Content preview - You need a premium account to view this content.

This Is the Place

By ERASTUS SNOW

(We are fortunate indeed in having from Erastus Snow, one of the first of the Pioneers to enter Salt Lake valley, an account of his interesting experiences. Erastus Snow and Orson Pratt viewed the valley three days before the arrival of President Brigham Young.-P. N.)

WHILE in Echo canyon, President Young being unable to travel, and as the season was advancing, he felt moved upon to direct Elder Orson Pratt to take that portion of the camp, or most of them, that were able to travel and labor with their axes, picks, and shovels, to make roads and bridges, to commence the work of cutting their way through the mountains and canyons into this valley. By the time they had succeeded in reaching what is called the Big Mountain, most of the rest of the company started in their trail, still leaving President Young and a few to nurse and care for him, and also a few feeble individuals to follow as soon as they were able. I well remember, as we called at the wagon to bid the President good-bye, Brother Willard Richards, who had charge of those about to leave, asking if he had any counsel to give to guide our movements after we should emerge from the mountains into the open country on the west. He was barely able to support his head with his elbow resting on the pillow, and his head in his hand while he spoke feebly, in a low tone: "My impressions are," said he, "that when you emerge from the mountains into the open country, you bear to the northward and stop at the first convenient place for putting in your seeds." Some of the seeds we had brought with us should by this time have been put in the ground, such as the potatoes and other vegetables. This last suggestion from President Young controlled our movements.

It fell to the lot of Elder Orson Pratt and myself to penetrate through the thickets and emerge into this valley and get a view of the Great Salt Lake, as was said yesterday by Brother Woodruff, on the 21st day of July. The thicket down through the Narrows, at the mouth of the canyon, was so dense that we could not penetrate through it. I crawled for some distance on my hands and knees through this thicket, until I was compelled to return, admonished, too, by the rattle of a snake which lay coiled up a little under my nose, having almost put my hand on him; but as he gave me the friendly warning, I thanked him and retreated. And I will here say that from that day to this, I have never waged war upon the serpent when he has kindly given me notice of his presence. We raised on to a high point of the Narrows, where we got a view of the Great Salt Lake and this valley and each of us, without saying a word to the other, instinctively as if by inspiration, raised our hats from our heads and then swinging our hats shouted, "Hosanna to God and the Lamb!"