Page 245 - AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS
P. 245
Around the World in 80 Days
‘And this,’ added Elder William Hitch, ‘this is why the
jealousy of Congress has been aroused against us! Why
have the soldiers of the Union invaded the soil of Utah?
Why has Brigham Young, our chief, been imprisoned, in
contempt of all justice? Shall we yield to force? Never!
Driven from Vermont, driven from Illinois, driven from
Ohio, driven from Missouri, driven from Utah, we shall
yet find some independent territory on which to plant our
tents. And you, my brother,’ continued the Elder, fixing
his angry eyes upon his single auditor, ‘will you not plant
yours there, too, under the shadow of our flag?’
‘No!’ replied Passepartout courageously, in his turn
retiring from the car, and leaving the Elder to preach to
vacancy.
During the lecture the train had been making good
progress, and towards half-past twelve it reached the
northwest border of the Great Salt Lake. Thence the
passengers could observe the vast extent of this interior
sea, which is also called the Dead Sea, and into which
flows an American Jordan. It is a picturesque expanse,
framed in lofty crags in large strata, encrusted with white
salt— a superb sheet of water, which was formerly of
larger extent than now, its shores having encroached with
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