Amador ledger., 1905-12-29

party OHce So DuOyanC ana nOpeIul
seemed now bereft of all spirit and
almost of life itself. The snowy
summit of the Sierras presented a
forbidding aspect and gave warming
of approaching winter.
Fresh hope lightened every heart
on the 10Th day of October, for, while
winding along the crystal waters of
the Truokee river, the downcast party
was met by brave Stanton leading
seven mules packed with provisions.
McClutcheon had not been able to
return on account OF illness, but
Stanton brought the welcome news
that Reed was alive and far on toward
Suffers Fort.
Death Faces the Party.
Alas! hope suddenly gave place to
new fear, and fear turned speedily to
CONSERVATION and despair, for grim
visaged winter made an unwelcome
appearance a month earlier than
usual. The wagons could in nowise
be dragged through the snow-that
was most certain. They were there
fore reluctantly abandoned. Pro-
visions were packed on the oxen, and
the party passed on in state of des-
peration. Only three more miles to
the summit-but then mean while
came the snow! Silent and beautiful
it fell at first, but remorseless as the
touch of time; and early morning
saw the chill mantle of death every
where spread over hill and vale.
Every avenue of escape was now
closed; the long and cruel winter
must be braved amidst the inhospit-
able SHOWS of the high Sierras, or
they must, men, women, and child
rem, be raped in their snowy wind
ing sheets.
"The misery endured those four
months at Bonner Lake in our little
dark cabin under the snow," wrote
Mrs Virginia Reed Murphy, one of
the survivors, "would fill pages and
make the coldest hearts ACHE Let
imagination picture as best it can the
horrors endured, the misery expert
enced, for we must gently draw the
vail over the narrowing detail and
grewsome scenes of that camp of the
dying and living death. The wild
beasts howled; the storm king furi-
ously ragged; then the moaning pines
sympatheticalJy luIled to grateful
Sleep. Short allowances of food we're
followed by actual starvation.
Help was coming-though alas, for
many it came all too late. Captain
Sutter, generous in truth to fault,
on learning that families of emil
grants we're perishing on the shores
of the mountain lake, set to work
assiduously to send immediate relief.
The first relief party, headed by Cap
tain r. P. Tucker, reached the
famishing camp on February 10, 1847;
and on the 22d party OF twenty
three persons started for Suffers
Fort. Soon the second relief party
came, headed by Reed, and battled
bravely to release another band of
snowbound victims from "Starved
Camp" In all four relief parties
pressed onward to Donner Lake in
the noble work or rescuing the un-
fortunates.
But many were never rescured ex-
cept by the release of death. Out of
the 83 persons who we're showed IN at
Donner Lake, 42 perished, and of the
81 immigrants who lett Springfield,
ILL.,, that spring morning only IS
lived to reach California. Most of
the survivors were taken to Suffers
Fort, the common Americans, and
there the kindly captain did all in his
power to alleviate their sufferings.
Some of these have lived to ripe old
age and are today useful citizens of
California, contributing worthlly to
the development of the commonwealth.