Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1941-12-26
iJAYHAWKER YARN
WAS WELL KNOWN
THROUGHOUT WEST
THIRTY-ONE MEN IN ORIGINAL
PARTY STARTED FROM H.
LIMOS IN l849

Nearly a century ago the story of
the Jayhawkers was well known
throughout the west. One man who
later became a fur trapper and trader
in what is today Montana. died at
Fort Union. at the mouth Of the Vel
lowstone, in 1855. His name was Mar
shall G. Edgerton.
Many were the tragic, bitter suffer-
ings borne by the Jayhawkers in
crossing Death valley. Experiences of
the party closely paralleled those of
the famous Inflated Bonner party, A
of whom starved, froze and died in
the SHOWS of Placer county, Califor-
mia, in the winter of 1846-1847.
The Jayhawkers, without chart or
guide, amazed the daring men of their
period by forcing their way across
Death valley by sheer pluck and per-
severance. -Four of them died of thirst,
starvation and exhaustion in their
three months struggle across earth
baked so hard that the feet Of their
oxen made no imprint, amid rocks
that tore at their feet and forced
them to abandon wagons, and in shift
ing sands that sucked down their feet
and scorched their bodies
There were 81 young and vigorous
men in the original Jayhawkers' party
Driving slow-footed oxen to covered
wagons they started from Galesburg,
ILL.,, April S, 1849, to scoop tabled
riches from the grass roots.
Disregard Warning
In the late summer their ponderous
oxen drew the creaking wagons into
Salt Lake City, There they were called
upon to make a momentous decision.
as they were told the regular noun
tain route to San Francisco would lie
beneath 20 feet of Sierra Nevada snow
before they could reach the passes.
They were warned, too, of the awful
fate that had befallen the Bonner
party, and were told to wait in Salt
Lake three or four months. when the
trail would be clear
Impatient, they sought an alterna-
tive and. joining with other argonauts.
l07 wagons started in the late fall
for Los Angeles under guidance of
John Hunt, who contracted to take
them over the old Spanish trail
through San Bernardino. Hunt was in
no hurry, and dissatisfaction became
rampant at the slow progress. Much
was said Of a short cut leading west
that would eliminate 500 miles from
their journey.
Hunt could not dissuade them and
about the first Of November 100
wagons turned from the trail to at
tempt the unknown short cut, leaving
him with but seven wagons. Three
days later those taking the short cut
came to a precipice above a plain and,
discouraged most of them turned back
to the original trail to follow Hunt.
But the 81 Jayhawkers pressed on,
not knowing the short cut was to
take them across the region afterward
appropriately named Death valley.
The record from this point is one OF
continuous hardships, suffering al
most beyond imagination and Of
logged determination to live. tenn
pered with self-sacrifice for comrades.
Early on the journey a man. weak
ened by consumption. succumbed.
Once the Jayhawkers were saved by
a snowstorm after six days without
water. Their oxen, weakened by the
lack of grass and water on the arid,
barren region, became too weak to
draw the wagons up rocky slopes.
Wagons were abandoned, men and
oxen taking the burdens upon their
backs. Fighting their way through the