The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1870-11-18
HoRRiBLE AFFAIR.
THE MOST riIGnrrUL NARRATIVE OF MOD
ERS TIMES.


events, which for CHASTITY horror are
probably without equal in authentic
records. The tale realizes, in truth,
the frightful denunciation Of Othello;
for in it ION horrors head horrors ac-
cumulate, and surely imagination can
picture nothing in the way OF pit
eous and awful suffering more ex-
treme than what was suffered
by the unfortunate concerned. In va
rious forms, by books, newspapers,
and more frequently, by private re-
ports, the story has been told; for it
happened long aso-in 1S46-before
Captain Sutter had made his discovery
and before ever old whaler from Casco
Bay to Hatteras had been fitted up to
brave once more the perils of Cape
Horn. But many persisted in disbe-
lieving it. F.
TWAS too horrible TO relate, they
said, to believe. And it is true tina,
there seemed TO be raw-head and
Ihloody-bones air about the narrative,
that more frequently attends fiction
than fact, aud which, ut all events,
lent warrant TO the suspicion that il
had been expanded and embellished.
There is, however, no doubt about the
melancholy truth of il; ana the minute
account now published is to be nc.
cepted "a the product of all the sifted
and collated testimony that it has been
possible To obtain.
Donner Lake. named after the lead
er of the party who met their death
hard by. is one of the most pictur-
esque and lovely spots among the ele-
waited spots of the Sierra Nevada. -
Starvation Camp" the immediate
scene OF the calamity is close ut hand
and by it runs the railroad, u strange
contrast in the plenty aud succor, it
suggests to the helpless misery the
spot once Witnessed.
The Donner party left home for the
Pacific slope in search Of n healthful
and eligible soil, aud having penetrat-
ed this great distance, toward their
promised land, were showed up near
the lake. The Indian guide, one
Trucker. warned them one afternoon
that dreadful weather was at hand
aud urged them TO push on. Bnt, fo,
the ground was yet undiscovered, they
determined to halt for the night. In
the morning foot of snow had fallen,
and their cattle had wandered away
so that few of them could be found.
Alarmed, the wa,farers began tc
build cabins, and to take such meas.
ures as they could TO protect themselves
from the element. The snow contin.
ued to fall, and presently became i'm.
passablc. In few days it was
eight feet deep. During nearly the
whole of November the long storm
continued, and the snow on the noun.
tains ultimately reached the depth oi
more than twenty feet.
There were eighty-two souls in the
party, thirty-two being women and
large portion children. The Cap.
tain, Geo. Donner, was man of some
sngacity and considerable wealth, and
his wife and children being with him
had every incentive to prudence and
activity. But all efforts to escape
from their frightful situation proved
vain. In short time everything in
the shape of food was gone. They
deyoured their dogs, the hides of the
cattle they had saved, and their OWL
boots and shoes. Finally the miser
able creatures began to think of eat
ing each other. At this period &
death occurred, thus deferring the
need OF viole..ce, and, horrible to re-
late, the corpse was eagerly consumed.
Other deaths followed, and the sur
viyors continued to subsist on the fiesl
of their dead companions. After sil
weeks, the storm having subsidized
eight men and five women, guided by
two Indians, set out to try to make
their way to California.
The hopes of all that remained
hung on their efforts, and they strug
gled desperately TO succeed. But il
a week, and before they had passed
the Divide, this forlorn hope wa,
again overwhe med by snow. Three
died almost ut once, and the rest at.
their bodies. Having says tn.
Crerland Monthly, "now been withou
morsel to eat for four days, those
wretched people cut the flesh from
the bodies of the dead and having re
freshed themselves upon q portion o
it and dried the balance for future use
again pushed on. This was thei
New Years feast, it now being th,
first day of January, 1S47. Five day,
later their food was again all gone
and they had only two strings OF
their snow shoes to eat.
The unhappy wretches then decid
ed to devour their Indian guides; bu
the latter, seeing their intentions, fec
over the hills and were seen no mere
On the 18th of January all but thre,
Of the thirteen were dead, anl of th,
survivors two laid down to die. Th
third had fallen in with friendly In
dian, who conducted him to settle
ment on Bear river. There the stor,
was told, Immediately expeditions Sc
4 forth from San Francisco and Sutter'
Fort to rescue those of the origina
party who might still be alive.
4 What the benevolent adventurer
found almost beggars description
4 Those that had died remained wher
, their last sigh had b9en breathed, bu
Ithey were d stripped of their fesh,--
Bodies half Ideyoured lay strew
around the dismal cabins. frol
which issued sitting fetor' Of thoa
/ who yet lived.
!, Not only were their bodies enfeet
3 led ard emaciated to the last degree
! hut with many the very soul had bt
afcome. a desolation, While some we
.icomed their deliverers with aecstaeis