Introduction 13 



human document. Not only does it reflect the 

 energy and strength of character of the author but 

 the glimpse it gives of the constancy of the greater 

 part of his companions and of man's humanity to 

 man under the most trying circumstances strength- 

 ens faith in the essential soundness of human 

 nature. 



The Californian discovery was made in January 

 of 1848. Wildly exaggerated rumors of what had 

 been found reached the Eastern states by the mid- 

 dle of the following September. Official reports 

 were received in Washington in time for mention 

 in the President's annual message of December 5. 

 The rush to California had already begun. As the 

 continent could not be crossed in the winter, the 

 earliest to start went by water. Large numbers 

 embarked upon the long and dreary voyage around 

 the Horn or rushed to Panama and Nicaragua to 

 take ship from the Pacific seaports. As the spring 

 opened, crowds collected at Independence, Mis- 

 souri, ready to begin the overland journey in May, 

 which was as early as it was safe to start. There 

 were two overland routes from this point. The 

 northern one followed the Oregon Trail to Fort 

 Hall and from there crossed by way of the Hum- 

 boldt River and over the Sierra Nevadas to Cali- 

 fornia. The southern route followed the Santa 

 Fe Trail to Santa Fe, where the emigrants divided, 

 a part taking the "Old Spanish Trail" to the north 



