seback, came trotting towards us. Archilete had hoisted a piece of
white fawn-skin on his gun-rod--the world-known symbol of peace, and so
understood by the red men of America. A towel or table-cloth, or
something of the sort, was held up in answer; and after the
demonstration the mounted men spurred forward to meet us. When we had
approached within a dozen lengths of each other, both parties reined up;
and the Mexican and Mormon leader, separating from their respective
followers, met midway between the two parties, shook hands, and entered
into conversation. What they said was simple enough. I could hear the
trapper declaring in broken English the nature of our errand--that he
had been sent by Wa-ka-ra to act as their guide; and that we his
_companeros_, were the Utah hunters, to provide game for the caravan.
Of the Mormons who rode up to us there were half-a-dozen in all; and I
was fain to hope that they were not a fair specimen of the emigrant
party. They were not--as I afterwards ascertained. They were the
_Danites_, or _Destroying Angels_, that accompanied the train.
"Destroying _devils_" would have been a more appropriate appellation:
for six more villainous-looking individuals I had never beheld. There
was no sign of the angelic, neither in their eyes nor features--not a
trace; but, on the contrary, each might have passed for an impersonation
of the opposite character--a very "devil incarnate!" Five of them I had
never seen before--at least to remember them. The sixth only on one
occasion. Him I remembered well. The man who had once looked in the
face of the ex-attorney's clerk, and _ci-devant_ schoolmaster of
Swampville, was not likely soon to cast that countenance from his
remembrance. It was Stebbins who was talking to the Mexican. The
dialogue was of brief duration. The tale told by the trapper was
scarcely news: it had been expected; and was therefore accepted without
suspicion. The interview ended by the Mormon leader pointing to a place
where we might pitch our tents--outside the waggon enclosure, and near
the bank of the river. This was just what we desired; and, proceeding
direct to the spot, we commenced unpacking our paraphernalia.

CHAPTER NINETY SEVEN.

THE CORRALLED CAMP.

As soon as our quality was known, the Saints came crowding around us.
The corral poured forth its contents--until nine-tenths of the whole
caravan, men, women and children, stood gazing upon us, with that st