LIFE IN THE FAR WEST. 215 



themselves in for a sermon, which one of the elders delivered pre- 

 paratory to the "physical exercises." The preacher was one 

 Bro^vn — called, by reason of his commanding a company of Mor- 

 mon volunteers, " Cap'en Brown" — a hard-featured, black-coated 

 man of five-and-forty, correctly got up in black continuations, and 

 white handkerchief round his neck, a costume seldom seen at the 

 foot of the Rocky Mountains. The Cap'en, rising, cleared his 

 voice, and thus commenced, first turning to an elder (with whonj 

 there was a little rivalry in the way of preaching) : — " Brother 

 Dowdle I" — (brother Dowdle blushed and nodded : he was a long 

 tallow-faced man, with black hair combed over his face)—" I feel 

 like holding forth a little this afternoon, before we glorify the Lord 

 — a — a — in the — a — holy dance. As there are a many strange 

 gentlemen now — a — present, it's about right to tell 'em — a — • 

 what our doctrine just is, and so I tells 'em right off what the 

 Mormons is. They are the chosen of the Lord ; they are the 

 children of glory, persecuted by the hand of man : they flies here 

 to the wilderness, and, among the Injine and the buffler, they 

 lifts up their heads, and cries with a loud voice, Susannah, and 

 hurray for the promised land I Do you believe it ? I know it. 



" They wants to know whar we're going. Whar the church 

 goes — thar we goes. Yes, to hell, and pull the devil off his throne 

 that's what we'll do. Do you believe it ? I knoiv it. 



" Thar's milk and honey in that land as we're goin' to, and the 

 lost tribes of Israel is thar, and will jine us. They say as we'll 

 starve on the road, bekase thar's no game and no water ; but 

 thar's manna up in heaven, and it'll rain on us, and thar's proph- 

 ets among us can make the water * come.' Can't they, brother 

 Dowdle ?" 



" Well, they can." 



" And now, what have the Geniiles and the Philis^m^s to say 

 against us Mormons ? They says we're thieves, and steal hogs ; 

 yes, d — 'em ! they say we has as many wives as we like. So 



