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Show 250 rocky mountainous, desert aspect, and there is no feed but brush and a l i t t l e scattering dry bunch and s a l t grass, and that very scarce. Obviously, an army would have a very d i f f i c u l t time crossing such a desolate, naked country. This is what Young had hoped to find as a buffer between the troops and the people. He a l so wanted a defensive s i t e located where the militia could make a stand against government steamers attempting t o land troops below the Salt Lake-California Road. Lyman, therefore, continued down stream from where he f i r s t struck the river above Eldorado Canyon. On April 17 he found what he had been looking for: "Noticed one place in particular, about 10 ms from our camp t h i s morning, which affords excellent f a c i l i t i e s for commanding the river, as the channel i s , at t h i s point, on t h i s (west) side of the stream, and the adjacent rocks and ravines afferd protection and shelter for a great number of men."7 All this was good news for Brigham Young when Lyman made his report on May 22. But there was one element of Lyman's report that, although was not surprising, i t was cause for concern. The company had visited the Mojaves and learned that the soldiers from Beale's and Ivesfe forces had been among them and "seduced Q many of the women, and sewed disease among them." This was another disgusting feature of the United Stated soldiery that tbe Latter-day Saints detested. The supposed immorality of the troops was one of Young's primary reasons, next to public safety, for objecting to their introduction into the Territory. The prophet was determined to keep his people isolated from worldly and immoral influences. Just a few days before receiving Lyman, a Dr. Clinton arrived in Provo with an account of his recent trip across the plains in which he spent some time in the soldiers' camp. Reportedly, he asked a sergeant, "how many out of one thousand, if the were permitted to go to Great Salt Lake City, would abstain from seducing the women, if they got the chance." The sergeant said, |
