THE DONNER PASS

This is the Donner Pass. I would never have imagined that I would live so close to this place that I first learned about on the History Channel. I have now driven through there several times and couldn't imagine the difficulty of getting through there with wagons, cattle and women and children. It's amazing to think that they made it there all the way from Independence, Missouri only to die from starvation in the mountains and then be canibalized by other hungry members of the party.

Below is an exerpt from James Reed's Diary from March 4, 1847

"4 Fri this morning after Breakfast I had 2 Scanty meals left for all hands, which would do to the night following I sent ahead 3 men J Jandrou M Dofar & Turner whoe ware of my best men for the occasion, to push to our first Cach and if not disturbed to bring it up while the other Two proceed on to bring up our Second and if they should meet our Supplies which we all expected clace at hand to hurrey them on, (but to our misfortune there was none nigher than 65 miles and at this Juncture no prospect of Starting which I learned afterwards) to be the fact from Comd Woodworth himself I mouved camp and after a fatiguing day arrived at the praire now Starved Camp at the head of Juba it was made by the other Compy who had passed in but a few days previous. here the men began to fail being for several days on half allowance, or 1 1/2 pints of gruel or sizing per day. the Sky look like snow and everthing indicates a storm god for bid. wood being got for the night & Bows for the beds of all, and night closing fast, the Clouds still thicking terror terror I feel a terrible foreboding but dare not Communicate my mind to any, death to all if our provisions do not Come, in a day or two and storm should fall on us. Very cold, a great lamentation about the Cold." [Reed's reference to Starved Camp indicates that this entry was written after the events, and that rather than amazing prescience about the storm, Reed was possessed of normal hindsight.]