Chapter XVII

Scarcity of Food in the Great Salt Lake Valley--Wild Vegetables for Greens--Fair Prospects for Crops--Clouds of Crickets lay Bare the Fields--People struggle Against the Pests Almost to Despair--Vast Flocks of Sea Gulls, as the Clouds of Heaven, Come to the Rescue--Destruction of the Crickets--People Praise the Lord--The Writer Invited to a Meeting, Ordained a Seventy, and Called with Others to go on a Mission to the Society Islands--Words of Presidents Brigham Young and Heber C. Kimball--Preparations to Travel to California with an Emigrant Company--Description of the Route by Captain Jefferson Hunt--Start on My Mission--Prophecy by President Willard Richards--Battle with Indians at Provo Averted by Apostle C. C. Rich--Prospects of Utah Valley to Support Population--Overtake the Emigrant Company--Discussions at Beaver River--Company Starts for Walker's Pass--Turned Back by Scarcity of Water--Experience on the Desert--Dissensions in the Company--Futile Attempt to send some of the Members Back--Apostle C. C. Rich Foresees Further Trouble, and Endeavors to Save the Mormon Part of the Train by Advising Them to Return to the Old Spanish Trail--Methodist and Campbellite Ministers Incite the Company Against their Mormon Guide, Captain Hunt--Main Company Disregards Captain Hunt's Warning of Danger, and Leaves the Old Spanish Trail to Search for the Route Through Walker's Pass--Mormons go with Captain Hunt on the Southern Route.

CHAPTER XVIII.

Caught in a Snowstorm--Via the Santa Clara and Rio Virgen to the Muddy--News of Sad Disaster to the Emigrant Company--Making Charcoal and Nails--An Apostle as a Blacksmith--Searching for Water on the Desert--Crossing an Alkali Stream--Discover Gold near Salt Springs--Hurrying on over the Desert--Cattle Poisoned at Bitter Springs--Killing Animals to Relieve their Sufferings--First Wagon over Cajon Pass, going West--Severe Journey to the Summit of the Pass--All get Over Safely--Sense of Great Relief--Grass and Water In Abundance--Overtaken by survivors of the Emigrant Company--Their Story of Terrible Suffering--Divide Provisions with Them--Celebrating Christmas, 1849--Continuing the Journey North--Spanish Warning in a Cemetery to Indians--Cruelty of the Spaniards to the Indians--The Writer Placed In Charge of the Company--Directed to go to the Gold Mines.

CHAPTER XIX.

Journeying Toward the Gold Diggings--Threatened by Wild Horses--Difficulties of Traveling--Convocation of the Feathered Creation--Rejoin Our Friends--Ferrying Across a River--Strike a Gold Prospect--On a Prospecting Tour--An Agreement that Failed--Instructed to go to San Francisco to proceed on a Mission--Trip to Stockton--Gamblers, Sharpers and Miners at that Place--A Temptation Overcome--Arrive in San Francisco--Welcomed by Saints--Receive Kind Treatment--On Hoard a Vessel Bound for Tahiti.

CHAPTER XX.

Sailing for the South Pacific--Severe Attack of Seasickness--Becalmed in the Tropics--Intense Heat--Marquesas Islands--Cannibals--Reach Tahiti--Land at Papeete--Meet with Friends--Hearty Welcome--Preaching to the Natives--Animosity of Protestants and Catholics Toward the Mormons--Jealousy of French Government Officials on the Island--Watched by Detectives--Six Natives Baptized--Learning the Language--Rumors of an Intention to Expel the Mormons--Elders B. F. Grouard and T. Whitaker Arrested--Appeal for Aid--Their Release and Return to their Missionary Labors--Meet with Brother Pratt Again--Interview with the Governor--That Official Refuses Elders Pratt and Brown Permission to Visit Another Island--Scarcity of Food at Huaua--Eating Seasnails and Bugs--Strange Dishes of Food--Almost Perish from Thirst--Visit to Tiarara--Acquiring the Language.

CHAPTER XXI.

Offer of Transportation to the Island of Tubuol--Apply to the Governor for Permission to go--Troops on Parade--Suite of Queen Pomere--Call on the Governor--Conversation in Three Languages--Directed to Come Again Next Day--Put off by the Governor--Latter Refuses the Permission Asked--His Prejudice Against the Mormons--Demands a Statement of Their Doctrines--Not Required of Other Denominations--Writer's Interview with the Governor--Return to Huaua--Other Elders Requested to Assemble then--Bitterness of Protestant Ministers--Natives comment on Mormons Learning Their Language Quickly.

CHAPTER XXII.

Visit to Papeete--Duck-Hunting Trip--A Peculiar Woman--Along a Perilous Path--An Opinion of English Ministers--Arrival of S. A. Dunn--Learn of More Missionaries Arriving at Tubuoi--News from my Father and Others--Letters from the First Presidency and Some of the Apostles--Written Statement Sent to the Governor of Tahiti--Visit the Governor--Our Statement Rejected--List of Questions and Statement Presented by the Governor--Reply of Elder A. Pratt--Objections by the Governor--Permission given us to Travel and Preach on the Islands.

CHAPTER XXIII.

