202 HISTORY OF CALIFORNIA. 



variety, and upon the whole, its beauties and plea 

 sures outnumber the difficulties and annoyances. 



THE OVERLAND ROUTE. 



WE now proceed to give the general character and 

 direction of that which is considered the best land 

 route to California, and which is the most travelled 

 by emigrants. The principal advantage possessed by 

 this route may be stated in a few words. It is the 

 shortest route to the bay of San Francisco and the 

 gold region. The Indians upon the route are friendly 

 and very few acts of hostility have been committed. 

 The trail is plain and good where there are no physical 

 obstructions. To these must be added the certainty 

 of the emigrants reaching their place of destination, 

 in good season ; which will not exist, if new and un 

 explored routes are attempted. The greatest cala 

 mities and sufferings have been endured by those who 

 have either taken an entirely different route, or de 

 viated from the line which we will describe. Advice 

 concerning the time of starting, preparations, &c., 

 will be interspersed in the description. 



The starting point, and the general rendezvous for 

 emigrants, is the town of Independence, Missouri, sit 

 uated about six miles from the Missouri River, on the 

 south side of it. This town has been, for many years, 

 the principal outfitting point for the Santa Fe traders, 

 and contains about two thousand inhabitants. Emi 

 grants should be at the starting place by the 20th of 

 April, and start upon their journey as soon thereafter 

 as the grass will. permit. The outfit of companies of 

 emigrants would be too tedious to mention, and as it 

 varies considerably, from differences of means and 

 taste, a description would hardly be accurate. But 



