 Preface of The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate Out of the sunshine and shadows of sixty-eight years come these personal recollections of California of the period when American civilization first crossed its mountain heights and entered its overland gateways. I seem to hear the tread of many feet, the lowing of many herds, and know that they are re-echoing sounds of the sturdy pioneer home-seekers. Travels stained and weary, yet triumphant and happy, most of them reach their various destinations and their trying experience and valorous deeds are quietly interwoven with the general history of the state. Not so, however, the Donner Party, of which my father was captain, like faded trains of other epics whose privations, sufferings, and self-sacrifices have added renown to colonization movements and served as danger signals to later wherefairs. That party began its journey with a song of hope and within the first milestone of the promised land ended it with a prayer for help. Help for the helpless in the storms of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. And I, a child then, scarcely four years of age, was too young to do more than watch and suffer with other children the lesser privations of our snow-beleaguered camp, and with them survive because the fathers and mothers hungered in order that the children might live. Scenes of loving care and tenderness were emblazoned on my mind. Scenes of anguish, pain, and dire distress were branded on my brain during days, weeks, and months of famine, famine which reduced the party from 81 souls to 45 survivors before the heroic relief men from the settlements could accomplish their mission of humanity. It was better than survivors knew the heart-rending circumstances of life and death in those mountain camps. Yet who can wonder that tenderest recollections and keenest heartaches silenced their quivering lips for many years, and left opportunities for false and sensational details to be spread by morbid collectors of food for excitable brains, and for prolific historians who too readily accepted exaggerated and unauthentic versions as true statements? Who can wonder at my indignation and grief in little girlhood when I was told of acts of brutality in humanity and cannibalism attributed to those starved parents who in life had shared their last morsels of food with helpless companions? Who can wonder that I then resolve that when I grow to be a woman I shall tell the story of my party so clearly that no one can doubt its truth? Who can doubt that my resolve has been ever kept fresh in mind by eager research for verification and by diligent communication with older survivors and rescuers sent to our relief who answered by many questions and cleared my obscure points? Now when blessed with the sunshine of peace and happiness I am finishing my work of filial love and duty to my party and the state of my adoption, who can wonder that I find on my chain of remembrance countless names marked? Among the many to whom I became greatly indebted in my young womanhood for valuable data and gracious encouragement in my researches are General William Tecumseh Sherman, General John A. Sutter, Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, Mrs. Jesse Benton Fremont, Honorable Alan Francis, and C. F. McGlashan, author of The History of the Donner Party. My fondest affection must ever cling to the dear quaint old pioneer men and women whose hand clasps were warmth and cheer and whose givings were like milk and honey to my desolate childhood. For each and all of them I have full measure of gratitude often pressed down and now overflowing to their sons and daughters for with keenest appreciation I learned that on June 10, 1910 the order of native sons of the Golden West laid the cornerstone of Donner Monument on the old immigrant trail near the beautiful lake which bears the party's name. The native sons of the Golden West, aided by the native daughters of the Golden West, proposed to erect a memorial to all overland California pioneers. In a letter to me from Dr. C. W. Chapman, Chairman of that Monument Committee, is the following forceful paragraph. The Donner Party has been selected by us as the most typical and as the most varied and comprehensive in its experiences of all the trains that made these wonderful journeys of thousands of miles so unique in their daring, so brave, so worthy of the admiration of man. Eliza P. Donner-Houghton, Los Angeles, California, September 1911 End of preface Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate by Eliza P. Donner-Houghton Chapter 1 The Pacific Coast in 1845 Speeches of Senator Benton and report of Captain Fremont My father and his family Interest awakened in the new territory Formation of the first immigrant party from Illinois to California Preparations for the journey On the outskirts of civilization Prior to the year 1845 That great domain lying west of the Rocky Mountains and extending to the Pacific Ocean was practically unknown About that time, however, the spirit of inquiry was awakening The powerful voice of Senator Thomas H. Benton was heard Both in public address and in the halls of Congress Calling attention to Oregon and California Captain John C. Fremont's famous topographical report and maps had been accepted by Congress And 10,000 copies ordered to be printed and distributed to the people throughout the United States The commercial world was not slow to appreciate the value of those distant and hitherto unfrequented harbors Tales of the equitable climate and the marvelous fertility of the soil spread rapidly And it followed that before the close of 1845 Pioneers on the western frontier of our ever-expanding republic were preparing to open a wagon route to the Pacific Coast After careful investigation and consideration My father, George Donner, and his elder brother Jacob Decided to join the westward migration, selecting California as their destination My mother was in accord with my father's wishes and helped him to carry out his plan At this time he was 62 years of age, large, fine-looking, and in perfect health He was of German parentage, born of revolutionary stock just after the close of the war The spirit of adventure with which he was strongly imbued Had led him and his youth from North Carolina, his native state, to the land of Daniel Boone Thence to Indiana, to Illinois, to Texas, and ultimately back to Illinois while still in manhood's prime By reason of his genealty and integrity, he was widely known as Uncle George in Sangamon County, Illinois Where he had broken the virgin soil two and a half miles from Springfield when that place was a small village There he built a home, acquired wealth, and took an active part in the development of the country roundabout Twice had he been married and twice bereft by death when he met my mother, Tamsen Eustis Dozier Then a widow whom he married May 24, 1839 She was a native of Newbury Port, Massachusetts She was cultured and had been a successful teacher and writer Their home became the local literary center after she was installed as its mistress My father had two sons and eight daughters when she became his wife But their immediate family circle consisted only of his aged parents and Delilah and Liana, young daughters of his second marriage Until July 8, 1840, when blue-eyed Francis Eustis was born to them On the 4th of December, 1841, brown-eyed Georgia Ann was added to the number And on the 8th of March, 1843, I came into this world I grew to be a healthy, self-reliant child, a staff to my sister Georgia who, on account of a painful accident and long illness during her first year Did not learn to walk steadily until after I was strong enough to help her to rise and lead her to a sandpile near the orchard where we played away the bright days of two uneventful years With the approaching winter of 1845 popular interest in the great territory to the west of us spread to our community Maps and reports were eagerly studied. The few old letters which had been received from traders and trappers along the Pacific coast were brought forth for general perusal The course of the reading society which met weekly at our home was changed in order that my mother might read to those assembled in the publications Which had kindled in my father and uncle the desire to migrate to the land so learningly described Prominent among these works were Travels among the Rocky Mountains through Oregon and California by Lantzford W. Hastings And also the topographical report with maps attached by Captain Fremont which has already been mentioned The Springfield Journal published by Mr. Alan Francis appeared with glowing editorials strongly advocating emigration to the Pacific coast And its columns contained notices of companies forming in southern and southwestern states each striving to be ready to join the great overland caravan Scheduled to leave Independence Missouri for Oregon early in May 1846 Mr. James F. Reed a well-known resident of Springfield was among those who urged the formation of a company to go directly from Sangamon County to California Intense interest was manifested and had it not been for the widespread financial depression of that year a large number would have gone from that vicinity The great cost of equipment however kept back many who desired to make the long journey As it was James F. Reed his wife and four children and Mrs. Keys the mother of Mrs. Reed Jacob Donner his wife and seven children and George Donner his wife and five children also their teamsters and camp assistants 32 persons all told constituted the first immigrant party from Illinois to California The plan was to join the Oregon caravan at Independence Missouri Continue with it to Ford Hall and then follow free mounts route to the Bay of San Francisco The preparations made for the journey by my parents were practical Strong, comodious, immigrant wagons were constructed especially for the purpose The oxen to draw them were hardy well-trained and rapid walkers Three extra yoke were provided for emergencies cows were selected to furnish milk on the way A few young beef cattle, five saddle horses and a good watchdog completed the list of livestock After carefully calculating the requisite amount of provisions father stored in his wagons a quantity that was deemed more than sufficient to last until we should reach California Seed and seed implements for use on the prospective farms in the new country also constituted an important part of our outfit Nor was that all. There were bolts of cheap cotton prints, red and yellow flannels, bright bordered handkerchiefs, glass beads, necklaces, chains, brass fingerings, earrings, pocket looking glasses and diverse other knick-knacks dear to the hearts of Aborigines These were intended for distribution as peace offerings among the Indians Lastly there were rich stores of laces, muslins, silks, satins, velvets and the like cherished fabrics destined to be used in exchange for Mexican land grants in that far land to which we were bound My mother was energetic in all these preparations but her special province was to make and otherwise get in readiness a bountiful supply of clothing She also superintended the purchase of materials for women's handiwork, apparatus for preserving botanical specimens, watercolors and oil paints, books and school supplies These latter being selected for use in the Young Ladies Seminary which she hoped to establish in California A liberal sum of money for meeting incidental expenses and replenishing supplies on the journey, if need be, was stored in the compartments of two wide buckskin girdles to be worn in concealment about the person An additional sum of $10,000 cash was stitched between the folds of a quilt for safe transportation This was a large amount for those days and few knew that my parents were carrying it with them I gained my information concerning it in