Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-01-17
CHAPTER VI.
A MORMON CARAVAN.


Still, as we rode along, the same rich,
tranquil days of October; the air al
ways potable gold, and every breath
nepenthe.
Early on one OF the fairest Of after
moons wnen all were fairest we reached
Fort Bridger. Bridger had been an old
hunter, trapper, and by and by that for
lorn hope of civilization, the holder OF
an Indian trading post The spot Is bet
ter known now. IL was there that that
miserable bungle and bluuder Of an ad-
ministration, more fool, IL that be pos
slble, than knave-the Mormon eXpcdi-
ton in 1S5S-took refuge after its disas-
tiers on the Sweetwater.
At the moment Of our arrival Bird
gers fort had just suffered capture. Its
owner was missing. The dtellow had
deemed himself the squatter sovereign
of that bleak and scar region. he had
built an adobe mud fort, with palisade,
on a sweep OF plain a degree less desert
than the deserts harG by. That oasis
was his oasis, so be fondly hoped; that
mud fort, his mud fort; those willows
and adlers, his thlckets; and that trade,
his trade.
But Bridger was one man, and he had
powerful neighbors. 1t was case oil
80 81 angulus istel"-a Noboth's vine
ward case. The Mormons did not love
the rugged mouDtaineer; that worthy
Gentle, in turn, thought the saints nc
better than so many OF the ungodly.
The Mormons coveted oasis, fort, thicket
and trade. They accused the old fellow
OF selling powder and ball TO hostile In
dians--to Walker, chief OF the Ctes, q
scion, no doubt, of the Hooker Walker
branch OF that family. Very likely he
had done so. At all events, ii was
good pretext. So in the name OF the
prophet, and Brigham, successor Of the
prophet, the Latter-Day Saints had
made raid upon the post. Bridger es-
capped to the mountains. The captorS
occupied the Gentile's property, and
spoiled his goods.
81 am sorry old Bridger has come to
grief" said Brent to NE as we rode over
the plain toward the fort. "He was q
rough, but worth all the Latter-Day
Saints this side Of Armageddon. Bid
duIph and l staid week with him last
summer, when we came from the noun
tains about Luggernel alley.
Jake and the main party stopped al
the fort. We rode on quarter OF Q
mile farther, and camDed near 8
stream, where the grass was plenteous
We left our little caballada nibblinG
daintily at the sweetest spires OF sell
cured hay. and walked back to the fort
We stood there chatting with the gar
rison. Presently Brent's quick eye
caught some white spots far away or
the slope of the paalrie, like sails on the
edge of a dreamy, sunny sea.
Look" said he, "there comes Sal
Lake emigration train"
Eyes" said q Mormon OF the gar
rison. that's Elder Sizzum's train
Their forerunner came in this mornini
10 choose the camping spot. There the!
bel two hundred OK teams, THOUSAND
saints, bound for the Promised Land.
He walked of to announce the ar
rival, whistling, Jordan Is hard roaC
| to travel"
! knew Of Sizzum as the most seduc
tive orator and foreign propagandist o
| Mormonism. He had been In Englant
acme time, very successful at the Roo'
work. The caravans we had elresd.
met were Of his proselytes He himsel
vas coming on with the last train, tn