then, poor fellow, and he never knew what killed him -his head had been cut in, in his sleep. The other groaned as he died. The Delawares (we had four with us) were sleeping at that fire, and they sprang up as the Klamaths charged them. One of them caught up a gun, which was unloaded, but although he could not do execution, he kept them at bay, fighting like a soldier and didn't give up until he died bravely.

"As soon as I had called out, I saw there were Indians in the camp, and I and Owens together cried out: 'Indians!' There were no orde.'s given; things went on too fast, and the Colonel had men with him that didn't need to be told to do their duty. The Colonel and I, Maxwell, Godey and Stepp jumped together-we six-and ran to the assistance of our Delawares. I don't know who fired and who didn't, but I think it was Stepp's shot that killed the Klamath chief, for it was at the crack of Stepp's gun that he fell. He had an English half-ax slung to his wrist by a cord, and there were 40 arrows left in his quiver— the most beautiful and warlike arrows I ever saw. He must have been the bravest man among them from the way he was armed and judging by his cap. When the Klamaths saw him fall thev ran, but we lav, every man with his rifle cocked, until davlight, expecting another attack. In the morning we found by the tracks that from 15 to 20 of the Klamaths had attacked us. They had killed three of our men and wounded one of the Delawares, who scalped the chief, whom we left where he fell. Our dead men we carried on mules; but after going about 10 miles we found it impossible to get them any further through the thick timber, and finding a secret place we buried them under logs and

chips, having no way to dig a grave. It was only a few days before this fight that some of these same Indians had come into our camp, and although we had only meat for two days and felt sure that we should have to eat mules for 10 or 15 days to come, the Colonel divided with them and even had a mule unpacked to give them some tobacco and knives."

Two days later, as the party retraced their way into California in response to orders from Washington that reached them by Lieutenant Gillespie, they came to a village of more than a hundred Klamath warriors. In the encounter which followed, Carson's life was continually exposed. As they galloped up he was in the advance, when he observed an Indian fixing his arrow to let fly at him. Carson leveled his rifle, but it snapped, and in an instant the arrow would have pierced him had not Fremont, seeing the danger, dashed his horse on the Indian and knocked him down. "I owe my life," said Carson, "to those two-the Colonel and his horse, 'Sacramento." Sacramento was a noble California horse which Captain Sutter gave to Colonel Fremont in 1844, and which twice made the distance between Kentucky and the Sacramento valley, where he earned his name by swimming the river after which he was called, at the close of a long day's journey.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE MORMONS.

A short account of the conditions existing at Salt Lake in 1849-50 and the settlement of the valley by the Mormons may prove interesting to my readers. Under the leadership of Brigham Young they had pre ceded our arrival three years, and during that period, by their industry, economy and thrift, had converted much of the land into pleasant homes and were already producing more than was required for their own consumption. Their buildings, it is true, were cheaply constructed, mainly of adobe or dried brick, while their method of living in many respects was very primitive. A spirit of content and happiness appeared to be universal among all classes so far as could be observed. While little attention was paid to ornamentation, every home seem to be surrounded with an abundant supply of the substantial things of life, such as smaller fruits, vegetables and other farm products.

Pure mountain water for domestic and irrigating purposes was brought several miles in open ditches. Prices were not exorbitant and we were enabled to purchase flour, coffee, sugar, etc., to supply our needs at reasonable rates. Flour was being manufactured in

6

the valley, but groceries, dry goods, hardware, machinery and everything used or consumed, not produced by the settlers, was hauled from St. Louis, principally by mule and ox teams, a distance of nearly 1,500 miles. The same conditions continued more than 20 years, or until the completion of the Union Pacific railroad, in 1869. Utah, like a large portion of all that interior region was quite destitute of forest trees, and the inconvenience to farmers and others from this cause was very great. In the vicinity of Salt Lake City no trees grow except those that have been planted, and the nearest fuel supply of wood to the city is from 15 to 20 miles distant. Gas and coal which are found in abundance in Utah, are chiefly used at present.

Viewed without prejudice, and in the light of subsequent events, the immigration of the Mormons to Utah was one of the greatest events of history. During the winter of 1846-47 a body of 6,000 Mormons was temporarily located upon the banks of the Missouri river above Council Bluffs, since known as their "winter quarters." They had been unable to live peaceably with their neighbors in Missouri and Illinois (probably both being to blame), and were preparing to travel west to find a place where they could live in peace. With Brigham Young as their leader, (recognized as "prophet, priest and God's anointed," and who claimed to have had a vision of the "promised land" in the far west, where a great temple would be erected and where they would await the second coming of Christ), they started across the almost trackless plains to brave the Indians, the wild animals, the desert and the storms. The vanguard of the emigration,

composed of 143 men, entered the valley July 24, which Brigham said he had seen in his vision. Then the leader and part of his followers went back after another company of emigrants.

This time they brought fifteen hundred of both sexes and all ages. There was praying and singing every evening, and Sundays were devoted to fasting and prayer. They wrote messages to those who were to follow and placed them in the end of split sticks, or penciled directions upon bleached buffalo bones by the wayside. In our overland trip we followed their example. Useful instruction in that way was often given to those in the rear, also cheering messages that were greatly prized.

Much proselyting had been done by Mormon missionaries in foreign countries, with the result that thousands of ignorant foreigners arrived, anxious to reach the new "Zion," but without any knowledge of the awful dangers of the journey. Many had no teams or wagons, but putting all their earthly possessions in hand carts started on their long perilous journey. And what was stranger still, mothers actually walked from the Missouri river over the plains and mountains carrying nursing infants in their arms. Little children trudged along, weak and faint from hunger. Sickness thinned their ranks, winter came upon them, and they were only saved by the timely arrival of help from those who had preceded them. They had left a trail easily followed by the graves of the fallen; but there were enough left to found a commonwealth. They found a waste of sage brush and sand, and changed it to fields of waving grain, fruit and flowers. They took a barren, sterile country, inhabited only by savage In