we left Fort Clara, then the headquarters of the Indian
missionaries under the presidency of Jacob Hamblin, we stopped to
noon at the Clara River. While there the Indians gathered around
us in numbers, and were saucy and impudent. Their chiefs asked me
where I was going and whom I had with me. I told them that he was
a big captain.

"Is he a Mericat captain?"

"No," I said, "he is a Mormon."

The Indians then demanded to know more. They wanted to have a
talk. The General told me to tell the Indians that the Mormons
were their friends, and that the Americans were their enemies,
and the enemies of the Mormons, too; that he wanted the Indians
to remain the fast friends of the Mormons, for the Mormons were
all friends to the Indians; that the Americans had a large army
just east of the mountains, and intended to come over the
mountains into Utah and kill all the Mormons and Indians in Utah
Territory; that the Indians must get ready and remain ready for
war against the Americans, keep friendly with the Mormons and do
what the Mormons told them to do - that this was the will of the
Great Spirit; that if the Indians were true to the Mormons and
helped them against their enemies, the Mormons would keep them
from want and sickness and give them guns and ammunition to hunt
and kill game with, and also help the Indians against their
enemies when they went into war.

This talk pleased the Indians, and they agreed to all that I
asked them to do. I saw that Gen. Smith was nervous and fearful
of the Indians, notwithstanding their promises of friendship. To
relieve him of his anxiety I hitched up and started on our way as
soon as I could do so without rousing the suspicions of the
Indians. We had ridden along about a mile or so when Gen. Smith
said:

"Those are savage fellows. I think they would make it lively for
an emigrant train if one should come this way." Then the General
fell to a deep study for some time, when he said: "Suppose an
emigrant train should come along through this southern country,
making threats against our people and bragging of the part they
took in killing our Prophets, what do you think the brethren
would do with them? Would they be permitted to go their way, or
would the brethren pitch into them and give them a good
drubbing?" I reflected a few moments, and then said:

"You know the brethren are now under the influence of the late
reformation, and red-hot for the gospel. The brethren believe the
Gov