[William Clayton Journal] Arose soon after 5. The morning fine and pleasant. During the night the guard fired twice but they supposed they were wolves they fired at. I went back to old Indian village before breakfast, and also with O. P. Rockwell, to see if any tracks of the lost horses could be found. He followed one track some way into a bunch of willows, but having no arms we returned. At 1/4 to 8 the wagons commenced moving and travelled till 1/4 after 2 being about 12 miles, nearly a South course, the design being to go to the main branch of the Platte. President Young, Kimball and others went forward again to point out the road. O. P. Rockwell and some others started back to hunt the horses about the time we started . . .
At 1/2 after 6 O. P. Rockwell, Joseph Mathews, John Eldridge and Thomas Brown returned from hunting the 2 lost horses. They reported that they went back to within about 2 miles of where we encamped on Sunday and looking off towards the river they saw something move in the grass at the foot of a high mole. They proceeded towards it thinking it was a wolf, when within about 12 or 14 rods Porter stoppt to shoot at the supposed wolf. The moment he elevated his rifle 15 Indians sprang to their feet, all naked except the breech cloth, and armed with rifles and bows and arrows. Each man having a rifle slung on his back, and his bow strung tight in his hand and about 20 arrows. The Indians advanced towards them but the brethren motioned and told them to pucacher and held there rifles and pistols ready to meet them. When the Indians saw this they began to holler, 'bacco' 'bacco.' The brethren told them they had no tobacco. One of the Indians came close beside J. Mathews horse to shake hands with Mathews but kept his eye on the horses bridle. When nearly within reach of the Bridle Brown cocked his pistol and pointed at the Indian shouting if he did not leave he would kill him. At which, the Indian seeing the pistol ready to fire retreated. The Indians made signs to get the brethren lower down the river but the brethren turned their horses to come to camp thinking it unsafe to go nearer to the timber where they expected more Indians lay in ambush. When the brethren turned to come back the Indians fired 6 shots at them with their rifles and the brethren immediately faced about at which the Indians fled towards the timber below. The brethren did not shoot at the Indians, even when the Indians shot at them. They saw the tracks of the horses which are missing and returned satisfied that the Pawnees have got them, and no doubt intended to get the horses on which the brethren rode, but they met with too stern a reception to risk an attempt. Some of these same Indians were amongst those who came into camp when we stopped for dinner near their village, and proves that they eyed the horses pretty close, and also proves that they have followed us close ever since. The brethren run great risks indeed, but got back safe to camp without harm...
[source: George D. Smith, An Intimate Chronicle; The Journals of William Clayton, Signature Books in association with Smith Research Associates, Salt Lake City, 1995, http://amzn.to/william-clayton]
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