The Lamar register., 1891-08-15
THE DoNNER PARTY.
OF THE JOURNEY
RELATED BY A MEMBER.
Tales of the P-riious Trip Across the
PlAins-Terribie Hardships En-
dursd by the lli-Fated
Rand of Emigrantx

cold, welcome enough after the aka
line pools from which we had been
forced to drink. We prepared for the
long drive across the desert and laid
in. as we supposed. an ample supply OF
water and grass. This desert had been
represented to US only forty miles wide
but we found 1t nearer eighty. 1t was
a dreary. desolate, alkali waste; not a
living thing could be seen; it seemed
as though the hand of death had been
laid upon the country. We started in
the evening. travelled all that night.
and the following day and might've
nights and one day of suffering from
thirst and heat by day and piercing
cold by night. When the third night
fell and we saw the barren waste
stretching away apparently as bound
less as when we started. my father de-
termined to go ahead in search of wa
ter. Before starting he instructed the
drivers. II the cattle showed signs OF
giving out to take them from the
wagons and follow him. He had not
been gone long before the oxen began
to fall % the ground from thirst and
exhaustion They were unhttched at
VIC anu lAhfA AAttAA= MY
father coming back met the
drivers with the cattle within ten
miles Of water aud instructed them to
return AS soon rs the animals had sat
isfied their thirst He reached US
about daylight We waited al that
day in the desert looking for the re-
turn OF our drivers. tho other wagons
going on out Of sight Toward night
the situation became desperate aud we
bad only faw drops OF water left;
smother night there meant death. We
must set out on foot and try to reach
some OF the wagons. Can / ever for
get that night in the desert. when we
walked mile after mile in tho dark
ness every step seeming to be the
very last we could take! Suddenly all
fatigue was banished by fear; through
the night came swift rushing sound
Of one OF tho young steers crazed by
thirst and apparently bent upon our
destruction. My father holding his
youngest child in his arms and keep
Ing Us all close behind him. drew his
pistol. but finally the maddcned beast
turned and dashed of into tho dark
ness Dragging ourselves along about
ts'a4 uAAAt-s We If4tClAtl inc "Asou vi
Jacob Donner. The family were all
asleep. so we children lay down on
the ground. A bitter wind swept over
the desert chilling Us through aud
through. We crept closer together.
and. when We complained OF the cold.
papa placed all Ave OF our dogs around
us and only for the warmth OF these
faithful creatures We should doubtless
have perished,
The misery endured during those
four months at Douner Lake in our
little dark cabins under the snow
would hll pages and make ths coidcst
heart ache Christmas WIS near. but
TO the starving it, memory gave no
comfort IL camo and passed without
Observance but my mother had de
terruined weeks before that her chill
drcn should have treat on this one
day. She had laid away a tew dried
apples. some beans bit OF tripc, and
small piece OF bacon. When the
boarded store was brought out the de-
light Of the little ones knew no bounds.
The cooking was watched carefully.
and when we sat down to our Christ
mas dinner mother said. Children eat
slowly. for this one day you can have
all you wish" SO bitter wns the mis-
cry relieved by that one bright day,
that have never since sat down to
Christmas dinner without my thoughts
going back 10 Donner Lake
The storms often would last ten days
at a time and We would have to cut
chips from the logs inside which formed
our cabins, in order TO start Il fire.
We could scarcely walk and the men
had hardly strength to procure wood
We would drag ourselves through the
snow from one cabin to another and
some mornings snow would have to be
shoveled out OF the fireplace before a
fire could be made. Poor little chill
dreu were crying with hunger, and
mothers were crying because they had
20 little TO give their children. We
seldom thought of bread. we had been
without IL so long. Four months OF
such suffering would MI the bravest
heart with despair.
ON his arrival at Suffers Fort my
futher made known the situation to the
emigrants, and Captain Sutter offered
at once to do everything possible for
their relief He furnished horses and
provisions and my father and Mr.. Nc
Clutchen started for the mountains,
coming as far as possible with horses
aud then with packs on their backs
proceeding on foot; but they were
finally compelled to return. Captain
Sutter WIS was not surprised at their
defeat He stated that there were no
able-bodied men in that vicinity, all
having gone down the country with
Fremont to fight the Mexicans. He
advised my father TO go to Gcrba
Buena. now San Francisco. aud make
his case known to the naval officer in
command My father was in fact con-
ducting parties there-when the seven
members OF the Forlorn Hope arrived
from across the mountains. Their
farnished faces told the story. Cattle
we're killed and men were up all night
drying beef and making -four
by hand mills nearly 200 pounds
being made in one night, and
n party of seven, commanded by
Captain Reasen p. Tucker, were sent
h.