nication, and as bringing some of the most prominent pioneers, for such is the title accorded to all arrivals during 1849 as well as previous years. They also ran the gauntlet of much danger, and no one of the Argo's heroes was more proud of his perilous exploit than is the modern Argonaut who reached the western Colchis with the initial trip of the Panamá, the Oregon, or, better than all, the California. Annual celebrations, wide-spread throughout the world, abundantly testify to the truth of this statement. And it is right and proper that it should be so. The only regret is, that so few of the passengers by early sailing vessels should have left similar records, and that as year after year goes by the number of our Argonauts is thinned; soon all will be with their pelagian prototypes.

16, 1857; Jan. 21, May 30, July 30, Aug. 16, Oct. 26, Nov. 8, 1858; May 26, June 9, 10, 1859; S. F. Bulletin, Feb. 12, May 25, June 2, 1859; March 29, 1860; Aug. 21, 1862; March 23, 1865; S. F. Call, July 19, 1865; Pim's Gate Pac., 221-43; Boyle's Ride, 33-8.

CHAPTER IX.

THE JOURNEY OVERLAND.

1849.

ORGANIZATION OF PARTIES-BRITTLE CONTRACTS OF THESE ASSOCIATIONSMISSISSIPPI RIVER RENDEZVOUS-ON THE TRAIL-OVERLAND ROUTINEALONG THE PLATTE-THROUGH THE SOUTH PASS-CHOLERA-THE DIFFERENT ROUTES-ACROSS THE DESERT-TRIALS OF THE PILGRIMS-STAR VATION, DISEASE, AND DEATH -PASSAGE OF THE SIERRA NEVADA-RELIEF PARTIES FROM CALIFORNIA-ROUTE THROUGH MEXICO ESTIMATES OF THE NUMBERS OF ARRIVALS-BEWILDERMENT OF THE INCOMERS-REGENERATION AND A NEW LIFE.

A CURRENT equal in magnitude to the one by sea poured with the opening spring overland, chiefly from the western United States. It followed the routes traversed by trappers and explorers since the dawn of the century, and lately made familiar by the reports of Frémont, by the works of travellers like Bidwell, Hastings, Bryant, Thornton, and by the records of two great migrations, one in 1843 to Oregon, and the other in 1846 to California, the latter followed by the Mormon exodus to Utah. Organization into parties. became here more necessary than by sea, for moving and guarding camps, and especially for defence against Indians.

Contributions were consequently levied for the purchase of wagons, animals, provisions, and even trading goods, unless the member was a farmer in possession of these things. The latter advantage made this journey preferable to a large number, and even the poor man could readily secure room in a

wagon for the small supplies alone indispensable, or obtain free passage as driver and assistant.1

The rendezvous at starting was on the Missouri River, at St Joseph or Independence, long points of departure for overland travel, either via the western main route, which is now marked by the Union and Central Pacific railroad line, or by the Santa Fé trail. Here they gathered from all quarters eastward, on foot and horseback, some with pack-animals or mule-teams, but most of them in vehicles. These were as various in their equipment, quality, and appearance as were the vessels for the ocean trip, from the ponderous 'prairie schooner' of the Santa Fé trader, to the common cart or the light painted wagon of the down-east Yankee. Many were bright with streamers and flaring inscriptions, such as "Ho, for the

Some of the associations were bound by formal contracts, often by an agreement to sustain the partnership in Cal. Instance Journey of the California Association, in Ashley's Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., 271-377. The association was formed at Munroe, Mich., in Feb. 1849, and consisted of ten members, intent on mining and trading. Two persons who remained at home defrayed the expenses with an advance of $5,000 in return for half the prospective gains. The company failed in its plans and separated. Ashley settled at Monterey as a lawyer, and represented the county in the state assembly in 1856-7. In 1859 he was state treasurer, and subsequently moving to Nevada, he twice represented that state in congress; he died at S. F. in 1873. Salinas City Inder, July 24, 1873. Another association is recorded by Cassin, Stat., MS., 1, who left Cincinnati with 40 others; we each paid in $200 to the company's fund.' Further: Pittsburgh and Cal. Enterprise Co. of some 250 members, in Hayes' Scraps, Ariz., v. 29; Miscel. Stat., MS., 17-8; Seneca Co. of Cleveland. Van Dyke's Stat., MS., 1-2. Ithaca Co., in Cal. Pioneers, pt 30, 2-3. The overland express train of 230 men under Capt. French, of 1850, suffered many mishaps and horrors. Alta Cal., Dec. 17, 1850, Mar. 5, 1872; Pac. News, Dec. 26, 1850; S. F. Picayune, Dec. 18, 1850. The Cumberland Co. was a trading association of 50 men, subscribing $500 each. Most of the emigrants, however, combined merely for defence and aid during the journey in a train known by the name of the captain elected to direct it. Instance the parties under Egans, Owens, Alred, Gully, Knapp, H. S. Brown, Latham, Parson, Townsend or Rough and Ready, Lee, Sullenger, Taylor, Staples, Word, Cooper, Barrow, Thorne-Beckwith, Stuart, etc. References in Ashley's Doc. Hist. Cal., MS., 271-377, 395-6; Miscel. Stat., MS., 1 et seq.; Morgan's Trip, MS., 3-14; Kirkpatrick's Journal, MS., 3 et seq.; Brown's Stat., MS, 1-11; S. F. Bulletin, Sept. 18, 1860; Pearson's Recol., MS., 1–2; Nevada and Grass Valley Directory, 1856, 43; Dameron's Autobiog., MS., 19; Placer Times, Aug. 11, 1849, etc.; Grass Valley Rep., Mar. 8, 1872; Staples' Stat., MS., 1-7; Vallejo Indep., June 1-8, 1872; Hayes' Diary, MS., 8-110; Barrow's Twelve Nights, 165-268; U. S. Gov. Doc., 31st cong. 2d sess., Sen. Doc. 19, p. 15.

