Stay Alive by Rodman Philbrick

Author:Rodman Philbrick [Philbrick, Rodman]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Scholastic Inc.
Published: 2021-12-02T00:00:00+00:00

September 13

Much fighting today. It ain’t the Indians we are fighting, but one another. It started with the women. Some of them got together over the morning campfire and started complaining about the men, and all the stupid things we done, like taking Mr. Hastings’ shortcut.

“Hastings’ Shortcut!” one of the women crowed. “Two words and both of them a lie! Hastings is a liar, and there ain’t no shortcut! We should be over the mountains by now and instead we are still on the plains, with hundreds of miles yet to go! All because the men believed a liar!”

Mr. Reed took exception and defended himself. He said he understood they were all disappointed in our progress thus far. “But we all voted to take the shortcut,” he said, “and must live with the consequences.”

“Voted!” the woman shrieked. “It was only the men who voted! But it won’t only be the men who die! No, sir, women and children will die, too, if something isn’t done! It was you got us into this! You and the other men! All so you could have an adventure and pretend to be explorers. You forgot our purpose!”

James Reed had his hands on his hips, and he wouldn’t back down. His eyes looked like chips in a cold fire. He asked what they thought their purpose was.

The women said it was to get their families to California the best and safest way possible. And that he had failed, and that we should already be there but we were not.

Mr. Reed didn’t have a reply. He grunted and strode away, and later I heard him complaining to his wife about the ungrateful people, and how if he’d been elected leader of the expedition instead of George Donner, things would be different.

The fighting didn’t stop when Mr. Reed backed down. Soon the women were fighting among themselves, and insulting one another’s husbands. Many of them were so angry they cried tears of rage.

I kept to myself. I am a man but can’t argue with the women, for they are right. It was pure folly to follow Mr. Hastings’ suggestions. But the mistake happened weeks ago, so what good does it do to chew it over now?

Mr. Breen whispered to his wife that there must be bad air from the sulfur springs that makes people so angry. Maybe so. But the women didn’t say anything that wasn’t true. We are in a bad way. We have barely enough oxen left to haul the wagons. There is some bacon left, and barrels of flour, but not near enough to last all the way to our destination.

We know our situation is grim, but we keep moving. We keep going. What else can we do?

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