Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly volume 16.djvu/57



REMINISCENCES 49

desert to face on the west, as a starter. The horrors of the Donner party who perished in the snow less than four years before, were vivid in our memories. It was late in October. Our party was the last on the road, so there was no hope of being picked up. The banished teamsters kept a fire going all night while preparing for their trip. They threw away everything except what they believed indispensable.

"Next morning Captain Morris ordered some wagons abandoned, so as to have teamsters to go around. It became necessary to have a carriage driven for Mrs. Wilson and her two grown daughters. An old German named Losch was sent to take charge of her carriage and mules. Mrs. Wilson and the girls watched Losch at work harnessing the mules. Mrs. Wilson and the girls were raised in Kentucky and knew more about horses and mules than Losch ever could learn. Mrs. Wilson called him and asked him if he had ever driven a team. Losch, in broken English, told her he knew nothing about it, but that he would try, if ordered to do so. Mrs. Wilson called the general. Their tent was still standing. Our tents were struck and we were ready to pull out. She told her husband, the general, that Losch was no driver and that she was not going to risk having their necks broken, and that she wanted McKibbin back.

"The general went to see Captain Morris. The order was given to strike camp and pitch the captain's tent. The cap- tain and General Wilson and Lieutenant Haynes went into the tent and the ultimatum of Captain Morris was this : 'Gen- eral, you can take your choice dispense with the services of the escort, or have the mutineers.' Mrs. Wilson and the gen- eral decided in favor of the mutineers, so as to have Mc- Kibbin, her carriage driver, back.

"The services of the escort being dispensed with, Captain Morris abandoned all our wagons, except one, a little light rig to have for Mrs. Birdsall, in the event of her being unable to ride on muleback. We packed everything so as to travel light, and next morning we were on our way. The striking