Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1847-07-31
EMIGRATION TO CALIFORNIA.

The Western Erpositor, of Wednesday
last, contains letter written by PFTFR QuIv-
vEY, OF Jackson county, who wen, out last
year with a company Of emlgrants TO Cali
lorna This letter is dated on the Gath of
March last, at Lower Puebla. We find
condensed account Of i, in the Republican
osthis morning. which we copy:
The writer arrived at the first settlement
in California on the 14ih of October, after
very long and tiresome journey. Very
soon after their arrival in California, hear
ing OF the revolution, and that the Ameri-
can coors were raised, these emigrants en-.
listed as volunteers in regiment formed
under Col. Fremont, with the promise of
twenty-five dollars per mon,h-sergeants
thirty five. He speaks very favorably Of
the country over which he has passed, and
says: that if he were now back in Missou-
ri with his family, and with his present
kno Wedge Of the country, he would not
hesitate to move there.
The charms Of the country must be very
great to coun,erbalance the difficulties
which the emigrants encounter in getting
there, and Of which he gives some account
in this letter. He went out with Moran
and Boon, who changed their minds on the
reached California, about the same time
Mr.. Quivvey did, after much difficulty, hav-
ing lost his cattle.
A party OF emigrants, who went out, or
started, with Col. Russell, suffered almost
incredible hardships in the mountains last
winter, having been prevented from cross.
ing them by snow. This company was
composed of % wagons, and left Indian
Creek on the 9Th day of May, 1916
About month previous to the date Of the
letter, five women and two men arrived at
Capt. Johnson's, the first house of the Cali.
lornia settlements, entirely naked, and their
fee, frost-bitten. They stated, that their
company had arrived at Truckey's Lake,
on the east side OF the mountains, and found .
the snow so deep that they could not travel,
Fearing starvation, l6 of the strongest
[eleven males and five females1 agreed to
start for the settlements on foot. After
wandering about number Of days, bewil-
dered, their provisions gave out. Long
hunger made il necessary to cast lots to see
who should be sacrificed, 10 make food for
the rest, but at this time the weaker began
to die, which rendered the taking OF life I'M.
necessary. As they died the company
went into camp and made meat OF the dead
bodies OF their companions. Nine of The
men died and seven were eaten. One Of
the men was carried TO Johnson's on the
back of an Indian.
From this statement, it would seem that
the women endured the hardshps better
than the men, as none Of them died. The
company lett behind numbered sixty souls.
ten Of them men, the others women and
children. They were in camp about 100
miles from Johnson's.
Revolving as it may seem, it is stated that
one OF the women was obliged to eat mar,
OF the dead body OF her father and brother
and another, saw her husbands heart cook
ed! 1t ough, to be very fine country to
justify an exposure to such sullerngs and
horrors.
Benjamin Hudspeth had been appointsd
Captain OF company in the California RAJ.
talon, with salary Of Sl2O per month.
THIS writer says that Gen. Kearnv woo
then Governor and Commander.in. Chief, Of
Upper end Lower California. "