Morgan Pioneer History Binds Us Together as they pleased, unmolested from the rest of the world. Margaret and her sister, Rachel (Daniel Robison's wife), made noodles and dried them before leaving home. They shared them with the sick. They also made yeast cakes and had light bread the whole journey. Provisions were weighed out to each family once a week, and at one time were rationed out at one-half pound of flour a day. At times, water was very scarce, and at low, boggy places, shovels and spades were used. After digging two or three feet, they would strike water, but it was hardly drinkable, being filled with alkali. At night, when a campground was reached, the carts were placed in a circle, leaving an open space of about ten feet. This was used for a corral for the oxen. The oxen were usually driven one half mile away there they were watched over by two men until midnight, when they were relieved by others. When morning came, they were brought in; each man yoked up his own oxen, and as soon as breakfast was over, they were ordered to line up for another hot day. The carts with loaded with bedding, cooking utensils, and sometimes children, because their feet became very tired at times. Most of the mothers were seen trudging along on the scorching ground barefooted, leading their barefooted little tots by the hand, pausing now and then, trying to do something to relieve the pain in their blistered feet. The women would wear long aprons and as they journeyed along the road, they filled the aprons with buffalo chips for the campfire at night. Wood was scarce and they wouldn't see any for miles. The buffalo chips would make more smoke than fire and turn the bread yellow, giving it such a flavor that it would hardly be eaten. But they enjoyed it anyway. And each night as they camped, they would always offer prayers and sing hymns. They seemed very happy in spite of all the hardships they had to endure. They were putting their trust in God. Their journey was peaceful. Several bands of Indians passed, but they were not molested by them. At one time, their food failed to reach them. Captain Robison swam the Platte River and made arrangements tor the provisions to be sent to the camp. When they arrived at the Sweetwater, near the Continental Divide, the river was full of fish. Everyone had all the fish they could eat, which was a big treat after eating salty bacon all the way. At the Green River, all were taken across on a ferry boat, except the oxen; they had to swim across. As they neared the Salt Lake Valley, provisions were low and many were weak and hungry, some collapsing, and all wondering how they could go on. It was then that two wagons drove up loaded with food and necessities. While traveling through Wyoming, William's and Margaret's two year old son, David Cannon (named after the missionary who taught them the gospel), became ill with dysentery and passed away within a day and night. His parents were grief stricken. He was said to be a very handsome boy, and was long remembered for sitting around the campfire warming his feet. They took a box off the wagon to make a little coffin, dressed him in his best clothes and buried him by the wayside. They covered rocks over the little grave as a protection against the elements and wild animals, thinking they would some back sometime in the future and find his grave. After reaching Utah, William and family members retraced their steps to the place they left the body, Cache Cave, but they would find no trace of the grave. They camped two days at the mouth of Echo Can- von on the Weber River at a small town called Henefer. The town was named Henefer in honor of the only family living there at that time. Mr. Henefer donated five bushels of potatoes, providing the pioneers would dig them. The fishing was very good so everyone had all the potatoes and fish they could eat. They still had some steep climbs to make, but additional help was ahead. A man living on top of Big Mountain sent seven yoke of oxen down to pull the carts to the top of the mountain. They reached Salt Lake City on August 27,1860. Arrival of the company in Salt Lake City was reported by the Deseret News; "Capt. Daniel Robison brought into the city on Monday afternoon the first of the season's handcart companies, in good order, and apparently in good health. The company was composed chiefly of British Saints, with a few families from the Eastern States; in all, about two hundred and thirty souls. They had six wagons, thirty-nine handcarts, and ten tents. One child had died en route, and one ox had been lost. They had come along as well as any company that ever crossed the Plains. Their appearance on entering the city was indeed, if anything, more favourable than that of any previous handcart company." William's brother, Ephraim Robison, made the statement: "I was ragged, dirty, and barefoot, and felt about as happy as though I had ran a nail in my foot." He said that they expected to see brass bands waiting for them. No one was there, except people to meet some of their friends and relatives. And everything they had used on the trip belonged to the church and had to be returned on the spot - wagons, carts, tents. 166