The following is the report of Thomas Fallon, leader of the fourth party to the camps near Donner Lake: 

Left Johnson’s on the evening of April 13, and arrived at the lower end of Bear River Valley on the fifteenth.  Hung our saddles upon trees, and sent the horses back, to be returned again in ten days to bring us in again.  Started on foot, with provisions for ten days and travelled to head of the valley, and camped for the night; snow from two to three feet deep.  Started early in the morning of April 15 and travelled twenty-three miles.  Snow ten feet deep.

April 17.  Reached the cabins between twelve and one o’clock.  Expected to find some of the sufferers alive.  Mrs. Donner and Keseberg[28] in particular.  Entered the cabins, and a horrible scene presented itself.  Human bodies terribly mutilated, legs, arms, and skulls scattered in every direction.  One body supposed to be that of Mrs. Eddy lay near the entrance, the limbs severed off, and a frightful gash in the skull.  The flesh was nearly consumed from the bones, and a painful stillness pervaded the place.  The supposition was, that all were dead, when a sudden shout revived our hopes, and we flew in the direction of the sound.  Three Indians who had been hitherto concealed, started from the ground, fled at our approach, leaving behind their bows and arrows.  We delayed two hours in searching the cabins, during which we were obliged to witness sights from which we would have fain turned away, and which are too dreadful to put on record.  We next started for Donner’s camp, eight miles distant over the mountains.  After travelling about half-way, we came upon a track in the snow which excited our suspicion, and we determined to pursue.  It brought us to the camp of Jacob Donner, where it had evidently left that morning.  There we found property of every description, books, calicoes, tea, coffee, shoes, percussion caps, household and kitchen furniture, scattered in every direction, and mostly in water.  At the mouth of the tent stood a large iron kettle, filled with human flesh cut up.  It was from the body of George Donner.  The head had been split open, and the brain extracted therefrom; and to the appearance he had not been long dead—­not over three or four days, at most.  Near-by the kettle stood a chair, and thereupon three legs of a bullock that had been shot down in the early part of winter, and snowed upon before it could be dressed.  The meat was found sound and good, and with the exception of a small piece out of the shoulder, whole, untouched.  We gathered up some property, and camped for the night.

    April 18.  Commenced gathering the most valuable property, suitable
    for our packs; the greater portion had to be dried.  We then made
    them up, and camped for the night.