The Romance of the Utah Pioneers

Summary

A canvas of ochre dust and prayer-scarred sky unfurls as Edward Martin shepherds his iron-wheeled pilgrims toward a Salt Lake mirage, their worldly chattel lashed to skeletal hand-carts that creak like penitent psalms. Two love stories bloom in this crucible: the Mormon husband and wife clutching matrimony like a talisman against desolation, and the Paiute adolescents—Watana, fingers nimble over basketry’s spirals, and Mountain Pine, gaze smoldering with cedar-smoke ardor—whose affection is shattered when Mexican slave-traders shatter the tribal peace. Watana, abducted, becomes chattel in a serape-draped caravan; Mountain Pine, reckless in pursuit, sparks a reprisal that leaves raiders as carrion. Victory, however, curdles into vengeance when the Paiute horde sights the pale, hymn-singing column. The whites, meanwhile, have already tasted doom: their scout plummets into a chasm, the horizon dissolves into alkali hallucination, and the captain’s wife trades lullabies for hunger hymns. At the eleventh breath Watana, remembering her own shackles, intercedes; water springs from stone, pemmican appears like manna, and a single kiss—Alice’s gratitude pressed upon Watana’s bewildered cheek—becomes the fragile treaty that turns massacre into miracle.

Synopsis

Edward Martin and Alice, married, start out for Salt Lake with the "Hand Cart immigrants," so-called because a number of the adventurers pushed and pulled their belongings ahead of them on small, rough carts. Edward Martin is made Captain of the train. The Indian tribes are at peace and little Watana and Mountain Pine make love as Watana weaves her pretty baskets. Unfortunately the Mexican raiders are in the vicinity, capturing Indians and selling them into slavery. Watana is seized and taken away and is made love to by the guide. Mountain Pine traces her and rides back and arouses the Indians, who steal up on the marauders and annihilate them. Watana and other Indians are rescued. The Indians are flushed with victory and consumed with hatred for all pale faces. They see the Hand Cart immigrants and determine to attack them. Edward Martin and his followers have had a hard time. The guide is killed by falling over a cliff and the party is lost. Starvation and thirst stare them in the face and the whole party is suffering intensely. Little Watana has had her meed of suffering and determines to try and save the immigrants. She pleads with Mountain Pine and the old chief and they listen to her, and instead of attacking the party decide to help them. The immigrants find water, which revives them and sustains them long enough to allow Watana to bring them provisions. Little Watana is puzzled when Alice kisses her, but she decides that the practice is a good one and imparts the experience to the astonished Mountain Pine, who also thinks it nice.