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Day
1:
We left our house today in Independence, Missouri. We set off at 7.00
o'clock in the morning on April 15th, 1850 and it'll probably take us five
months to get to Oregon City all going well. I hope to arrive before my
birthday on September 16th, so I have a fresh start on my birthday, in a
new city. My father Jim, mama, Maggie, big brother John who is 15, my little
brother Billy who is 8 and myself are all anxious to go. It was father's
idea to leave Independence, he and his friend Danny wanted to dig for gold
and make a fortune of it. Danny and his family are travelling with us in their own wagon. His wife
Suzy their son Jack who is 4 and their daughter Rosie who is 14 are going
to be right behind us on the journey. Father is the leader because he is
the oldest and the wisest.
Father made the best wagon in town, it is big enough to hold six people
in it and everything about it is perfect. It is quite nice inside, but
when it rains heavily the wood gets damp. Our wagon is nicer than Danny's,
but I don't say anything about it. Father bought five oxen to help us
pull the wagon on our journey - they costs us $40 dollars each, but we have
been saving for a while now so we got them no bother. I have given the
oxen names - they are Joey, Bulky, Sheriff, George and Daisy. Also we
bought iron shoes to wear on their feet to protect them. We have brought
two tents with us. They aren't big, but they'll do. Mama packed lots of
food with us like flour, wheat and salt pork and lots of jugs of water,
she said we are going to get more food when we arrive at Fort Laramie. The weather is nice and sunny today, so here's hoping it stays like
this. I can see a few wagons in front of us. The trail looks easy so far,
but father says "wait till we get to Rocky Mountains they will be
very hard to cross." I'm going to stop writing now because Billy
keeps on talking to me! April 16th, Day 2: We have been travelling for one day now and we are all still enthusiastic about the journey. We all slept in the wagon last night, so did Danny and his family because father said we had to get off to a flying start. We are going to have a long rest tonight to make up for last night. A few wagons have passed us, but that's nothing to worry about. Father knew one of the families who passed, they stopped and we started talking to them. Barry (my father's friend) seemed really nice. In the end we ended up swapping goods. We gave them an oxen - it was George who had to go, but I wish John went instead. (only joking!) and we got $62 dollars for him. Tonight will be our first night staying out in the tents.
April
24th, Day 8: It is now 10.00am and we have not even travelled
quarter of a mile yet today because our wagon broke down. I felt us go
over a bump and it didn't sound too healthy, we suddenly stopped and
jumped out of the wagon and there was the Hounds broken. Glad Danny has a
toolbox with him unless we would have had to postpone the journey and go
straight home (boo!). We all helped repair the wagon, but Danny and John
done the most work. We were back on the trail again two hours later. I get
on really well with Rosie, she is probably my best friend. Danny and his
family feel like family to us. Himself and Suzy are like my uncle and
auntie and Rosie and Jack are like brother and sister. Well I've got to go
now and help mama make dinner. |
