May God reward them both according to their deserts.
CHAPTER IV.
A JOURNEY OF SIXTY MILES WITHOUT FOOD—CONFRONTED BY A BEAR—PASS BY UNHARMED—SURROUNDED BY WOLVES—LOST IN DARKNESS—REACH A CABIN—ITS INMATES—NO SUPPER—SLEEP ON THE FLOOR—THE HARDEST DAY'S WORK OF MY LIFE—TWELVE MILES MORE WITHOUT BREAKFAST—BREAKFAST AND ABUSE TOGETHER.
We arose in the morning, after a good night's rest. I was somewhat lame, from wading in the swamp the night before. We had a good breakfast. Mr. Jereu sent an Indian to see us across the river, and informed us that it was sixty miles to the nearest settlement of either white or red men.
We were too bashful to ask for anything to take with us to eat; so we crossed the river and started on our day's journey of sixty miles without a morsel of food of any kind. What for? To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ, to save this generation.
Think of this, children; think of what the Presidency, the Apostles, and the Elders of this Church have passed through to give you the homes and comforts you now enjoy.
Think of this, ye statesmen and judges of this American nation; ye who are now seeking to destroy God's people in the wilderness, who have gone hungry and naked and have labored for fifty years to save this nation and generation. Cease your exertions to destroy this people, or God will bring you to judgment and destroy your nation, and cast you into outer darkness, where there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth; for the Lord God has spoken it. I must pause; I almost forgot I was writing a narrative.
We started about sunrise and crossed a thirty-mile prairie, apparently as level as a house floor, without shrub or water. We arrived at timber about two o'clock in the afternoon. As we approached the timber a large black bear came out towards us. We were not afraid of him, for we were on the Lord's business, and had not mocked God's prophets as did the forty-two wicked children who said to Elisha, "Go up thou bald head," for which they were torn by bears.
When the bear got within eight rods of us he sat on his haunches and looked at us a moment, and then ran away; and we went on our way rejoicing. We had to travel in the night, which was cloudy and very dark, so we had great difficulty to keep the road. Soon a large drove of wolves gathered around, and followed us. They came very close, and at times it seemed as though they would eat us up.