| Show Brigham Young had faced mobs in Nauvoo and Indians when crossing the plains but he had never seengroup more horrifying than this one The peace pipe was passed around as he listened to an unexpected request to send white braves squaws and papooses to live in the Sanpitch Valley thousand thoughts raced through Brighammind Was thisplot to trapcompany of his people many miles from home To slaughter them at leisure To feast on the cattle and seize the provisions they would take along Brigham had heard many tales of sly crafty Walker Could he be trusted Walker relatedmedicine dream to Brigham Young He told him that he was acting on the advice of his god Towats Brigham listened thoughtfully His people were likesmall stream in seas of Indian nations He had only been as far south assmall trading post near the Utah Lake named Fort Provost and he knew very little about the Sanpitch Indians but he knew that Indians inhabited all the land south of Salt Lake to Tucson Arizona Their lands extended from the Continental Divide to the Sierra Nevadas To the north and east were the Crow and Cheyenne to the south and west the Utes Piutes and Navajo merger of any of these nations could mean extinction for the Mormons Mormons had faced starvation in the Salt Lake Valley now for two years They had not produced enough food for their growing population How could he obtain enough food and clothing to send with them You want not only men but women and children to come he asked Walker nodded his head Brigham bided his time To lose the confidence of this group would bemistake He must keep peace at any cost Then in his wisdom he slowly raised up six fingers In six moons after the crops are harvested will send you white men women and children They will come to the valley of Sanpete 131 |
