the passing of the frontier-第12部分

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tances　small　parties　would　hear　of　the　mammoth　train　just　ahead　of　them　or　just　behind　them；　and　by　hastening　their　pace；　or　halting　for　a　few　days；　joined　themselves　to　the　party。　Many　were　with　the　train　during　a　portion　of　the　journey；　but　from　some　cause　or　other　became　parted　from　the　Donner　company　before　reaching　Donner　Lake。　Soon　after　the　train　left　Independence　it　contained　between　two　and　three　hundred　wagons；　and　when　in　motion　was　two　miles　in　length。　The　members　of　the　party　proper　numbered　ninety。〃

This　caravan；　like　many　others　of　the　great　assemblage　westbound　at　that　time；　had　great　extremes　in　personnel。　Some　were　out　for　mere　adventure；　some　were　single　men　looking　for　a　location。　Most　of　them　were　fathers　of　families；　among　them　several　persons　of　considerable　means　and　of　good　standing　in　the　community　which　they　were　leaving。　While　we　may　suppose　that　most　of　them　were　folk　of　no　extraordinary　sort；　certainly　some　were　persons　of　education　and　intelligence。　Among　these　was　the　wife　of　George　DonnerTamsen　Dormer；　a　woman　of　education；　a　musician；　a　linguist；　a　botanist；　and　of　the　most　sublime　heroism。

Tamsen　Donner　sent　back　now　and　then　along　the　route　some　story　of　the　daily　doings　of　the　caravan；　and　such　letters　as　these　are　of　the　utmost　interest　to　any　who　desire　precise　information　of　that　time。　It　would　seem　that　the　emigrants　themselves　for　a　great　part　of　their　route　met　with　no　great　adventures；　nor　indeed；　appeared　to　be　undertaking　any　unusual　affair。　They　followed　a　route　up　the　Platte　Valley　already　long　known　to　those　of　the　eastern　settlements。

〃Near　the　Junction　of　the　North　and　South　Platte；　June　16；　1846。

〃My　Old　Friend：　We　are　now　on　the　Platte；　two　hundred　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。　Wood　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　needed　much　repair；　and　I　can　not　yet　tell　in　what　respects　they　could　be　improved。　Certain　it　is；　they　can　not　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　one　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。　Linsey　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　at　first　was　rough；　and　through　a　timbered　country；　which　appeared　to　be　fertile。　After　striking　the　prairie；　we　found　a　firstrate　road；　and　the　only　difficulty　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　is　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　can　not　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　lands　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　emigrants　found　grass　here　scarce。　Our　cattle　are　in　good　order；　and　when　proper　care　has　been　taken；　none　have　been　lost。　Our　milch　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；　boyschain　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　of　the　best　people　in　our　company；　and　some；　too；　that　are　not　so　good。

〃Buffalo　show　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　bloom　of　the　beech　tree；　but　in　bunches　as　large　as　a　small　sugarloaf；　and　of　every　variety　of　shade；　to　red　and　green。

〃I　botanize；　and　read　some；　but　cook　〃heaps〃　more。　There　are　four　hundred　and　twenty　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。〃

By　the　Fourth　of　July　the　Donner　Party　had　reached　Fort　Laramie。　They　pushed　on　west　over　the　old　trail　up　the　Sweetwater　River　and　across　the　South　Pass；　the　easiest　of　all　the　mountain　passes　known　to　the　early　travelers。　Without　much　adventure　they　reached　Fort　Bridger；　then　only　a　trading…post。　Here　occurred　the　fatal　mistake　of　the　Donner　Party。

Some　one　at　the　fort　strongly　advised　them　to　take　a　new　route；　a　cut…off　said　to　shorten　the　distance　by　about　three　hundred　miles。　This　cut…off　passed　along　the　south　shore　of　Great　Salt　Lake　and　caught　up　the　old　California　Trail　from　Fort　Hallthen　well　established　and　well　known…along　the　Humboldt　River。　The　great　Donner　caravan　delayed　for　some　days　at　Fort　Bridger；　hesitating　over　the　decision　of　which　route　to　follow。　The　party　divided。　All　those　who　took　the　old　road　north　of　Salt　Lake　by　way　of　Fort　Hall　reached　California　in　complete　safety。　Of　the　original　Donner　Party　there　remained　eighty…seven　persons。　All　of　these　took　the　cut…off；　being　eager　to　save　time　in　their　travel。　They　reached　Salt　Lake　after　unspeakable　difficulties。　Farther　west；　in　the　deserts　of　Nevada；　they　lost　many　of　their　cattle。

