Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1862-07-17
THE CITY OF THE SAINTS. '-1
An ENGLISH TRAVELLER AMONG THE MoRMoSs.
90 Capt. Bm.aon's Niecs of the Saints. r..

90 Capt. Bxrton's Vie,cs of the Saints.
Among the most adventurous travellers and
voluminous travel writer's of the present day is
certainly Richard F. Burton, the author Of
I" Mecca and a Pilgrimage Thither," and many
other kindred works. He seems, like Parkyns
and Bruce, to have that wholesome disregard of
personal comfort which is the characteristic of
the true traveller. From Parkyns he has prob
ably learned the art of disposing stones to the
hollow of his back so as to make the easiest bed
possible with that luxurious material, and is, like
him, qualified to select the most uncomfortable
and inaccessible countries Central At
RIGA and the Rocky Mountains districts--to
travel in. Less rowing people, who stay quietly
at home and are content to read about travel,
owe debt Of gratitude to such adventurous
folks as these. .. 5-.
Mr.. Burton's latest trip has been to Great
Salt Lake, and his description of the journey, al
ready published in England, is now reprinted
here in large octave of nearly six hundred pa
ges. In 1855 similar journey was made by
Jules Remy, French traveller, who also pub
lished his experience. Mr.. Burton took his trip
five years later, and thinks that he has seen
much which his predecessor did not, partially,
because the changes in five years in the Far
West are equal to those of fifty in more conser-
vative lands.
The City of the Saints" preserves the diary
form in which the first sketches were written,
but it has been worked up by reference to
other books of travel Captain Marcy, Lieuten
ant Warren and General Fremont have all been
made use of by the author, who also acknowl-
edges his Indebtedness to Mr.. Bartlett's Die
tionary of Americanisms."
Capt. Burton left st. Josephs on the 18th of
s,,%
the holy city of the Mormons on the 25th, ac-
complishng in the nineteen days not less than
eleven hundred and thirty six statute miles. His
journey thither was not without incident, partic-
ularly among the Dacotah and other Indian
tribes on the route. The author thus describes
his approach to the
49, MORMON CAPITAL.
The city revealed itself. az we approached,
from behind its screen, the inclined terraces of
the upper table land, and at last it lay stretched
before us as upon a map. At little distance
the aspect was somewhat Oriental, and in some
points it reminded me of modern Athens with
out the Acropolis. None of the buildings, ex-
cept the Prophets house, were whitewashed.-
The material-the thick sun-dried adobe, COM
mon to all parts Of the Eastern world-was of a
dull leaden blue, deepened by the atmosphere to
gray, like the shingles Of the roofs. The num-
Der OF gardens and compounds-each tenement
within the walls originally received $50 square
acres, and those outside from five to ten acres,
according to their distance-the dark clumps
and lines of their bitter cotton wood locust or
acacia, poplars and fruit trees, apples peaches
and vines-how lovely they appeared after the
badness OF the prairies and, finally the fields
OF long cared maize and sweet sorghum strength.
ened the similarity to an Asiatic rather than to
an American settlement. The difference pres
emily became as salient. The farm houses, with
their stacks and stock strongly suggested the
Old Country. Moreover. domes and mnarets-
even churches and stcpples-were wholly want
ing, an omission that somewhat surprised me.--
The only building conspicuous from afar was the
block occupied .y the present Head of the
Church. The court house, with its timed Mus
covian dome, at the west end of the city the
arsenal, barn-like structure, on bench below
the Jebel Nur of the valley-Ensign Peak and
saw mill, built beyond the southern boundary,
were the next in Importance.
THE CITY ITSELF.
The houses are almost all of one pattern-a
barn shape, with wings and eantos generally
facing sometimes turned endways to the street,
which gives a suburban look to the sttlement !;
and the diminutive easements show that window
glass is lot yet made in the valley. In the best
sandstone, which prevent undermining by water
or ground damp, and must always be protected
by coping from the rain and snow. The poor
er are small, low and hut like others are long
single.storied buildings, somewhat like stables,
with many entrances. The best houses resem-
BILE East Indian Bungalows, with fiat roofs and
low shady verandahs, well trellised, and supper
ted by posts or pillars. All are provided with
chimneys and substantial doors to keep out the
piercing cold. The Offices are always placed for
hygienic reasons, outside and some have a sto-
ry and a half-the latter intended for lumber and
other stores. looked in vain for the clubhouse
harems. In which certain romancers concerning
things Mormon had informed me that wives are
kept, like any other stock. Ipresently found
this but one of multitude of decisions. Upon
the whole, the Mormon settlement was vast
improvement upon its contemporaries in the val.
leys Of the Mississippi and the Missouri.
il. THE MORMON BROADWAY.
Presently we debouched upon the main thor.
oughfare, the center of population and business,
where the houses of the principal Mormon dig
nitaries and the stores of the Gentle merchants
combine to form the city's only street which can
be properly so called. 1t is indeed both street
and market, for, curious to say, New Zion has
not yet built for herself bazaar or market
place. Nearly opposite the post-ofice, in a
block on the eastern side, with q long verandah,
supported by trimmed and painted posts, was q
two storied, pent rooted building, whose sign
board swinging to tall, gbbet-like flag staff
dressed for the occasion, announced it to be the
Salt Lake House, the principal if not the only
establishment of the kind in New Zion. -
Our author remained twenty four days at the
headquarters of Mormondom, and is disposed to
regard the Mormons rather more favorably than
those who know less about them. He refutes
the charge that they are intolerant, and states
that there is scarcely an anti-Mormon publica-
ton, however violent, which may not be found
in Great Salt Lake City. MIR. Burton gives a
list of the books that have been published by
"Gentiles" about the Mormons and their religion;
and most formidable array they make. He
also gives catalogue of the religious writings
of the various prominent Mormons, including
works in English, Italian, German, Danish and
Welsh. RI .. .s...- So. .
OF course, our author has great deal to say
about Brigham Young, who, it appears, is by no
means destitute of fear. 49,
BRIGHAM YOUNG AMONG HIS FOLLOWERS.
Of late he seldom leaves his house except for
the Tabernacle; when inclined for picnic, the
the day and the hour are kept secret. 1t is said
that Mr.. Brigham Young, despite his powerful
will and high moral courage, does not show the
remarkable personal intrepidity of Mr. Joseph
smith his followers denv this, but it rests on
the best and fairest Gentle evidence. He has
guards at his gates and he never appears in
public unattended by friends and followers who
are Of course armed. That such mental ano-
maly often exists, those familiar with the biog.
raphies of the Brahmin off,c;ol. ot,etL .,,rt e,