rom that time," says Virginia. "The
Breens were the only Catholics in the party, and prayers were said
regularly every night and morning in their little cabin, Mr. Breen
reading by the light of a small pine torch, which I held, kneeling by
his side. There was something inexpressibly comforting to me in this
simple service, and one night when we had all gone to bed, huddled
together to keep from freezing, and I felt it would not be long before
we would all go to sleep never to wake again in this world, all at
once I found myself on my knees, looking up through the darkness and
making a vow that if God would send us relief and let me see my father
again, I would become a Catholic. And my prayer was answered.

"On the evening of February 19th, we were in the cabin, weak and
starving, when we heard Mr. Breen's voice outside, crying:

"'Relief, thank God! Relief!'

"In a moment, before our unbelieving eyes, stood seven men sent by
Captain Sutter from the fort, and they had brought an ample supply of
flour and jerked beef, to save us from the death which had already
overtaken so many of our party. There was joy at Donner Lake that
night, for the men said: 'Relief parties will come and go until you
have all crossed the mountains safely.' But," Virginia's diary says:
"mingled with one joy were bitter tears. Even strong men sat and wept
as they saw the dead lying about on the snow, some even unburied, as
the living had not had strength to bury them. I sorrowed most for Milt
Elliott--our faithful friend, who seemed so like a brother, and when
he died, mother and I dragged him out of the cabin and covered him
with snow, and I patted the pure white snow down softly over all but
his face--and dragged myself away, with a heart aching from the pain
of such a loss.

"But we were obliged to turn our thoughts to the living and their
future, and eagerly listened to the story of the men, who told us that
when father arrived at Sutter's Fort, after meeting Mr. Stanton, he
told Captain Sutter of our desperate plight and the captain at once
furnished horses and supplies, with which father and Mr. McCutchen
started back, but were obliged to return to the fort, and while they
were conferring with Captain Sutter about their next move, the seven
living members of the 'Forlorn Hope' party who had left us the first
part of the winter, arrived at the fort. Their pale, worn faces told
the story and touched all hearts. Cattle were killed and men w