, 1870-07-16

laps, tne modl utauhAu Ii lLseu. n well
| the most picturesque in its surroundings
Girdled With narrow margin of pebhly beach
encirclcd by dark and stately forests, aud over
ahadowed by towering mountains-from whic
the glitterinE snow-delds look eternauy dow
into its crystal chambers-sllis lake wears
charm almost as weird az that which re-ts owe
Tue aWe-lnspir1ng vale OF the YuseMits! Bu
there are "reminiscences connected with tn
history OF this secluded water calculated Il
awaken deeper interest than the scenery tn.
SURROUNDS It. In the glades that skirt it
shores, and along the mountain trails tha
overlook it, there once t1auspired events et
trng1c that We would fain discradi. the story OF
their existence; and SO dire, that the commor
woes Of life soften into merries compared will
them.
At the foot OF this lake, near the banks Of
the stream that forms its outlet, i. grassy
bottom, pleasantly shaded w1tA spruce and
pine Ontll few years ago. there we're staud-
ing here two rnde cabins, the remains Of which
are still to he seen. At an earlier period, the
tones OF animals. mingled with those of hu-
man beings. lay scattered over the ground.
lle etunpa OF many trees, cut off at q great
height, are still standing here, indicating the
depth OF the snow at the time they were felled.
Hundreds OF prisons now pass the SPOT daily
for it is close by the rnilrusd-without know
lng that it is the site Of "StarTation Camp
where the DonncI party suffered 10 fearfuily,
hunger, il the fall aad winter CT 1886
About the period We are speaking OF, certain
portions OF the Western States we're extreme
y subject to mafa17ous and other endemic
diseases, causing many settlera to leave and
seek homes elsewhere, Hearing that there
was, on the shores Of tho Pacific, re-
gion remarkable for the salubnty Of its cli-
sistence could be obtained there. numbor OF
families-taking with them their teams and
herds-set out in the spring Of 1886, for the
purpose Of emigrating to and settling in a
country that promised them exemption from
the maladies, as well as the long cold wintera,
to which they hAd before been exposed.
The more advanced OF this emigration hay-
and meeting with no unusual deten-
lions, arrived at their destinAtion in
good season. A portion, however, A.
tempting new route, met with unexpected
d1thcultleB and delays, in consequence of
Ehieh they fniled to reach the foot Of the
Sierra Nevada MouutainB until the last OF Oc-
tober, instead Of arriving there by the first Of
that mouth, az had been their intention.
Usually, but little snow falls upon these
mountains before the middle Of November,
but this year seemed to have formed an excep-
ton to the general rule, and their sumuite
we're already white when these desert-woru
pilgrims came in sight Of them. Finding the
trail Of tllose who had preceded them covered
up % Win 4 anoW, they engaged the services Of an
over the mountains. Arriving one evening
At At the foot of lake, where they found
the three great essentials OF a good
camping ground grass. and W.
teE-the party halted for the night Thus far
they had encountered but little snow, and did
not feel particularly a1Armed at their situa-
ton. As usual, the cattle were suffered to
run At large. and each family camped in or
atout their OVID wagons.
:, Their faithful guide, bette. acquainted with
the weather-gGns Of this treacherous
climate, detecting the Indications OF an
up their stock, to gather their wag-
ons close together, aud to collect as much dry
wood as possible. But the Immigrants, eithar
not exactly understanding ali thAt was said to
them. or falling to comprehend the full extent
of their danger, neglected those timely precau-
tons.
Daring the night heavy storm set in, and
~ morning the SHOW was over 4 foot doep. In
the meantime the cattle had wandered of in
various directions, and but few Of them Wera
to be found. Concerned now for their safety.
these poor people began to build cabins aud
take other measures for protecting themselves
against the severity OF tho weather. But tho
snow stl1 continued falling, and IN few days
bad attained depth of si1 or eight feet For
nearly half Of the time during the month Of No
vember the weather was stormy. tho snow on
the mountains ultimately reaching depth Of
more than twenty feet.
