14 Audubon's Western Journal 



and a part General Kearny's route along the Gila 

 on the south. While some of the emigrants went 

 as individuals, by far the larger number went in 

 companies. Stock was subscribed to meet 

 expenses, often by men who did not go in person, 

 and the companies were organized for mutual assis- 

 tance and defense. The company which Mr. 

 Audubon joined was financed by his friends, the 

 Kingslands, and was to be led by Col. Henry L. 

 Webb. Colonel Webb, a New Yorker by birth, 

 had joined the volunteers from Illinois at the out- 

 break of the Mexican war, and later had been pro- 

 moted to the command of a regiment. Having 

 served in Mexico, he knew something of the coun- 

 try. Partly for this reason but chiefly no doubt 

 in order to get an earlier start, the company was 

 to take the Mexican route. The wisdom of the 

 choice might have been vindicated but for the loss 

 of life and the delay caused by the cholera. This 

 scourge was not, however, confined to the southern 

 routes. Carried up by the river boats to Indepen- 

 dence, it attacked the emigrants before leaving on 

 their journey and, pursuing them to the mountains, 

 lined the roads across the plains with newly made 

 graves. 



Leaving New York, February 8, 1849, with 

 about eighty men and a capital of $27,000, Mr. 

 Audubon proceeded by water to Philadelphia and 

 Baltimore, took the railroad to Cumberland and 



