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JACOB HAMBLIN,
JACOB HAMBLIN,
A NARRATIVE OF HIS PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, AS A FRONTIERSMAN, MISSIONARY TO THE INDIANS AND EXPLORER, DISCLOSING Interpositions of Providence, Severe Privations, Perilous Situations and Remarkable Escapes. FIFTH BOOK OF THE FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES, BY JAMES A. LITTLE. Designed for the Instruction and Encouragement of Young Latter-day Saints. JUVENILE INSTRUCTOR OFFICE, Salt Lake City, Utah. 1881....
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THE FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES,
THE FAITH-PROMOTING SERIES,
I. MY FIRST MISSION, by Prest. Geo. Q. Cannon. Price, 25 cts. II. A STRING OF PEARLS, from the pen of Prest. Taylor and others. Price, 25 cts. III. LEAVES FROM MY JOURNAL, by Prest. Wilford Woodruff. Price, 25 cts. IV. GEMS FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS, by Bp. A. A. Kimball, Bp. Benj. Brown, and others. Price, 25 cts. V. JACOB HAMBLIN, a narrative of his personal experience, as a frontiersman, missionary to the Indians and explorer. Price, 35 cts....
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
In issuing to the public this, the Fifth Volume of the Faith-Promoting Series, we feel that we are making an addition to our home literature that will be appreciated by the Saints generally. The manner in which the former volumes of this Series have been received, encourages us to entertain this hope. Brother Jacob Hamblin has spent the most of his life as a faithful, humble worker in the cause of God. Though he has labored as a missionary such a great proportion of his time during the past fort
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CHAPTER I
CHAPTER I
I was born in Salem, Ashtabula Co., Ohio, on the 6th of April, 1819. When I was three months old, my father removed to Geauga Co., in the same State. That country was then a wilderness, covered with a heavy growth of timber. In my early life I assisted my father in chopping timber and clearing land. It required twenty faithful days' work to clear one acre, and render it fit for the harrow and a crop of wheat. In about three years the roots of the trees would decay, so that the soil could be work
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CHAPTER II
CHAPTER II
I traveled westward about 100 miles to the Mississippi river, where I took passage on a steamer to Nauvoo. I landed in the night. In the morning, I asked a young man where the Prophet lived. He pointed out the way to the residence of Joseph Smith, Jr., and said, "If you are going to see the Prophet, do not take any money with you. If you do, he will get it." I asked the youth if he was a "Mormon." He replied that he was, and that his father was a High Priest. I thought it strange that he should
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CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
At Nauvoo I found Sidney Rigdon busy among the Saints, trying to establish his claim to the presidency of the Church. He was first Counselor to the Prophet Joseph at the time of the latter's death. The Church was fourteen years old, and he claimed that it was its privilege and duty to appoint a guardian; and he wished the people to sanction his guardianship. I was much dissatisfied with the course he was taking, and as I could not sustain him, I felt to leave Nauvoo for a season. I went into the
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CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
I settled, with my father and brothers, in Tooele Valley, thirty-five miles west of Salt Lake City. The people built their houses in the form of a fort, to protect themselves from the Indians, who frequently stole their horses and cattle. Men were sent against them from Salt Lake City, but all to no purpose. The Indians would watch them during the day, and steal from them at night. This kind of warfare was carried on for about three years, during which time there was no safety for our horses or
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CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
At the April conference of 1854, I was called, with a number of others, on a mission to the Indians in Southern Utah. Taking a horse, cow, garden seeds and some farming tools, I joined in with Brother Robert Ritchie, and was soon on my way. We commenced operations at a place we called Harmony, twenty miles south of Cedar City, in Iron County. I made it my principal business to learn the Indian language, and become familiar with their character. About the end of May of that year, President Brigha
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CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
A petty chief, living west of the settlement on the Santa Clara, and on the California road, came to me and said that he had stolen from some "Mormons" as they passed by; that there could not be medicine made to kill him, for he was a hard one to kill, and he would steal from the "Mormons" again the first opportunity. Some two weeks after this conversation, the Indians told me that this chief was dead. In going home from the Santa Clara settlement, he stole an animal from a "Mormon" traveler, an
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CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
