EMIGRANTS TO CALIFORNIA. 15 



ugeurs, who had spent the best part of their lives among the wilds 

 of the Rocky Mountains, and to whom this manner of life had 

 become endeared by old associations. We followed the "emigra- 

 tion road," (already broad and well beaten as any turnpike in our 

 country,) over a rolling prairie, fringed on the south with trees. 

 The hills consisted principally of carboniferous limestone, in ap- 

 parently horizontal strata, which in places formed quite prominent 

 escarpments. Our first day's journey was only of six miles ; but 

 we were now fairly embarked, and things gradually assumed the 

 appearance of order and regularity. 



Although the route taken by the party has been travelled by 

 thousands of people, both before and since we passed over it, I 

 have thought that some brief extracts from the daily journals of 

 the expedition might not be without interest ; for, although nothing 

 very new may perhaps be elicited, still it is not improbable that 

 they will convey, to such as peruse them, a more correct idea of 

 what the thousands have had to encounter who have braved this 

 long journey in search either of a new home in Oregon, or of that 

 more alluring object — the glittering treasure of California. 



Friday, June 1. — Bar. at sunrise, 20.86; Ther. 63°. The 

 road for the first few miles wound along the fence of what ap- 

 peared to be a large, neglected Indian farm, following for about 

 nine miles the dividing ridge between the waters of the Missouri 

 and those of the Kansas, with deep ravines inclining to the north- 

 east. The ridge terminated in a steep hill, at the bottom of which 

 we found Walnut Creek, running to the south. By an escarp- 

 ment on the west side, the rock was found to be of the same 

 character as that passed over yesterday. At 3 J o'clock, we de- 

 scended by a steep and somewhat dangerous road, to the valley of 

 a small and beautiful stream running north, upon the left bank of 

 which we encamped, near the edge of a wood, fringing the stream, 

 in which black-walnut, white-oak, and hickory predominated. A 

 short distance from the camp, to the north, are high limestone 

 blufis, without trees. 



In the course of the afternoon we passed the travelling-train of 

 a Mr. Allen, consisting of about twenty-five ox-teams, bound for 

 the land of gold. They had been on the spot several days, de- 

 tained by sickness. One of the party had died but the day be- 

 fore of cholera, and two more were then down with the same 

 disease. In the morning early, we had met four men from the 

 same camp, returning on foot, with their efiects on their backs, 



