the passing of the frontier-第14章

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The　Oregon　Trail　was　the　pathway　for　Fremont　in　1842；　perhaps　the　most　overvalued　explorer　of　all　the　West；　albeit　this　comment　may　to　some　seem　harsh。　Kit　Carson　and　Bill　Williams　led　Fremont　across　the　Rockies　almost　by　the　hand。　Carson　and　Williams　themselves　had　been　taken　across　by　the　Indian　tribes。　But　Fremont　could　write；　and　the　story　which　he　set　down　of　his　first　expedition　inflamed　the　zeal　of　all。　Men　began　to　head　out　for　that　far…away　country　beyond　the　Rockies。　Not　a　few　scattered　bands；　but　very　many；　passed　up　the　valley　of　the　Platte。　There　began　a　tremendous　trek　of　thousands　of　men　who　wanted　homes　somewhere　out　beyond　the　frontier。　And　that　was　more　than　ten　years　before　the　Civil　War。　The　cow　trade　was　not　dreamed　of；　the　coming　cow　country　was　overleaped　and　ignored。

Our　national　horizon　extended　immeasurably　along　that　dusty　way。　In　the　use　of　the　Oregon　Trail　we　first　began　to　be　great。　The　chief　figure　of　the　American　West；　the　figure　of　the　ages；　is　not　the　long…haired；　fringed…legging　man　riding　a　raw…boned　pony；　but　the　gaunt　and　sadfaced　woman　sitting　on　the　front　seat　of　the　wagon；　following　her　lord　where　he　might　lead；　her　face　hidden　in　the　same　ragged　sunbonnet　which　had　crossed　the　Appalachians　and　the　Missouri　long　before。　That　was　America；　my　brethren！　There　was　the　seed　of　America's　wealth。　There　was　the　great　romance　of　all　Americathe　woman　in　the　sunbonnet；　and　not；　after　all；　the　hero　with　the　rifle　across　his　saddle　horn。　Who　has　written　her　story？　Who　has　painted　her　picture？

They　were　large　days；　those　of　the　great　Oregon　Trail；　not　always　pleasingly　dramatic；　but　oftentimes　tragic　and　terrible。　We　speak　of　the　Oregon　Trail；　but　it　means　little　to　us　today；　nor　will　any　mere　generalities　ever　make　it　mean　much　to　us。　But　what　did　it　mean　to　the　men　and　women　of　that　day？　What　and　who　were　those　men　and　women？　What　did　it　mean　to　take　the　Overland　Trail　in　the　great　adventure　of　abandoning　forever　the　known　and　the　safe　and　setting　out　for　Oregon　or　California　at　a　time　when　everything　in　the　far　West　was　new　and　unknown？　How　did　those　good　folk　travel？　Why　and　whither　did　they　travel？

There　is　a　book　done　by　C。　F。　McGlashan；　a　resident　of　Truckee；　California；　known　as　〃The　History　of　the　Donner　Party；〃　holding　a　great　deal　of　actual　history。　McGlashan；　living　close　to　Donner　Lake；　wrote　in　1879；　describing　scenes　with　which　he　was　perfectly　familiar；　and　recounting　facts　which　he　had　from　direct　association　with　participants　in　the　ill…fated　Donner　Party。　He　chronicles　events　which　happened　in　1846a　date　before　the　discovery　of　gold　in　California。　The　Donner　Party　was　one　of　the　typical　American　caravans　of　homeseekers　who　started　for　the　Pacific　Slope　with　no　other　purpose　than　that　of　founding　homes　there；　and　with　no　expectation　of　sudden　wealth　to　be　gained　in　the　mines。　I　desire　therefore　to　quote　largely　from　the　pages　of　this　book；　believing　that；　in　this　fashion；　we　shall　come　upon　history　of　a　fundamental　sort；　which　shall　make　us　acquainted　with　the　men　and　women　of　that　day；　with　the　purposes　and　the　ambitions　which　animated　them；　and　with　the　hardships　which　they　encountered。

〃The　States　along　the　Mississippi　were　but　sparsely　settled　in　1846；　yet　the　fame　of　the　fruitfulness；　the　healthfulness；　and　the　almost　tropical　beauty　of　the　land　bordering　the　Pacific；　tempted　the　members　of　the　Donner　Party　to　leave　their　homes。　These　homes　were　situated　in　Illinois；　Iowa；　Tennessee；　Missouri；　and　Ohio。　Families　from　each　of　these　States　joined　the　train　and　participated　in　its　terrible　fate；　yet　the　party　proper　was　organized　in　Sangamon　County；　Illinois；　by　George　and　Jacob　Donner　and　James　F。　Reed。　Early　in　April；　1846；　the　party　set　out　from　Springfield；　Illinois；　and　by　the　first　week　in　May　reached　Independence；　Missouri。　Here　the　party　was　increased　by　additional　members；　and　the　train　comprised　about　one　hundred　persons。。。。　〃In　the　party　were　aged　fathers　with　their　trusting　families　about　them；　mothers　whose　very　lives　were　wrapped　up　in　their　children；　men　in　the　prime　and　vigor　of　manhood；　maidens　in　all　the　sweetness　and　freshness　of　budding　womanhood；　children　full　of　glee　and　mirthfulness；　and　babes　nestling　on　maternal　breasts。　Lovers　there　were；　to　whom　the　journey　was　tinged　with　rainbow　hues　of　joy　and　happiness；　and　strong；　manly　hearts　whose　constant　support　and　encouragement　was　the　memory　of　dear　ones　left　behind　in　homeland。

