A String of Pearls - Various

Various

A String of Pearls / Second Book of the Faith-Promoting Series

The first book of this, the "FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES" My First Mission which was published some months since, has been so well received by the public that we are encouraged to continue the publication of works of a similar character.

We herewith give "A STRING OF PEARLS" to our readers, feeling assured that they will find the contents of this little work of inestimable value.

Probably no people in the world possess so rich and varied an experience as do the Latter-day Saints, and especially the Elders who have labored in the ministry in various lands. Contributions from them, giving a relation of their personal experience, are most profitable to young people to peruse.

The present age is one of doubt and unbelief. Faith in God, in His willingness to hear and answer prayer, and in the gifts of the gospel, has almost vanished from the earth. As a people we have this to contend with. Our children, not having had experience themselves, have to be carefully watched, lest they, too, should partake of the leaven of unbelief. We feel that it is a duty that we owe to them to place within their reach the evidences that their fathers and their mothers have received of the existence of God, of His willingness to hear and answer prayer, and to bestow His gifts upon those who seek for them in the right way.

God has wrought as marvelously in behalf of the Latter-day Saints as He did in former days in behalf of His people.

We hope that this little volume will prove of great value to those who read it, by inspiring them with faith, and furnishing them a foundation upon which to build and obtain knowledge from the Lord.

We also indulge in the hope that its publication may stir up others of whom there are so many hundreds, and perhaps thousands, in our Church who have had valuable experience to take the time and trouble necessary to commit incidents of this character to paper, that they may not die with themselves, but that they may live to speak hope and consolation unto, and to inspire confidence in, those who shall come after them.

With an earnest hope, therefore, that the contents of this little volume may prove a help to those who may read it, by inspiring them with faith in the Almighty and His promises, we modestly publish it, and give it the expressive title which it bears. G. Q. C.

October, 1880.

In publishing this, the second edition of the STRING OF PEARLS, it is only necessary to add that the first edition of 5,000 copies is exhausted, and we are induced by the continued demand for the book to re-issue it. It is very gratifying to notice the taste which has been developed during the past few years, among the youth of our community, for such reading matter as the FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES contains. We hope to see a continued growth in this direction, and that our brethren and sisters of experience will be prompted by it to write for publication such sketches from their lives as will point a moral and convey a lesson to the minds of future generations who may peruse the same.

We see no reason why the six volumes of the FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES already published, as well as those which may follow, should not be regarded in the future as standard works of the Church, and used for home reading or Sunday school class books when their authors and those of whose history they treat shall have passed to another sphere of action.

June, 1882. THE PUBLISHER.

AMONG THE PONCAS

CHAPTER I

START FOR THE MOUNTAINS EXPERIENCE AS A COBBLER INDIAN MISSION ABANDONED CACHING PROPERTY PONCA INDIANS A PROPHECY AND ITS FULFILLMENT.

A few days after the organization of the "Mormon" Battalion, and when it had left Council Bluffs for Fort Leavenworth, it was decided in the council of the authorities of the Church that Brother George Miller (Bishop) should raise a company and endeavor to cross the Rocky Mountains that fall.

At this time I was traveling and living with the family of Bishop Miller. I had been suffering with fever and ague for two months previous, but a few days before we arrived at Council Bluffs the fever left me, when my legs commenced to swell and finally broke out into sores, some of which were over an inch deep. I had five on my right and four on my left leg. These caused me much pain; but the Lord blessed me with His Spirit, and I did not feel in the least discouraged.

I had brought some shoemaker's tools along, so that I could mend my shoes when they needed it. I had them in use every time we stopped, mending shoes for the camp. I soon learned to be a pretty good cobbler, especially in patching up the sisters' shoes.

Some four of Bishop Miller's teamsters left to join the Battalion. Brother Henry G. Boyle was the one who drove the team I traveled in, but now I had to be teamster. We left with sufficient breadstuff to last a year, consisting of flour, corn meal, etc., but no meat, as we hoped to find plenty of game on our journey. In this we were disappointed, as we were without meat for several weeks, with the exception of fish when we could catch them.

