The TREK - Tuesday Day 2

Oct 11:

Traveled 12 1/4 miles

Death: None reported

Susannah Stone, age 25, wrote, “Only once did my courage fail. One cold dreary afternoon, my feet having been frosted, I felt I could go no further, and withdrew from the little company and sat down to wait the end, being somewhat in a stupor. After a time I was aroused by a voice, which seemed as audible as anything could be, and which spoke to my very soul of the promises and blessings I had received, and which should surely be fulfilled and that I had a mission to perform in Zion. I received strength and was filled with the Spirit of the Lord and arose and traveled on with a light heart.”

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“Cold weather, scarcity of food, lassitude and fatigue from over-exertion, soon produced their effects. Our old and infirm people began to droop, and they no sooner lost spirit and courage than death’s stamp could be traced upon their features. Life went on as smoothly as a lamp ceases to burn when the oil is gone. At first the deaths occurred slowly and irregularly, but in a few days at more frequent intervals, until we soon thought it unusual to leave a campground without burying one or more persons.

“Death was not long confined in its ravages to the old and infirm, but the young and naturally strong were among its victims. Men who were, so to speak, as strong as lions when we started on our journey, and who had been our best supports, were compelled to succumb to the grim monster. These men were worn down by hunger, scarcity of clothing and bedding, and too much labour in helping their families. Weakness and debility were accompanied by dysentery. This we could not stop or even alleviate, no proper medicines being in the camp; and in almost every instance it carried off the parties attacked. It was surprising to an unmarried man to witness the devotion of men to their families and to their faith, under these trying circumstances. Many a father pulled his cart, with his little children on it, until the day preceding his death. I have seen some pull their carts in the morning, give out during the day, and die before next morning. These people died with the calm faith and fortitude of martyrs. Their greatest regret seemed to be leaving their families behind them, and their bodies on the plains or mountains instead of being laid in the consecrated ground of Zion. The sorrow and mourning of the bereaved, as they saw their husbands and fathers rudely interred, were affecting in the extreme, and none but a heart of stone could repress a tear of sympathy at the sad spectacle.


Oct 12:

Traveled 13 3/4 miles

Death: None reported

Elizabeth Cunningham, age 12, was traveling with her parents and three of her siblings. Somewhere after Fort Laramie, she got cold enough that she was left for dead along the trail. After leaving her, her mother recalled a promise that their family had received prior to emigrating. They were promised that “if they would live the gospel, all the members of the family would arrive safely in Zion.” Her mother then returned to the dying child and warmed her until she revived and was brought back to the camp. On October 12th the company journal recorded, “The night was cold.”

Oct 13:

Traveled 12 1/4 miles

Death: Paul Jacobsen, age 55

Paul Lyman Commentary

Prospect Hill, or Ryan Hill, required the company to go up a strenuous climb, from the top of which they could see to the Independence Rock and Devil’s Gate areas. From that hill top the trail was easier, until it ascended Rocky Ridge.

John Oborn, age 12, was traveling with his parents. He told about their rations being reduced. He later wrote, “Our scant rations had reached the point where the assigned amount was consumed in one meal and it had to suffice for the day. From here on it is beyond my power of description. God only can understand and realize the torture, privation, exposure and starvation that we went through.” He went on to write, “We had resorted to eating anything that could be chewed, bark and leaves from trees. We young ate the raw hide from our boots

Oct 14:

Traveled 13 miles

Deaths: None reported

Paul Lyman Commentary

Despite their extreme hunger, they gathered saleratus, or baking soda, as they trekked onward past Independence Rock. It was recorded that they crossed the Sweetwater River on a bridge. They would cross the Sweetwater a total of seven times in the next two weeks.

“Captain Willie received a letter from Elder Richards informing him that we might expect supplies to meet us from the valley by the time we reached South Pass.” Pacific Springs is the first spring west of South Pass.


Oct 15:

Traveled 16 miles

Death: Caroline Reeder, age 17

“One beef heifer & one poor cow were killed this evening for the camp. Last evening a council & a meeting were held to take into consideration our provisions & the time it was considered we should have to make it last before we could depend upon supplies. It was unanimously agreed to reduce the rations of flour one fourth - the men then would get 10 1/2 ozs. per day; women, & large children 9 ozs. per day; children 6 ozs. per day; & infants 3 ozs. per day each”.

Paul Lyman Commentary

“Another miracle occurred around this time. Elizabeth Crook Panting, age 28, was escaping an abusive husband in England to travel to Zion with her two small children, ages five and one. Somewhere in this area, she went to gather buffalo chips to make a fire. As she filled her apron with fuel for her fire, a man approached her. She told him that they were short on food. He offered her help and had her follow him to what seemed like a cave. She saw a large amount of dried meat in the cave, and he helped her load up her apron. She turned to go and when she looked again to thank him, he and the cave were gone”.

Oct 16:

Traveled 11 miles

Deaths: George Curtis, age 64; Lars Julius Larsen, age 3 months; John Roberts, age 42

Birth: Ella Wicklund gave birth to a son, who lived. Birth: Jacob Wicklund to Ella and Olof Wicklund. Both mother and son survived the trek.

Levi Savage pointed out that the oxen were worn down. Although there was little food left to carry in the wagons, the wagons were still needed to haul the tents, along with the sick and the exhausted. Years later a woman asked William Woodward if he remembered a good pair of rawhide shoes that had come up missing. He did. She reported that she had boiled them to make soup.


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