later years for Mr. Francis to whom they showed it To each of his grown children my father deeded a fair share of his landed estate, reserving 110 acres near the homestead for us five younger children who in course of time might choose to return to our native state As time went on our preparations were frequently interrupted by social obligations, farewell visits, dinners and other merry makings with friends and kindred far and near Thursday, April 15, 1846 was the day fixed for our departure and the members of our household were at work before the rosy dawn We children were dressed early in our new Lindsay traveling suits and as the final packing progressed we often peeped out of the window at the three big white covered wagons that stood in our yard In the first were stored the merchandise and articles not to be handled until they should reach their destination In the second provisions clothing, camp tools and other necessaries of camp life The third was our family home on wheels with feed boxes attached to the back of the wagon bed for Fannie and Margaret, the favorite saddle horses which were to be kept ever close at hand for emergencies Early in the day the first two wagons started each drawn by three yolk of powerful oxen whose great moist eyes looked as though they too had parting tears to shed The loose cattle quickly followed but it was well on toward noon before the family wagon was ready Then came a pause fraught with anguish to the dear ones gathered about the homestead to say farewell Each tried to be courageous but not one was so brave as father when he bade goodbye to his friends, to his children and to his children's children I sat beside my mother with my hand clasped in hers as we slowly moved away from that quaint old house on its grassy knoll from the orchard, the corn land and the meadow As we passed through the last pair of bars her clasp tightened and I glancing up saw tears in her eyes and sorrow in her face I was grieved at her pain and in sympathy I nestled closer to her side and sat so quiet that I soon fell asleep When I awoke the sun still shone but we headed camped for the night on the ground where the state house of Illinois now stands Mr. Reed and family and my uncle Jacob and family with their traveling equipments and cattle were already settled there Under father's direction our own encampment was soon accomplished By nightfall the duties of the day were ended and the members of our party gathered around one fire to spend a social hour Presently the clatter of galloping horses was heard and shortly thereafter eight horsemen alighted and with merry greetings joined our circle They were part of the reading society and had come to hold its last reunion beside our first campfire Mr. Francis was among them and took an inventory of the company's outfit for the benefit of the readers of the Springfield Journal They piled more wood on the blazing fire making it a beacon light to those who were watching from afar They sang songs, told tales and for the time being drove homesickness from our hearts Then they rode away in the moonlight and our past was a sweet memory, our future a beautiful dream William Donner my half-brother came to camp early next morning to help us get the cattle started and to accompany us as far as the outskirts of civilization We reached Independence Missouri on the 11th of May with our wagons and cattle in prime condition and our people in the best of spirits Our party encamped near that bustling frontier town and we're soon a part of the busy crowds making ready for the great prairie on the morrow Teams throng the highways, troops of men, women and children hurried nervously about seeking information and replenishing supplies Jobbers on the street were crying their wares anxious to sell anything or everything required from a shoestring to a complete outfit for a four-month journey across the plains Beads of sweat clung to the merchant's faces as they rushed to and fro filling orders Brawny blacksmiths with breast-bared and sleeves rolled high hammered and twisted red-hot metal into the diverse forms necessary to repair yolks and wagons Good fellowship prevailed as strangers met, each anxious to learn something of those who might by chance become his neighbors in line Among the pleasant acquaintances made that day was Mr. J. Q. Thornton, a young attorney from Quincy, Illinois, who, with his invalid wife, was emigrating to Oregon He informed us that himself and wife and Governor Boggs and family of Missouri were hourly expecting Alfonso Boone, grandson of Daniel Boone And that as soon as Boone and his family should arrive from Kentucky they would all hasten on to join Colonel Russell's California Company, which was already on the way But had promised to await them somewhere on the Kansas River It was then believed that at least 7,000 immigrant wagons would go west through independence that season Obviously the journey should be made while pastureage and water continued plentiful along the route Our little party at once determined to overtake Colonel Russell and apply for admission to his train And for that purpose we resumed travel early on the morning of May 12th As we drove up Main Street, delayed immigrants waved us a light-hearted goodbye And as we approached the building of the American Track Society, its agent came to our wagons and put into the hand of each child a new testament And gave to each adult a Bible and also tracks to distribute among the heathen in the benighted land to which we were going Near the outskirts of town we parted from William Donner, took a last look at independence, turned our backs to the morning sun and became pioneers indeed to the far west End of Chapter 1, Recording by Elana Jordan Chapter 2 of the Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Elana Jordan The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate by Eliza P. Donner-Houghton Chapter 2 In the Territory of Kansas Prairie schooners from Santa Fe to Independence, Missouri Life and Route The Big Blue Camp Government The Blue Rover During our first few days in the Territory of Kansas, we passed over good roads and through fields of made blossoms musical with the hum of bees and the songs of birds Some of the party rode horseback, others walked in advance of the train, but each father drove his own family team We little folk sat in the wagons with our dolls watching the huge white-covered prairie schooners coming from Santa Fe to Independence from merchandise We could hear them from afar For the great wagons were drawn by four or five span of travel-worn horses or mules, and above the hams of each per beast was an arch hung with from three to five clear-toned bells that jingled merrily as their carriers moved along, guided by a happy-go-lucky driver, usually singing or whistling a gleeful tune Both man and beast looked longingly toward the town which promised companionship and revelry to the one and rest and fodder to the other We overtook several wagons heavily laden with goods bound for Santa Fe Most of the drivers were shrewd, all of them civil They were of various nationalities, some comfortably clad, others in tatters, and a few in picturesque threadbare costumes of Spanish finery Those hardy wayfarers gave us much valuable information regarding the route before us and the Indian tribes we should encounter We were now averaging a distance of about two and a half miles an hour, and in camping nights where fuel and water could be obtained Early on the 19th of May we reached Colonel Russell's camp on Soldiers Creek, a tributary of the Kansas River The following account of the meeting held by the company after our arrival is from the journal of Mr. Edwin Bryant, author of What I Saw in California May 19, 1946 A new census of our party was taken this morning and it was found to consist of 98 fighting men, 50 women, 46 wagons, and 350 cattle Two divisions were made for convenience and traveling We were joined today by nine wagons from Illinois belonging to Mr. Reed and Mr. Donner, highly respectable and intelligent gentlemen with interesting families They were received into the company by a unanimous vote Our cattle were allowed to rest that day, and while the men were hunting and fishing, the women spread the family washings on the boughs and bushes of that well-wooded stream We children, who had been confined to the wagon so many hours each day, stretched our limbs and scampered off on May Day frolics We waded the creek, made mud pies, and gathered posies in the narrow glades between the cottonwood, beach, and alder trees Colonel Russell was courteous to all, visited the new members, and secured their cheerful endorsement of his carefully prepared plan of travel He was at the head of a representative body of pioneers, including lawyers, journalists, teachers, students, farmers, and day laborers Also a minister of the gospel, a carriage maker, a cabinet maker, a stone mason, a jeweler, a blacksmith, and women versed in all branches of women's work The government of these immigrant trains was essentially democratic and characteristically American A captain was chosen and all plans of action and rules and regulations were proposed at a general assembly and accepted or rejected by majority vote Consequently, Colonel Russell's function was to preside over meetings, lead the train, locate camping ground, select crossings over affordable streams and direct the construction of rafts and other expedients for transportation over deep waters A trumpet call aroused the camp at dawn the following morning By seven o'clock breakfast had been cooked and served and the company was in marching order The weather was fine and we followed the trail of the Kansas Indians toward the big blue At nooning our team stood in line on the road chewing the cud and taking their breathing spell while families lunched on the grass in restful picnic style Suddenly a gust of wind swept by and the sky turned a greenish gray, black clouds drifted over the face of the sun Ominous sounds came rumbling from distant hills and before our effects could be collected and returned to cover a terrific thunderstorm was upon us We were three hours distance from our evening campground and our drivers had to walk and face that buffeting storm in order to keep control of the nervous cattle It was still raining when we reached the knoll where we could spend the night Our men were tired and drenched, some of them cross Fires were out of the question until fuel could be cut and brought from the edge of a swamp a mile from the camp When brought the green wood smoked so badly that suppers were late and rather cheerless Still there was spirit enough left in those stalwart hearts to start some worth-provoking diddy or indulge in good-natured railery over the joys and comforts of pioneering Indians followed our train all day and as we had been warned against leaving temptation within reach the cattle were corralled early and their guards doubled Happily the night passed without alarm or losses The following day we were joined by ex-governor Boggs and companions and lost Mr. Jordan and friends of Jackson, Missouri Who drew their 13 wagons out of lined saying that their force was strong enough to travel alone and that Captain Russell's company had become too large for rapid or convenient handling We covered 14 miles that day over beautiful rolling prairie dotted with Indian lodges Frequently their owners walked or rode beside our wagons asking for presents Mrs. Key High Gowah Chucky was made happy by the gift of a dozen strings of glass beads and the chief also kindly accepted a few trinkets and a contribution of tobacco and provisions After which he made the company understand that for a considerable payable in cotton prints, tobacco, salt-pork, and flour He himself and his trusted braves would become escort to the train in order to protect its cattle from harm and its wagons from the