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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 118 |
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Show 116 THREATENED TO BE ROASTED. For a few minutes I felt that if I was ever permitted to see friends and home again, I should appreciate the privilege. I thought I felt one of the Smiths at my back grip his revolver. I said to him quietly, ' ' Hold still ! Do not make the first move, and there will be no move made. They never will get ready to do anything." This assurance came by the whisperings of the Spirit within me. When the excitement had died away a little, I spoke to the Piute interpreter. He either could not or would not answer me, neither would he answer the Navajoes, but sat trembling, apparently with fear. The Navajoes brought in another Piute, and recommended him as a man of much courage, and said he would not falter ; but he was soon in the same dilemma as the other. After some further conversation they appeared a little modified, and, in lieu of blood revenge, they proposed to take cattle and horses for the injury done them. They required me to give them a writing, obligating me to pay one hundred head of cattle for each of the three Navajoes killed, and fifty for the wounded one. This was a close place for me. I could go home by simply putting my name to the obligation. I reflected: Shall I acknowledge by my act, that my people are guilty of a crime of which I know they are innocent ; and neutralize all the good results of our labors among this people for fifteen years? Shall I obligate the Church to pay three hundred and fifty head of cattle for a crime committed by others? It is perhaps more than I should be able to earn the rest of my life. The sacrifice looked to me more than my life was worth. I replied that I would not sign the obligation. One of them remarked that he thought I would by the time I had been stretched over that bed of coals awhile, pointing to the fire in the middle of the lodge. I answered that I had never lied to them, and that I would not pay for the wrong that other people had done. ' ' Let the Americans pay for their own mischief, I will not sign a writing to pay you one hoof. ' ' |