The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1890-02-11

Smith. who professed to knowl every
foot of the ground. 1t was soon seen
that he was lost. The train camped
and sent out scouts to find practi-
cable route out of the maze of noun
tains they were in. An opening was
found to the southwest, but by this
time many of the party had had
enough of it. Sixty-ive wagons con-
cluded to push on. The others
turned back to the Spanish trail.
Later the party with the 65 wagons
divided. Two days after the first di.
vision of the party, those bound to
push through over the mountains,
encamped ON the spot where after
ward occurred the Mountain Meadow
massacre, 1t was Sunday and the
Rev. j. w. Brier, now an evangelist
in California, preached to the little
company, oddly enough, taking for
his text:
"There shall be no more DEATH"
Finally party of thirty-seven. en-
bracing one woman and two children,
were left firm in their determination
to reach California by the most direct
route. Not one had ever been in the
mountains before. They knew moth
ing of the impossible canyons, the
mountains impossible to. scale, the
vast deserts which were before them.
They struck boldly out to fnd these
Things wneu IL "s.S w. - - -
back. For fifty-two days they had
not a mouthful to eat except their
cattle, which were devoured almost to
the hoofs, even the hides being boiled
and chewed for sustenance. For i've
days at one time the party had not
drop of fresh water. Their clothing
was reduced to rags. Their shoes
were worn from their feet. Their
wagons were left behind or destroyed.
They plodd,d on, weak, wretched.
almost counting death, TO finally
emerge upon an Eden of plenty. Five
days more of desert. saws MIR. Cotton,
and not one would have been left to
tell the tale. Death by starvation
had set its seal upon every one OF the
survivors Three had been left dead
i'm the desert and one died, go weak
was he, in the ecstacy of a taste OF
water after days of furnishing. One
went insane and wandered away.
A TERRIBLE MARCH
The party emerged from the noun
tains at the ranch of Senior Francisco
in the Santa Clara valley, but short
distance from San Buena Ventura, on
February 4, 1850. They had trav-
ersed over 800 miles of mountain
country. most of it of volcanic forma,
ton where no living thing existed and
the only vegetation little greasewood
and occasional patches of bunch grass.
ALI else was land, alkali, burnt rock,
with fresh water very scarce and
found only by chance at long dis,
tances. The cattle were so reduced
that when killed for food they were
nothing but fevered masses with thu
marrow in their bones turned to lit
tie blood and water. The bodily sui
fering of the party was intense, tn
mental anguish terrible.
"And why were you called Jay
s hawkerss" was asked Mr.. Cotton.
"The Lord only knows" he an
. swered. Il suppose that 1t was abou
8 the most devilish name that could b
fshed up"
: The party was constantly meeting
g large mountain spurs, or "hog backs,
e which even Mr.. O'Flynn's goat ceul
o not have climbed, and long detour
II were necessary. After being out 81
p weeks and while camping at branc
N of forty mile canyon where the'
}, was water in abundance, 1t was decl
ID ed TO abandon the wagons and tV
1t wheeled carts were constructed. U
D. Christmas dav, 1849, these carts wei
lie cut down to pack saddles tor the
ar naming cattle. While engaged
% this the Jayhawkers saw another pa
rs ty a long distance away al patch
ty snow for which they had been ma
lit ing. They looked very near, and t
~ Jayha wkers started out expecting
he reach them that night, but did
'er come up to the party-Georgians
an until 8 O'Clock on the second mornir
OF They had been all this time witht
water. The Georgians had snow rea
melted for them. They had left
=. main body which turned back, .
' rs were trying to get through to q
ms fernia BY q direct western route. l
-" Jayhawkers were going southwest.
~ A ROMANCE OF A MINE.
ace "The Georgians," says Mr.. Colt
of "were practical miners: They "
al. almost as much reduced as were