ACROSS THE KOCKY MOUNTAINS, ETC. 25 



of persons in the store directed towards me with manifest curiosity 

 and surprise. The obtuse creatures could not appreciate my 

 feelings. I was most anxious to receive intelligence from home, 

 as some of the members of the family were indisposed when 

 I left, and in a few days more I should be traversing the 

 uncultivated prairie and the dark forest, and perhaps never hear 

 from my home again. The letter came at last, however, and 

 was an inexpressible consolation to me. 



The little town of Independence has within a few weeks been 

 the scene of a brawl, which at one time threatened to be attended 

 with serious consequences, but which was happily settled without 

 bloodshed. It had been for a considerable time the stronghold 

 of a sect of fanatics, called Mormons, or Mormonites, who, as 

 their numbers increased, and they obtained power, showed an 

 inclination to lord it over the less assuming inhabitants of the town. 

 This was a source of irritation which they determined to rid them- 

 selves of in a summary manner, and accordingly the whole town 

 rose, en masse, and the poor followers of the prophet were forcibly 

 ejected from the community. They took refuge in the little town 

 of Liberty, on the opposite side of the river, and the villagers 

 here are now in a constant state of feverish alarm. Reports 

 have been circulated that the Mormons are preparing to attack 

 the town, and put the inhabitants to the sword, and they have 

 therefore stationed sentries along the river for several miles, to 

 prevent the landing of the enemy. The troops parade and study 

 military tactics every day, and seem determined to repel, with 

 spirit, the threatened invasion. The probability is, that the re- 

 port respecting the attack, is, as John Bull says, " all humbug," 

 and this training and marching has already been a source of no 

 little annoyance to us, as the miserable little skeleton of a saddler 

 who is engaged to work for our party, has neglected his busi- 

 ness, and must go a soldiering in stead. A day or two ago, I tried 



to convince the little man that he was of no use to the army, 



4 



