The San Francisco call., 1898-12-25
For the First Time Since 1850 Mrs. Julia
 Brier, the Only Woman of the Party, Re- lates the Awful Experiences of the Trip.

shriveled and bald and looked like a mummy. He must have been one hun dred and fifty years old The men dug him out and gave him water and food
 The poor fellow kept saying, God bless pickaninniesl" Wherever he had learned that. His tribe must have fled ahead of us and as he couldn't travel he was left to die.
 When we reached the Jayhawkers' camp they were about to burn their wagons and pack their oxen to hurry along. That made us still gloomier, but none complained. The men realized that to stop or go back meant death, and they determined to struggle on while strength and life lasted, trust ing tomorrow to bring them to the land of plenty. Then we struggled through the salty marsh for miles and miles. Oh, it was terrible. We would sink to our shoetops and as water gave out we were nearly famished. have heard since that Governor Blaisdell of Nevada found our tracks there twelve years later and still encrusted in the hardened salt.
 A march over twenty miles of dry sand brought us to the foot of the mountains, with hope almost gone and not a drop of water to relieve our parched lips and swollen tongues. The men climbed up to the snow and brought down all they could carry, frozen hard Mr. Brier filled an old white and hard and relished it as though it was flowing water, but enough was melted for our frenzied cat tie and camp use.
 Here we lived on jerked beef and miserable pancakes. Some of the com pany told us they were going to leave their cattle, bake up their provisions and push ahead as a last resort. Dr. Carr broke down and cried when we would not go back to the springs felt as bad as any of them, but it would never do to give up there. Give up ah, l knew what that meant-a shallow grave in the sand.
 We went over the pass through the snow into what they named Panamint Valley, and found deserted Indian vil- lage among the mesquite trees. We were rejoiced by seeing hair ropes and brides and horse bones, thinking we had reached civilization. The men ahead, however, could only report more sand and hills After two days here we struggled away into the desert, car rying all the water possible. We grew more fearful of our provisions and watched each mouthful. not daring to make full meal. Coffee and salt we had in plenty. The salt we picked up in great Jumps in the sand before com ing over the last mountains. Our cof- fee was a wonderful help and had that given out l know we should have died.
 New Years day was hardly noticed. We spent 1t resting at the head of Panamint Valley. Sometimes we went south and again north, not knowing whether or not we should get out of that death hole of sand and salt On January 6 two of our mess decided tc leave us and take their provisions
 These men-Masterson and Crump tonr-owned the only flour we had. SC they baked up their dough, except g small piece, which I made into twenty. two little crackers and put away for ar emergency. Then with fearful eyes they gave us their hands, with avertec faces, and turned away without 2 word. That was our last bite of breac until we reached San Francisquitc Ranch, six, weeks. later. From that on my husband and I and the pool children and St. John and Patrick lived on coffee and jerked beef, except wher we killed an OK for a new supply Even then there was not an ounce o1 lat in one and the marrow in theil bones had turned to blood and water
 Did I blame the men for leaving us as they did? Oh, it happened so Ions ago I can hardly tell now-and they felt that they ought to try to save theil own lives.
 The valley ended in a canyon witt great walls rising up-oh, as high as we