The camp had scarcely been set in motion when news of the arrival of John Taylor from Great Britain caused the Twelve to return again to Winter Quarters. This time they were accompanied by Wilford Woodruff who succeeded in adding to his equipment another horse for the journey. These reunions in the midst of troublous times were heartfelt demonstrations of brotherly love and mutual good will. The importance of Elder Taylor's return was enhanced by the fact that he had brought with him two sextants, two barometers, two artificial horizons, one circle of reflection, and one telescope, which were highly valuable for the acquisition of important data along the journey. The next return of the leaders to the camp of the pioneers was final and the journey was taken up with renewed enthusiasm and a determination to move on unremittingly to the goal of their undertaking.
The first week of the journey was passed in reaching and crossing the Elk Horn River which flows into the Platte whose banks were soon to be, for most of the distance, the guide of the pioneers. It is a stream whose small tributaries were to give the Saints considerable trouble in their efforts to get their wagons and teams over the treacherous quicksands that were common along the banks of the Platte in eastern Nebraska.
It was during these early days that Jesse C. Little returned from the Eastern States mission. He brought with him presents for the Twelve from friends in the East. "Col. Kane had sent me a patent life preserver and a stop compass." Brothers Little, Rockwood, and Reading returned to Winter Quarters next morning (April 16), and the company continued four miles up the Platte. "Before we left this morning, the camp came together and was organized as a military body into companies of hundreds, fifties, and tens. Stephen Markham and A. P. Rockwood were appointed captains of hundreds." Of this organization Brigham Young was Lieutenant General and Wilford Woodruff was appointed captain of the first ten, an appointment which characterized the man. His nervous energy, his untiring effort, his prompt and ready action naturally fitted him for the leading captain.
"The camp consisted of seventy-three wagons, one hundred and forty-three men, three women, and two children, making in all one hundred and forty-eight souls. The general orders from Brigham Young for the camp were as follows: 'The whole regiment was to journey in a compact body as they were in an Indian country, and every man was to carry his gun loaded. The caplocks were to be shut on a piece of buckskin with the caps ready to slip on in an instant in case of attacks; for flint-locks, guncotton or tow was to be put in the pan and the powder flask kept handy to prime without delay. Every man was to walk by the side of his wagon and not to leave it except sent away by order.' The object of all this caution was to prevent accident, for strict discipline was necessary while traveling through a hostile Indian country.
"On Saturday, the 17th," continues Wilford Woodruff, "some traders came down from the Pawnees and camped with us over night; they had plenty of buffalo meat dried, and gave us what we needed, and informed us that we were in two days' drive of a large band of Pawnees.
"On the following morning President Young called the captains together and gave the following instructions: 'We were to start in the morning, two wagons abreast. All who were not driving teams were to carry their guns and walk beside the wagons, and no man was to go hunting or get out of sight of the wagons. In the morning the bugle was to be blown at five o'clock and the pioneers were to arise and pray, cook, eat, and feed the horses and start at the call of the bugle at seven o'clock. In the evening the bugle was to be blown at half past eight when all were to go to prayers in their several wagons and retire by nine o'clock. Each Saturday night we were to pitch what tents we had and prepare our camps for rest on the Sabbath.'
"On the morning of the 19th of April, Prof. Pratt took an observation and found the latitude to be 41 degrees 27 minutes and 5 seconds. The point of observation was on the north bend of the Platte, 10 1/2 miles north of where the Saints had crossed the river. It was while camping at this place that Elder Little overtook the Saints on his return from the Eastern States mission. On the evening of that day we camped near a grove of timber on the banks of the Platte where we formed a semi-circle. The river on one side was our defense, and one of the four wheels of each wagon was driven up to the back wheel of the wagon ahead of it, and all the horses and cattle were taken into the corral thus formed so that we might be secure against the Indians. There was a hard wind during the night and the morning was fair with a strong southwest wind which covered our wagons with sand dust."
At this season of the year, the grass was not sufficiently high and matured for suitable feed for the horses; and during the early part of the journey cottonwood trees were cut down in order that the horses might gnaw off the bark and browse from the limbs, a kind of food which the horses at this season of the year seemed to enjoy. The ration of corn for each horse was two quarts per day.
On Tuesday, the 20th, three islands in the Platte River were reached, the largest of which, including an area of about ten acres, was covered with timber. Thereafter for miles along the river there continued a chain of islands.
It was about this time that they approached the inhabited territory of the Pawnee Indians who were somewhat given to petty thefts, but not so dangerous as the Sioux. Here and there individual Indians of the Pawnee tribe would approach in concealment in the grass the horses of the pioneers and a few were stolen, presumably by the Indians. What caused the Pawness to gather in villages about 150 miles from the Missouri River was doubtless the presence of large herds of buffaloes, and the further fact that they were far removed from the outposts of civilization on that great river.