pilfering hands of his tribesmen His offer was accepted with the condition that he should not receive any of the promised goods until the last wagon was safe beyond his territory This bargain was faithfully kept and when we parted from the Indians they proceeded to immediate and hilarious enjoyment of the unwanted luxuries thus earned We were now in line with spring storms which made us victims of frequent downpours and cyclonic winds The roads were heavy and the banks of streams so steep that often the wagons had to be lowered by aid of rope and chain Fortunately our people were able to take these trying situations philosophically and were ever ready to enjoy the novelties of intervening hours of calm and sunshine The staid and elderly matrons spent most of their time in their wagons knitting or patching designs for quilts The younger ones and the girls passed theirs in the saddle. They would scatter in groups over the plains to investigate distant objects then race back and with song and banter join husband and brother driving the loose cattle in the rear The wild free spirit of the plain often prompted them to invite us little ones to seats behind them and a way we would canter with the breeze playing through our hair and giving a ruddy glow to our cheeks Mr. Edwin Bryant, Mr. and Mrs. Thornton and my mother were enthusiastic searchers for botanical and geological specimens They delved into the ground turning over stones and scraping out the crevices and zealously penetrated the woods to gather mosses, roots and flowering plants Of the rare floral specimens and perishable tints my mother made pencil and watercolor studies having in view the book she was preparing for publication On ascending the bluff overlooking the big blue early on the afternoon of the 26th of May we found the river booming and the water still rising Driftwood and good sized logs were floating by on a current so strong that all hope affording it vanished even before its depth was measured We encamped on the slope of the prairie near a timber of cottonwood, oak, beech and sycamore trees where a clear brook rushed over its stony bed to join the big blue Captain Russell with my father and other sub-leaders examined the river banks from marks of a ford By sunset the river had risen 20 inches and the water at the ford was 200 yards in width A general meeting was caused to discuss the situation Many insisted that the company, being comfortably settled, should wait until the waters receded But the majority agreeing with the captain voted to construct a raft suitable to carry everything except the livestock which could be forced to swim The assembly was also called upon to settle a difference between two members of our Oregon contingent Friendly intervention having induced the disputants to suspend hostilities until their rights should be thus determined The assembly, however, instead of passing upon the matter, appointed a committee to devise a way out of the difficulty J. Q. Thornton's work, Oregon and California, has this reference to that committee whose work was significant as developed by later events Ex-Governor Boggs, Mr. James F. Reed, Mr. George Donner and others, myself included, convened in a tent according to appointment of a general assembly of the immigrants With the design of preparing a system of laws for the purpose of preserving order, etc. We proposed a few laws without, however, believing that they would possess much authority Provision was made for the appointment of a court of arbitrators to hear and decide disputes And to try offenders against the peace and good order of the company The fiercest thunderstorm that we had yet experienced raged throughout that night And had we not been protected by the bluff on one side and the timber on the other, our tents would have been carried away by the gale The big blue had become so turbulent that work on the prospective craft was postponed And our people proceeded to make the most of the unexpected holiday Mr. Grayson and Branham found a bee-tree and brought several buckets of delicious honey into camp Mr. Bryant gathered a quantity of wild peas and distributed them among the friends who had spices to turn them into sweet pickles The evening was devoted to friendly intercourse and the camp was merry with song and melodies dear to loved ones around the old hearthstones Meanwhile, Captain Russell had drawn a plan of the craft that should be built And had marked the Cottonwood trees on the river bank, half a mile above camp that would furnish the necessary materials Bright and early the following morning volunteer boat builders went to work with a will And by the close of day had felled two trees about three and a half feet in diameter Had hollowed out the trunks and made of them a pair of canoes twenty-five feet in length In addition to this they had also prepared timbers for the frames to hold them parallel And ensure the wagon wheels a steady place while being ferried across the river The workers were well satisfied with their accomplishment There was, however, sorrow instead of rejoicing in camp for Mrs. Reed's aged mother who had been failing for some days died that night At two o'clock the next afternoon she was buried at the foot of a monarch oak in a neat cottonwood coffin made by men of the party And her grave was marked by a headstone The craft being finished on the morning of the thirtieth of May was christened blue rover and launched amid cheers of the company Though not a thing of beauty she was destined to fulfill the expectations of our worthy captain One set of guide ropes held her in place at the point of embarkation While swimmers on horseback carried another set of ropes across the river and quickly made them fast Only one wagon at a time could cross and great difficulty was experienced in getting the vehicles on and off the boat Those working near the bank stood in water up to their armpits and frequently were in grave peril By the time the ninth wagon was safely landed darkness fell The only unforeseen delay that had occurred was occasioned by an awkward slip of the third wagon while being landed The blue rover groaned under the shock, leaned to one side and swamped one of the canoes However the damage was slight and easily repaired The next day was Sunday but the work had to go on and the reverend Mr. Cornwall was as ready for it as the rest of the toilers Much anxiety was experienced when the cattle were forced into the water and they had a desperate struggle in crossing the current But they finally reached the opposite bank without accident Each family embarked in its own wagon and the last was ferried over in the rain at nine o'clock that night The ropes were then detached from the blue rover as she drifted away in the darkness Captain Russell had dispatched matters vigorously and tactfully And when the labors of that day were completed still had a word of cheer for the shivering hungry travelers whom he led into camp one mile west of the memorable big blue Despite stiff joints and severe colds all were anxious to resume travel at the usual hour next day June the first End of Chapter 2 Chapter 3 of the Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Alana Jordan The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate by Eliza P. Donner-Houghton Chapter 3 In the Haunts of the Pawnees Letters of Mrs. George Donner Halt at Fort Bernard Sue Indians at Fort Laramie We were now near the Haunts of the Pawnee Indians reported to be vicious savages and daring thieves Before us also stretched the summer range of the antelope, deer, elk, and buffalo The effort to keep out of the way of the Pawnees and the desire to catch sight of the big game urged us on at a good rate of speed But not fast enough to keep our belligerence on good behavior Before night they had not only renewed their former troubles but come to blows and insulted our captain who had to separate them How the company was relieved of them is thus told in Mr. Bryant's Journal June 2, 1846 The two individuals at variance about their oxen and wagon were immigrants to Oregon And some 18 or 20 wagons now traveling with us were bound to the same place It was proposed in order to relieve ourselves from consequences of dispute in which we had no interest That all Oregon immigrants should in respectful manner and friendly spirit be requested to separate themselves from the California And start on in advance of us The proposition was unanimously carried and the spirit in which it was made prevented any bad feeling which otherwise might have resulted from it The Oregon immigrants immediately drew their wagons from the corrals and proceeded on their way The Oregon company was never so far in advance that we could not hear from it And on various occasions some of its members sent to us for medicines and other necessaries Our fear of the Pawnees diminished as we proceeded and met in their haunts only friendly Indians returning from the hunt With Pawnees heavily laden with packs of jerked meats and dried buffalo tongues At least one brave in each party could make himself understood by word or sign Many could pronounce the one word hog meat and would show what they had to exchange for the coveted luxury Others also begged for Tobac and sugar and generally got a little A surprising number of trappers and traitors returning to the United States with their stocks of peltry Camped nearest from time to time They were glad to exchange information and kept us posted in regard to the condition of the migrants and the number of wagons on the road in advance These rough looking fellows courteously offered to carry the company's mail to the nearest post office Mr. Bryant and my mother availed themselves of the kindness and sent letters to the respective journals of which they were correspondents Another means of keeping touch with traveling parties in advance was the accounts that were frequently found written on the bleaching skulls of animals Or on trunks of trees from which the bark had been stripped Or yet again on pieces of paper stuck in the clefts of sticks driven into the ground close to the trail Thus each company left greetings and words of cheer to those who were following Lost cattle were also advertised by that means and many strays or convalescents were found and driven forward to their owners Early June afforded rarest sport to lovers of the chase And our company was kept bountifuleep supplied with the choicest cuts of antelope, deer, and elk meat also juicy buffalo steak By the middle of the month however our surroundings were less favorable We entered a region of oppressive heat Clouds of dusk enveloped the train Wood became scarce And water had to be stored in casks and carried between supply points We passed many dead oxen also a number of poor cripples that had been abandoned by their unfeeling owners Our people, heeding these warnings, gave our cattle extra care and lost but few Through the kindness of the honorable Alan Francis, the U.S. consul of Victoria British Columbia for a long term of years And his earlier career editor of the Springfield Journal, I have in my possession two letters written by my mother for this paper They give a glimpse of the party en route The interval of time which elapsed between the date of writing and that of publication indicates how much faster our trap or letter carriers must have traveled on horseback than we had by ox-train The following was published on the 23rd of July Near the junction of the North and South Platte, June 16, 1846 My old friend, we are now on the Platte 200 miles from Fort Laramie Our journey so far has been pleasant, the roads have been good, and food plentiful The water for part of the way has been indifferent, but at no time have our cattle suffered for it Food is now very scarce, but buffalo chips are excellent, they kindle quickly and retain heat surprisingly We had this morning buffalo steaks broiled upon