If it had not been for a small group of men

Page 8.

If it had not been for a small group of men folk lined up outside of Myra’s wagon there’s no telling what may have happen. A devil fart Myra would call him claiming Miller was born at the bottom of a dirty out house. From that day on anyone who felt the need to break wind it was then often referred to as a act of a big Miller, it always made folks laugh a lot. On one such occasion after answering the call to nature behind her parents wagon, four year old Sarah Margaret Bentley told her mother she relieved herself of one big Miller and two baby Millers on top of some blue flowers. Well those were the times when things were lighter and everyone’s spirits were high with the pending bad weather just a few months away at this time it wasn‘t a problem. But now the reality of life or death hung over our travelers like a poison gas. On this trip planning or thinking ahead was not given the priority it should have been. Many things were left for chance or luck with these first timers and this way of thinking could cost you your life. When that moment of futility come to rest in the minds of the party everyone looked to Gerald Higgins of answers and direction.

Higgins felt building one main shelter was their only hope and directed everyone to circle the wagons as a makeshift corral for the stock. It was lightly snowing now and the wind had subsided for the time being, but it was still bitterly cold and your hands froze to everything you touched. Higgins never told the others he was warned not to try this crossing so late into the spring season. Local folks in town suggested waiting until next year and advised him to travel with a larger group and not the small ragtag band he had assembled . Higgins knew they were the last group to leave for the promise land and there would be no others before them or after and the thought of the Donner party never left his mind. Higgins was hired on as a experienced guide and bragged he could lead the devil himself back to hell from heaven with the promise of a bucket of ice water. For now, the only good thing Higgins had to offer was Myra and she didn’t come cheap. Some the men fanned out and collected as many fallen branches and useable timber as the could carry to be used accordingly. Meanwhile the children and the womenfolk scratched out a area in the chilling cold snow forming a foundation for the makeshift shelter.

They uncovered dozens of round granite rocks and large stones and stacked them together to form a fire pit for warmth and cooking. Any piece of wood, loose board and spare canvas from the wagons were gig sawed together. The men returned with whatever they could find while others chopped and sawed down some smaller trees for a makeshift lean-to. Everything was lashed together with ropes and strips of canvas and leather. They worked as long as they could but their strength was weaken by the high altitude and thin freezing air. As dark colored storm clouds started to form about a mile west of their location Lorenzo took charge of the stock consisting of twenty horses, four oxen, and cow named “Coffee” and of course Doris. Millers team wasn’t counted and he refused to corral them with the other stock hissing to anyone that would listening, “They’ll stay hitched until I unhitch them”.  Lorenzo wanted to horsewhip Potts, but Higgins stopped him making the case they needed Miller now, however; Higgins could not have been more wrong as the next few days ahead would tell.