When about twenty miles east of the Pawnee village and mission we met several white men, who had been in charge of the mission, under the superintendence of an Indian agent appointed by the government. These men had been employed at building houses, fencing in land, sowing grain, etc., and endeavoring to teach the Indians to do likewise; but the Indians for some cause had become exasperated and had killed two of the white men, one of whom was a blacksmith.

As soon as this party learned of our numbers and intentions they wished to return to the mission and cache some government property, such, as iron, steel, blacksmith tools, farming implements, etc., which they left in a hurry when fleeing from the Indians. On arriving at the mission and village, we found that all the Indians had left, fearing, I presume, that they would be punished if they were caught by the government troops.

The brethren helped these men to cache all the property, which they did by digging a large hole in the ground, in a dry place, putting the goods into it, covering them with the soil taken out of the hole, and building a large fire over the place, that the ashes might cover up all traces of the digging.

One of the men of this party joined the Church, and emigrated to the valley with us.

We found several fields of grain ready for harvesting, with potatoes, turnips and sweet corn, as well as a large quantity of wheat, barley and oats already threshed and housed. This was all handed over to our camp.

We remained here a couple of days, when we received a letter from President B. Young's camp, advising us to winter on Grand Island, which was well timbered, and where there was good feed also This island was a few miles west of us, on the Platte River.

The letter also stated that a company had left President Young's camp, who would winter with us and give us sufficient strength to guard against an attack from Indians.

The day following eight Ponca chiefs came to our camp, stating that they had come from their nation to make peace with the Pawnees, and appeared much disappointed when they learned they had left, in consequence of their trouble with the men who had charge of the mission.

These Ponca Indians who came to our camp were large, fine-looking men.

Bishop Miller asked them to stay with us a few days, which they did, and appeared much pleased. They soon learned where we expected to winter, and were very anxious to have us all go to their village and stay. They represented that they had a good country, well timbered, and plenty of good pasture and shelter for our cattle.

The next day the company sent to join us, consisting of thirty men with their families, arrived. As soon as they had rested, a meeting was called, to know what should be done winter on Grand Island, without the consent of the Pawnee Indians, who owned the land and timber there, or go with the Ponca chiefs, where we would be welcomed by the whole nation.

The council decided to go with the Poncas, and the next day we fitted up our wagons for the journey.

The next thing was to load up with as much grain and potatoes as we could get into our wagons, for these were the first we had been able to obtain since leaving Nauvoo in the spring.

After we got every corner in our wagons filled with eatables we left a great many bushels of grain and vegetables upon the land to waste, literally fulfilling a prophecy uttered by Bishop Miller, a few days before we started. When speaking to the camp, he said he hoped all who were going in that company were "true Latter-day Saints, full of faith and good works," and added:

"All of you who have been with us have seen the power of God manifested in behalf of the traveling camps of Israel, in protecting our leaders from our enemies, and providing food for the Saints, who number thousands. Some may say, 'We were then traveling through a country where we found an occasional farm, from the owner of which we could purchase what we required; but to-day we have left all these, and have nothing but a wilderness before us, without farms, houses or grain.'

"Let me say, as I have before said, you shall be blessed in the future as you have been in the past.

"What, with food? Yes; I tell you yes! I promise you all, this day, in the name of the Lord, that you shall see the time while upon this journey, that you shall have more grain than you can load in your wagons, and leave many bushels behind you to waste upon the ground."

This, my readers, was fulfilling prophecy to the very letter. How often I have seen the sayings of our leaders fulfilled in like manner since I started upon this journey!

CHAPTER II

GOING WITH THE PONCAS BUFFALO MEAT CAMPED FOR THE WINTER COUNCIL WITH THE INDIANS A WAR DANCE SELECTED TO GO WITH THE PONCAS ON A WINTER'S HUNT.

Brother James Emmett, one of our party, understood a little of the Sioux language, and one of the Ponca chiefs could converse in this language. Brother Emmett was asked to find out how far the Poncas lived from the camp. The chief told him three sleeps, or, as he understood it, three days' travel for our cattle: but we afterwards learned that the chief meant three days' and nights' travel with horses (one hundred and fifty miles).

