AND PACIFIC COAST GUIDE.

ter’s Fort, brought there by the returning trap-
pers, who, with ,wondrous tales of the fertility of
the soil and the genial climate of California, had
induced some of their friends to return with them
aad settle in this beautiful land. The Donner
party, as it is generally called, was one of those
parties, and under the guidance of a trapper, was
j urneying to this then almost unknown land.
. rriving at the Truckee, the guide, who knew the
danger threatening them, hurried them forward,
that they might cross the dreaded Sierras ere the
snows of winter should encompass them. Part of
-he train hurried forward, but Mr. Donner, who
had a large lot of cattle, wouldnothurry. Despite
all warnings, he loitered along until, at last, he
reached the foot of Donner Lake, and encamped
there for the night. The weather was growing
cold, and the black and See betokened
the coming storm. At Donner Lake, the road
turned to the left in those days, following up
Coldstream, and crossing the Summit, near Sum-
mit Meadows, a very difficult and dangerous route
in fair weather. The party who encamped at the
lake that night numbered 16 souls, among whom
were Mrs. Donner and her four children. During
the night, the ‘threatened storm burst over them
in allits fury. The old pines swayed and bent be-
fore the blast which swept over the lake, bearing
destruction and death on its snow-laden wings.
The snow fell heavily and fast, as it cam fall in
those mountains. Most of the frightened cattle,
despite the herder’s vigilance, “‘ went off with the
storm.”

In the morning the terror-stricken emigrants be-
held one vast expanse of snow, and the large white
flakes falling thick and fast. Stillthere washope.
Some of the cattle and their horses remained.
They could leave wagons, and with the horses
they might possibly cross the mountains. But
here arose“another difficulty, Mr. Donner was un-
well, and could not go—or preferred to wait until
the storm subsided; and Mrs. Donner, like a true
woman, refused to leave her husband. :

The balance of the party, with the exception of
one, a German, who decided to stay with the fam-
ily, placed the children on the horses, and bade

r.and Mrs. Donner a dast good-by ; and, after a
long and pexilous battle with the storm, they suc-
ceeded in soeseng ae mountains and reaching the
valleys, where the danger was at an end. The
storm continued, almost without intermission, for
several weeks, and those who had crossed the
Summit knew that an attempt to reach the im-
prisoned party would be futile--worse than folly,
until the spring sun should melt away the icy
barrier.

Of the long and dreary winter passed by these
three persons, who shall tell? The tall stumps
(see illustration) standing near where stood the
cabin, attestthe depth ofsnow. Some of themare
20 feet in height.

Early in the spring a party of brave men, led by
Claude Cheney, started from the valley to brin
out the prisoners, expecting to find them alive an
well, for it was supposed that they had provisions
enough to last them through the winter, but it
seems they were mistaken,

After a desperate effort, which required weeks
of toil and exposure, the party succeeded in
scaling the mountains, and came to the camp of
the Donners. Whatasight met the first glance!
In arudely constructed cabin, before the fire, sat
the Dutchman, holding in a vice-like grasp a
roasted arm and hand, which he was greedily eat—
ing. With a wild and frightened look hesprang to
his feet and confronted the new comers, holding
on to the apm Be though he feared they would de-

316

prive him ofhisrepast. The remains of the arm
were taken from him by main force, and the ma-
niac secured. The remains of Mr. Donner were
found, and, with those of his faithful wife, given
such burial as the circumstances would permit,
and, taking the survivor with them, they returned
to the valley.

The German recovered, and still lives. His
story is, that soon after the party left, Mr. Don-
ner died, and was buriedin the snow. Thelast of
the cattle escaped, leaving but little food; and
when that was exhausted, Mrs. Donner died.
Many dark suspicions of foul play on the part of
the onlysurvivor have been circulated, but whether
they are correct will never be known, until the
final unraveling of time’s dark mysteries.

No. 34 Annex. “Roll "Em Through.”
—October 17th, 1872, as an excursion train, loaded
with passengers, most of whom were women and
children, rounded the curve close below the tun-
nel, and with No. 6 train thundering along close
behind, the timbering in the tunnel was discovered
by thefiremanto beonfire. The engineer, Johnny
Bartholomew, comprehending the position at a
glance, made one of the most brilliant dashes, un-
der the circumstances, on record. The train passed
through the tunnel safely, when to have stopped
short would have been sure death. G. H. Jen-
nings, Esq., of Brooklyn, New York, has put the
following words in the mouth of the brave en-
gineer: See page 175.

Tain’t very much on the tancy,

And all that sort of stuff,
For an engineer on a railroad
Is apt to be more “‘on the rough;”

He don’t ‘‘go much” on “this handsome,”

I freely ‘acknowledge the corn,”

But he has gotto “‘git up” on his “‘wide-awake,”

That’s “just as sure’s you’re born.”

Now, ll tell you alittle story,
*Bout “arun’’ we had for our necks,

When we thought ‘‘old Gabe” had called us,
To “ante up our checks.”

We came ’round the curve by the tunnel,
Just beyond the American Flat,

When my fireman sings out, ‘Johnny!
Lookahead! My God, what’s that?”

You bet, I warn’t long in sightin’-—
There was plenty for me to see,

With a train full of kids an’ wimmen,
And their lives all hangin’ on me—

For the tunnel was roarin’ and blazin’,
All ragin’ with fire an’ smoke,

And “Number Six’ close behind us—
“Quick, sonny! shove in the coke.”

“Whistle ‘down brakes,’ I first thought:
Then, think’s I, ‘‘old boy, *t won't do;°’
And with hand on throttle an’ lever,
I knew I must roll °em through!
Through the grim mouth of the tunnel—
Through smoke an’ flame, as well—
Right into the “gateway of death,” boys;
ight smack through the “‘jaws of hell!”

The staunch “old gal” felt the pressure
Of steam through her iron joints;
She acted just like she was homan—
Just like she ‘‘knew all the points; ”
She glided along the tramway,
With speed of a lightning flash,
With a howl assuring us safety,
Regardless of wreck or crash.

I *spose I might have “‘ jumped the train,
In hope to save sinew and bone,