In the winter season, my family usually lived at the Santa Clara settlement, thirty miles south of the Mountain Meadows, to which place they moved in the spring, to keep stock during the summer. Late in the autumn of 1857, a company came along on their way to California. They brought a letter from President Brigham Young, directing me to see this company and their effects safely through to California. They were mostly merchants who had been doing business in Salt Lake City, and, anticipating dif
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CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER VIII
The following letter from President Brigham Young so well illustrates his peaceable and civilizing policy towards the Indians, that I think it should find a place in this narrative: "PRESIDENT'S OFFICE, Great Salt Lake City, March 5, 1858. "DEAR BROTHER:—Your note of the 19th of last month came to hand on the 3rd inst. I was happy to learn of the success and the general prosperity of the mission, and trust that the genial and salutary influences now so rapidly extending to the various tribes in
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CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER IX
After my return from the Colorado River, I had occasion to go to Salt Lake City. I arrived there soon after the United States army had entered Salt Lake Valley. The people north of Utah County had vacated their homes and moved south. Through the instrumentality of Colonel Thomas L. Kane, a peaceable solution of our difficulties with the general government had been arrived at, and the Saints were returning to their vacated homes. It is generally known that the enemies of the Latter-day Saints hav
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CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
Early in the autumn of 1859, I again visited Salt Lake City, when President Brigham Young called upon me to make another visit to the Moquis, and take with me Brother Marion J. Shelton, whom we had called to labor with that people, to learn their language and teach them. He directed me to leave with him one of the brethren who had been with me for some time among the Indians. President Young also put in my charge sixty dollars worth of goods, consisting of wool-cards, spades, shovels and other a
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CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XI
At daydawn a Navajo came to us, and asked me to give him something as a present. I did so, and, as he turned away, I recognized Brother George A. Smith's revolver in his belt. We were soon on our way for Spaneshanks' camp, where we found water, grass and friends. That evening our Indian messenger came, and had an interview with Spaneshanks. Our interpreter informed me that the message sent to our Navajo friends was, that they ought to kill us that night; and that Spaneshanks replied to the messa
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CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XII
It was nearly two years before we made another trip to the Moqui towns. Many of the brethren appeared to think that no good could be accomplished in that direction. In the autumn of 1861, many Saints were called from the north to form settlements in Southern Utah. The city of St. George was founded, and settlements were extended, so as to occupy the fertile spots along the waters of the Rio Virgen and Santa Clara. During the winter of 1861-2 there was an unusual amount of rain-fall. About the mi
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CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIII
We left St. George to take the Moqui visitors home on the 18th of March, 1863. The party consisted of six white men and our Moqui friends. As I was leaving home, my Indian boy, Albert, met me, and I remarked to him that the peach trees had begun to bloom, and it would be warmer than it had been. He replied, "Yes, and I shall bloom in another place before you get back. I shall be on my mission!" (He doubtless referred by this to a vision which he had of preaching to a multitude of his people.) Sa
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CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XIV
At this time a considerable change had taken place in the spirit and feelings of the Indians of Southern Utah, since the settlement of the country in 1861-62. Up to that time, our visits among them and our long talks around their camp fires, had kept up a friendly feeling in their hearts. After the settlement of St. George, the labors of the Indian missionaries, from force of circumstances, became more extended and varied, and the feelings of the Indians towards the Saints became more indifferen
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CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XV
In the spring and summer of 1867 I was called upon to visit the bands of Indians to the east of the settlements on the Rio Virgen, and farther north. A number of settlements had been deserted on the Sevier River, and it was desirable that the temper of the Indians should be so modified that they could be re-established. I went east seventy-five miles, to the present location of Kanab. After gathering around me some of the Indians, and planting some corn and vegetables, I crossed over the rim of
