Arkansas intelligencer., 1849-05-12

one OF the . welve Apostles. to her friends and
who some Of our readers will recoect having
formerly been resident of Mendon. in this coun-
ty.a The immense train of some six hundred wa
gons. left Council Bluffs the lst of June. and rea CHI
ed the promised land on the lst of September.
| making the journey. Of some l, 100 miles, in about
100 travelling days. "
g. . ~. = .cai.-s.a .r.9..s ..
SALT LAKE VALLEY, Oct. 10, lS4S.
''Dear Sister and Frends--We are now in the
Great Salt Lake Valley, which place we entered
two weeks since. and were met bv hundreds of
men, women, and children. whose dress nd ma n
Ders would have done honor your eastern cities;
and so many glad hearts and cheerful countenan.
ces are not to be found in all y5ur domains. An
excellent supper was in readiness for us on our ar
| rival, of which we cheerfullv partook Our fami-
! lies we're all in good health. As n people. we
have been remarkably blessed with health on our
journey. and but few accidents happened TO US
One child was killed by falling from, and being
run over by. a wagon. We found our friends here
IN good health and spirits, and pleasantly located
IN comfortable houses, and their tables loaded with
the productions Of their fields and gardens. Whea,
seems peculiarly adapted to this valley. and gar
den vegetables large and excellent. Corn,
considering the disadvanta ges labored under. has
done well. Our brethren, who have been taken
! from our midst to fight under our banners, whose
! protection hath been withdrawn from US as a peo-
pie, are returning daily, laden with that which is
neeGfu! to render life tolerab!e. feas, was
made for them on Friday, which caused great re-
| joicing. | would attempt to give you descrip-
! lion of our valley, which has many curiosities Of
which to boast, such a large salt lake. which
] furnishes US with abundance of excellent salt :;
a sui phur spring. wa rm spring. and spring of
sufficient heat to cook an egg; all within short
| distance OF each other. | think our warm spring
/ for bathing, far exceeds the BaIlson and Sarato
GA waters The spring proceeds from the base
| o. an exceeding high mountain. through an aper-
| ture about eighteen inches in diameter. and OF
such heat that it requires US to 90 into it by de-
grees, you put your feet into hot waller. After
bathing IN 1t for season. | felt my flesh and
! strength renewed, and | could say that the angel
! of health was there at the pool in former da vs..
We are located upon soil that is excellent sur
rounded by mountains which at all of the
I year are capped with snow, and 10 me seem like
a sufficient barrier 10 protect from the hands of
our Oppressors Our Journey to this place has
been long, but not tedious. until came into the
mountains, when we found the roads bad, ard the
F., weather cold and stormy. Previous 10 this, it ap-
! peared more like Il pleasure party than moving
community. Almost daily would be seen groups
gathered in parties. and their tables spread with
every luxury that reasonable person could ash,
/ or desire. Myself and husba nd have been highly
! favored with invitations so frequent TO break fast,
or 20 lake tea, from home. that were ofttimes
/ obliged TO excuse ourselves.
/. Our home has been so pleasant, that it was no
pleasure for me to leave 1t. Ny family wagon,
! drawn by four large bay horses. like many others
was very convenient, having broad projections,
! bedstejd. with comfortable bed, &c. &c. | had
sufficient room in the centre for myself and little
ones. My wagon seemed more like paror than
q travelling vehicle. We often, during our Jour
noy, curreiled or formed ring, with more than
SIX hundred wagons, which, when lighted by can
dies and evening fires, had the appearances of a
city. We passed many tribes of Indians. during
4 our Journey. and were well treated by all, except
ing the Otoes. Many came TO our wagons. neatly
dfessed in garments, made of skins of beasts and
trimmed with wampum, on which great taste and
/ neatness displayed. They rode excellent
horses, seemed happy, and welt pleased with the
attention they received from US. They offered
ten ponies for some of our pre.test girls We
started from our winter quarters the first Of June,
and passed distance Of five hundred miles over
country beyond description, had it not been for
lack of timber. The buffalo,, the elk. the ante
lope, and deer, were constantly our PATH and
furnished us with the best of meat. Gooseberries
currans, cherries, and grapes in abundance
large and excellent of the kind. We then passed
a country barren in the extreme; days and weeks
not shrub spear Of grass was seen by u.s. and
our horses and cattle taken from one TO four
miles into the valleys of the mountains, for food
and water, which often was poison, and caused
the death of many of our best cattle. 1t would
have been difficult for US to have come through
with enormous loads, had not our brethren
from The place come with horses, mules, and cat.
tie to our relief. This valley has been passed by
our Gentle neighbors on account of the scarcity
!, of timber, which we find in abundance bid up in
| the kanyans of the mountains, if for the espe.
cial benefit OF the Saints. x We also fine
clay equal 10 that of Liverpool, and every appea
rance OF gold mines, which we fear to have opened
for adversely we have proven 10 be far better for
the Saints than prosperity. We have two girls
. aud three saw mills now in operation, and me
chanlcs of every kind in our Fork city, for suct
; it is; a city built in the form of fork The
materials Of which it is constructed are princ
y paliy I" dobies,'' or what you would call unburn
. brick, but Of harder texture, and pastered witt
a mortar taken from the earth, much resembling
q hard finish. have been astonished at the i'm
, provements made in this place! We nave the
necessaries and many of the comforts Of life
Moasses TO a considerable extent, and some ex
1 ceileht sugar has been extracted from the corn
stalk this season. We are fitting out some wa
, gons TO send into the States, for groceries ant
clothing for our families, which cannot be pro
cured here. '' 5-i ~ '"' -.'"