Now　began　among　the　party　dissensions　and　grumblings。　The　story　is　a　long　one。　It　reached　its　tragic　denouement　just　below　the　summit　of　the　Sierras；　on　the　shores　of　Donner　Lake。　The　words　of　McGlashan　may　now　best　serve　our　purpose。

〃Generally；　the　ascent　of　the　Sierra　brought　joy　and　gladness　to　weary　overland　emigrants。　To　the　Donner　Party　it　brought　terror　and　dismay。　The　company　had　hardly　obtained　a　glimpse　of　the　mountains；　ere　the　winter　storm　clouds　began　to　assemble　their　hosts　around　the　loftier　crests。　Every　day　the　weather　appeared　more　ominous　and　threatening。　The　delay　at　the　Truckee　Meadows　had　been　brief；　but　every　day　ultimately　cost　a　dozen　lives。　On　the　twenty…third　of　October；　they　became　thoroughly　alarmed　at　the　angry　heralds　of　the　gathering　storm；　and　with　all　haste　resumed　the　journey。　It　was　too　late！　At　Prosser　Creek；　three　miles　below　Truckee；　they　found　themselves　encompassed　with　six　inches　of　snow。　On　the　summits；　the　snow　was　from　two　to　five　feet　in　depth。　This　was　October　28；　1846。　Almost　a　month　earlier　than　usual；　the　Sierra　had　donned　its　mantle　of　ice　and　snow。　The　party　were　prisoners！

〃All　was　consternation。　The　wildest　confusion　prevailed。　In　their　eagerness；　many　went　far　in　advance　of　the　main　train。　There　was　little　concert　of　action　or　harmony　of　plan。　All　did　not　arrive　at　Donner　Lake　the　same　day。　Some　wagons　and　families　did　not　reach　the　lake　until　the　thirty…first　day　of　October；　some　never　went　farther　than　Prosser　Creek；　while　others；　on　the　evening　of　the　twenty…ninth；　struggled　through　the　snow；　and　reached　the　foot　of　the　precipitous　cliffs　between　the　summit　and　the　upper　end　of　the　lake。　Here；　baffled；　wearied；　disheartened；　they　turned　back　to　the　foot　of　the　lake。〃

These　emigrants　did　not　lack　in　health；　strength；　or　resolution；　but　here　they　were　in　surroundings　absolutely　new　to　them。　A　sort　of　panic　seized　them　now。　They　scattered；　their　organization　disintegrated。　All　thought　of　conjoint　action；　of　a　social　compact；　a　community　of　interests；　seems　to　have　left　them。　It　was　a　history　of　every　man　for　himself；　or　at　least　every　family　for　itself。　All　track　of　the　road　was　now　lost　under　the　snow。　At　the　last　pitch　up　to　the　summit　of　the　Sierras　precipitous　cliffs　abounded。　No　one　knew　the　way。　And　now　the　snows　came　once　again。

〃The　emigrants　suffered　a　thousand　deaths。　The　pitiless　snow　came　down　in　large；　steady　masses。　All　understood　that　the　storm　meant　death。　One　of　the　Indians　silently　wrapped　his　blanket　about　him　and　in　deepest　dejection　seated　himself　beside　a　tall　pine。　In　this　position　he　passed　the　entire　night；　only　moving　occasionally　to　keep　from　being　covered　with　snow。　Mrs。　Reed　spread　down　a　shawl；　placed　her　four　childrenVirginia；　Patty；　James；　and　Thomasthereon；　and　putting　another　shawl　over　them；　sat　by　the　side　of　her　babies　during　all　the　long　hours　of　darkness。　Every　little　while　she　was　compelled　to　lift　the　upper　shawl　and　shake　off　the　rapidly　accumulating　snow。

〃With　slight　interruptions；　the　storm　continued　several　days。　The　mules　and　oxen　that　had　always　hovered　about　camp　were　blinded　and　bewildered　by　the　storm；　and　straying　away　were　literally　buried　alive　in　the　drifts。　What　pen　can　describe　the　horror　of　the　position　in　which　the　emigrants　found　themselves？　It　was　impossible　to　move　through　the　deep；　soft　snow　without　the　greatest　effort。　The　mules　were　gone；　and　were　never　found。　Most　of　the　cattle　had　perished；　and　were　wholly　hidden　from　sigh