Saga of the Sanpitch Volume 17, 1985 - Sanpete County

the Lord would continue to protect them. Then he asked that everyone keep a watchful eye on the bushes and
trees along the wayside„
The road to Manti had been cleared of some of the brush and trees, and now the streams were frozen,
making traveling a bit easier. However, a larger stream in what is now Ephraim had running water under the
ice. Here they decided to camp for the night. Some of the men proceeded to build a bridge over the stream,
while others gave food and water to the animals. A third group remained on guard. The women built camp
fires and prepared food for the hungry group. The food consisted mainly of dried venison and frozen potatoes
served from large skillets.
The next morning a pale wintry sun crept over the mountain as they moved on toward Manti. Later
in the day the sky became dark and snowflakes began to fall. It was then that the scouts discovered a band of
Indians, on horseback, following the wagon train. Everyone was alerted but told not to make trouble unless
the Indians made the first move. As the snow fell faster everyone's nerves became more tense. Only recently
as they made the trip from Salt Lake, they had found a wagon tipped over, the grain scattered and three
Bodies mutilated. Soon the sound of the wagon wheels were swallowed up in the deepening snow and the
occasional mooing of cows and the bleating of the sheep were all that could be heard. The faithful oxen
pushed steadily onward, the wagon wheels turning, and turning. . .
By four o'clock in the afternoon the snow was a foot deep, progress was slow and the caravan looked
like a moving snowdrift. Then came the wind, like a giant eggbeater, whipping the storm into a fury. Some
drivers thought they should stop before they lost their way.
"Hello! Hello!" came the voices of men. A group had come from Manti to help them through the drifts.
"The Lord be praised," cried Ruben, "our lives have been spared again." The words were repeated from
wagon to wagon. Then someone began singing in a loud clear voice, "Come, Come Ye Saints," and the entire
company took up the refrain:
Come, come ye Saints, no toil or labor
fear; But with joy wend your way;
Though hard to you this journey may appear,
Grace shall be as your day.
'Tis better far for us to strive, Our useless
cares from us to drive;
Do this and joy your hearts will swell—All
is well, all is well!
When the help arrived from Manti they saw no more of the Indians who had been following them.
It grew darker and night was settling around them when they arrived in Manti. The gates of the "Little
Fort" opened wide and large kettles of hot soup hung over camp fires. Never had food tasted so good, and
never did a group of people feel more relieved.
There were not enough cabins within the small fort for all the families, so the larger and more sturdy
wagons remained on the outside. These were lined up close to the fort walls and used as homes for the
remainder of the winter.
Jens Hansen, my grandfather, and his family occupied one of the cabins.
"Will this be our home now?" asked Geraldine as she looked around.
"Yes, dear. We must be grateful to be out of the storm and near others where the Indians will be less
likely to give trouble„"
"But the roof is made of willows and the snow is coming through. There is no floor, just dirt."
60