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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 90 |
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Show 88 INDIANS FORCED TO COMMIT DEPREDATIONS. found they had been destroyed by cattle. With, perhaps, their children crying for food, only the poor consolation was left them of gathering around their camp fires and talking over their grievances. Those who have caused these troubles have not realized the situation. I have many times been sorely grieved to see the Indians with their little ones, glaring upon a table spread with food, and trying to get our people to understand their circumstances, without being able to do so. Lank hunger and other influences have caused them to commit many depredations. When our people have retaliated, the unoffending have almost invariably been the ones to suffer. Generally those that have done the stealing have been on the alert, and have got out of the way, while those who have desired to be friends, from the want of understanding on the part of our people, have been the sufferers. This has driven those who were before well disposed, to desperation. The Navajoes and other Indians east of the Colorado River have taken advantage of these circumstances to raid upon the settlements, and drive off many hundreds of cattle and valu-able horses and mules. In 1864 I visited the Indians east of St. George, accom-panied by Brother George Adair. They had gathered between St. George and Harrisburg, for the purpose of carry-ing out their threat to destroy some of the settlements the first favorable opportunity. I was asked how many men I wanted to go with me on my contemplated visit. I replied only one, and that I did not want any arms, not even a knife, in sight. When we arrived in their camp I asked them to come together, and bring their women and children, and all hear what we had to say. They had prepared for hostilities by secreting their women and children, as is their custom. By talking with them, a better influence came over them, and the spirit of peace triumphed over irritation and a sense of wrong. About seventy- five miles west of St. George, a band of Piutes had confederated with a band of Indians that had been |
