History of the Donner Party : a Tragedy of the Sierra

BANCROFT LIBRARY THE LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA FRANK C. PRESCOTT, u HISTORY OF THE DONNER PARTY; A TRAGEDY OF THE SIERRA, BY C, F. MCGLASHAN, SAN FRANCISCO: A. L. BANCROFT & COMPANY, PRINTERS. 1880. Copyrighted 1879 and 1880, by C. F. McGLASHAN. TO MRS. ELIZABETH A. KEISER, ONE OF THE PIONEER MOTHERS OF CALIFORNIA, THIS BOOK is RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED BY THE AUTHOR, PREFACE. 'HE delirium preceding death by starvation, is full of strange phantasies. Visions of plenty, of comfort, of elegance, flit ever before the fast-dimming eyes. The final twilight of death is a brief semi-consciousness in which the dying one frequently repeats his weird dreams. Half rising from his snowy couch, pointing upward, one of the death- stricken at Donner Lake may have said, with tremulous voice: "Look! there, just above us, is a beautiful house. It is of costliest walnut, inlaid with laurel and ebony, and is resplendent with burnished silver. Magnificent in all its apartments, it is furnished like a palace. It is rich with costly cushions, elegant tapestries, dazzling mirrors; its floor is covered with Oriental carpets, its ceiling with artistic frescoings; downy cushions invite the weary to repose. It is filled with people who are chatting, laughing, and singing, joyous and care-free. There is an abundance of warmth, and rare viands, and sparkling wines. Suspended among the storm-clouds, it is flying along the face of the precipice at a marvelous speed. Flying? no! it has wheels and is gliding along on a smooth, steel pathway. It is sheltered from the wind and snow by large beams and huge posts, which are bolted to the cliffs with heavy, iron rods. The avalanches, with their burden of earth and rocks and crushed pines, sweep harmlessly above this beautiful house and its happy inmates. It is drawn by neither oxen nor horses, but by a fiery, hot-breathed monster, with iron limbs and thews of steel. The mountain trembles beneath his tread, and the rocks for miles re-echo his roar." 6 PREFACE. If such a vision was related, it but indicates, prophetically, the progress of a few years. California's history is replete with tragic, startling events. These events are the landmarks by which its advancement is traced. One of the most mourn- ful of these is recorded in this work—a work intended as a contribution, not to the literature, but to the history of the State. More thrilling than romance, more terrible than fic- tion, the sufferings of the Donner Party form a bold contrast to the joys of pleasure-seekers who to-day look down upon the lake from the windows of silver palace cars. The scenes of horror and despair which transpired in the snowy Sierra in the winter of 1846-7, need no exaggeration, no embellishment. From all the works heretofore published, from over one thousand letters received from the survivors, from ample manuscript, and from personal interviews with the most important actors in the tragedy, the facts have been carefully compiled. Neither time, pains, nor expense have been spared in ferreting out the truth. New and fragmentary versions of the sad story have appeared almost every year since the unfortunate occurrence. To forever supplant these distorted and fabulous reports—which have usually been sen- sational newspaper articles—the survivors have deemed it wise to contribute the truth. The truth is sufficiently terrible. Where conflicting accounts of particular scenes or occur- rences have been contributed, every effort has been made to render them harmonious and reconcilable. With justice, with impartiality, and with strict adherence to what appeared truthful and reliable, the book has been written. It is an honest effort toward the truth, and as such is given to the world. C. F. McGLASHAN. TRUCKEE, CAL., June 30, 1879. —A OF THE . XTNIVERSITY CONTENTS J CHAPTER I. Donner Lake—A Famous Tourist Resort—Building the Central Pacific California's Skating Park —The Pioneers —The Organization of the Donner Party—Ho! for California!—A Mammoth Train—The Dangers by the Way— False Accounts of the Sufferings Endured — Complete Roll of the Company—Impostors Claiming to Belong to the Party Killed by the Pawnees —An Alarmed Camp— Resin Indians— Mother's Death. 