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Jacob Hamblin, a narrative of his personal experience, as a frontiersman, missionary to the Indians and explorer, [microform] disclosing interpositions of Providence, severe privations, perilous situations and remarkable escapes. Fifth book of the faith-p - Page 64 |
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Show 62 LEAVE THE MOQUIS AND START FOR HOME. We visited seven of these towns, all similarly located and constructed. The people generally used asses for packing all their sup-plies, except water, up the cliffs to their dwellings. The water was usually brought up by the women, in jugs, flat-tened on one side to fit the neck and shoulders of the carrier, and this was fastened with a strap which passed around in front of the body. Most of the families owned a flock of sheep. These might be seen in all directions going out in the morning to feed, and returning in the evening, i iThey were driven into or near the towns at night, and corralled and guarded to keep them from being stolen by the thieving Navajoes. We found a few persons in all the villages who could speak the Ute language. They told us some of their traditions, which indicate that their fathers knew the Mexicans, and something about the Montezumas. A very aged man said that when he was a young man, his father told him that he would live to see white men come among them, who would bring them great blessings, such as their fathers had enjoyed, and that these men would come from the west. He believed that he had lived to see the prediction fulfilled in us. We thought it advisable for some of the brethren to remain with this people for a season, to study their language, get acquainted with them, and, as they are of the blood of Israel, offer them the gospel. Elders Wm. M. Hamblin, Andrew Gibbons, Thomas Leavitt and Benjamin Knell were selected for this purpose. Bidding adieu to our Moquis friends, and to our brethren who were to remain with them, we started for home. Six-teen days of hard travel would be necessary to accomplish the journey. We expected to obtain supplies at the Oriba village, but failed on account of scarcity. We had nothing for our animals but the dry grass, and they were somewhat jaded. The cold north wind blew in our faces, and we lit no fires at night, as they would have revealed our position to the roving Indians. |