The Expedition of the Donner Party and its Tragic Fate | Page 2

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_.
CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
THE PACIFIC COAST IN 1845--SPEECHES OF SENATOR BENTON AND REPORT OF CAPT. FR��MONT--MY FATHER AND HIS FAMILY--INTEREST AWAKENED IN THE NEW TERRITORY--FORMATION OF THE FIRST EMIGRANT PARTY FROM ILLINOIS TO CALIFORNIA--PREPARATIONS FOR THE JOURNEY--THE START--ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF CIVILIZATION

CHAPTER II
IN THE TERRITORY OF KANSAS--PRAIRIE SCHOONERS FROM SANTA F�� TO INDEPENDENCE, MO.--LIFE _en route_--THE BIG BLUE--CAMP GOVERNMENT--THE Blue Rover

CHAPTER III
IN THE HAUNTS OF THE PAWNEES--LETTERS OF MRS. GEORGE DONNER--HALT AT FORT BERNARD--SIOUX INDIANS AT FORT LARAMIE

CHAPTER IV
FOURTH OF JULY IN AN EMIGRANT PARTY--OPEN LETTER OF LANSFORD 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

CHAPTER V
BEWILDERING GUIDE BOARD--SOUL-TRYING STRUGGLES--FIRST SNOW--REED-SNYDER TRAGEDY--HARDCOOP'S FATE

CHAPTER VI
INDIAN DEPREDATIONS--WOLFINGER'S DISAPPEARANCE--STANTON RETURNS WITH SUPPLIES FURNISHED BY CAPT. SUTTER--DONNER WAGONS SEPARATED FROM TRAIN FOREVER--TERRIBLE PIECE OF NEWS--FORCED INTO SHELTER AT DONNER LAKE--DONNER CAMP ON PROSSER CREEK.

CHAPTER VII
SNOWBOUND--SCARCITY OF FOOD AT BOTH CAMPS--WATCHING FOR RETURN OF MCCUTCHEN AND REED

CHAPTER VIII
ANOTHER STORM--FOUR DEATHS IN DONNER CAMP--FIELD MICE USED FOR FOOD--CHANGED APPEARANCE OF THE STARVING--SUNSHINE--DEPARTURE OF THE "FORLORN HOPE"--WATCHING FOR RELIEF--IMPOSSIBLE TO DISTURB THE BODIES OF THE DEAD IN DONNER CAMP--ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE OF FIRST RELIEF PARTY

CHAPTER IX
SUFFERINGS OF THE "FORLORN HOPE"--RESORT TO HUMAN FLESH--"CAMP OF DEATH"--BOOTS CRISPED AND EATEN--DEER KILLED--INDIAN _Rancheria_--THE "WHITE MAN'S HOME" AT LAST

CHAPTER X
RELIEF MEASURES INAUGURATED IN CALIFORNIA--DISTURBED CONDITIONS BECAUSE OF MEXICAN WAR--GENEROUS SUBSCRIPTIONS--THREE PARTIES ORGANIZE--"FIRST RELIEF," UNDER RACINE TUCKER; "SECOND RELIEF," UNDER REED AND GREENWOOD; AND RELAY CAMP UNDER WOODWORTH--FIRST RELIEF PARTY CROSSES SNOW-BELT AND REACHES DONNER LAKE

CHAPTER XI
WATCHING FOR THE SECOND RELIEF PARTY--"OLD NAVAJO"--LAST FOOD IN CAMP

CHAPTER XII
ARRIVAL OF SECOND RELIEF, OR REED-GREENWOOD PARTY--FEW SURVIVORS STRONG ENOUGH TO TRAVEL--WIFE'S CHOICE--PARTINGS AT DONNER CAMP--MY TWO SISTERS AND I DESERTED--DEPARTURE OF SECOND RELIEF PARTY

CHAPTER XIII
A FATEFUL CABIN--MRS. MURPHY GIVES MOTHERLY COMFORT--THE GREAT STORM--HALF A BISCUIT--ARRIVAL OF THIRD RELIEF--"WHERE IS MY BOY?"

CHAPTER XIV
THE QUEST OF TWO FATHERS--SECOND RELIEF IN DISTRESS--THIRD RELIEF ORGANIZED AT WOODWORTH'S RELAY CAMP--DIVIDES AND ONE HALF GOES TO SUCCOR SECOND RELIEF AND ITS REFUGEES; AND THE OTHER HALF PROCEEDS TO DONNER LAKE--A LAST FAREWELL--A WOMAN'S SACRIFICE

CHAPTER XV
SIMON MURPHY, FRANCES, GEORGIA, AND I TAKEN FROM THE LAKE CABINS BY THE THIRD RELIEF--NO FOOD TO LEAVE--CROSSING THE SNOW--REMNANT OF THE SECOND RELIEF OVERTAKEN--OUT OF THE SNOW--INCIDENTS OF THE JOURNEY--JOHNSON'S RANCH--THE SINCLAIR HOME--SUTTER'S FORT

CHAPTER XVI
ELITHA AND LEANNA--LIFE AT THE FORT--WATCHING THE COW PATH--RETURN OF THE FALLON PARTY--KESEBERG BROUGHT IN BY THEM--FATHER AND MOTHER DID NOT COME

