SURROUNDED BY INDIANS—PREPARE FOR AN ATTACK—SIGN OF PEACE—A LETTER—PIPE OF PEACE—THREE OF US ACCOMPANY THE INDIANS TO THEIR CAMP—CHAGRIN AT THE REPULSE—ROAD SWEPT CLEAR OF SNOW—MISSOURI RIVER FROZEN OVER—WE CROSS ON THE ICE, WHICH BREAKS AS THE LAST WAGON LEAVES IT.
In the latter part of October, 1849, a number of missionaries started from Salt Lake Valley to go to the States, among whom were several of the Twelve, who were going to introduce the gospel to foreign lands. Elder Erastus Snow was appointed to Denmark, Lorenzo Snow to Italy, myself, in company with John Pack and Curtis E. Bolton, to France, and Franklin D. Richards to England. We were accompanied to the States by Elder Jedediah M. Grant, Bishops Edward Hunter, A. O. Smooth, Edwin D. Woolley, Joseph Heywood and a number of other Elders and brethren. Several merchants also accompanied the expedition.
While journeying, we had a variety of singular adventures, and experienced some remarkable interpositions of providence during the trip, some of which I will relate.
When we arrived at a point some distance west of Laramie, as we turned out our horses, at noon, suddenly a large body of Indians, amounting in number to a hundred or a hundred and fifty, appeared in sight.
They were evidently on the lookout for a body of Crows, a hostile tribe of Indians, who had hovered around us for some time on our journey.
As they first came in sight they swept along with all the abandon of the red man, and their appearance was really very imposing. They were perhaps a mile from us when we first saw them.
I was very much interested in their appearance, as they came dashing down upon us on their fiery steeds, in warlike costume.
The manes and tails of their horses were painted various colors; and the Indians themselves, painted and arrayed in their richest and gayest styles, prepared for war, presented a magnificent aspect.
But our personal safety soon led us to other reflections.
While a part of the company immediately gathered up the horses, another part attended to our firearms; and before the Indians reached us, we had formed a line for defense, with our guns and pistols all prepared for anything that might transpire.