Letter to James Godson Bleak, 8 September 1879
Snowflake Apache Co. Arizona
Dear brother Bleak:
I returned to this place on Saturday night after a journey of
25 days in visiting The Nephites, Jacobites, Josephites and Lamanites as
spoken of in the 3 Sec. 17 verse of the D. and C. who comprise the Zunies,
Lagoonies and Islatus. On my return I found awaiting me 33 letters -[among
them the following E. Snow, Jaques 3, J. Oakley 1, Woodruff family 9, Lot
Smith 1, John W. Young 2, (Susie Young 2, Zina Williams 2) J. D. T. McAllister 2,
Farnsworth 1, L. B. Y. 2, and James G. Bleak 6, of July 18 and 25 Aug. 6, 8,
12, and 19 for which please accept my thanks and blessing]- They contained a
great deal of news and many things of interest and while I was on my journey
I had no chance to write to anybody only while at Albequirke 12 miles above
Islatus on the Rio Del Fort. I sent 3 postal cards to John Taylor, E. Snow
and my family was all the communication I had with any one while on that
mission. And now -[brother Bleak]- I feel after saying that I am very well
and in the best of spirits that I cannot interest you or my friends in St.
George any better than by giving you a brief account of my journey and visit
among the Nephites, which I consider one of the most interesting missions of
my life, I say Nephites because if there is any Nephites on this Continent
we have found them among the Zunies, Lagoonies, and Islatus for they are a
different race of people altogether from Lamanites. I class the Navajoe,
Neoquie and Apaches with the Lamanites although they are in advance of many
Indian tribes of America. I class the Zunies, Lagoonies, and Islatus among
the Nephites. The Zunies are in advance of the Navajoes, Apaches or any
other Lamanites, the Lagoonies are much above the Zunies and the Islatus are
far above them all in wealth in beatuty, cleanliness and order of their homes
and persons, the adornment of their dwellings, their industry and indefatiguable
labors, the virtue and purity of their national blood, their bearing and dignity
