hard-hearted wretch, "for I'll be d——d if you can ride." "Oh, well," said the old man, "I suppose I shall draw till I die." He took out his watch. "A quarter of four. It will soon be over. Ten minutes. Oh dear; oh, my God! Five minutes to four,—four;"—and the old man fell down in his place,—he was dead.
Every day witnessed the death of large numbers by cold and starvation. Those who survived were more like walking skeletons than human beings. They were covered with vermin, and loathsome to behold. Some were so badly frozen that their flesh fell from their bones. Many remained disabled for life.
"Oh Religion! what crimes are perpetrated in thy name!" When Mormons speak of the hand-cart company, they shudder and grow pale. All this suffering was the result of an attempt, on the part of the leaders of the church, to save a still larger sum from the emigration fund. It was a speculative experiment, which was never repeated. These people bought their carts with their own money; but on their arrival in Salt Lake, the carts were claimed by Brigham, in behalf of the church, and were afterwards sold from the tithing-office at five dollars each.
FOOTNOTES:
[143:A] Persons who are known to possess property, are called upon to pay for seats in the temple. A lady residing in one of the northern settlements, was cajoled into paying £50 for that purpose. The good lady, upon arriving in Utah, found that the famous temple, in which she had purchased a seat, was scarcely above its foundations.
[147:A] Jour. of Dis., Vol. I. p. 340.
[148:A] Jour. of Dis. Vol. I. p. 202.