California pioneers.

In a letter to me from Dr. C.W. Chapman, chairman of that monument
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. FREMONT--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 FE 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 W