on at camp. I made a cache, to-day,
after we had traveled about twelve miles, and encamped three miles
further eastward, on the Yuba. Snow about fifteen feet deep."

The meeting between Reed and his family can better be imagined than
described. For months they had been separated. While the father was
battling with fate in endeavoring to reach California and return with
assistance, the mother had been using every exertion to obtain food for
her starving children. Now they met in the mountains, in the deep snows,
amid pathless forests, at a time when the mother and children, and all
with them, were out of provisions and ready to perish.

Meantime, the first relief; with their little company, now reduced to
nineteen, passed forward toward the settlements. At Bear Valley, another
cache of provisions had been made, and this was found unmolested.
Camping at this place, the utmost precaution was taken to prevent the
poor starved people from overeating. After a sufficient quantity of food
had been distributed, the remainder of the provisions was hung up in a
tree. Of course, the small portion distributed to each did not satisfy
the cravings of hunger. Some time during the night, Wm. Hook quietly
crept to the tree, climbed up to the food, and ate until his hunger was
appeased. Poor boy, it was a fatal act. Toward morning it was discovered
that he was dying. All that the company could do to relieve his
sufferings was done, but it was of no avail. Finding that the poor boy
was past relief; most of the emigrants moved on toward the settlements.
Wm. G. Murphy's feet had been badly frozen, and he was suffering such
excruciating agony that he could not travel and keep up with the others.
At his request, his sister Mary had cut his shoes open, in order to get
them off; and his feet thereupon swelled up as if they had been scalded.
Because he could not walk, the company left him with William Hook. A
camp-keeper also remained. This boy's death is thus described by Mr.
Murphy, who writes:

"William Hook went out on the snow and rested on his knees and elbows.
The camp-keeper called to him to come in. He then told me to make him
come into camp. I went and put my hand on him, speaking his name, and
he fell over, being already dead. He did not die in great agony, as is
usually alleged. No groan, nor signs of dying, were manifested to us.
The camp-keeper and myself took the biscuits and jerked beef from his
pockets, and buried him just bare