〃The　wonderment　which　all　experience　in　viewing　the　scenery　along　the　line　of　the　old　emigrant　road　was　peculiarly　vivid　to　these　people。　Few　descriptions　had　been　given　of　the　route；　and　all　was　novel　and　unexpected。　In　later　years　the　road　was　broadly　and　deeply　marked；　and　good　camping　grounds　were　distinctly　indicated。　The　bleaching　bones　of　cattle　that　had　perished；　or　the　broken　fragments　of　wagons　or　castaway　articles；　were　thickly　strewn　on　either　side　of　the　highway。　But　in　1846　the　way　was　through　almost　trackless　valleys　waving　with　grass；　along　rivers　where　few　paths　were　visible；　save　those　made　by　the　feet　of　buffalo　and　antelope；　and　over　mountains　and　plains　where　little　more　than　the　westward　course　of　the　sun　guided　the　travelers。　Trading…posts　were　stationed　at　only　a　few　widely　distant　points；　and　rarely　did　the　party　meet　with　any　human　beings；　save　wandering　bands　of　Indians。　Yet　these　first　days　are　spoken　of　by　all　of　the　survivors　as　being　crowned　with　peaceful　enjoyment　and　pleasant　anticipations。　There　were　beautiful　flowers　by　the　roadside；　an　abundance　of　game　in　the　meadows　and　mountains；　and　at　night　there　were　singing；　dancing；　and　innocent　plays。　Several　musical　instruments；　and　many　excellent　voices；　were　in　the　party；　and　the　kindliest　feeling　and　goodfellowship　prevailed　among　the　members。

〃The　formation　of　the　company　known　as　the　Donner　Party　was　purely　accidental。　The　union　of　so　many　emigrants　into　one　train　was　not　occasioned　by　any　preconcerted　arrangement。　Many　composing　the　Donner　Party　were　not　aware；　at　the　outset；　that　such　a　tide　of　emigration　was　sweeping　to　California。　In　many　instances　small　parties　would　hear　of　the　mammoth　train　just　ahead　of　them　or　just　behind　them；　and　by　hastening　their　pace；　or　halting　for　a　few　days；　joined　themselves　to　the　party。　Many　were　with　the　train　during　a　portion　of　the　journey；　but　from　some　cause　or　other　became　parted　from　the　Donner　company　before　reaching　Donner　Lake。　Soon　after　the　train　left　Independence　it　contained　between　two　and　three　hundred　wagons；　and　when　in　motion　was　two　miles　in　length。　The　members　of　the　party　proper　numbered　ninety。〃

This　caravan；　like　many　others　of　the　great　assemblage　westbound　at　that　time；　had　great　extremes　in　personnel。　Some　were　out　for　mere　adventure；　some　were　single　men　looking　for　a　location。　Most　of　them　were　fathers　of　families；　among　them　several　persons　of　considerable　means　and　of　good　standing　in　the　community　which　they　were　leaving。　While　we　may　suppose　that　most　of　them　were　folk　of　no　extraordinary　sort；　certainly　some　were　persons　of　education　and　intelligence。　Among　these　was　the　wife　of　George　DonnerTamsen　Dormer；　a　woman　of　education；　a　musician；　a　linguist；　a　botanist；　and　of　the　most　sublime　heroism。

Tamsen　Donner　sent　back　now　and　then　along　the　route　some　story　of　the　daily　doings　of　the　caravan；　and　such　letters　as　these　are　of　the　utmost　interest　to　any　who　desire　precise　information　of　that　time。　It　would　seem　that　the　emigrants　themselves　for　a　great　part　of　their　route　met　with　no　great　adventures；　nor　indeed；　appeared　to　be　undertaking　any　unusual　affair。　They　followed　a　route　up　the　Platte　Valley　already　long　known　to　those　of　the　eastern　settlements。

〃Near　the　Junction　of　the　North　and　South　Platte；　June　16；　1846。

〃My　Old　Friend：　We　are　now　on　the　Platte；　two　hundred　miles　from　Fort　Laramie。　Our　journey　so　far　has　been　pleasant；　the　roads　have　been　good；　and　food　plentiful。　The　water　for　part　of　the　way　has　been　indifferent；　but　at　no　time　have　our　cattle　suffered　for　it。　Wood　is　now　very　scarce；　but　〃buffalo　chips〃　are　excellent；　they　kindle　quickly　and　retain　heat　surprisingly。　We　had　this　morning　buffalo　steaks　broiled　upon　them　that　had　the　same　fla