The pioneers of '49 A history of the excursion of the Society of California pioneers of New England . sent them to total strangers, together withtwo Indian vaqueros for guides, without the slightest compensation or security. McCutchenhad been severely ill, and was unable to return. The situation of affairs was now completelychanged, and by a prompt advance the party could have passed the summits before the stormsbegan; but for some reason it was decided to rest the cattle three or four days near thepresent site of Reno, before ascending the difficult Sierras. Apprehensive, however, of further
The pioneers of '49 A history of the excursion of the Society of California pioneers of New England . sent them to total strangers, together withtwo Indian vaqueros for guides, without the slightest compensation or security. McCutchenhad been severely ill, and was unable to return. The situation of affairs was now completelychanged, and by a prompt advance the party could have passed the summits before the stormsbegan; but for some reason it was decided to rest the cattle three or four days near thepresent site of Reno, before ascending the difficult Sierras. Apprehensive, however, of further scarcity, it was decided to again send two men toCaptain Sutter for aid; and two brothers-in-law, William Foster and William Pike, volun-teered, and had already begun to clean an old-fashioned pepper-box pistol to take withthem, when wood was called for to replenish the fire. One of the men offered to get it, and,in order to do so, handed the pistol to the other. Somehow, in the transfer. Pike waswounded, and died in twenty minutes, leaving a widow, a daughter of three, and a babe of afew rOt;::\^<?i^v ENCOUNTERING THE BLIZZARD. To the Donner party this death seemed ominous of an overshadowing fate. In sullensadness they resumed their journey. What was their dismay, as they caught a glimpse of themountains, to see the storm clouds of winter already assembling around the loftier crests!October 23, they became thoroughly alarmed at the constantly darkening clouds, and pushedforward with all haste, but too late; for on the 28th, at Prosser Creek, three miles belowTruckee, they found themselves encompassed with six inches of snow, with the mountain SJfOW-BOimD IJV THE SIERRAS. 197 summits buried from two to five feet. In consternation and wildest confusion they tried tocross tlie mountain barrier, but without concert of action or even harmony of plan the thino-was impossible; and on the 31st, baffled, wearied, disheartened, the party met at the foot ofthe lake to which
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1890, bookpublisherbostonleeandshepar
