Creek. It had been determined that the two eldest
daughters of George Donner should accompany Captain Tucker's party.
George Donner, Jr., and William Hook, two of Jacob Donner's Sons, Mrs.
Wolfinger, and Noah James were also to join the company. This made six
from the Donner tents. Mrs. Elizabeth Donner was quite able to have
crossed the mountains, but preferred to remain with her two little
children, Lewis and Samuel, until another and larger relief party should
arrive. These two boys were not large enough to walk, Mrs. Donner was
not strong enough to carry them, and the members of Captain Tucker's
party had already agreed to take as many little ones as they could
carry.

Leanna C. Donner, now Mrs. John App, of Jamestown, Tuolumne County,
Cal., gives a vivid description of the trip from George Donner's tent
to the cabins at Donner Lake Miss Rebecca E. App, acting as her mother's
amanuensis, writes:

"Mother says: Never shall I forget the day when my sister Elitha and
myself left our tent. Elitha was strong and in good health, while I was
so poor and emaciated that I could scarcely walk. All we took with us
were the clothes on our backs and one thin blanket, fastened with
a string around our necks, answering the purpose of a shawl in the
day-time, and which was all we had to cover us at night. We started
early in the morning, and many a good cry I had before we reached the
cabins, a distance of about eight miles. Many a time I sat down in the
snow to die, and would have perished there if my sister had not urged me
on, saying, 'The cabins are just over the hill.' Passing over the hill,
and not seeing the cabins, I would give up, again sit down and have
another cry, but my sister continued to help and encourage me until I
saw the smoke rising from the cabins; then I took courage, and moved
along as fast as I could. When we reached the Graves cabin it was all
I could do to step down the snow-steps into the cabin. Such pain and
misery as I endured that day is beyond description."

In Patrick Breen's diary are found the following entries, which allude
to Captain Tucker's relief party:

"Feb. 19. Froze hard last night. Seven men arrived from California
yesterday with provisions, but left the greater part on the way. To-day
it is clear and warm for this region; some of the men have gone to
Donner's camp; they will start back on Monday."

"Feb. 22. The Californians started this morning, twenty-three in number,
some in a