them that had the same flavor they would have had upon hickory coals We feel no fear of Indians, our cattle graze quietly around our encampment, unmolested Two or three men will go hunting twenty miles from camp, and last night two of our men lay out in the wilderness rather than ride their horses after a hard chase Indeed, if I do not experience something far worse than I have yet done, I shall say the trouble is all in getting started Our wagons have not heated much repair, and I cannot yet tell in what respects they could be improved Certain it is, they cannot be too strong, our preparations for the journey might have been in some respects bettered Bread has been the principal article of food in our camp We laid in a hundred and fifty pounds of flour and seventy-five pounds of meat for each individual, and I fear bread will be scarce Meat is abundant, rice and beans are good articles on the road Cornmeal too is acceptable, Lindsay dresses are the most suitable for children Indeed, if I had one, it would be acceptable There is so cool a breeze at all times on the plains that the sun does not feel so hot as one would suppose We are now four hundred and fifty miles from independence Our route was at first rough, and through a timbered country which appeared to be fertile After striking the prairie we found a first-rate road, and the only difficult we have had has been in crossing the creeks In that, however, there has been no danger I never could have believed we could have traveled so far with so little difficulty The prairie between the Blue and the Platte rivers is beautiful beyond description Never have I seen so varied a country so suitable for cultivation Everything was new and pleasing The Indians frequently come to see us, and the chiefs of a tribe breakfasted at our tent this morning All are so friendly that I cannot help feeling sympathy and friendship for them But on one sheet, what can I say? Since we have been on the Platte, we have had the river on one side and the ever-varying mounds on the other And have traveled through the bottom land from one to two miles wide with little or no timber The soil is sandy, and last year, on account of the dry season, the immigrants found grass here scarce Our cattle are in good order, and when the proper care has been taken, none have been lost Our milk cows have been of great service indeed. They have been of more advantage than our meat We have plenty of butter and milk We are commanded by Captain Russell, an amiable man George Donner is himself yet He crows in the morning and shouts out, Chain up, boys, chain up, with as much authority as though he was something in particular John Denton is still with us We find him useful in the camp Hiram Miller and Noah James are in good health and doing well We have the best people in our company and some too that are not so good Buffalo showed themselves frequently We have found the wild tulip, the primrose, the lupine, the eardrop, the larkspur, and creeping hollyhock And a beautiful flower resembling the blossom of the beech tree, but in bunches as large as a small sugarloaf And of every variety of shade to red and green I've bought in eyes and read some, but cook heaps more There were 420 wagons as far as we have heard on the road between here and Oregon and California Give our love to all inquiring friends, God bless them, yours truly, Mrs. George Donner The following extract is part of a letter which appeared in the Springfield Journal of July 30, 1846 South Fork of the Nebraska, 10 miles from the crossing Tuesday, June 16, 1846 Dear friend, today at nooning their past, going to the states, seven men from Oregon who went out last year One of them was well acquainted with Mr. Ide and Caddon Keyes, the latter of whom, he said, went to California They met the advance Oregon caravan about 150 miles west of Fort Laramie and counted in all for Oregon and California Accepting ours 478 wagons There are in our company over 40 wagons making 518 in all And there are said to be yet 20 behind Tomorrow we cross the river and by reckoning will be over 200 miles from Fort Laramie where we intend to stop and repair our wagon wheels They are nearly all loose and I am afraid we will have to stop sooner if there can be found wood suitable to heat the tires There is no wood here and our women and children are out now gathering buffalo chips to burn in order to do the cooking These chips burn well Mrs. George Donner On the 18th of June Captain Russell, who had been stricken with Billy's fever, resigned his office of leader My father and other subordinate officers also resigned their positions The assembly tendered the retiring officials a vote of thanks for faithful service and by common consent Ex-Governor Boggs moved at the head of the train and gave it his name We had expected to push on to Fort Laramie without stopping elsewhere But when we reached Fort Bernard, a small fur trading post 10 miles east of Fort Laramie We learned that the suit Indians were gathering on Laramie plain, preparing for war with the crows and their allies, the snakes Also that the immigrants already in camp there found past George very short Consequently our train halted at this more advantageous point where our cattle could be sent in charge of herders to browse along the Platte River And where the necessary materials could be obtained to repair the great damage which had been done to our wagon wheels by the intense heat of the preceding weeks Meanwhile, Mr. Russell and Bryant with six young bachelor friends found an opportunity to finish their journey with pack animals They exchanged with traders from New Mexico, their wagons and teams for the requisite number of saddle horses, mules, pack saddles and other equipment Which would enable them to reach California a month earlier than by wagon route Both parties broke camp at the same hour on the last day of June, they taking the bridal trail to the right and we turning to the left across the ridge to Fort Laramie Not an immigrant tent was to be seen as we approached the fort, but the bands of horses were grazing on the plain And Indians smeared with war paint and armed with hunting knives, tomahawks, bows and arrows were moving about excitedly They did not appear to notice us as we drove to the entrance of the strongly fortified walls surrounding the buildings of the American fur company Yet by the time we were ready to depart, large crowds were standing close to our wagons to receive the presence which our people had to distribute among them Many of the squaws and papooses were gorgeous in white-dose skin suits, godly trimmed with beads and bows of bright ribbons They formed a striking contrast to us, travel-stained wayfarers in Lindsay dresses and sunbonnets Most of the white men connected with the fort had taken Indian wives and many little children played around their doors Mr. Bordeaux, the general manager at the fort, explained to us that the immigrants who had remained there up to the previous Saturday were on that day advised by several other Sioux chiefs For whom he acted as spokesman to resume their journey before the coming Tuesday and to unite in strong companies because their people were in large force in the hills Preparing to go out on the warpath in the country through which the travelers had yet to pass That they were not pleased with the whites, that many of their warriors were cross and sulky in anticipation of the work before them And that any white persons found outside the fort upon their arrival might be subject to robbery and other bad treatment This advice of the chiefs had awakened such fear in the travelers that every campfire was deserted before sunrise the ensuing morning We in turn were filled with apprehension and immediately hurried onward in the ruts made by the fleeing wagons of the previous day Before we got out of the country of the Sioux we were overtaken by about 300 mounted warriors They came in stately procession to a breast, rode on in advance of our train, halted and opened ranks And as our wagons passed between their lines the warriors took from beneath their teeth green twigs and tossed them toward us in a pledge of friendship Then turned and as quietly and solemnly as they had rode to us rode toward the hills A great sigh of relief expressed the company's satisfaction at being again alone Still no one could feel sure that we should escape a night attack Our trail led up into the hills and we traveled late into the night and were again on the way by morning starlight We heard wolf yelps and owl hoots in the distance but were not approached by prowlers of any kind End of Chapter 3 Chapter 4 of the Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Alana Jordan The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate by Eliza P. Donner-Hotten Chapter 4 Fourth of July in an Immigrant Party Open Letter of Landsford Hastings George Donner elected Captain of Party Bound for California Entering the Great Desert Insufficient Supply of Food Volunteers commissioned by my father to hasten to Sutter's Fort for relief On the 2nd of July we met Mr. Bryant returning to prevail on some man of our company To take the place of Mr. Kendall of the Bridal Party Who had heard such evil reports of California from returning trappers That his courage had failed and he had deserted his companions and joined the Oregon Company Hyra Miller, who had driven one of my father's wagons from Springfield Took advantage of this opportunity for a faster method of travel and left with Mr. Bryant The following evening we encamped near the reinforced Bridal Party And on the morning of the 4th Mr. Russell and Bryant came over to help us to celebrate our national holiday A salute was fired at sunrise and later a platform of boxes was arranged in a grove close by And half past nine o'clock everyone in camp was in holiday attire and ready to join the procession Which marched around the camp and to the adjacent grove There patriotic songs were sung, the Declaration of Independence was read And Colonel Russell delivered an address After enjoying a feast prepared by the women of the company And drinking to the health and happiness of friends and kindred in reverent silence With faces toward the east our guests made us a final goodbye and godspeed We had on many occasions entertained eastward bound rovers Whose various experiences on the Pacific coast made them interesting talkers Those who favored California extolled its excellence and had scant praise for Oregon Those who loved Oregon described its marvelous advantages over California And urged home seekers to select it as the wiser choice Consequently as we neared the parting of the ways some of our people were in perplexity which to choose On the 19th of July we reached the Little Sandy River And there found four distinct companies encamped in neighborly groups Among them are friends the Thorntons and Reverend Mr. Cornwall Most of them were listed for Oregon and were resting their cattle preparatory To entering the long dry drive of 40 miles known as Greenwood's Cut-Off There my father and others deliberated over a new route to California They were led to do so by an open letter which had been delivered to our company on the 17th By special messenger on horseback It was written by Lansford W. Hastings, author of Travel Among the Rocky Mountains Through Oregon and California It was dated and addressed at the headwaters of the Sweetwater to all California immigrants now on the road And intimated that on account of war between Mexico and the United States The government of California would probably oppose the entrance of American immigrants to its territory And urged those on the way to California to concentrate their numbers and strength And to take the new and better route which he had explored from Fort Bridger by way of the south end of Salt Lake It emphasized the statement that this new route was nearly 200 miles