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CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVI
I determined to do all I could in the summer of 1870 to establish good feelings among the Indians in the neighborhood of our people, on the west side of the Colorado, that they might be disposed to favor us instead of our enemies. I determined to neglect no opportunity of visiting the Navajos, and endeavoring to get a good understanding with them. I visited the Red Lake Utes, spent some time at Fish Lake, east of Parowan, and visited the Indians along the Sevier. I had many long talks with them,
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CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVII
In the autumn of 1871, Major Powell concluded to go east, by way of Fort Defiance, and desired me to accompany him. As this appeared to be an opening for the much-desired peace talk with the Navajo Indians, I readily accepted the invitation. We started for Fort Defiance in October. Three men who were strangers to me, accompanied us, and Brothers Ammon M. Tenney, Ashton Nebeker, Nathan Terry and Elijah Potter; also Frank, a Kibab Indian. We packed lumber on mules over the Kibab, or Buckskin Mount
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CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XVIII
We were told by the Moquis that when the Navajos were at war with the United States, they were taken advantage of in their scattered condition by the Moquis, who hunted out the worst of the thieves among them, and killed them off. For this purpose the Moquis were furnished with guns and ammunition. One man told me that he had hunted up and killed eight Navajos single handed. I was also informed that the Moquis decoyed thirty—five of them into one of their villages, by promising them protection,
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CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XIX
A few days after I arrived home from Fort Defiance, I went on a visit to St. George, and other settlements. I took Tuba and his wife with me, that they might have an opportunity of seeing some of our farming and manufacturing industries. After looking through the factory at Washington, where some three hundred spindles were in motion, Tuba said it spoiled him for being an Oriba. He could never think of spinning yarn again with his fingers, to make blankets. His wife, after looking at the flourin
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CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XX
The night passed, and a part of the forenoon of the following day, when the Navajos who had been sent for began to gather in. About noon, they informed me they were ready for talk. A lodge had been emptied of its contents for a council room. It was about twenty feet long by twelve feet wide. It was constructed of logs, with one end set in the ground, and the top ends leaning to the centre of the lodge, and fitted together. The logs were covered with about six inches of dirt. A fire occupied the
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CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXI
I here give place to a letter from Mr. Smith to the Pioche Record, which was also re-published in the Deseret News : "MOWABBY, MOHAVE CO., ARIZONA, February 5, 1875. "On the 15th of January, we were in the very act of packing the horses preparatory to a start, when and Indian arrived, who proved to be Tuba, the chief of the Moquis Indians, a friendly tribe who live in this part of the country. "I should have mentioned that this (the ferry) is the residence of John D. Lee, against whom I was deep
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CHAPTER XXII
CHAPTER XXII
I started home with my jaded horse, and got along by alternately riding and walking. I met some families on their way to settle at Moancoppy. I told the brethren that I thought the place could be safely settled, if they would leave their women and children on the west side of the river until matters were arranged. I camped with them over night, and gave them an insight into our affairs with the Navajos, and particularly requested that they would not converse with them about their difficulty with
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CHAPTER XXIII
CHAPTER XXIII
Returning to Kanab, we found Hastele and his companion waiting for us. It was thought advisable for me, with Brother A. M. Tenney as Spanish interpreter, to visit the Indians on the east side of the Colorado River, and go to Fort Defiance and have matters properly understood there. We visited the Moqui towns, and had much interesting talk with the people. Arriving at the Navajo agency, we found there a Mr. Daniels, who had been sent out by the government to inspect the Indian agencies. He had ca
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CHAPTER XXIV
CHAPTER XXIV
In May, 1876, Brothers D. H. Wells, Erastus Snow and other leading men among the Saints, were sent to visit the new settlements in Arizona. I was sent with them as a guide. The Colorado was then high—a raging torrent. The current shifted from side to side, and the surging of the waters against the rocks caused large and dangerous whirlpools. We put three wagons and some luggage on the ferry boat. We were under the necessity of towing the boat up stream one mile, to give a chance for landing at t
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