Transcript

In 1848 they made preparations to come to the valley with President Brigham Young's second company. This is a story that the brothers would often tell: "While crossing theplains a mighty herd of buffalo came straight toward them. The great clouds of dust, the thundering noise the trembling of the earth, as the great black wall bore swiftly downupon the, was indeed terrifying. The women and children were commanded to stand on the opposite side of their wagons from the herd; the men told to hold the teams and pray. Just a short distance away the herd divided, passing completely around the train, the leaders meeting again and continuing without lessening their speed. It took a long time for them to pass, but the teams did not stampede and their prayers were answered.

The family scarcely ever had enough to eat. Morgan [Hinman] says, "It went harder with Henry than any other member of the family. I remember one time Mother [Aurelia Lewis Hinman] had to whip him to make him eat his allowance (½ pint of com per day). He was very puny. He had formerly lived on pies and cakes, and then coming on to com it was rather tough, andMother had to force him to eat or I believe he would have gotten so weak he could not have eaten at all."

At dinner someone was frying buffalo meat. The animal was very fat, so it didn't take long for the frying pan to become full of grease. The cook had no use for it, and was. going to pour it out on the ground. She laid the pan aside for a moment, and when she went back to the wagon, grandpa poured out enough grease to fill his little cup. He then slipped away from the crowd, and waited just long enough for the fat to cool. He drainedthe cup, licking his lips as though it were candy. The warm grease soothed a stomach which was much distressed from cancker sores.

On another occasion when there was absolutely nothing to eat he found an old buffalo ear. The scraped it with his pocket knife, roasted it over the fire (as we would a weiner), salted it nicely and devoured that for his evening meal. Brother Christensen (Pearl Card's father) told me that one day they were driven to desperation for the want of food. He and Grandpa, picked out seeds from the buffalo turd; washed them, boiled themin water, to make a gruel which sustained life.

One day when President Young saw Grandpa chewing a piece of cow hide, he said, "What are you chewing that for?" whereupon Grandpa replied, "Because I'm so veryvery hungry." President Young said to one of the men in charge, "Please feed this child and see that the family have more food." Grandfather said from then on, they had more to eat. They had gone without food because they were too proud to ask.

Grandfather used to tell how discouraged the Saints would become. President Young would have them gather around the campfire, and sing and dance. The heart stirring song of "Come, Come Ye Saints," made such an impression on him, and he loved it so dearlythat Grandpa requested this number to be sung at his funeral.

They arrived in the valley on the 20th day of September 1848.