Digital History>eXplorations>Children and the Westward Movement>The Trail to California>Virginia Reed

Virginia Reed

We now had nothing to eat but raw hides and they were on the roof of the cabin to keep out the snow; when prepared for cooking and boiled they were simply a pot of glue. When the hides were taken off our cabin and we were left without shelter Mr. Breen gave us a home with his family, and Mrs. Breen prolonged my life by slipping little bits of meat now and then when she discovered that I could not eat the hide.

 

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