Not So Funny at the Time

 

The trail west abounds with stories of native encounters. I’ve shared many of them over the life of this blog. Stories of the two groups helping each other, fighting each other, the comical, and the not so funny are found in various pioneer journal entries. B.H. Roberts, future general authority and the author of numerous LDS classics ( A Comprehensive History of the Church) records one such encounter, which he could laugh at later in life, but at the time was a little scary for the nine-year old lad. What camp rule did he and one of his friends break that resulted in the incident with the natives?

a.      Don’t trade with the natives

b.      Don’t feed the natives

c.       Don’t separate yourself from the camp

d.      Don’t speak to the natives

Yesterday’s answer:

c.   Land

 When representatives of these bands [Utes and Shoshone] tried to sell land to the Mormons for weapons, Brigham Young declined, stating that the land belonged to God and that there was ample acreage for all.

Plewe, Brandon S., et. at., Mapping Mormonism (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 2012) 84.