ending toward exhaustion and great suffering. We knew that sometimes
delirium was induced by this cause, and even death resulted from it in
cases of very long exposure under the worst conditions.

Sometimes for miles the only vegetable growth we found along the river
was a string of willow bushes, fringing its course, and scattered,
stunted sagebrush, growing feebly in gravel and dry sand, the leaves
of which were partly withered and of a pale, ashy tint. Feed for the
animals was very scarce. It was not possible, over much of the way, to
get sufficient fresh water for the stock, therefore difficult to
restrain them from drinking the river water. Some did drink from that
stream, despite all efforts to prevent it, the result being that many
of them died while we made our way along the sluggish Humboldt.

CHAPTER V.

THE HOLLOWAY MASSACRE.

It was decided that while in this region we would, whenever possible,
make our camp some distance from the river, in order that the stock
might be prevented from drinking the dangerous river water, also for
the reason that the clumps of willows by the stream could be used as a
cover by Indians bent on mischief: and they, we now believed, were
watching for a favorable opportunity to surprise us.

It transpired that the Holloway party neglected this precaution, at
least on one occasion, sometime after passing the head of the Humboldt
River. Their train was next behind ours when, on the evening of August
13th, after rounding up their stock for the night, a short distance
from the wagons, they stopped near the willows by the river and made
what proved to be their last camp.

Behind them, but not within sight, were several emigrant camps at
points varying from a few rods to half a mile apart.

The Holloway party retired as usual for the night; Mr. and Mrs.
Holloway and their child, a girl of two years, in a small tent near
the wagons; Jerry Bush, Mrs. Holloway's brother, and one of the hired
men, Joe Blevens, in their blankets on the ground; while Bird Lawles,
the other hired man, being ill with a fever, slept in a wagon.

There were others with this party that night; Mr. and Mrs. Callum, Mr.
Hattlebaugh, and a man whose name is now unknown. These four had been
traveling near the Holloway party, and joined it for camping on that
occasion.

The following morning Mr. Holloway was the first to arise. While
making the camp-fire, he called to the others to get up, saying
cheerf