Fortunately for all concerned, the Saints admitted the conditions under which they were received by the citizens, and agreed to leave on the terms proposed, denying strenuously that they had ever tampered with the slaves, or had any idea of exciting an Indian war.
The Mormons, being thus compelled to leave Clay county, settled principally in Caldwell county, founding the city of Far West, and other smaller places. The popular storm, however, which had never fully abated, gathered new strength, and ultimately drove them from the state.
The prophet, who had kept himself out of the way of danger during the warfare in Jackson county, and had made a missionary excursion into Canada, seeking for new converts, projected a journey into Missouri soon after the Saints had got safely settled in Clay county. Many had grown weak in the faith, and become discouraged by reason of the troubles at Independence. This journey was therefore intended to build up the breaches in the walls of Zion by a fresh display of revelations, and other signs and wonders. He journeyed partly in disguise, to avoid the anticipated hostility of the wicked Gentiles, and was attended by a body-guard of about one hundred young men, secretly armed. This was in May, 1834. After passing the Illinois River, they came to some of those mounds so common in the Western States. One of these was opened, and the bones of a dead Indian exposed to view, with an arrow between his ribs. Joseph was instantly favored with a vision, and declared the remains to be the skeleton of one of the ancient Lamanites by the name of Zelph, who had been killed in a battle
