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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 95 |
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Show ANOTHER VISIT TO THE MOQUIS. 93 In October, 1869, I was requested to make another trip to the Moquis towns, to talk with the people, and learn, if pos-sible, whether there were other Indians besides the Navajoes raiding on our borders. I started with a company of forty men, twenty of the brethren, and twenty Piutes. We crossed the Colorado where Lee's Ferry now is. Our luggage went over on rafts made of floatwood, fastened together by withes. On arriving at the Moquis towns, I thought some of the people received us rather coldly. My old acquaintances told me that the Navajoes intended to make another raid on our people in a short time. I felt like returning to our settlements immediately. When we left the towns, I felt much impressed to take the old Ute trail, and cross the river thirty miles above where we crossed going out. Some of the company objected to this, and made much of the difficulties of the crossing. When we came to where a trail led to each of the crossings, I told the company that I did not know why, but I was satis-fied that it was our duty to go home by the old Ute trail. I was much surprised to find that more than half of the breth-ren had made up their minds not to go that way. I told them if I knew anything about the mind and will of the Lord, it was for us to go that way. The Piutes, to a man, were willing to go the way I desired. The brethren took the lower trail, and on we went. I remarked to them that our trip to the Moquis was a failure. When we arrived home, we learned that the Navajoes had been into the settlements north of where our people had guarded, and driven off twelve or fifteen hundred head of animals, among them many valuable horses and mules. I afterwards learned from the Piutes, that if the company had taken the Ute trail, we would have met the raiders with all these valuable animals on the open plains, after they had crossed the river. I felt vexed that I did not take the Piutes with me, and save this valuable lot of stock for our people. I slept out many cold nights in the winter of 1869- 70, watching and guarding with the Piutes. One Navajoe was |