Cold wind Quote by Gail Collins
““One pioneer remembered seeing “an open bleak prairie, the cold wind howling overhead…a new-made grave, a woman and three children sitting near by, a girl of 14 summers walking round and round in a circle, wringing her hands and calling upon her dead parent.” Janette Riker was only a young girl when she headed for Oregon with her father and two brothers in 1849. Late in September they camped in a valley in Montana, and the men went out to hunt. They never returned. While she waited, Janette built a small shelter, moved the wagon stove in with all the provisions and blankets, and hunkered down. She killed the fattest ox from her family’s herd, salted down the meat, and lived alone through the winter, amid howling wolves and mountain lions. She was discovered in April by Indians who were so impressed by her story that they took her to a fort in Washington. She never found out what happened to her family.””
About This Quote
Source Historical account: Oregon Trail Journal, 1849
A young pioneer survives a harsh winter alone after her family disappears, showing resilience and resourcefulness in extreme adversity.
In simple terms: A girl survives alone after family loss.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate resilience and resourcefulness.
Themes
survival
frontier
resilience
loneliness
Mood
inspirational
somber
Type
historical
narrative
When to use this quote
- wilderness survival
- family tragedy
- self‑reliance
Key Concepts
history
human endurance
Questions to Reflect On
- What would you do in a similar crisis?
- How does resilience shape identity?
A Different Perspective
The narrative may romanticize hardship and overlook broader context.
