The Nevada Democrat. [volume] (Nevada, Calif.) 1854-1863, 1860-05-30
The Ghosts Of cannlsaI Camp.

Not far from Sierra Valley are the remains
Of an old cabin, surrounded by high stumps
from which the trees have been cut eight or
ten feet from the ground. Until recently hui
man bones and children's shoes, gnawed by the
wolves, were discovorable about the dessolate
ruins and at nghtfall the belated traveller
hastened away from the horrible place, impell-
ed by the dread OF superstitiJus but underlined
and acknowledged presence. Near this
weird spot lives our friend and former cores
pondent, "Alice," than whom no better woman
lives on the earth. Good and pure hearted,
feet to the place OF afiliction, unfearful of the
living or dead, she intelligently and gratefully
observes the upcoming Of the floral multitudes
in the beautiful valley Of Sierra, but sees none
of the 1eshless onos who, the Indians say, hold
nightly revel among tho solemn fires on the
hill
The place referred to is the "Donner Camp -
where party Of immigrants persisted by cold
and starvation in 1876. The horrible partcu-
lars are related in Bryant's Journal but as we
have been Informed by a survivor, not with &C
curacy or great degree of truth. Having
been overtaken by SHOWS, the party, consisting
of men, women and children camped, turned
out their remaining cattle and built rude
cabin to protect them from the storm. The cat
tie wandered Off and were lost, and their ear
casses covered with the snow. Some OF the par
ty set out and finally reached the Valley, while
Others remained at tho camp, hoping to survive
the winter. But the loss of their cattle occa-
stoned speedy reduction to starvation and
some having died, the others were reduced TO
the horrible necessity of consuming the dead.
Thus, one after another persisted, until but q
single person remained. In the mean time the
parties who had made, their way out to Suffers
Fort, heving reported that large sum Of mon
ey remained at the camp, others went In search
in the spring, and found a solitary creature in
the cabin, emaciated, squalid and mad with
canibalism aud suffering. He could no more
than drag himself about the floor, and keep up
fire. over which pot Of human flesh was
boiling, while the remains OF corpses were scat
tered about the tenement. After finding the
m0ney-$l ,600-the men with great difficulty
induced the wretched survivor to accompany
them, which he was, after while, enabled TO
do. He is still living somewhere in Sacrament
10 Valley, and ut one time related to as the
above particulars, as nearly as we can remem-
Der, together with story OF suffering and hor-
ror almost beyond credibillty lie said that
Bryant had made him murderous cannibal,
while he was only wretch made mad and un-
natural by the awful soourge OF starvation.
The Indians have heard the story, and with
characteristic superstition ahun, and will not
camp near the place. Fear of the supernatural
everywhere holds despotic rule over the restless
Imagination of the Indian, even down to the
ssmibumans who In their squalor and bestality
burlesque the shape Of man. They tell in inn
perfect speech, but with impressive gesture,
that about "Cannibal Camp strange aud hor-
rible sights are seen at night, 80 that the brav-
est hunter fears TO pass that way alone Head
less trunks and feehless skeletons are seen stalk
ing about, and children half consumed by their
starving mothers, move with implorng gesture
TO the herror-stricken Indian who goes toward
the deserted camp And down by the lake
ghostly families are seen, gliding round aud
round the shore, talking In hollow tones TO one
another, and searching among the drift and
sand for food. There are no fish In The lake !;
but the Indians assert that before these spec
trail shapes came they frequently caught trout
10 the lake. There is one very white woman
whom they have often seen walking round the
camp with an infant pressed ia her breast bat,
dreadful TO relate, the fountain of life had been
gua wed to the bone, to which the skull of the
little skeleton is pressed. Several of the tribe
have been lost, at various times, and the others
believe that the hunters were destroyed by the
malicious spirits of Cannibal Camp. a vaga-
bond white man used to live with the tribe, and
they are, doubtless, indebted to him for their
legend, as we'll as for the mysterious disappear
ance Of their hunters. Perhaps, fegning as
tendency over the ghosts, be has thus turned
Tie lalials superstitions to account for their
easier government and bis own better safety
Sierra Citizen