Transcript

Transcript for "Daniel S. Pendleton," The Work Progress Administration (Utah Section) Biographical sketches, ca. 1930-1940

Our trip by ox-teams was tiresome as all such were. I was too young to feel the fear and dread with which my elders regarded every coming swell and every hidden turn of the road before and behind us, for we must be constantly on the alert for savage foes.

For five years now a steady stream of immigrants had followed the trail from east to west. With increasing alarm the Indians saw our steady advance into his territory. The Indians were prepared to fight without any provocation, and so were we although not unless forced to do it. Treacherous as were our savage foes, they were not more treacherous than some of the sluggish and innocent looking streams lying in our path, for only by experience did we learn the deadly pull of the quick sand lying on the stream bottoms. However, father always used a measure of caution.

It seemed to be my job to ride the spare ox or cow day after day until I almost become a part of the animal. As we crossed a shallow stream one day, we could see fish in it even larger than the rest that swam xx accross the pond several times with a briskness that said "Catch me if you can". You may know how each one who saw him wished he could. Father drew his pistol and took careful aim, the big fish was shot and we did not have to after him, for he just leaped out on the bank. You may guess what a welcome change it made to our monotonous diet. We experienced an excitable time one day when a great buffalo stampede devided [divided] our trains. We could see in the distance a wall of dust and hear a roar which came directly toward our wagon trains, and it seemed that everything in its path would go down. The leader of the herd made for the opening and no one was hurt. The company traveling experienced a stampede of their own animals, after lugging heavy loaded wagons they apparently went mad.

President Young told the people that these stampedes occurred on old battle fields. At Green river, we lost a cow and an ox but pushed on into Salt Lake without them.