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Description
The artist based this painting on Moses Schallenberger's description of his cabin at Truckee Lake Camp (today known as Donner Lake). He described it as a windowless cabin twelve by fourteen feet, covered with rawhide and brush as a roof, with a chimney made of rocks and logs. He almost never shut the door as it was his only source of light. Moses Schallenberger was part of the Stephens-Townsend-Murphy Party that crossed the Overland Trail in 1844-45. When the party reached the Sierras in November 1844, it began to snow and they decided to spilt up. Most of the party continued on, and three men -- Joseph Foster, Allen Montgomery, and Moses Schallenberger -- stayed with six of the wagons. They quickly built a cabin. However, as the snow increased they felt they might starve if they stayed. They set out to catch up with the rest of the party, but Schallenberger's legs repeatedly cramped and he could not go on. He urged the others to continue without him and he returned to the cabin. Schallenberger spent his time writing and reading books that John Townsend had left in one of the wagons. He trapped whatever he could near the cabin, remarking that foxes and crows tasted quite good, whereas coyotes were "revolting." He also had enough coffee to make one cup, which he saved until Christmas day to enjoy. Schallenberger was not rescued until February 28, 1845.
Type
image
Format
Oil
Identifier
9416FBBF-B4BE-4B92-B128-465013192782 1990-55-15
Subject
Cabins Mountains Overland journeys to the Pacific (LCSH) Nineteenth century (LCSH) Pioneers Sierra Nevada (Calif. and Nev.) Schallenberger, Moses
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