shorter than the old one by way of Fort Hall And the headwaters of Ogden's River and that he himself would remain at Fort Bridger to give further information And to conduct the immigrants through to the settlement The proposition seemed so feasible that after a cool deliberation and discussion a party was formed to take the new route My father was elected captain of this company and from that time on it was known as the Donner Party It included our original Sangamon folks except Mrs. Keyes and Hiram Miller And the following additional members While preparing to break camp the last named had begged my father for a place in our wagon He was a stranger to our family afflicted with consumption, too ill to make the journey on horseback And the family with whom he had traveled thus far could no longer accommodate him His fore-lorn condition appealed to my parents that he had no choice but to leave the country Could no longer accommodate him His fore-lorn condition appealed to my parents and they granted his request All the companies broke camp and left the Little Sandy on the 20th of July The Oregon Division with a section for California took the right hand trail for Fort Hall and the Donner Party The left hand trail to Fort Bridger After parting from us Mr. Thornton made the following note in his journal July 20, 1846 The Californians were much elated and in fine spirits with the prospect of better and nearer road to the country of their destination Mrs. George Donner however was an exception She was gloomy, sad and dispirited in view of the fact that her husband and others could think of leaving the old road And confide in a statement of a man of whom they knew nothing It was probably some selfish adventurer Five days later the Donner Party reached Fort Bridger And were informed by Hastings' agent that he had gone forward as pilot to a large, emigrant train But had left instructions that all later arrivals should follow his trail Further that they would find an abundant supply of wood, water and pastureage Along the whole line of road except one dry drive of 30 miles or 40 at most That they would have no difficult canyons to pass and that the road was generally smooth, level and hard At Fort Bridger my father took driver for one of his wagons, John Baptiste Troubaud A sturdy young mountaineer, the offspring of a French father, a trapper and a Mexican mother John claimed to have a knowledge of the languages and customs of various Indian tribes Through whose country we should have to pass and urged that this knowledge might prove helpful to the company The trail from the Fort was all that could be desired and on the 3rd of August we reached the crossing of Weber River Where it breaks through the mountains into the canyon There we found a letter from Hastings stuck in the cleft of a projecting stick near the roadside It advised all parties to encamp and await his return for the purpose of showing them a better way than through the canyon of Weber River Stating that he had found the road over which he was then piloting a train very bad And feared other parties might not be able to get their wagons through the canyon leading to the valley of the Great Salt Lake He referred however to another route which he declared to be much better as it avoided the canyon altogether To prevent unnecessary delays, Mr. Reed, Pike and Stanton volunteered to ride over the new route And if advisable, bring Hastings back to conduct us to the open valley After eight days Mr. Reed returned alone and reported that he and his companions overtook Hastings with his train near the south end of Salt Lake That Hastings refused to leave his train but was finally induced to go with them to the summit of a ridge of the Wasatch Mountains And from there point out as best he could the directions to be followed While exploring on the way back Mr. Reed had become separated from Mr. Pike and Stanton and now feared they might be lost He himself had located landmarks and blazed trees and felt confident that by making occasional short clearings we could get our wagons over the new route as outlined by Hastings Searchers were sent ahead to look up the missing men and we immediately broke camp and resumed travel The following evening we were stopped by a thicket of quaking ash through which it required a full day's hard work to open a passageway Thence our course lay through a wilderness of rugged peaks and rock-bound canyons until a heavily obstructed gulch confronted us Believing that it would lead out to the Utah River Valley, our men again took their tools and became road-makers They had toiled six days when W. F. Graves wife and eight children, J. Faustic wife and child and John Snyder with their teams and cattle overtook and joined our train With the assistance of these three fresh men the road eight miles in length was completed two days later It carried us out into a pretty mountain dell not the opening we had expected Fortunately we here met the searchers returning with Mr. Pike and Stanton The latter informed us that we must turn back over our newly made road and cross a farther range of peaks in order to strike the outlet to the valley Sudden fear of being lost in the trackless mountains almost precipitated a panic and it was with difficulty that my father and other cool-headed persons kept excited families from scattering rashly into greater dangers We retraced our way and after five days of alternate traveling and road-making ascended a mountain so steep that six and eight yoke of oxen were required to draw each vehicle up the grade And most careful handling of the teams was necessary to keep the wagons from toppling over as the straining cattle zigzagged to the summit Fortunately the slope on the opposite side was gradual and the last wagon descended to camp before darkness obscured the way The following morning we crossed the river which flows from Utah Lake to Great Salt Lake and found the trail of the Hastings Party We had been 30 days in reaching that point which we had hoped to make in 10 or 12 The tedious delays and high altitude wrought distressing changes in Mr. Hallerhen's condition and my father and mother watched over him with increasing solicitude But despite my mother's unwearying administrations death came on the 4th of September Suitable timber for a coffin could not be obtained so his body was wrapped in sheets and carefully enclosed in a buffalo robe Then reverently laid to rest in a grave on the shore of the Great Salt Lake near that of a stranger who had been buried by the Hastings Party a few weeks earlier Mr. Hallerhen had appreciated the tender care bestowed upon him by my parents and had told members of our company that in the event of his death on the way His trunk and its contents and his horse and its equipments should belong to Captain Donner When the trunk was opened it was found to contain clothing, keepsakes, a masonic emblem, and $1500 in coin A new inventory taken about this time disclosed the fact that the company's stock of supplies was insufficient to carry it through to California A call was made for volunteers who should hasten on horseback to Sutter's Fort, procure supplies, and returning meet the train en route Mr. Stanton, who was without family, and Mr. McCutcheon, whose wife and child were in the company, heroically responded They were furnished with necessaries for their personal needs and with letters to Captain Sutter explaining the company's situation and petitioning for supplies which would enable it to reach the settlement As the two men rode away, many anxious eyes watched them pass out of sight and many heartfelt prayers were offered for their personal safety and the success of their mission In addressing this letter to Captain Sutter, my father followed the general example of immigrants to California in those days For Sutter, great-hearted and generous, was the man to whom all turned into stress or emergencies He himself had immigrated to the United States at an early age and after a few years spent in St. Louis, Missouri, had pushed his way westward to California There he negotiated with the Russian government for its holdings on the Pacific Coast and took them over when Russia evacuated the country He then established himself on the vast estate so acquired which, in memory of his parentage, he called New Helvetia The Mexican government, however, soon assumed his liabilities to the Russian government and exercised sovereignty over the territory Sutter's position, nevertheless, was practically that of a potentate He constructed the well-known fort near the present site of the city of Sacramento as protection against Indian depredations and it became a trading center and rendezvous for incoming immigrants End of Chapter 4 Chapter 5 of the Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate This is the LibriVox Recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Alana Jordan The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate by Eliza P. Donner-Houghton Chapter 5 Bewildering Guideboard Soul-Trying Struggles First Snow Read Snyder Tragedy Hardcoops Fate Our next memorable camp was in a fertile valley where we found 20 natural wells, some very deep and full to the brim of pure cold water They varied from 6 inches to several feet in diameter. The soil around the edges was dry and hard and as fast as water was dipped out, a new supply rose to the surface Grass was plentiful and wood easily obtained Our people made much of a brief stay, for though the weather was a little sharp, the surroundings were restful Then came a long dreary pull over a low range of hills which brought us to another beautiful valley where the pastureage was abundant and more wells marked the site of good camping grounds Close by the largest well stood a rueful spectacle, a bewildering guideboard, flecked with bits of white paper showing that the notice or message which had recently been pasted and tacked thereon had since been stripped off in irregular bits In surprise and consternation the immigrants gazed at its blank face then tore the dreary waste beyond Presently my mother knelt before it and began searching for fragments of paper which she believed crows had wantonly pecked off and dropped to the ground Spurred by her zeal others were soon on their knees scratching among the grasses and sifting the loose soil through their fingers What they found they brought to her and after the search ended she took the guideboard, laid it across her lap and thoughtfully began fitting the ragged edges of paper together and matching the scraps to marks on the board The tedious process was watched with spellbound interest by the anxious group around her The writing was that of Hastings and her patchwork brought out the following words Two days, two nights, hard driving, cross, desert, reach water This would be a heavy strain on our cattle and to fit them for the ordeal they were granted 36 hours indulgence near the bubbling waters amid good pastureage Meanwhile grass was cut and stored, water casks were filled and rations were prepared for desert use We left camp on the morning of September 9 following dimly marked wagon tracks courageously and entered upon the dry drive which Hastings and his agent at Fort Bridger had represented as being 35 miles or 40 at most After two days and two nights of continuous travel over a waste of alkali and sand we were still surrounded as far as I could see by a region of fearful desolation The supply of feed for our cattle was gone, the water casks were empty and a pitiless sun was turning its burning rays upon the glaring earth over which we still had to go Mr. Reed now rode ahead to prospect for water while the rest followed with teams All who could walk did so, mothers carrying their babes in their arms and fathers with weaklings across their shoulders moved slowly as they urged the famishing cattle forward Suddenly an outcry of joy gave hope to those