"...we traveled until we had come down out of the hills onto the Platte again. As we were coming along one evening just before camping time we saw three bears on the other side of the river near a thicket of brush. Smoot, the captain, called to me to get ready and go with him and kill them. Accordingly I got my gun which was empty and loaded it with a double charge as I knew it would stand it, and took my pistol - a single barrel - in case I got into a close fight, and went with him. By the time we got started there were three more boys who had got ready also and went with us. Their names were Charles Chipman, George Peacock, and Lorin Roundy.Well by the time we got across the river the bears had gone into the brush so that we could not see them, but we had three large dogs with us which we put on their tracks and into the brush they ran, but when they got to the bear they were so astonished they would not even bark at them. When we got pretty well up to the brush, Smoot charged right up, thinking I suppose, to get the first shot, but when he saw the bear he was about like the dogs. He was so excited he forgot he had a gun but hollowed, 'Here she is boys, come and shoot her quick'. Accordingly we ran as fast as we could right up to the brush, but when we got there the brush was high enough that we could not see them on foot. Just at this time the old bear noticed Smoot on his horse and she paid no more attention to the dogs, but came from them to us with a vengeance. This excited Smoot the more, and he hollowed 'take care, boys, run - here she comes. She is a fifteen hundreder,' and turning his horse he laid the whip and away he went with a vengeance.
This so alarmed the boys that they all turned and ran as fast as they could, leaving the bear and me to settle our little difficulties as best we could. In the moment of their running by me and leaving me to fight it out alone, I though of Daniel Boone's companions running and leaving him alone in like circumstances..." Obviously, they had entered grizzly country.
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Shared by H. Gail Poulock, From OUR PIONEER HERITAGE, Vol ?, section on Bands and Orchestras, page 123:"In 1857 an invitation was sent by Governor Young to the various towns in Utah County to join Salt Lake County in celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Pioneer's entrance into Utah. The celebration was to be held at the head of Big Cottonwood Canyon. Some twenty teams, headed by the band in their fine new wagon, went from Springville. Lauran H. Roundy, who was the possessor of some very fine horses, was teammaster. It took them one day to reach their destination and the celebration went on for three days. On the morning of July 22nd, the group gathered in front of Johnson's home and just as old sol shot his golden rays into the valley, the procession started with the band playing and their flags flying. The present road across Provo Bench was marked off that day for future travel. That night they camped at the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The evening was spent in contests by various bands, among the number being the famous Nauvoo Brass Band. The next day the long train wended it way up to the beautiful valley at the head of the canyon where tents were pitched under the spreading branches of towering pines. The next day was never forgotten by those present. There was a battery of artillery that kept the echoes ringing from day break until eight p. m. A fine program was carried out while dancing, feasting and merriment was kept up until the wee hours of the twenty-fifth. It was on this date that A. O. Smoot and Porter Rockwell rode into camp sunburned and travel-stained, to impart the startling news that Johnston's Army was on its way to Utah. Immediately everyone left for home to prepare to meet them." Another example of Lauren spelled wrong.
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