At the same conference, President Kimball spoke on Plural Marriage and declared its divine origin. "Many of you have fought it," he said, "you may continue to fight it until you go down into your graves, and it will still continue to be the work of God, and will still continue through all Eternity."
At that time Elder Parley P. Pratt was appointed to establish a stake of the Church at Horner's ranch in California. Erastus Snow was called on a mission to St. Louis, and Orson Pratt to Cincinnati. Joseph F. Smith, then a boy less than 16 years of age, was called upon his first mission to the Sandwich Islands.
On the 3rd of May, a party of the leaders, of which Elder Woodruff was one, started on a tour of the southern settlements. Their first day's drive was to Union Ward, where the Saints had been counseled to build their homes within a fort, as a protection against the Indians. It appears that to some extent this counsel had been ignored by the people there. In speaking of that fact President Young said: "I am responsible for the counsel I give. If you want to know any more concerning it—do right; pray to the Lord, that you may have His mind revealed and may understand the truth and know for yourselves what lies before you—then you will not question these things, but will go to work and do them with all your might."
In those days there was a special anxiety to protect the people, who were scattering out to form new settlements, against the attacks of the Indians. The people noted the special supervision of their leaders who were constantly directing the settlements which were in time to come to be the strongholds of the Latter-day Saints. Every detail was thought out, and nothing escaped the vigilant watch-care of their Prophet. In his journal Elder Woodruff recorded the remarks of President Young spoken to the people of Pleasant Grove: "Your stacks are so placed that one Indian could fire the whole place, and others could shoot you down. While you were fighting the fire they could kill every man, woman, and child in this place."
The party continued the journey from here to Provo, Springville, and Payson. When they reached Payson they were approaching the Indian country, and the Indian question was discussed. President Young counseled the Saints to feed the Indians and treat them kindly. When the company reached a place about fifteen miles south of Payson an organization was effected: Robert T. Burton was made captain of the guard; W. Woodruff, historian; Parley P. Pratt and John Taylor, chaplains; Edward Hunter, chief bishop; and Dr. Sprague, physician and surgeon.
After leaving Nephi, Elder Woodruff makes this interesting record: "The next day, May 11th, we rode to Chicken Creek and spent the night near Walker and his band. President Young and council tried to talk with him, but he was sulky and not disposed to talk. When we first formed our corral within forty rods of his camp, he gathered all of his warriors and made quite a display, but we did not go to meet them, so they turned their horses out and went to their tents.
"When we called upon Walker, he lay down in the dirt and was averse to talking. Brother Young manifested great patience even when almost any other man would have been exhausted. He went to him and lifted him out of the dirt and finally drew from him a conversation. Walker said he had no spirit, he had no heart, he did not wish to talk. 'I want to sit still and hear President Young and others talk.' President Young gave him some tobacco. The chief said when he had plenty of tobacco all his friends would come and smoke with him, but when he had no tobacco they would stay away from him. President Young then said: 'I have brought some beef cattle for you. I want one killed so you can have a feast while we are here.' Walker then wanted the Mormons to sing before the parties took a smoke. The chief said, 'Ezra T. Benson came, and his heart was good. Diminick Huntington came, and his heart was running.' We then sang, and when this was done Walker said, 'I have not got the spirit of the Lord. If there is anyone here who can give me the spirit of the Lord I wish he would do it.' Speaking further, the old chief said, 'White people in heaven are happy.' An Indian by the name of Tulpidge then spoke amid much crying and tears. He was the Indian who had his wife killed. He said Diminick Huntington had been good to him, and he had not seen him since his child's death. He said: 'We now have good hearts and the Mormons who are now here have good hearts. We can lie down in peace without fear, and I want to live in friendship with this people.'
"We now left the Indian camp and returned to our wagons, but President Young had another talk with Walker the same day. On the following day we again visited Walker's tent, but the chief was still sulky and would not talk. He left his tent and went into the willows while the others talked. The Indians had a sick child which they wished the elders to administer to. President Kimball with Elders Benson and Wells did so, and Dr. Sprague left some medicine for the child and for others who were sick. The Indian said if his sick child died he would have to kill an Indian child or a Mormon child to go with it—this is their tradition. The interpreter told him he must not do it as that was wrong; that when a Mormon child died we did not kill another to go with it and they must not do it. The Indian said that if the child got well, he would go with us. He said Walker was a great chief, and that President Young was a great chief.
"Peteetnet spoke and said they would be good and not steal, neither would they kill anybody, and that anyone could go alone and not be killed. Walker wished President Young to write a letter that he might show to the people and let them know that we were at peace with each other. This, President Young did. Dr. Sprague gave them some medicine, and after a talk of peace and good will from the old chief we shook hands and smoked the pipe of peace. Walker received his presents. We killed a beef and made a great feast for the Indians. They traded blankets for horses and bought two Indians who were prisoners. After making peace we left them and rode on to Sevier River. Walker, Squashead, and many others went with us and spent the night on the Sevier. We made a raft and took our wagons over in an hour and a half. Next day we reached Fillmore, a distance of thirty-five miles."
From Fillmore the party passed through Beaver and Parowan to Cedar City. Here they visited the Iron Works and saw some of the products. Erastus Snow was present and explained to them the difficulties to be contended with in the manufacture of iron, as they were so far from railroads. During this trip the company visited Harmony and then returned to the North, reaching Salt Lake the 30th of the month, having traveled a distance of 574 miles.