33. Portrait of an Angel
Jewcy
Destiny of Cedar City-Henry Lunt-Affecting Incident-Portrait of a dead
Child-A Mother's Gratitude-Harmony City-Parley Pratt-Piede Indians-Personal
Privations of Mormons-Bid Adieu to Gov. Young-Letter of Introduction to
President of San Bernandino.
PAROWAN is situated immediately under a very high range of irregular,
rugged mountains, fringed with timber. A fine stream of water runs through
the city, which is sixty rods square, surrounded with a wall, six feet at
the base, and tapering upwards to two and a half feet, the wall is twelve
feet high, and extends back from the town six miles.
"The valley of the Parowan, or Little Salt Lake Valley, is about sixty miles
east of the meadows of Santa Clara, between 37º and 38' of north latitude,
and between 113' and 114' west longitude; elevation above the sea, five
thousand feet." (Fremont's letter.)
It contains one hundred families, five hundred head of cattle, one hundred
and fifty horses and mules, and three hundred sheep.
Provisions of all kinds, are very scarce and high; their supplies are
procured either from Salt Lake City, three hundred miles north, or San
Bernandino, five hundred miles over the deserts to the south. C. V. L. Smith
is president; Lewis, bishop; John Steele, mayor.
18th.-The whole party left this morning at ten o'clock, for Cedar City, Coal
Creek; we arrived there at two o'clock-eighteen miles to the south of
Parowan.
Mr. Henry Lunt, a well informed, and generous hearted Englishman, was, it is
supposed, the first white man who ever entered this valley, or the river of
the Great Basin. With twenty-two men he arrived at the present site of the
city, two years and a half ago to form a settlement.
Cedar City now contains one thousand inhabitants, who possess fifteen
hundred head of cattle, besides a large number of horses, mules, and sheep.
The city is half a mile square, and completely surrounded by an adobe wall
twelve feet high, six feet at the base to two and a half at the top; the
building of the wall was attended by a great deal of labor; the persevering
industry -of these people is unsurpassed. A temple block is in the ,centre
of the city, covering twenty acres of ground, the building lots are each
twenty rods by four rods.
Twenty miles to the eastward of Parowan, there is a fresh water lake, formed
by a stream from the Warsatch Mountains, which is filled with salmon trout;
out of this lake comes the Seveir River, which flows north into the Seveir
Lake.
Immediately in the vicinity of the city, is an extensive bituminous coal
mine.
Iron ore of superior quality, eighty per cent. pure iron, is found in great
quantities; four miles from the city are two mountains of solid ore.
Iron works are in successful operation, all the railroad iron necessary to
complete a road from there to San Bernandino, can be procured here.
This city is destined to become a great place of business, and, in case the
Pacific Railroad does not come through or near Great Salt Lake City, it will
be the channel through which all importations for the Territory of Utah will
come, it being only about four hundred and fifty miles from San Diego, on
the Pacific coast; a distance frequently travelled in ten days.
I renewed my acquaintance with the president, Henry Lunt, with much
pleasure, I remained at his house during my stay, and to himself and kind
lady, (they are among those who deprecate the spiritual wife system), I was
indebted for many little attentions and civilities.
Mr. Lunt was about visiting the city of New York on his way to England, and
I gave him a letter of introduction to my family, which he delivered
afterwards in person, before I arrived at home.
The morning after my arrival, 1 arose very early, and taking my sketch-book
along, I sauntered around the city; in the course of my peregrinations, I
saw a man walking up and down before an adobe shanty, apparently much
distressed; I approached him, and inquired the cause of his dejection; he
told me that his only daughter, aged six years, had died suddenly in the
night; he pointed to the door, and I entered the dwelling.
Laid out upon a straw mattress, scrupulously clean, was one of the most
angelic children I ever saw. On its face was a placid smile, and it looked
more like the gentle repose of healthful sleep than the everlasting slumber
of death.
Beautiful curls clustered around a brow of snowy whiteness. It was easy to
perceive that it was a child lately from England, from its peculiar
conformation. I entered very softly, and did not disturb the afflicted
mother, who reclined on the bed, her face buried in the pillow, sobbing as
if her heart would break.
Without a second's reflection I commenced making a sketch of the inanimate
being before me, and in the course of half-an-hour I had produced an
excellent likeness.
A slight movement in the room caused the mother to look around her. She
perceived me, and I apologized for my intrusion; and telling her that I was
one of the Governor's party who arrived last night, I tore the leaf out of
my book and presented it to her, and it is impossible to describe the
delight and joy she expressed at its possession. She said I was an angel
sent from heaven to comfort her.
She had no likeness of her child.
I bid her place her trust in Him "who giveth and taketh away," and left her
indulging in the excitement of joy and sorrow. I went out unperceived by the
bereaved father, who was still walking up and down, buried in grief. I
continued my walk, contemplating the strange combination of events, which
gave this poor woman a single ray of peace for her sorrowing heart.
When I was about starting the next day, I discovered in the wagon a basket
filled with eggs, butter, and several loaves of bread, and a note to my
address containing these words-"From a grateful heart."
19th-The Governor and a portion of the party proceeded to-day, to the city
of Harmony, twenty-two miles farther south.
Parley Pratt and the party with whom I intended to travel to California,
remained behind to complete their outfit of provisions.
At this point, the road to San Bernandino branches out thirty miles to the
westward. We shall proceed on our journey, on the return of Brigham Young
from Harmony.
The Payides, or Piedes, were considered the most degraded set of Indians in
the Territory, living on reptiles, insects, roots, etc., and going about in
a state of nudity.
Since the settlement of Cedar City, they have become more civilized; many of
them live within the walls of the city. The Mormons have supplied them with
clothes, and proper food. The Indians have become of very great assistance
in ploughing and reaping. Several acres of ground have been placed under
cultivation, and appropriated for the use of the Indians. They are now
acquiring the arts of agriculture and husbandry.
A large number of them have been baptized into the Mormon faith.
It is really astonishing to see the sacrifices and personal privations to
which these people willingly, and uncomplainingly submit. Hundreds of
families who formerly lived more comfortably at home, are now contented with
a mud hut, twelve to fifteen feet square, with a single room, in which they
cook, eat, and sleep. In some of them I have seen eight persons, including
children, yet they are perfectly happy in the plan of salvation held out to
them by the religion they have embraced.
21st.-The Governor and party arrived this evening from Harmony.
He has appointed the following gentlemen to take up a permanent residence
with Wakara's band of Utahs, viz.: Porter Rockwell, James A. Bean,
interpreter; John Murdoch, and John Lott. These persons will follow them in
their wanderings, and will, most probably, prevent many depredations and
murders.
22nd.-Our party intend starting for California, some time during this day. I
breakfasted with Gov. Young; he has given me a letter of introduction to the
President of San Bernandino, and all Mormons everywhere. He says I have but
to show it, and it will procure me all I require at any time. I have just
taken leave of him and his lady, as well as of the rest of the party.
Jewcy
Norma
"Jewcy" <jewc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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Norma
"Jewcy" <jewc...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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Jewcy
"Norma" <njb...@charter.net> wrote in message
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> Thank you!
You're quite welcome.
Jewcy