whose courage waned A lake of shimmering water appeared before us in the near distance, we could see the wavy grasses and a caravan of people moving toward it It may be Hastings was the eager shout, alas as we advanced the scene vanished, a cruel mirage in its mysterious way had outlined the lake and cast our shadows near its shore Disappointment intensified our burning thirst and my good mother gave her own and other suffering children weelumps of sugar moistened with a drop of peppermint And later put a flattened bullet in each child's mouth to engage its attention and help keep the salivary glands in action Then followed soul-trying hours, oxen, foot sore and weary, stumbled under their yokes, women heart-sick and exhausted could walk no farther As a last resort the men hung the water-pales on their arms, unhooked the oxen from the wagons and by persuasion and force drove them onward leaving the women and children to await their return Mistress Eddie and Graves got their animals to water on the night of the twelfth and the others later As soon as the poor beasts were refreshed they were brought back with water for the suffering and also that they might draw the wagons onto camp My father's wagons were the last taken out, they reached camp the morning of the fifteenth Thirty-six head of cattle were left on that desert, some dead, some lost Among the lost were all Mr. Reed's herd, except an ox and a cow His poor beasts had become frenzied in the night as they were being driven toward the water and with a strength that comes with madness had rushed away in the darkness Meanwhile Mr. Reed, unconscious of his misfortune, was returning to his family which he found by his wagon some distance in the rear At daylight he, with his wife and children on foot, overtook my uncle Jacob's wagons and were carried forward in them until their own were brought up After hurriedly making camp all the men turned out to hunt the Reed cattle, in every direction they searched but found no clue Those who rode onward however discovered that we had reached only an oasis in the desert and that six miles ahead of us lay another pitiless barren stretch Anguish and dismay now filled all hearts, husbands bowed their heads appalled at the situation of their families Some cursed hastings for the false statements in his open letter and for his broken pledge at Fort Bridger They cursed him also for his misrepresentation of the distance across this cruel desert, traversing which had wrought such suffering and loss Mothers in tearless agony clasped their children to their bosoms with the old, old cry, Father, thy will, not mine be done It was plain that, try as we might, we could not get back to Fort Bridger, we must proceed regardless of the fearful outlook After Erna's consultation it was deemed best to dig a trench and cash all Mr. Reed's effects except such as could be packed into one wagon and were essential for daily use This accomplished Mr.'s graves and brine each loaned him an ox and these in addition to his own ox and cow yoke together formed his team Upon examination it was found that the woodwork of all the wagons had been shrunk and cracked by the dry atmosphere One of Mr. Kesselberg's and one of my father's were in such bad condition that they were abandoned, left standing near those of Mr. Reed as we passed out of camp The first snow of the season fell as we were crossing the narrow strip of land upon which we had rested and when we encamped for the night on its boundary The waste before us was as cheerless cold and white as the winding sheet which enfolds the dead At dawn we resumed our toilful march and traveled until four o'clock the following morning when we reached an extensive valley where grass and water were plentiful Several oxen had died during the night and it was with a caress of pity that the surviving were relieved of their yokes for the day The next sunrise saw us on our way over a range of hills sloping down to a valley luxuriant with grass and springs of delicious water where antelope and mountain sheep were grazing And where we saw Indians who seemed never to have met white men before We were three days in crossing this magnificent stretch of country which we called Valley of Fifty Springs In it several wagons and large cases of goods were cashed by our company and secret marks were put on trees nearby so that they could be recovered should their owners return for them While on the desert my father's wagons had traveled last in the train in order that no one should stray or be left to die alone But as soon as we reached the mountainous country he took the lead to open the way Uncle Jacob's wagons were always close to ours for the two brothers worked together one responding when the other called for help and with the assistance of their teamsters they were able to free the trail of many obstructions and prevent unnecessary delays From the Valley of Fifty Springs we pursued a southerly course over more hills and through fertile valleys where we saw Indians in a state of nudity who looked at us from a distance but never approached our wagons nor molested anyone On the 24th of September we turned to do north and found the tracks of wagon wheels which guided us to the Valley of Mary's River or Ogden's River and on the 30th put us on the old immigrant road leading from Fort Hall This welcome landmark inspired us with renewed trust and the energizing hope that Stanton and McCutcheon would soon appear strengthened our solely tried courage This day was also memorable because it brought us a number of Indians who must have been Fremont's guides for they could give information and understand a little English They went into camp with us and by word and sign explained that we were still far from the sink of Mary's River but on the right trail to it After another long day's drive we stopped on a mountainside close to a spring of cold sweet water While supper was being prepared one of the fires crept beyond bounds spread rapidly and threatened the destruction to part of our train At the critical moment two strange Indians rushed upon the scene and rendered good service After the fire was extinguished the Indians were rewarded and were also given a generous meal at the tent of Mr. Graves Later they settled themselves in friendly fashion beside his fire and were soon fast asleep Next morning the Indians were gone and had taken with them a new shirt and a yoke of good oxen belonging to their host Within the week Indians again sneaked up to camp and stole one of Mr. Graves saddle horses These were trials which made men swear vengeance yet no one felt it would be safe to follow the marauders Who could know that the train was not being stealthily followed by cunning plunderers who would await their chance to get away with the wagons if left weakly guarded Conditions were now such that it seemed best to divide the train into sections and put each section under a sub-leader Our men were well equipped with side arms, rifles, and ammunition Nevertheless anxious moments were common as the wagons moved slowly and singly through the dense thickets, narrow defiles, and rugged mountain gorges One section often being out of sight of the others and each man realizing that there could be no concerted action in the event of a general attack That each must stay by his own wagon and defend as best he could the lives committed to his care No one rode horseback now except the leaders and those in charge of the loose cattle The darkness obscured the way and after feeding time each section formed its wagons into a circle to serve as cattle corral And night watches were keenly alert to give a still alarm if anything unusual came within sight or sound Day after day from dawn to twilight we moved onward never stopping except to give the oxen the necessary nooning Or to give them drink when water was available Finally the distance between sections lengthened and so it happened that the wagons of my father and my uncle were two days in advance of the others On the 8th of October when Mr. Reed on horseback overtook us He was haggard and in great tribulation his lips quivered as he gave substantially the following account of circumstances which had made him the slayer of his friend and a lone wanderer in the wilderness On the morning of October 5 when Mr. Reed's section broke camp he and Mr. Eddy ventured off to hunt antelope and were shot at a number of times by Indians with bows and arrows Empty handed and disappointed the two followed and overtook their companions about noon at the foot of a steep hill near gravelly Ford where the teams had to be doubled for the ascent All the wagons except pikes and reeds and one of the graves is in charge of John Snyder had already been taken to the top Snyder was in the act of starting his team when Milton Elliott driving Reed's oxen with Eddy's in the lead also started Suddenly the Reed and Eddy cattle became unmanageable and in some way got mixed up with Snyder's team This provoked both drivers and fierce words passed between them Snyder declared that the Reed team ought to be made to drag its wagon up without help then he began to beat his own cattle about the head to get them out of the way Mr. Reed attempted to remonstrate with him for his cruelty at which Snyder became more enraged and threatened to strike both Reed and Elliott with his whip for interfering Mr. Reed replied sharply that they would settle the matter later This Snyder took as a threat and retorted no will settle it right here and struck Reed over the head with the butt end of his whip cutting an ugly scalp wound Mrs. Reed who rushed between the two men for the purpose of separating them caught the force of the second blow from Snyder's whip on her shoulder While dodging the third blow Reed drew his hunting knife and stabbed Snyder in the left breast Fifteen minutes later John Snyder with his head resting on the arm of William Graves died and Mr. Reed stood beside the corpse dazed and sorrowful Nearby sections were immediately called into camp and gloom consternation and anger pervaded it Mr. Reed and family were taken to their tent some distance from the others and guarded by their friends Later an assembly was convened to decide what should be done The majority declared the deed murder and demanded retribution Mr. Eddy and others pleaded extenuating circumstances and proposed that the accused should leave the camp After heated discussion this compromise was adopted the assembly voting that Mr. Reed should be banished from the company Mr. Reed maintained that the deed was not prompted by Malice that he had acted in self defense and in defense of his wife and that he would not be driven from his helpless dependent family The assembly promised that the company would care for his family and limited his stay in camp His wife fearing the consequence of non-compliance with the sentence begged him to abide by it and to push on to the settlement, procure food and assistance and return for her and their children The following morning after participating in the funeral rites over the lamented dead Mr. Reed took leave of his friends and souring family and left the camp The group around my father's wagon were deeply touched by Mr. Reed's narrative Its members were friends of the slain and of the slayer Their sympathies clustered around the memory of the dead and clung to the living They deplored the death of a fellow traveler who had manly faced many hardships and was young, genial and full of promise They regretted the act which took from the company a member who had been prominent in its organization had helped to formulate its rules and had, up to that unfortunate hour, been a co-worker with the other leading spirits for its best interests It was plain that the hardships and misfortunes of the journey had sharpened the tempers of both men and the vexations of the morning had been too much for the overstrained nerves