C. F. McGlashan

The delirium preceding death by starvation, is full of strange phantasies. Visions of plenty, of comfort, of elegance, flit ever before the fast-dimming eyes. The final twilight of death is a brief semi-consciousness in which the dying one frequently repeats his weird dreams. Half rising from his snowy couch, pointing upward, one of the death-stricken at Donner Lake may have said, with tremulous voice: "Look there, just above us, is a beautiful house. It is of costliest walnut, inlaid with laurel and ebony, and is resplendent with burnished silver. Magnificent in all its apartments, it is furnished like a palace. It is rich with costly cushions, elegant tapestries, dazzling mirrors; its floor is covered with Oriental carpets, its ceiling with artistic frescoings; downy cushions invite the weary to repose. It is filled with people who are chatting, laughing, and singing, joyous and care-free. There is an abundance of warmth, and rare viands, and sparkling wines. Suspended among the storm-clouds, it is flying along the face of the precipice at a marvelous speed. Flying? no it has wheels and is gliding along on a smooth, steel pathway. It is sheltered from the wind and snow by large beams and huge posts, which are bolted to the cliffs with heavy, iron rods. The avalanches, with their burden of earth and rocks and crushed pines, sweep harmlessly above this beautiful house and its happy inmates. It is drawn by neither oxen nor horses, but by a fiery, hot-breathed monster, with iron limbs and thews of, steel. The mountain trembles beneath his tread, and the rocks for miles re-echo his roar."

The Donner Party was a group of American Pioneers who set out for California in a wagon train. Delayed by a series of mishaps, they spent the winter of 1846-47 snowbound in the Sierra Nevada. Some of the emigrants resorted to cannibalism to survive, eating those who had succumbed to starvation and sickness. Historians have described the episode as one of the most spectacular tragedies in Californian history and in the record of western migration. This book is part of the Historical Collection of Badgley Publishing Company and has been transcribed from the original. The original contents have been edited and corrections have been made to original printing, spelling and grammatical errors when not in conflict with the author's intent to portray a particular event or interaction. Annotations have been made and additional contents have been added by Badgley Publishing Company in order to clarify certain historical events or interactions and to enhance the author's content. Photos and illustrations from the original have been touched up, enhanced and sometimes enlarged for better viewing. Additional illustrations and photos have been added by Badgley Publishing Company.

Originally published in 1880, McGlashan's History of the Donner Party remains in steady demand as an authoritative account of the tragic episode. The editors have added newly discovered information and photographs to their foreword, which is based on material in family documents and on the authors own recollections. The name of the Donner Party has come to symbolize the struggle of all pioneers, for the Donner experiences were the acme of horror, despair, and suffering. This chronicle is a towering tribute to the band of pioneers who struggled over deserts and the High Sierra toward California during the rugged winter of 1846-47. The disasters they endured form a bold contrast to the comfort and safety of the present-day Donner Lake region. Mr. McGlashan was a contemporary of the Donner Party's children. From the many survivors of the expedition whom he knew and interviewed, from a personal knowledge of the route followed, from more than a thousand letters written to him by survivors, and from consultations with still-living authors of older works on the subject. McGlashan was able to verify the facts and write a book from the point of view of the survivors themselves.

Originally published in 1880, McGlashan's History of the Donner Party remains in steady demand as an authoritative account of the tragic episode. The editors have added newly discovered information and photographs to their foreword, which is based on material in family documents and on the authors own recollections. The name of the Donner Party has come to symbolize the struggle of all pioneers, for the Donner experiences were the acme of horror, despair, and suffering. This chronicle is a towering tribute to the band of pioneers who struggled over deserts and the High Sierra toward California during the rugged winter of 1846-47. The disasters they endured form a bold contrast to the comfort and safety of the present-day Donner Lake region. Mr. McGlashan was a contemporary of the Donner Party's children. From the many survivors of the expedition whom he knew and interviewed, from a personal knowledge of the route followed, from more than a thousand letters written to him by survivors, and from consultations with still-living authors of older works on the subject. McGlashan was able to verify the facts and write a book from the point of view of the survivors themselves.