"The long geared prairie schooner differed from the square-bodied wagons of the north-west, in its peculiar widening from the bottom upward. See description in Hutchings' Mag., iv. 351.

THE PRAIRIE SCHOONER.

145

diggings!" and presented within, beneath the yet clean white canvass cover, a cosey retreat for the family. Heavy conveyances were provided with three yoke of oxen, besides relays of animals for difficult passages; a needful precaution; for California as well as the intermediate country being regarded as a wilderness, the prudent ones had brought ample supplies, some indeed, in excess, to last for two years. Others carried all sorts of merchandise, in the illusive hope of sales at large profits. Consequently such of the men as had not riding animals were compelled to walk, and during the first part of the journey even the women and children could not always find room in the wagons.3 Later, as one article after another was thrown away to lighten the load, regard for the jaded beasts made walking more complusory than ever.

It seemed a pity to drag so many women and their charges from comfortable homes to face the dangers and hardships of such a journey. As for the men, they were as a rule hardy farmers or sturdy young villagers, better fitted as a class for pioneers than the crowd departing by sea; and appearances confirmed the impression in the predominance of hunting and rough backwoods garbs, of canvas jackets or colored woollen shirts, with a large knife and pistols at the belt, a rifle slung to the back, and a lasso at the saddlehorn, the most bristling arsenal being displayed by the mild-mannered and timid. There was ample opportunity to test their quality, even at the rendezvous, for animals were to be broken, wagons repaired and loaded, and drill acquired for the possible savage warfare.

Men, women, and children, even women with infants at their breasts, trudging along on foot.' St Louis Union, May 25, 1849. 'We were nearly all afoot, and there were no seats in the wagons.' Hittell's speech before the pioneers. Many preferred walking to jolting over the prairie.

Indignant at the frequent allusions to Spanish-Californians as half-civilized Indians, Vallejo points to some of the Missourian backwoodsmen as more resembling Indians in habits as well as uncouth appearance. Vallejo, Docs, MS., xxxvi. 287. The western states were almost depopulated by the exodus, says Borthwick, Three Years in Cal., 2-3.

HIST. CAL, VOL. VI. 10

The gathering began early in April, and by the end of the month some 20,000, representing every town and village in the States, were encamped on the frontier, making their final preparations, and waiting until the grass on the plains should be high enough to feed the animals. At the opening of May the grand procession started, and from then till the beginning of June company after company left the frontier, till the trail from the starting-point to Fort Laramie presented one long line of pack-trains and wagons. Along some sections of the road the stream was unbroken for miles, and at night, far as the eye could reach, camp-fires gleamed like the lights of a distant city. "The rich meadows of the Nebraska or Platte," writes Bayard Taylor, "were settled for the time, and a single traveller could have journeyed for 1,000 miles, as certain of his lodging and regular meals as if he were riding through the old agricultural districts of the middle states."

5

For a while there is little to check the happy anticipations formed during the excitement, and sustained by the well-filled larders and a new country; and so, with many an interchange of chat and repartee, between the bellowing and shouting of animals and men, and the snapping of whips, the motley string of pedestrians and horsemen advances by the side of the creaking wagons. Occasionally a wayside spring or brook prolongs the midday halt of the more sober-minded, while others hasten on to fill the gap. Admonished by declining day, the long line breaks into groups, which gather about five o'clock at the spots selected to camp for the night. The wagons roll into a circle, or on a river bank in semicircle, to form a bulwark against a possible foe, and a corral for the animals

5 Thursday, June 8th. Met a man whose train was on ahead, who told us that he had counted 459 teams within nine miles. When we started after dinner there were 150 that appeared to be in one train... Friday, June 23d. Passed the upper Platte ferry. The ferryman told me he had crossed 900 teams, and judged that there were about 1,500 on the road ahead of us. Yet still they come.' Kirkpatrick's Journal, MS., 14, 16.