position
was made to leave a portion of the sufferers. It was proposed to take
the three Graves children and Mary Donner. These four children would be
quite a sufficient burden for the three men, considering the snow over
which they must travel. The Breens, or at least such of them as could
not walk, were to be abandoned. This was equivalent to leaving the
father, mother, and five children, because the mother would not abandon
any member of her family, and John, who alone could travel, was in a
semi-lifeless condition. The members of the third relief party are said
to have taken a vote upon the question. This scene is described in the
manuscript of Hon. James F. Breen: "Those who were in favor of returning
to the settlements, and leaving the Breens for a future relief party
(which, under the circumstances, was equivalent to the death penalty),
were to answer 'aye.' The question was put to each man by name, and as
the names were called, the dreadful 'aye' responded. John Stark's name
was the last one called, because he had, during the discussion of the
question, strongly opposed the proposition for abandonment, and it was
naturally supposed that when he found himself in so hopeless a minority
he would surrender. When his name was called, he made no answer until
some one said to him: 'Stark, won't you vote?' Stark, during all this
proceeding of calling the roll, had stood apart from his companions with
bowed head and folded arms. When he was thus directly appealed to, he
answered quickly and decidedly: "No, gentlemen, I will not abandon these
people. I am here on a mission of mercy, and I will not half do the
work. You can all go if you want to, but I shall stay by these people
while they and I live."

It was nobly said. If the Breens had been left at Starved Camp, even
until the return of Foster, Eddy, Miller, and Thompson from the lake,
none would have ever reached the settlements. In continuation of the
above narration, the following is taken from the manuscript of John
Breen: "Stark was finally left alone. To his great bodily strength, and
unexcelled courage, myself and others owe our lives. There was probably
no other man in California at that time, who had the intelligence,
determination, and what was absolutely necessary in that emergency, the
immense physical powers of John Stark. He was as strong as two ordinary
men. On his broad shoulders, he carried the provisions, most of the
blankets, and most of the time som