Transcript

. . . Near the last crossing of Sweetwater we made camp about 9 o’clock at night.  It was very dark and snowing.  As we hardly had any provisions we turned in without supper.  In the morning we found a foot of snow and but very little provisions in camp.  Orders were given by Captain De La Mae [sic] now living in Tooele, to go and get the cattle in.  We found that quite a percentage of the poorest had laid down in the brush to rest for the last time.  Of those that were found dead we cut out their tongues and hearts, which were cooked and thus satisfied our own hunger.  When we gathered in all the other cattle we could find we had just about enough left to take the family wagons to Green River.  At the same time the captain had sent a messenger to Green River post and brought sixteen head of cattle.  On the first night from Green River, they took a stampede and were either lost or stolen by the Indians.

When we left camp with the families we left six single men and supplies such as shotguns, rifles and ammunition, to hunt lost cattle, as well as game for their own support as we had no provisions to leave with them.  The second day they found the cattle.  They followed us the next day.  As they were all strangers to the road and our tracks were covered with snow, they took the wrong road by mistake.  They sent a messenger down the river to our camp for provisions as they were near starving.  As we had secured provisions at the trading post we were able to supply them.

In two days more our broken camp was again united for our journey.  While here President A. O. Smoot came to our rescue with teams and provisions sent out by President Young.  While Mr. Smoot stood at our camp fire sympathizing with our wretched condition he noticed three large white letters painted on the boilers; DMC.  He asked us the meaning of the letters but received no answer.  He said, “If you don’t know I think I can tell you.  DMC in this case means Damn Miserable Company.”  And we agreed that he was correct.