CHAPTER XVII
ORPHANS--KESEBERG AND HIS ACCUSERS--SENSATIONAL ACCOUNTS OF THE TRAGEDY AT DONNER LAKE--PROPERTY SOLD AND GUARDIAN APPOINTED--KINDLY INDIANS--"GRANDPA"--MARRIAGE OF ELITHA

CHAPTER XVIII
"GRANDMA"--HAPPY VISITS--A NEW HOME--AM PERSUADED TO LEAVE IT

CHAPTER XIX
ON A CATTLE RANCH NEAR THE COSUMNE RIVER--"NAME BILLY"--INDIAN GRUB FEAST

CHAPTER XX
I RETURN TO GRANDMA--WAR RUMORS AT THE FORT--LINGERING HOPE THAT MY MOTHER MIGHT BE LIVING--AN INDIAN CONVOY--THE BRUNNERS AND THEIR HOME

CHAPTER XXI
MORAL DISCIPLINE--THE HISTORICAL PUEBLO OF SONOMA--SUGAR PLUMS

CHAPTER XXII
GOLD DISCOVERED--"CALIFORNIA IS OURS"--NURSING THE SICK--THE U.S. MILITARY POST--BURIAL OF AN OFFICER

CHAPTER XXIII
REAPING AND THRESHING--A PIONEER FUNERAL--THE HOMELESS AND WAYFARING APPEAL TO MRS. BRUNNER--RETURN OF THE MINERS--SOCIAL GATHERINGS--OUR DAILY ROUTINE--STOLEN PLEASURES--A LITTLE DAIRYMAID--MY DOGSKIN SHOES

CHAPTER XXIV
MEXICAN METHODS OF CULTIVATION--FIRST STEAMSHIP THROUGH THE GOLDEN GATE--"THE ARGONAUTS" OR "BOYS OF '49"--A LETTER FROM THE STATES--JOHN BAPTISTE--JAKIE LEAVES US--THE FIRST AMERICAN SCHOOL IN SONOMA

CHAPTER XXV
FEVER PATIENTS FROM THE MINES--UNMARKED GRAVES--THE TALES AND TAUNTS THAT WOUNDED MY YOUNG HEART

CHAPTER XXVI
THANK OFFERINGS--MISS DOTY'S SCHOOL--THE BOND OF KINDRED--IN JACKET AND TROUSERS--CHUM CHARLIE

CHAPTER XXVII
CAPT. FRISBIE--WEDDING FESTIVITIES--THE MASTERPIECE OF GRANDMA'S YOUTH--SE?ORA VALLEJO--JAKIE'S RETURN--HIS DEATH--A CHEROKEE INDIAN WHO HAD STOOD BY MY FATHER'S GRAVE

CHAPTER XXVIII
ELITHA, FRANCES, AND MR. MILLER VISIT US--MRS. BRUNNER CLAIMS US AS HER CHILDREN--THE DAGUERREOTYPE

CHAPTER XXIX
GREAT SMALLPOX EPIDEMIC--ST. MARY'S HALL--THANKSGIVING DAY IN CALIFORNIA--ANOTHER BROTHER-IN-LAW

CHAPTER XXX
IDEALS AND LONGINGS--THE FUTURE--CHRISTMAS

CHAPTER XXXI
THE WIDOW STEIN AND LITTLE JOHNNIE--"DAUGHTERS OF A SAINTED MOTHER"--ESTRANGEMENT AND DESOLATION--A RESOLUTION AND A VOW--MY PEOPLE ARRIVE AND PLAN TO BEAR ME AWAY

CHAPTER XXXII
GRANDMA'S RETURN--GOOD-BYE TO THE DUMB CREATURES--GEORGIA AND I ARE OFF FOR SACRAMENTO

CHAPTER XXXIII
THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS OF SACRAMENTO--A GLIMPSE OF GRANDPA--THE RANCHO DE LOS CAZADORES--MY SWEETEST PRIVILEGE--LETTERS FROM THE BRUNNERS

CHAPTER XXXIV
TRAGEDY IN SONOMA--CHRISTIAN BRUNNER IN A PRISON CELL--ST. CATHERINE'S CONVENT AT BENICIA--ROMANCE OF SPANISH CALIFORNIA--THE BEAUTIFUL ANGEL IN BLACK--THE PRAYER OF DONA CONCEPCION ARGUELLO REALIZED--MONASTIC RITES

CHAPTER XXXV
THE CHAMBERLAIN FAMILY, COUSINS OF DANIEL WEBSTER--JEFFERSON GRAMMAR SCHOOL--FURTHER CONFLICTING ACCOUNTS OF THE DONNER PARTY--PATERNAL ANCESTRY--S.O. HOUGHTON--DEATH TAKES ONE OF THE SEVEN SURVIVING DONNERS

CHAPTER XXXVI
NEWS OF THE BRUNNERS--LETTERS FROM GRANDPA

CHAPTER XXXVII
ARRIVAL OF THE FIRST PONY EXPRESS

CHAPTER XXXVIII
WAR AND RUMORS OF WAR--MARRIAGE--SONOMA REVISITED
APPENDIX
I
ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN _The California Star_--STATISTICS OF THE PARTY--NOTES OF AGUILLA GLOVER--EXTRACT FROM THORNTON--RECOLLECTIONS OF JOHN BAPTISTE TRUBODE
II
THE REED-GREENWOOD PARTY, OR SECOND RELIEF--REMINISCENCES OF WILLIAM G. MURPHY--CONCERNING NICHOLAS