MORMON HOSPITALITY — HOMEWARD JOUNREY. 217 



southward of that now crossing the mountains by the South Pass. 

 I therefore disposed of all my wagons, and such instruments and 

 public property as were no longer necessary, by selling them to 

 the Mormon authorities; and arranged^for the transportation of 

 the baggage of the party entirely by pack-mules. The horses 

 purchased from the Uintah Indians the past winter enabled me to 

 mount a force sufficiently numerous for self-protection upon the 

 projected route — part of which lay through the common battle- 

 ground of the Sioux, Snakes, Utahs, Blackfeet, and Crow Indians. 

 Before taking leave of the Mormon community, whose history has 

 been the subject of no little interest in the country, I cannot but 

 avail myself of the opportunity again to acknowledge the constant 

 kindness and generous hospitality which was ever extended to the 

 party during a -sojourn of rather more than a year among them. 

 The most disinterested efforts were made to afford us, both per- 

 sonally and officially, all the aids and facilities within the power 

 of the people, as well to forward our labours as to contribute to 

 our comfort and enjoyment. Official invitations were sent by the 

 authorities to the officers of the party, while engaged in distant 

 duty on the lake, to participate in the celebration of their annual 

 jubilee, on the 24th of July, and an honourable position assigned 

 them in the procession on that occasion. Upon our final de- 

 parture, we were followed with the kindest expressions of regard, 

 and of anxious hopes for the safety and welfare of the party upoa 

 its homeward journey. 



CHAPTER IX. 



HOMEWARD JOURNEY. — EXPLORATION OP A NEW PASS THROUGH THE 



ROCKY MOUNTAINS. 



Wednesday^ August 28. — Having completed our arrangements, 

 we left the city of the Great Salt Lake for home, and encamped 

 at the mouth of the "Big Kanyon," which affords a pass through 

 the Wahsatch range of mountains to the plains beyond. 



Thursday, August 29. — Morning fine and cool. A train of 

 Mormon wagons, just arrived from the States, is encamped near us. 

 Our road to-day is up the Golden Pass, through a canon formed 