The country over which we traveled the first three days was very rough for our wagons.

The name of the chief of the Poncas was Ta-nugar-number, which means, two buffalo bulls. He was thus named because he once killed two bulls, while they were running through the village.

On the fourth day this chief came to us, saying he and the party had killed three buffaloes. Brother Miller ordered the camp to stop near a small stream close by, and send for the dead animals, that we might have buffalo meat for dinner. This was the first time we had had meat for ten weeks.

A team was sent, and the meat soon arrived, and was distributed through the camp.

It was a novel scene, I assure you, to see us each with a stick and a piece of meat stuck on the end of it, toasting, or broiling it, before the fire. This was the first buffalo meat we had ever eaten, and we all thought it the sweetest and best meat we ever tasted.

We remained here until two o'clock, p. m., the next day, when but little remained of the buffaloes, except the bones. Several more were killed before we reached the village. The meat of some was dried, but all the prime pieces were eaten.

On the eleventh day we camped within two miles of their village, and three miles from where we located for the winter. No sooner had we unyoked our cattle than we were visited by nearly all the nation, old and young. All wanted to see us. Many of them had never seen an ox before, and but few had seen many white men.

A council of the chiefs and braves, or warriors, was called, to meet with our brethren. The chief told his people that he had invited us to stay on their land during the winter. That we wanted timber for building houses and for fuel, and pasture for our cattle. He said they had plenty of both more than they or we needed and he wanted his braves to say that we could have it. In return, he told them we would build them houses, plow and plant some land for their squaws, and give them some flour. He then asked for an expression of their feelings.

Several of the old men spoke, and all said we were welcome to come and get what we wanted.

The Poncas numbered about two thousand souls.

After the meeting dismissed some thirty of the braves, or soldiers, favored us with a war dance.

The musical instrument used for this was used at all the dances I ever saw while with them. It was like a tambourine, and about the same size. This is beaten as you would beat a drum. The braves formed in a circle, and at every beat of the instrument (and there were perhaps seventy strokes to the minute) they would jump up, at the same time bending forward in a half-stooping position, and passing around as they jumped, yelling and hallooing in a most frightful manner.

All they lacked at this dance to make it a perfect war dance, were the scalps of some whom they had killed in battle.

This drumming, yelling and jumping continued for about fifteen minutes, when all the Indians left the camp for their own village.

We were about one mile from the Missouri River, and near the mouth of Swift or Running-Water River, and where the Indians raise a little corn.

The next day the whole village turned out to visit us. They wanted us to trade with them by giving them flour, sugar, coffee, etc., for moccasins, buckskins, etc. A great many exchanges were made, to the satisfaction of both parties. The Indians, however, had by far the best of the bargains, as we found out the next morning, for many of us were minus an ax, a kettle, pan, cup, knife or something that was used daily about our camp; and all these things we learned had been taken by our Indian visitors.

As soon as this was known to the chiefs, they ordered all who had these articles to return them to our camp. A few tin cups, saucepans, milk pans and such things were brought back, but not a tithe of what were taken.

After this but few were allowed to visit us. The chief appointed two Indians to be at our camp every day, to keep the others away, or keep them from stealing.

In about three weeks a number of houses were ready for the Saints to occupy, and about two-thirds of our people were housed for the winter.

While this was being done I had been kept busy, shoe-mending; and very often I would be called upon to mend an Indian's bridle or his bullet pouch, which I did cheerfully, and to their satisfaction.

About the first of October the Ponca chief came to Brother Miller, and informed him that they were about to start for their winter hunting ground, to hunt buffalo, elk and deer, to get robes and meat, and wished to have a few of our young men accompany them. He mentioned me, stating that I was good and kind to his people, mending bullet pouches, etc., for them. That same evening, after several of our young men had proposed to go with the Indians on their hunt, Bishop Miller said, calling me by name, "I would like you to go with them if you had not those fearful sores on your legs. The chiefs and some braves have taken quite a liking to you, and I feel, Brother S , as though you would do much good by going among them on this journey, but I dare not ask you to go with such legs."