The company thus enow-bound consisted of
:iehty-two PERSONS thirty-two Of whom were
etnales, large proportion OF the whole being
:hildren. Their director WAS George Donner,
man of some wealth and much worth, who
lad WITH him lis wife-a woman Of education
nd ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Will, q number OF
NAL! children The men of the party, COM
'osed mostly OF husbands and fathers, ntheir
n1iet7 to rescue themselves and those de-
.endant upon them from their pe1ilons situa-
ion, made desperate efforts, first to Cross the
Mountains, and having failed in this, to after
Eatd rcttaca their steps and mike their wsv
'ack to the plains at their base But all these
ndeavors were alike fruitless, ending. after
be most persistent attempts, only in the ex-
laustion, and, in many cases. the complete
Of those making them. In these
,1orts and their reeulta, We are furnished an
explanation OF the anomaly observable here,
ls well as on many other similar occasions, OF
be men having been the first to give out and
,uccnmb to the hardetips to which all seemed
equally exposed.
In shoH time, everything in the shape Ct
sholesome food was consumed; and the party
having devoured thar dogs, the hides OF the
'ew cattle they had saved, and even their own
,hoas and such other leathsru articles as they
70 have with them tho idea OF de-
10 take possession Of all nainds. At this juno
ure death fortunately occurred. obTiating
he necessity for recouree to violence. Other
1eaths aoon aller followed, few preferr1ng to
die of starvation, rather titan accept the hard
LEST "a hr 6sss on on s ths
contrary, readily overcamo their natural re-
r,ugnance to this species Of food, some
Of it from tho first with IN
ayid1ty amounting to an apparent relish.
After the lapse Of sir weeks. the storms
having subsidized and the weather having the
eight men and i've women. guided by two In
dicns. set out 10 Cross the mountains into
California, that they might apprise the inhabi-
tants OF the condition OF their friends and
procure assistance. The passage OF the
mountains, now deeply covered With snow,
dertakiDg. No one knew the width Of the
enow-belt, or the distance to the settle-
ments beyond. There might be difficult
streams to cross, and hostile tribes Of
Indians to pass through The journey, in any
e1ent, must be attended with great hardship
ind peril; but their situation was desperate,
and, without speedy succor, all must inerita-
bly, perish. It must, therefore, be undertaken
ty some one; and, as there was now left to
the women c1eatar amount Of courage md
strength than to the men. this torlorn hope
UAs IN good part made up Of them.
Starting, then. with the hopes OF All
dependent on their success, this party,
travelling, on snow-shoes, we're able TO
make only about s1 or eight fs hspps per
they had passed the Divide. By this time, the
etoek Of provisions they had taken with them
NaR all gone, and, being overtaken by severe
storm, they were literally covered up with SNOW
for the space of two days.. during which time
:hree OF the party persisted: Weak and defect.
ed, the balance dragged themselves forward i
when fhreo more Of their number, overcome
with hunger. fatigue, and cold, gave out and
died, Having nov been without q morsel to
eat for four days, these wretched people cut
TIM flesh from the bodies Of the dead, and har-
ing refreshed themselves upon portion Of it
md dried tha balance ks fGs future tSs, use,
New Years feast, it now being the
first day Of January, 1847. Five days later
their food was all gone, and they had only the
strings Of their snow-shoes left to est It may
seem strange that, after having brought them
selves to feed upon the remains OF their fel-
lows, these sufferers should. with tho meana
at hand for renewing their stock, 60 soon have
found themselves again without food But it
must DO remembered that those who peri1hed
we're already reduced almost to skeletons be-
fore death, having but little flesh left on their
bones; and that the living, in their enezvated
condition, we're unwilling to burden themselves
any further than seemed necessary, each ono
counting on the p1obabiliti that be might be
the next one to yield up his life, when no
more food would be needed, or that, If such
should be the fate Of some one else, then
fresh supplies would be furnished as soon as
required by the suryivora- Thus reasoning,
they cut from the bodies Of their deceasad
companions only what seemed the more choice
md tender parts, leaving behind the more
bulky and unsavo1y-
Being again reduced to extremitics, tho
whites came to the conclusion that they would
eac1ifce their 1ndisn guides to appease their
HOW uubearable panss Of hunger. the latter,
perceiving their intention, and becoming
alarmed, hastily took to flight, And, ret1eatiug
over the hills, were aeen no moro.