shower of rain fell that afternoon.
The next day being the Sabbath, the usual services were held and the sacrament administered to the congregation. The speakers of the day were George A. Smith, Heber C. Kimball, Ezra T. Benson, Wilford Woodruff, Orson Pratt and Willard Richards. The main theme of the discourses, naturally enough, was the "land of promise" in the "mountains of Israel," unto which the God of Jacob had led the vanguard of His covenant people.
The several days ensuing were passed in exploring the land and planning future prospects.
"Monday July 26th," says Heber, "I rode out in company with President Young and the Twelve, to visit some of the high hills which lie a little north of here. We went on a high peak which President Young named 'Ensign Peak,' and from thence had a very pleasing view of the Valley, and a great portion of the Salt Lake. On returning, Elders Richards, Benson and myself bathed in the Warm Springs. We found it very pleasant and refreshing. Brother Mathews and John Brown have been across the Valley to the mountain west, and say it is about sixteen miles to the mountain, but there is no fresh water after leaving the outlet."
Next day, Tuesday the 27th, Elder Amasa Lyman, who with others had left the pioneer camp at Fort Laramie, to meet a detachment of the Battalion at Pueblo and lead them on to the Valley, arrived in advance of his company with Elders Rodney Badger, Roswell Stevens and Samuel Brannan, the last named from California. Says Heber; "I rode out again with President Young and some others to visit the Hot Springs, and counsel on the matter of some of the soldiers of the Battalion accompanying Brother Brannan to San Francisco. Some of the Utah Indians visited the camp during the day and the brethren traded with them. They appeared poor and barely clad. Some of the brethren have been to the mountains to get a log for a skiff.
"Wednesday 28th: Yesterday after riding around a little, we started for the Salt Lake and arrived in sufficient time to bathe in it. The water is much saltier than sea water, and it is supposed it would yield 35 per cent, of pure salt. This morning we started back to camp and at 8 o'clock in the evening I attended a general meeting, when the brethren were addressed by President Young on various subjects. We have selected a place for a city about half a mile north of here, and calculated to lay it off in ten-acre lots, each block to be divided into 8 lots of 1 1/4 acres each, exclusive of the streets.
"Thursday 29th. This morning I went in company with President Young to meet the soldiers and the Pueblo company. We met them in the canyon. The brethren seemed highly pleased to see us. We got back to camp about five o'clock.
"Friday 30th. This morning the Twelve met in council with the officers of the Battalion. In the evening the soldiers were called together and addressed by President Young. The meeting was opened by 'Hosannas,' and closed by requesting the brethren to build a bowery to hold our meetings under.
"Sunday, August 1st, Brother Markham says that there are already about fifty-three acres of land plowed and most of it planted with corn, beans, garden seeds, etc. There have been thirteen plows and three drags at work nearly all the week. At ten o'clock we assembled for meeting in the bowery. It was decided to build a stockade of adobies, and adobie houses, and a number of men were selected to commence making adobies to-morrow.
"We also took a vote to have all the wagons move up and form one camp at the east end of the city."
The foregoing excerpts from Heber's journal will suffice to show the nature of the initial labors of the pioneers in preparing a home for themselves and their brethren and sisters who were to follow them.
A renewal of covenants now took place, the leaders setting the example by being rebaptized. President Young baptized his brethren of the Twelve who were present, confirmed them, and sealed upon them anew their Apostleship. Heber C. Kimball then baptized and confirmed President Young. This event took place on the sixth of August.
In the afternoon of the day following the Apostles selected their inheritances, Heber C. Kimball taking a block north of the Temple, President Young a block east and running south-east, Orson Pratt a block south, Wilford Woodruff a block cornering the Temple block and adjoining Elder Pratt's, George A. Smith a block on the west, and the others lots in the near vicinity.
The same evening Heber baptized fifty-five members of the camp, in City Creek, for the remission of their sins; and the next day, August 8th, the remainder of the camp renewed their covenants by baptism.
At a special conference on the 22nd of August, a stake of Zion was organized, with Father John Smith as President. It was resolved that the city then being built should be called the City of the Great Salt Lake. The various creeks and canyons surrounding were also christened, and, on motion of Heber C. Kimball, the river to the west of the settlement was named the Western Jordan.
