hurried. Exploring parties were also sent out in different directions to
become acquainted with the country.

On the evening of July 28th President Young, accompanied by the Apostles,
went some distance from the camp to select a spot from which to begin
building the city. Arriving at a good location, President Young stopped,
and, striking his cane in the earth, he said: "Here will be the temple of
our God"--and on that spot the temple stands today. It was then decided to
lay out the city north, east, south, and west from the temple site, in ten
acre blocks, the streets to be eight rods wide and the sidewalks twenty
feet. Some time after this it was named Great Salt Lake City.

You will call to mind that some of the Mormon Battalion, owing to sickness,
did not march through to California. This company, together with some
Saints from the state of Mississippi, arrived at the pioneer camp on July
29th, thus making quite an addition to the company. The first building of
any kind erected in the valley by the Saints was a bowery built on the
temple block by the Battalion men. This was used for some time in which to
hold meetings.

It was decided not to settle on the city lots at first, but build a fort
with houses in as a protection from the Indians. The houses were built of
logs, and stood in a row, close together, which formed one side of the
fort. The other three sides were built of adobe walls. The roofs of the
houses were made of soil. The windows and doors faced the inside. Though
better than living all the winter in tents and wagons, you may imagine
these houses were not very comfortable, especially when the rain came
through the roofs onto beds, tables, stoves, etc.

[Illustration: SALT LAKE VALLEY IN 1847.]