at dark. We sent a meesenger to Mr. Gibson, with the request that he send down some saddle horses for us to ride up in the morning.
Early the following morning, April 3d, the horses were ready for us. An hour's ride over a rough rocky road, brought us to a settlement; our receptions by Mr. Gibson and most of the natiuve Saints was cool and very formal. Many improvements had been made since our last visit that were praaiseworthy and reflected great credit on Mr. Gibson.
After breakfast, Apostles Venson and Snow engaged in conversation with Mr. Gibson on the affairs of the mission. That day and the following were principally spent in laboting with Mr. Gibson and the native Elders, to get hem, if possible, to see the condition they were in. During thsi time, Brothers Joseph F. Smith, Alma L. Smith and myself took a ride around the valley, accompanied by Mr. Gibson's daughter as our guide.
About one half mile from MR. Gibson's resindence was a large rock, the top several feet above the ground. Mr. Gibson had a chamger cut into this rock, in which he had deposited a Book of Mormon and other things, and called it the corner stone of a great temple, which would be erected there. A frame work of poles had been constructed, in a circular form, around this rock, adn this was covered with brush.
Mr. Gibson, by appealing to the pagan superstitions of the natives, made theme believe that this spot was sacred, and if any person touched it he would be struck dead. So much faith had the daughter of Mr. Gibson in the teachings of her father, that she related, apparently in good faith, the circumstance of a hen flying upon the booth and immediatelyt falling down dead.
Not withstanding the protest from Miss Gibson, that it was very dangerous to do so, we went inside the brush structure and examined the rock and came out unharmed.
We were further informed that Mr. Gibson had suc- [p. 282]
