ground where the Illinois State House now stands. The oxen were then
unhitched and the wagons drawn up in a hollow circle or "corral,"
within the protection of which cattle and horses were set free for
the night, while outside the corral a huge camp-fire soon blazed,
around which the party gathered for their first evening meal together,
and their last one with those friends who had come thus far on their
way with them. It was a determinedly merry group around the fire, and
stories were told and songs sung, which to the radiant Virginia were a
foretaste of such coming adventure as was beyond her wildest dreams.

As she sat in the glow of the camp-fire, with sleepy Patty's head
pillowed on her lap, she felt even more than before the thrill of this
wonderful adventuring. To keep a record of her travels,--that was the
thing to do! Full of the idea, she pinned together sheets of
wrapping-paper into a bulky blank-book, on the outside of which she
printed:

_Going to California. 1846._

From that time she kept a faithful though not a continuous record of
the experiences of what came to be known later as "the ill-fated
Donner party of martyr pioneers." And from that record she later wrote
her story of their journeying to the golden West.

By the eleventh day of May the band of emigrants had reached the town
of Independence, Missouri, and Virginia's record says:

"Men and beasts are in fine condition. There is nothing in all the
world so fascinating as to travel by day in the warm sunshine and to
camp by night under the stars. Here we are just outside the most
bustling town I ever saw and it is good news to find a large number of
inhabitants with their wagons, ready to cross the prairie with us. Who
knows, perhaps some new friendships will be made as we all go on
together! They all seem to feel as eager to go as we are, and
everybody is glad. I will get acquainted with as many as I can now,
and bring cheerful ones to visit Grandma, for she feels rather
homesick, except when Patty and I make her laugh."

Again, "The first few days of travel through the Territory of Kansas
were lovely. The flowers were so bright and there were so many birds
singing. Each day father and I would ride ahead to find a place to
camp that night. Sometimes when we galloped back we would find the
wagons halting at a creek, while washing was done or the young people
took a swim. Mother and I always did our wash at night, and spread it
on the