Return to Huahua--Heavy Rainstorms--Refusal of an Offer to be Carried Over a Stream--Perilous Swimming Feat--Episode with a Wild Boar--Start on a Trip Around the Island--Obtain a Loaf of Bread--People not Desirous of Listening to the Mormon Elders--Customs of the Natives--Reputation of Protestant Clergy on Tahiti--With the Chief Magistrate of Uairai--Across a Small Bay in a Canoe--French Garrison at the Isthmus--With my Friend Pohe--Review of a Hard Journey--Again at Huaua.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Scarcity of Food--Traveling In Heavy Rains--Call on a Protestant Minister--Arrival of Another Missionary and Letters from Home--Visitors from Metia--Hold a Sacrament Meeting--Go to Papara--Abused by the Protestant Minister--Preach to the People--Young Woman Miraculously Healed at Baptism--Great Excitement--Rage of the Protestant Ministers--Persecution Instituted--Arrested for Preaching--Released on Promising to Return to Huaua--Plenty of Friends--Unintentional Escape from Gen d'Armes--Arrival at Papeete--Charge on which Officers seek to Arrest me--Abused by Rev. Mr. Howe--A Quiet Answer Calls Out Cheers from the Crowd--Tide Turns in my Favor--Excitement Calms Down, and Efforts to Arrest Me Cease.

CHAPTER XXV.

Several Baptisms--Visit Papara Again--Coldness of the People--Bitter Efforts of the Protestant Ministers--Natives Visit Me In Secret--Anti-Mormon Mass Meeting--Foolish and Vicious scheme to Ensnare the Writer--It is Easily Defeated--Return to Papeete--More Baptisms--Departure of Elder Dunn--I am left Alone--Brethren come from Tubuoi--Elders Appointed to Labor in Different Islands--The writer Assigned to the Tuamotu Group--Leave on the Elders' Schooner the _Ravai_ or _Fisher_--Meet with Contrary Winds--Driven to Various Islands--Encounter a Violent storm--In Great Peril--Vessel Beyond Control--Storm calms Down--Reach Tubuoi--First Preaching of the Gospel there, in 1844.

CHAPTER XXVI.

Hearty Welcome in Tubuoi--Start for Tuamotu--Reach Papeete, Tahiti--Visit to Huaua--Leave Tahiti--Writer gets Relief from Seasickness--Broiled Fish and Cocoanuts--in a School of Whales--Thrown onto a Coral Reef--Total Wreck Imminent--Three Persons yet Ashore--Boat goes out to Sea--Wreck of Elder Dunn's Party--Three Days In the Sea, Clinging to a Capsized Boat--Clothing Torn off by Sharks--Skin Taken off by the Sea and Sun--Reach the Island of Anaa--Recognized by a Man who had seen me in a Dream--Preaching and Baptizing--Many of the Natives Church Members--Make a Rude Map of the California Gold Fields--Tell of Having been in the Mormon Battalion--Catholic Priests Elicit this Information as Part of a Scheme to have me Expelled from the Island.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Invited to Organize Schools--Catholic Priests Displeased at Mormon Success--Good Attendance at the Schools--Threats by the Priests--Discomfiture of the Latter--Feast and Address of Welcome by the Natives to the Writer--Preaching and Baptisms--Catholic Priests seize a Schoolhouse Belonging to the Saints--Disturb a Saints' Meeting--More Baptisms--Further Annoyance by Catholics--People Decide Against Them--Town Officials Appealed to--They Uphold the Decision in Favor of the Mormons--Priests Write to Governor Bonard, Making False Charges Against me--A Peculiar Dream.

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Go to Temaraia--Miraculous Healings--Child Assailed by an Evil Spirit--Strange Occurrence--Gift of Sea Biscuits--Perform a Surgical Operation--Hammering out Teeth--The Writer as a Surgeon and Dentist--Roughs Disturbs Meeting--They are Stricken with Death--Fatal Sickness among the People--Lower Classes of Natives at a Feast--Their Reverence for Religious Services and Preachers--Two Parties of Natives in Battle Array--Fighting Averted by the Writer Addressing the Contending Factions in Favor of Peace--Wars among the Natives--Some of their Practices--Gathering and Keeping Human Heads--Causes of Cannibalism--Conversation with one who had been a Cannibal--Flavor of Native and White Men's Flesh Compared--The Tastiest Part of the Human Body.

CHAPTER XXIX.

Hold Conference in Putuhara--Instructions to the Saints--Go to Otapipi--Opposition at Temaraia--Officials Bribed by Catholic Priests--Arrival of a French Warship--The Writer is Arrested while Expounding the Scriptures to the Natives--Cause of Arrest is False Accusation by Catholic Priests--I Plead Not Guilty--Ordered Taken to Tahiti--Painful Prison Experience--Cannibals in Custody--Start for the Ship--Sympathy of the Natives--Hurried into the Ship's Boat--In a School of Whales--A Frightened Boat Load--On Board the Warship--Uncomfortable Quarters--Questionable French Courtesy--Among Cockroaches, Filth, and Inconveniences--Soft Side of a Plank for a Bed.

CHAPTER XXX.

Voyage to Papeete--In a Tahitian Dungeon--Cruel Treatment--Write to Friends--Kindness of the American Hotel Keeper--Brought Before the Governor--False Charges Read, and Plea of Not Guilty Entered--Perjured Testimony Against Me--Forbidden to Look at, or even Cross-Examine Witnesses--Secrecy of the Alleged Trial--Demand My Rights as an American Citizen--Confusion of the Governor--Returned to My Cell--American Consul takes up my Case--Gives Bonds that I will Leave the Protectorate--Elders and Friends Call on me--My Visitors Allowed to Say but Little, and Sometimes Excluded--Decision of the Governor that I must Leave the Society Islands--Fair Trial Refused me--Letter from the American Consul--Taken to the Consul's Office--Advised to Leave--Elders Decide that I should go Outside of the French Protectorate--Set Sail from Papeete.