15 CHAPTER II. Mrs. Donner's Letters—Life on the Plains—An Interesting Sketch—The Outfit Required—The Platte River—Botanizing—Five Hundred and Eighteen Wagons for California— Burning "Buffalo Chips"— The Fourth of July at Fort Laramie—Indian Discipline—Sioux Attempt to Purchase Mary Graves — George Donner Elected Captain — Letter of Stanton — Dissension — One Company Split up into Five—The Fatal Hastings Cut-off— Lowering Wagons over a Precipice — The First View of Great Salt Lake 24 CHAPTER III. A Grave of Salt—Members of the Mystic Tie—Twenty Wells—A Desolate Alkaline Waste—Abandoned on the Desert—A Night of Horror— Steer Maddened by Thirst—The Mirage—Yoking an Ox and a Cow "Cacheing" Goods—The Emigrants' Silent Logic—A Cry for Relief —Two Heroic Volunteers —A Perilous Journey — Letters to Captain Sutler 34 — 1 8 CONTENTS. CHAPTER IV. Gravelly Ford—The Character of James F. Reed—Causes which Led to the Reed-Snyder Tragedy—John Snyder's Popularity—The Fatal Alterca- tion—Conflicting Statements of Survivors—Snyder's Death—A Brave Girl—A Primitive Trial—A Court of Final Resort—Verdict of Banish- ment —A Sad Separation — George and Jacob Donner Ahead at the Time—Finding Letters in Split Sticks—Danger of Starvation 41 CHAPTER V. Great Hardships—The Sink of the Humboldt—Indians Stealing Cattle— An Entire Company Compelled to Walk—Abandoned to Die— Wolfinger Murdered—Rhinehart's Confession—Arrival of C. T. Stan- ton—A Temporary Relief— A Fatal Accident—The Sierra Nevada Mountains—Imprisoned in Snow—Struggles for Freedom—A Hopeless Situation—Digging for Cattle in Snow—How the Breen Cabin Hap- pened to be Built—A Thrilling Sketch of a Solitary Winter—Putting up Shelters—The Donners Have Nothing but Tents—Fishing for Trout. 5 CHAPTER VI. Endeavors to Cross the Mountains—Discouraging Failures—Eddy Kills a Bear—Making Snow-Shoes—Who composed the " Forlorn Hope" Mary A. Graves—An Irishman—A Generous Act—Six Days' Rations —Mary Graves' Account—Snow-Blind—C. T. Stanton's Death— " I Am Coming Soon"—Sketch of Stanton's Early Life—His Charity and Self-sacrifice—The Diamond Breast-pin—Stanton's Last Poem 64 CHAPTER VII. A Wife's Devotion—The Smoky Gorge—Caught in a Storm—Casting Lots to See Who should Die—A Hidden River—The Delirium of Starvation —Franklin Ward Graves—His Dying Advice—A Frontiersman's Plan— The Camp of Death—A Dread Resort—A Sister's Agony—The Indians Refuse to Eat—Lewis and Salvador Flee for Their Lives—Killing a Deer—Tracks Marked by Blood— Nine Days without Food 78 ——A CONTENTS. 9 CHAPTER VIII. Starvation at Donner Lake—Preparing Rawhide for Food—Eating the Fire- rug— Shoveling Snow off the Beds — Playing they were Tea-cups of Custard—A Starving Baby—Pleading with Silent Eloquence—Patrick Breen's Diary—Jacob Donner's Death—A Child's Vow—A Christmas Dinner— Lost on the Summits —A Stump Twenty-two Feet High Seven Nursing Babes at Donner Lake—A Devout Father—A Dying Boy—Sorrow and Suffering at the Cabins 89 CHAPTER IX. The Last Resort—Two Reports of a Gun—Only Temporary Relief—Weary Traveling—The Snow Bridges—Human Tracks!—An Indian Rancherie —Acorn Bread—Starving Five Times!—Carried Six Miles—Bravery of John Rhodes—A Thirty-two Days' Journey—Organizing the First Relief Party—Alcalde Sinclair's Address—Capt. R. P. Tucker's Companions. 105 CHAPTER X. A Lost Age in California History—The Change Wrought by the Discovery of Gold — The Start from Johnson's Ranch —A Bucking Horse — Night Ride—Lost in the Mountains—A Terrible Night—A Flooded Camp— Crossing a Mountain Torrent—Mule Springs—A Crazy Com- panion—Howlings of Gray Wolves—A Deer Rendezvous—A Midnight Thief—Frightening Indians—The Diary of the First Relief Party 113 CHAPTER XI. Hardships of Reed and Herron—Generosity of Captain Sutter—Attempts to Cross the Mountains with Provisions— Curtis' Dog—Compelled to Turn Back— Hostilities with Mexico—Memorial to Gov. Stockton Yerba Buena's Generosity —Johnson's Liberality — Pitiful Scenes at Donner Lake—Noble Mothers—Dying rather than Eat Human Flesh —A Mother's Prayer—Tears of Joy—Eating the Shoestrings 121 CHAPTER XII. A Wife's Devotion—Tamsen Donner's Early Life—The Early Settlers of Sangamon County—An Incident in School—Teaching and Knitting — IO CONTENTS. — School Discipline— Capt. George Donner's Appearance— Parting Scenes at Alder Creek—Starting over the Mountains—A Baby's Death —A Mason's Vow—Crossing the Snow Barrier—More Precious than Gold or Diamonds—Elitha Donner's Kindness 137 CHAPTER XIII. Death of Ada Keseberg—Denton Discovering Gold—A Poem Composed while Dying— The Caches of Provisions Robbed by Fishers —The Sequel to the Reed-Snyder Tragedy — Death from Overeating — The Agony of Frozen Feet—An Interrupted Prayer—Stanton, after Death, Guides the Relief Party!—The Second Relief Party Arrives—A Soli- tary Indian—Patty Reed and Her Father—Starving Children Lying in Bed—Mrs. Graves' Money still Buried at Donner Lake 148 CHAPTER XIV. Leaving Three Men in the Mountains—The Emigrants Quite Helpless Bear Tracks in the Snow—The Clumps of Tamarack—Wounding a Bear—Blood Stains upon the Snow—A Weary Chase —A Momentous Day—Stone and Cady Leave the Sufferers—A Mother Offering Five Hundred Dollars — Mrs. Donner Parting from her Children — "God will Take Care of You" — Buried in Snow without Food or Fire Pines Uprooted by the Storm—A Grave Cut in the Snow—The Cub's Cave—Firing at Random—A Desperate Undertaking—Preparing for a Hand-to-hand Battle—Precipitated into the Cave—Seizing the Bear Mrs.

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