Wilford Woodruff's preservation from an Osage Indian camp

“June 18.—We called at the Harmony mission, and had an interview with the President, a Presbyterian minister. Although it was near sundown, he would neither give us anything to eat, nor lodge us, because we were “Mormons.” It was fifteen miles to the nearest house, which was Jerrew’s Indian trading house. We asked the minister to direct us there. He gave us directions, but the Spirit said to me he was deceiving us. I asked him three times, and he declared he was telling us the truth. We followed his directions, and we came to the Osage river swamp, where we were lost in the darkness of the night. We followed the river, but as it is very crooked, we made but little progress. After travelling through mud and water for one hour, we concluded to go out on the open prairie, and lie down in the grass until morning; but when we got out into the open, we heard the Osage Indians’ drum and shout at the trading house, as they were having a pow-wow. As we approached, we were met by a dozen savage looking dogs; they smelt us in a friendly manner, but did not attempt to bite or bark. We arrived about midnight, covered with mud, hungry and weary, and were kindly received and entertained for the remainder of the night by Mr. Jerrew, who had an Osage squaw for a wife; she prepared us a good supper, but marvelled that we did not drink coffee. She proffered us their own bed, which was highly ornamented, but we declined her kind offer, as we were wet and muddy. She made us a good bed of mackinaw blankets, before a large fire, and we slept comfortably. May the Lord reward both Mr. Jerrew and wife, and the Presbyterian minister, according to their deserts. — Millennial Star 27:13”