A mob was soon raised, and warning
sent to us to leave immediately or we
would be tarred and feathered, ridden
on a rail and hanged. I soon saw where
the serpents were. My companion wanted
to leave; I told him no, I would stay
and see my dream fulfilled.
There was an old gentleman and lady,
named Hubbel, who had read the Book
of Mormon and believed. Father Hub-
bel came to see us, and invited us to
make our home with him while we stayed
in the place. We did so, and labored
for him some three weeks with our axes,
clearing land, while we were waiting to
see the salvation of God.
I was commanded of the Lord by the
Holy Ghost to go and warn Mr. Ake-
man to repent of his wickedness. I did
so, and each time he railed against me,
and the last time he ordered me out of
his house. When I went out he followed
me and was very angry. When he came
up to me, about eight rods from the
house, he fell dead at my feet, turned
black and swelled up, as I saw the ser-
pents do in my dream.
His family, as well as ourselves, felt it
was the judgment of God upon him. I
preached his funeral sermon. Many of
the mob died suddenly. We stayed
about two weeks after Akeman's death
and preached, baptized Mr. Hubbel and
his wife, and then continued on our
journey.
We concluded to go down Arkansas
River and cross into Tennessee. We
could not get passage on the boat, be-
cause of the low water, so we went on
the bank of the river and cut down a sound
cottonwood tree, three feet through, and
cut off a twelve-foot length from the
butt end; and in two days we dug out a
canoe. We made a pair of oars and a
rudder, and on the ,
we launched our canoe, and commenced
our voyage down the Arkansas River,
without provisions.
The first day we sailed twenty-five
miles, and stopped at night with a poor
family who lived on the bank of the
river. These kind folks gave us supper
and breakfast, and, in the morning, gave
us a johnny-cake and a piece of pork to
take with us on our journey.
We traveled about fifty miles that day,
and at night stopped at an old tavern, in
a village called Cadron, which was de-
serted because it was believed to be
haunted by evil spirits.
We made a fire in the tavern, roasted
a piece of our pork, ate our supper, said
our prayers, went into a chamber, lay
down on the bare floor, and were soon
asleep.
I dreamed I was at my father's house
in a good feather bed, and I had a good
night's rest. When I awoke the bed
vanished, and I found myself on the bare
floor and well rested, not having been
troubled with evil spirits or anything
else.
We thanked the Lord for His good-
ness to us, ate the remainder of our pro-
visions and continued our journey down
the river to Little Rock, the capital of
Arkansas, which then consisted of only
a few cabins.
After visiting the place, we crossed
the river and tied up our canoe, which
had carried us safely one hundred and
fifty miles.
We then took the old military road,
leading from Little Rock to Memphis,
Tennessee. This road lay through
swamps, and was covered with mud and
water most of the way, for one hundred
and seventy miles. We walked forty
miles in a day through mud and water
knee-deep.
On the , after traveling
some ten miles through mud, I was taken
lame with a sharp pain in my knee, I
sat down on a log.
My companion, who was anxious to
get to his home in Kirtland, left me sit-
ting in an alligator swamp. I did not
see him again for two years. I knelt
down in the mud and prayed, and the
Lord healed me, and I went on my way
rejoicing.
On the , I arrived at
Memphis, weary and hungry. I went to
the best tavern in the place, kept by Mr. Josiah Jackson. I told him I was a
stranger and had no money. I asked
him if he would keep me over night.
He inquired of me what my business
was.
I told him I was a preacher of the
gospel.
He laughed and said that I did not
look much like a preacher.
I did not blame him, as all the
preachers he had ever been acquainted
with rode on fine horses or in fine car-
AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF WILFORD WOODRUFF.
Column 1
A mob was soon raised, and warning
sent to us to leave immediately or we
would be tarred and feathered, ridden
on a rail and hanged. I soon saw where
the serpents were. My companion wanted
to leave; I told him no, I would stay
and see my dream fulfilled.
There was an old gentleman and lady,
named Hubbel, who had read the Book
of Mormon and believed. Father Hubbel came to see us, and invited us to
make our home with him while we stayed
in the place. We did so, and labored
for him some three weeks with our axes,
clearing land, while we were waiting to
see the salvation of God.
I was commanded of the Lord by the
Holy Ghost to go and warn Mr. Akeman to repent of his wickedness. I did
so, and each time he railed against me,
and the last time he ordered me out of
his house. When I went out he followed
me and was very angry. When he came
up to me, about eight rods from the
house, he fell dead at my feet, turned
black and swelled up, as I saw the serpents do in my dream.
His family, as well as ourselves, felt it
was the judgment of God upon him. I
preached his funeral sermon. Many of
the mob died suddenly. We stayed
about two weeks after Akeman's death
and preached, baptized Mr. Hubbel and
his wife, and then continued on our
journey.
We concluded to go down Arkansas
River and cross into Tennessee. We
could not get passage on the boat, because of the low water, so we went on
the bank of the river and cut down a sound
cottonwood tree, three feet through, and
cut off a twelve-foot length from the
butt end ; and in two days we dug out a
canoe. We made a pair of oars and a
rudder, and on the ,
we launched our canoe, and commenced
our voyage down the Arkansas River,
without provisions.
The first day we sailed twenty-five
miles, and stopped at night with a poor
family who lived on the bank of the
river. These kind folks gave us supper
and breakfast, and, in the morning, gave
us a johnny-cake and a piece of pork to
take with us on our journey.
We traveled about fifty miles that day,
and at night stopped at an old tavern, in
a village called Cadron, which was de-
Column 2
serted because it was believed to be
haunted by evil spirits.
We made a fire in the tavern, roasted
a piece of our pork, ate our supper, said
our prayers, went into a chamber, lay
down on the bare floor, and were soon
asleep.
I dreamed I was at my father's house
in a good feather bed, and I had a good
night's rest. When I awoke the bed
vanished, and I found myself on the bare
floor and well rested, not having been
troubled with evil spirits or anything
else.
We thanked the Lord for His goodness to us, ate the remainder of our provisions and continued our journey down
the river to Little Rock, the capital of
Arkansas, which then consisted of only
a few cabins.
After visiting the place, we crossed
the river and tied up our canoe, which
had carried us safely one hundred and
fifty miles.
We then took the old military road,
leading from Little Rock to Memphis,
Tennessee. This road lay through
swamps, and was covered with mud and
water most of the way, for one hundred
and seventy miles. We walked forty
miles in a day through mud and water
knee-deep.
On the , after traveling
some ten miles through mud, I was taken
lame with a sharp pain in my knee, I
sat down on a log.
My companion, who was anxious to
get to his home in Kirtland, left me sitting in an alligator swamp. I did not
see him again for two years. I knelt
down in the mud and prayed, and the
Lord healed me, and I went on my way
rejoicing.
On the , I arrived at
Memphis, weary and hungry. I went to
the best tavern in the place, kept by Mr.
Josiah Jackson. I told him I was a
stranger and had no money. I asked
him if he would keep me over night.
He inquired of me what my business
was.
I told him I was a preacher of the
gospel.
He laughed and said that I did not
look much like a preacher.
I did not blame him, as all the
preachers he had ever been acquainted
with rode on fine horses or in fine car-
