OCR Text |
Show preserve peaceable relations with the Utah of that region I immediately took the necessary legal steps to prevent their trading within the bounds of this Territory being as usual extermely desirous to suppress the trade in children to be enslaved, and especially to prevent guns and ammunition being exchanged for them; which would constantly tent to encourage that trade, and to arm a people whose feelings are ever uncertain. This proceeding created much excitement on the part of the Indians and they poured forth strong threatenings. On the 13th of April an express arrived from Iron county, bringing news of a hostile feeling from the part of the Utah Chief Wacher and his band. This hostility arose from the misconduct of a small party of emigrants who left early in the Spring for California and on Summit Creek traded guns and ammunition to the Indians and encouraged them to acts of hostility around the settlements. I forthwith dispatched McDimick B. Huntington (who has great influence with the Indians) with a few men as guard, to visit Wacher and his band, with instructions to give such instructions and information as should lend to peace and at the same time to caution the inhabitants to be on the alert to prevent any serious damage from sudden outbreaks through Indian feats of anger. Rumors of threatened Indian hostilities still increasing, and reports arriving that the Mexicans were among the Indians and stiring them on to aggressions. I hastened preperations for my intended visit to the Indians and left this city on.the 20th of April. On my arrival in Provo City in Utah County with a small party, I found the excitment so great that I did not deem to proceed without further aid at command, I therefore ordered Capt. William Wall to take 13 men and proceed forthwith As to Iron County, and detach a small party at Mill Creek to proceed to the same point by way of San Pete, to notice carefully movements and feelings of |