In the course of his remarks at this conference. Heber used the following prophetic language: "Brother Brigham is going to be greater than he was; he will be greater in strength, in beauty, and in glory. Call upon God and we shall increase here. Away with the spirit of alienation, and let us be united. This is a paradise to me. It is one of the most lovely places I ever beheld."
Having now established their feet, spiritually and temporally, upon this chosen land, the leaders and pioneers, with most of the returning members of the Battalion, harnessed their teams, and bidding farewell to their brethren and sisters who were to tarry, set out upon the return journey to Winter Quarters.
Several companies were now upon the road under the captaincy of such men as Parley P. Pratt, John Taylor, Edward Hunter, Daniel Spencer and Jedediah M. Grant. On the 4th of September, President Young and his company met Apostle P. P. Pratt and Captain Sessions, with their divisions, on the Little Sandy. Here the quorum of the Twelve held a council, and the President was under the necessity of rebuking two of the Apostles "for undoing what the majority of the quorum had done in the organization of the camps for traveling." Says President Woodruff in his journal: "President Young said he felt eternity resting upon him, and was weighed down to the earth with this work; and that Brother Kimball felt it also, more than any other man except himself. He should chastise any one of the quorum when out of the way. He had done it for our good, and had been constrained to it by the power of God.
"Brother Kimball then addressed President Young: 'I want you, Brother Brigham,' he said, 'to save yourself, for you are wearing down. I feel tender towards you, to live, and if I and my brethren do wrong, tell us of it, and we will repent.'"
On the Sweetwater, they met Apostle Taylor and his company, and were treated by them to a rich feast, prepared as a surprise to the returning pioneers.
The Indians had now commenced to be troublesome, prowling around the camps, stealing horses and cattle, and committing other petty depredations. An exciting though bloodless affray took place between them and the pioneers on the morning of the 21st of September. The brethren were just getting ready to start, when the alarm was given by the men who had been sent out to gather up the horses, that the Indians were "rushing" them—driving them off. The camp flew to arms, just in time to receive the onslaught of the savages, who, emerging from the timbers and firing their guns, charged upon them at full speed. There were at least two hundred mounted warriors. A return volley from the pioneers broke the Indian charge, and the brethren then gave chase, Heber C. Kimball and Wilford Woodruff leading the counter charge with impetuous zeal. Dashing almost alone at the swarming savages, the sight of their daring courage spread consternation among their foes, who broke and fled incontinently.
The old chief who had directed the attack now shouted to his band and proclaimed peace to the pioneers, telling them that he and his warriors were good Sioux, and had mistaken them for Crows or Snakes, with whom they were at war. The brethren thought it good policy to accept the excuse, transparent though it was, and to appear satisfied with the explanation. The chief proposed the smoking of the pipe of peace with them, and wanted the "big chief of his Mormon brothers" to go to his camp. This, however, was not deemed prudent, but Heber, Col. Markham and Apostle Woodruff went instead, hoping thus to recover their horses, eleven of which had been stolen that day, besides many others on the Sweetwater.
Heber and his companions were kindly received by the Indians, who were camped about five miles away, and smoked the pipe of peace with their leading men. Seeing some of the stolen animals in camp, Heber walked deliberately up to them, took their ropes out of the hands of the astonished savages, and coolly returned with them, amid the grunts and approving nods of his swarthy admirers. They named him "the bald-headed chief." Says he:
"I saw quite a number of horses that were stolen from us on the Sweetwater, but President Young suggested that we say nothing about these for the present; but when we should get to Fort Laramie to offer Mr. Bordeaux $100 to procure them for us; inasmuch as it was deemed inexpedient to take them by force, numbering as they did some eight hundred men, and their camp comprising upwards of one hundred lodges. It was chiefly through my own exertions that we recovered the most of the horses, and I verily believe that if I had had a few more men with me of sufficient energy and resolution, while at their camp, I could have secured all of the stolen horses."
It was President Young's wise policy to placate the Indians and win their friendship, for the sake of future emigrations.
At Fort Laramie, President Young, Apostle Kimball and others of the Twelve dined with Commodore Stockton, from the Bay of San Francisco, who was eastward bound.
Continuing on their way, the pioneers and Battalion "boys" arrived in safety at Winter Quarters on the 31st of October. Upon the joy of their meeting with their families and with the Saints, we need not dwell. They found that during their absence peace and prosperity had generally prevailed.