Mr. Reed breakfasted at our tent but did not continue his journey alone Walter Herron, one of my father's helpers, decided to accompany him and after hurried preparations they went away together bearing an urgent appeal from my father to Captain Sutter for necessary teams and provisions to carry the company through to California Also his personal pledge in writing that he would be responsible for the payment of the debt as soon as he should reach the settlement My father believed the two men would reach their destination long before the slowly moving train Immediately after the departure of Mr. Reed and Herron our wagons moved onward Night overtook us at a gruesome place where wood and feed were scarce and every drop of water was browned by alkali There hungry wolves howled and there we found and buried the bleaching bones of Mr. Saleh, a member of the Hastings train, who had been shot by Indians After his companions had left his grave the savages had returned, dug up the body, robbed it of its clothing and left it to the wolves At four o'clock the following morning, October 10, the rest of the company, having traveled all night, drove into camp Many were in a state of great excitement and some almost frenzied by the physical and mental suffering they had endured Accounts of the Reed-Snyder tragedy differed somewhat from that we had already heard The majority held that the assembly had been lenient with Mr. Reed and consider it for his family That the action taken had been largely influenced by rules which Mr. Reed, Donner, Thornton and others had suggested for the government of Colonel Russell's train And that there was no occasion for criticism since the sentence was for the transgression and not for the individual The loss of aged Mr. Hardcoup whose fate was sealed soon after the death of John Snyder was the subject of bitter contention The old man was traveling with the Kesseberg family and in the heavy sand, when that family walked to lighten the load, he was required to do likewise The first night after leaving gravelly Ford he did not come into camp with the rest The company, faring something amiss, set a man on horseback to bring him in He was found five miles from camp completely exhausted and his feet in a terrible condition The following morning he again started with Kesseberg and when the section had been underway only a short time The old man approached Mr. Eddy and begged for a place in some other wagon saying he was sick and exhausted and that Kesseberg had put him out to die The road was still through deep loose sand and Mr. Eddy told him if he would only manage to go forward until the road should be easier on the oxen He himself would take him in Hardcoup promised to try yet the roads became so heavy that progress was yet slower and even the small children were forced to walk Nor did anyone see when Mr. Hardcoup dropped behind Mr. Eddy had the first watch that night and kept a bright fire burning on the hillside in hopes that it would guide the belated into camp Milton Elliott went on guard at midnight and kept the fire till morning yet neither sign nor sound of the missing came over that desolate trail In vain the watchers now besought Kesseberg to return for Hardcoup Next they applied to Mr. Graves and Breen who alone had saddle horses able to carry the helpless man But neither of them would risk his animals again on that perilous road In desperation Mr. William Pike, Milton Elliott and William Eddy proposed to go out a foot and carry him in if the wagons would wait Mr. Graves and Breen however in language so plain and homely that it seemed heartless Declared that it was neither the voice of common sense nor of humanity that asked the wagons to wait there in the face of danger While three foolhardy men rushed back to look for a helpless one whom they had been unable to sucker on the previous day And for whom they could make no provision in the future even if they should succeed in them snatching him from the jaws of death The sex position of undeniable facts defeated the plans of the would-be rescuers yet did not quiet their consciences When the section halted at noon they again begged, though in vain, for horses which might enable them to do something for their deserted companion My father listened thoughtfully to the accounts of that harrowing incident and although he realized that death must have ended the old man's sufferings within a few hours after he dropped by the wayside He could not but feel deeply the bitterness of such a fate Who could peer into the near future and read between its lines the greater suffering which Mr. Hardcoup had escaped or the trials in store for us We were in close range of ambush savages lying in wait for spoils While the company were hurrying to get into marching order Indians stole a milk-cow and several horses belonging to Mr. Graves Emboldened by success they made a raid on our next camp and stampeded a bunch of 18 horned cattle belonging to Mr. Wolfanger and my father and Uncle Jacob and also flesh-wounded several poor beasts with arrows These were more serious hindrances than we had yet experienced. Still, undaunted by the alarming prospects before us, we immediately resumed travel with cows under yoke in place of the freshly injured oxen End of chapter 5 Chapter 6 of the Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Alanna Jordan The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate by Eliza P. Donner-Houghton Chapter 6 Indian Depredations Wolfinger's Disappearance Stanton Returns with Supplies Furnished by Captain Sutter Donner wagons separated from train forever Terrible piece of news Forced into shelter at Donner Lake Donner Camp on Prosser Creek All who managed to get beyond the sink of Ogden's River before midnight of October 12 reached Geiser Springs without further molestation But the belated, who encamped at the sink, were surprised at daylight by the Indians who, while the herders were hurriedly taking a cup of coffee, swooped down and killed twenty-one head of cattle Among the number were all of Mr. Eddie's stock except an ox and a cow that would not work together Maddened by his appalling situation Eddie called for vengeance on his dispoilers and would have rushed to certain death if the breaking of the lock of his rifle at the start had not stopped him Sullen and dejected he cashed the contents of his wagons and with a meager supply of food and a pack on his back he and his wife each carrying a child set forth to finish the journey on foot To add to their discomfort they saw Indians on adjacent hills dancing and gesticulating in savage delight In relating the above occurrence after the journey was finished Mr. Eddie declared that no language could portray the desolation and heart-sick feeling Nor the physical and mental torture which he and his wife experienced while traveling between the sink of Ogden's River and the Geiser Springs It was during that trying week that Mr. Wolfinger mysteriously disappeared. At the time he and Kesseberg with their wagons were at the rear of the train and their wives were walking in advance with other members of the company When camp was made those two wagons were not in sight and after dark the alarmed wives prevailed on friends to go in search of their missing husbands The searchers shortly found Kesseberg leisurely driving toward camp. He assured them that Wolfinger was not far behind him so they returned without further search All night the frantic wife listened for the sound of the coming of her husband and so poignant was her grief that at break of day William Graves Jr. and two companions went again in search of Mr. Wolfinger Five or six miles from camp they came upon his tenantless wagon with the oxen unhooked and feeding on the trail nearby Nothing in the wagon had been disturbed nor did they find any sign of struggle or of Indians After a diligent search for the missing man his wagon and team was brought to camp and restored to Mrs. Wolfinger and she was permitted to believe that her husband had been murdered by Indians and his body carried off Nevertheless some suspected Kesseberg of having had a hand in his disappearance as he knew that Mr. Wolfinger carried a large sum of money on his person Three days later Reinhardt and Spitzer who had not been missed came into camp and Mrs. Wolfinger was startled to recognize her husband's gun in their possession They explained that they were in the wagon with Mr. Wolfinger when the Indians rushed upon them, drove them off, killed Wolfinger and burned the wagon My father made a note of this conflicting statement to help future investigation of the case At Geiser Springs the company cashed valuable goods among them several large cases of books and other heavy articles belonging to my father As will be seen later the load in our family wagon thus lightened through pity for our oxen also lessened the severity of an accident which otherwise might have been fatal to Georgia and me On the 19th of October near the present site of Wadsworth, Nevada we met Mr. Stanton returning from Sutter's Fort with two Indian herders driving seven mules laden with flour and jerked beef Their arrival was hailed with great joy and after a brief consultation with my father Stanton and his Indians continued toward the rear in order to distribute the first to those most in need of provisions Also that the pack animals might be the sooner set apart to the use of those whose teams had given out or had been destroyed by Indians Mr. Stanton had left Mr. McCutcheon sick at Sutter's Fort. He brought information also concerning Mr. Reed and Heron whom he had met in the Sacramento Valley At the time of meeting they were quite a distance from the settlement, had been without food three days and Mr. Reed's horse was completely worn out Mr. Stanton had furnished Mr. Reed with a fresh mount and provisions enough to carry both men to Sutter's Fort In camp that night Mr. Stanton outlined our course to the settlement and in compliance with my father's earnest wish consented to lead the train across the Sierra Nevada Mountains Frost in the air and snow on the distant peaks warned us against delays yet notwithstanding the need of haste we were obliged to rest our jaded teams Three yoke of oxen had died from exhaustion within a week and several of those remaining were not in condition to ascend the heavy grades before them On the 20th Mr. Pike met death in his own tent by the accidental discharge of a six-shooter in the hands of Mr. Foster, his brother-in-law He left a young wife and two small children, Naomi three years of age and Catherine a babe in arms. His loss was keenly felt by the company for he was highly esteemed We broke camp on the 22nd and my father and uncle took our wagons to the rear of the train in order to favor our cattle and also to be near families whose teams might help in getting up the mountains That day we crossed the Truckee River for the 49th and last time in 80 miles And encamped for the night at the top of a high hill where we received our last experience of Indian cruelty The perpetrator was concealed behind a willow and with savage vim and well-trained hand sent 19 arrows whizzing through the air and each arrow struck a different ox Mr. Eddy caught him in the act and as he turned to flee the white men's rifle ball struck him between the shoulders and pierced his body With a spring into the air and an agonizing shriek he dropped lifeless into the bushes below Strange but true, not an ox was seriously hurt The train took the trail early next morning expecting to cross the summit of the Sierras and reach California in less than two weeks The following circumstances which parted us forever from the train which father had led through so many difficulties were told me by my sister, Mrs. Elytha C. Wilder, now of Bruceville, California Our five Donner wagons and Mrs. Wolfinger's wagon were a day or more behind the train and between 