Thirty-one of the company were still in the camps when this party arrived, nearly all of them children, unable to travel without assistance, and the adults were too feeble to give much aid to the little ones upon the snow.  Consequently, when my father learned that the Second Relief comprised only ten men, he felt that he himself would never reach the settlement.  He was willing to be left alone, and entreated mother to leave him and try to save herself and us children.  He reminded her that his life was almost spent, that she could do little for him were she to remain, and that in caring for us children she would be carrying on his work.

She who had to choose between the sacred duties of wife and mother, thought not of self.  She looked first at her helpless little children, then into the face of her suffering and helpless husband, and tenderly, unhesitatingly, announced her determination to remain and care for him until both should be rescued, or death should part them.

[Illustration:  From an old drawing made from description furnished by Wm. G. Murphy.  ARRIVAL OF RELIEF PARTY, FEBRUARY 18, 1847]

[Illustration:  Photograph by Lynwood Abbott.  DONNER LAKE]

Perplexities and heartaches multiplied with the morning hours of the following day.  Mr. Clark, being anxious to provide more food, started early to hunt the wounded bear.  He had not been gone long, when Mr. Stone arrived from the lake cabins and told Mr. Cady that the other members of the Relief had become alarmed at gathering storm clouds, and had resolved to select at once the ablest among the emigrants and hasten with them across the summit, and to leave Clark, Cady, and himself to cut the necessary fuel for the camps, and otherwise assist the sufferers until the Third Relief should reach them.

Cady and Stone, without waiting to inform Clark, promptly decided upon their course of action.  They knew the scarcity of provisions in camp, the condition of the trail over the mountains, the probability of long, fierce March storms, and other obstacles which might delay future promised relief, and, terror-stricken, determined to rejoin their party, regardless of opposition, and return to the settlement.

Mother, fearing that we children might not survive another storm in camp, begged Messrs. Cady and Stone to take us with them, offering them five hundred dollars in coin, to deliver us to Elitha and Leanna at Sutter’s Fort.  The agreement was made, and she collected a few keepsakes and other light articles, which she wished us to have, and which the men seemed more than willing to carry out of the mountains.  Then, lovingly, she combed our hair and helped us to dress quickly for the journey.  When we were ready, except cloak and hood, she led us to the bedside, and we took leave of father.  The men helped us up the steps and stood us up on the snow.  She came, put on our cloaks and hoods, saying, as if talking to herself, “I may never see you again, but God will take care of you.”