12 and 16 miles from the spot where we later made our winter camp When an accident happened which nearly cost us your life and indirectly prevented our rejoining the train Your mother and Francis were walking on ahead. You and Georgia were asleep in the wagon and father was walking beside it down a steep hill It had almost reached the base of the incline when the axle to the four wheels broke and the wagon tipped over on the side tumbling its contents upon you two children Father and uncle and great alarm rushed to your rescue Georgia was soon hauled out safely through the opening in the back of the wagon sheets but you were nowhere in sight and father was sure you were smothering because you did not answer his call They worked breathlessly getting things out and finally uncle came to your limp form. You could not have lasted much longer they said How thankful we all were that our heaviest boxes had been cached at geyser springs Much as we felt the shock there was little time for self-indulgence. Never were moments of greater importance For while father and uncle were hewing a new axle, two men came from the head of the company to tell about the snow. It was a terrible piece of news Those men reported that on the 28th of that month the larger part of the train had reached a deserted cabin near Truckee Lake The sheet of water now known as Donner Lake at the foot of Fremont's Pass in the main chain of the Sierra Nevada mountains The following morning they had proceeded to within three miles of the summit but finding snow there five feet in depth The trail obliterated and no place for making camp. They were obliged to return to the spot they had left early in the day There they said the company had assembled to discuss the next move and great confusion prevailed as the excited members gave voice to their bitterest fears Some proposed to abandon the wagons and make the oxen carry out the children and provisions Some wanted to take the children and rations and start out on foot and some sat brooding in day's silence through the long night The messengers further stated that on the 30th with Stanton as leader and despite the falling sleet and snow The forward section of the party united in another desperate effort to cross the summit but encountered deeper drifts and greater difficulties As darkness crept over the whitened waste wagons became separated and lodged in the snow and all had to cling to the mountainside until break of day When the train again returned to its twice abandoned camp having been compelled however to leave several of the wagons where they had become stalled The report concluded with the statement that the men at once began log cutting for cabins in which the company might have to pass the winter After the messengers left and as father and uncle Jacob were hastening preparations for our own departure new troubles beset us Uncle was giving the finishing touches to the axle when the chisel he was using slipped from his grasp and its keen edge struck and made a serious wound across the back of father's right hand which was steadying the timber The crippled hand was carefully dressed and to quiet uncle's fears and discomfort father made light of the accident declaring that they had weightier matters for consideration than cuts and bruises The consequences of that accident however were far more wide reaching than could have been anticipated Up and up we toiled until we reached an altitude of six thousand feet and were within about ten miles of our companions at the lake When the intense cold drove us into camp on Prosser Creek in Alder Creek Valley a picturesque and sheltered nook two and a half miles in length and three quarters of a mile in width But no one observed the picturesque grandeur of the forest covered mountains which hem it in on the north and west nor that eastward and southward it looks out across plateaus to the Washoo Mountains twenty miles away A piercing wind was driving storm clouds toward us and those who understood their threatening aspect realized that twenty one persons eight of them helpless children were there at the mercy of the pitiless storm king The teams were hurriedly unhooked the tents pitched and the men and women began collecting material for more suitable quarters Some fell trees some lopped off branches and some with oxen dragged the logs into position There was enough building material on the ground for a good sized foundation for logs deep when night stopped the work The moon and stars came out before we went to bed yet the following morning the ground was covered with snow two or three feet in depth which had to be shelled from the exposed beds before their occupants could rise I remember well that new day all plans for log cabins had to be abandoned There was no sheltered nook for shivering children so father lifted Georgia and me onto a log and mother tucked a buffalo robe around us saying sit here until we have a better place for you There we sat snug and dry chatting and twisting our heads about watching the hurrying anxious workers Those not busy at the wagons were helping the builders to construct a permanent camp They cleared a space under a tall pine tree and reset the tent a few feet south of its trunk facing the sunrise Then following the Indian method as described by John Baptiste a rude semi-circular hut of poles was added to the tent The tree trunk forming part of its north wall and its needle boughs the rafters and cross pieces to the roof The structure was overlaid so far as possible with pieces of cloth old quilts and buffalo robes then with bows and branches of pine and tamarack A hollow was scooped in the ground near the tree for a fireplace and an opening in the top served as chimney and ventilator One opening led into the tent and another served as an outer door To keep the beds off the wet earth two rows of short posts were driven along the sides of the tent and the poles were laid across the tops Thus forming racks to support the pine boughs upon which the beds should be made While this was being done Elytha, Liana and Mrs. Wolfinger were bringing poles and brush with which to strengthen and sheath the tent walls against wind and weather Even Sister Francis looked tall and helpful as she treached by with her little loads The combination of tent and hut was designed for my father and family and Mrs. Wolfinger The Teamsters, Samuel Shoemaker, Joseph Reinhart, James Smith and John Baptiste built their hut in Indian wigwam fashion Not far from us across the stream braced against a log was reared a mixed structure of brush and tent for use of Uncle Jacob, Aunt Betsy and William and Solomon Hook Aunt Betsy's sons by a former husband and their five small children George, Mary, Isaac, Lewis and Samuel Donner Before we two could leave our perch the snow was falling faster and in larger flakes It made pictures for Georgia and me upon the branches of big and little trees It gathered in a ridge beside us upon the log it nestled in piles upon our buffalo robe and by the time our quarters were finished it was veiling Uncle Jacob's from view Everything within was cold, damp and dreary until our tired mother and elder sisters built the fire, prepared our supper and sent us to bed each with a lump of low sugar as comforter End of Chapter 6 Chapter 7 of the Expedition of the Donner Party and its tragic fate This is a LibriVox recording all LibriVox recordings are in the public domain For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Alana Jordan The Expedition of the Donner Party and its tragic fate by Eliza P. Donner-Houghton Chapter 7 Snowbound, scarcity of food at both camps, watching for return of McCutcheon and Reed When we awoke the following morning little heaps of snow lay here and there upon the floor No threshold could be seen, only a snowbank reaching up to the white plain beyond Where every sound was muffled and every object was blurred by falling flakes Father's face was very grave, his morning caress had all its wanted tenderness But the merry twinkle was gone from his eye and the gladsome note from his voice For eight consecutive days the fatal snow fell with but few short intermissions Eight days in which there was nothing to break the monotony of torturing in active endurance Except the necessity of gathering wood, keeping the fires and cutting anew the steps which led upward as the snow increased in depth Hope, well nigh, died within us All in camp fared alike and all were on short rations Three of our men became dispirited, said that they were too weak and hungry to gather wood and did not care how soon death should put an end to their miseries The out-of-door duties would have fallen wholly upon my Aunt Betsy's two sons and on John Baptiste And on my crippled father had the woman lost their fortitude They, however, hid the fears from their children, even from each other, and helped to gather fuel, hunt cattle, and keep camp Axes were dull, green wood was hard to cut, and harder to carry Whether through loose dry snow or over crusts made slippery by sleet and frost Cattle tracks were covered over Some of the poor creatures had perished under bushes where they sought shelter A few had become bewildered and strayed Others were found under trees in snow pits, which they themselves had made by walking round and round the trunks to keep from being snowed under These starvelings were shot to end their sufferings And also with the hope that their hides and fleshless bones might save the lives of our snow-beleaguered party Every part of the animals was saved for food The locations of the carcasses were marked so that they could be brought piece by piece into camp And even the green hides were spread against the huts to serve in case of need After the storm broke, John Baptiste was sent with a letter from my mother to the camp near the lake When he was absent a number of days for upon his arrival there he found a party of fourteen ready to start the next morning on foot across the summit He joined it, but after two days of vain effort the party returned to camp and he came back to us with an answer to the letter he had delivered We then learned that most of those at the lake were better house than we Summoned huts and the rest in three log structures which came to be known respectively as the Murphy, Graves, and Breen cabins The last mentioned was the relic of earlier travelers and had been grizzled by the storms of several winters Yet, despite their better accommodations, our companions at the lake were harassed by fears like ours They too were short of supplies. The game had left the mountains and the fish in the lake would not bite Different parties, both with and without children, had repeatedly endeavored to force their way out of that wilderness of snow But each in turn had become confused and unconsciously moved in a circle back to camp Several persons had become snow-blind. Every landmark was lost even to Stanton who had twice crossed the range All now looked to the coming of McCutcheon and Reed for deliverance. We had every reason to expect them soon For each had left his family with the company and had promised to return with Sucker Moreover, Stanton had brought tidings that the timely assistance of himself and Comrade had enabled Reed to reach Sutter's Fort in safety And that McCutcheon would have accompanied him back had he not been detained by illness Well indeed was it that we could not know that at the very time we were so anxiously awaiting their arrival Those two men, after struggling desperately to cross the snows, were finally compelled to abandon the attempt Bury the precious food they had striven to bring us and return to the settlement It was also well that we were unaware of their baffling fears when the vigorous efforts incited by the memorial presented by Reed to Commodore Stockton The military governor of California were likewise frustrated by mountain storms End of Chapter 7