Traveling West
One
fine morning in February, 1835, in the city of Independence,
Missouri, a family was walking down the street. The parents, Henry
and Gloria Harrison, looked rather worried. Their two girls, Anna and
Maria Harrison, were happily playing with each other. “I really do
not like how crowded it is here, Gloria. I want to move out West. I
hear that there is plenty of land, as well as plenty of animals to
hunt.” “But Henry, I do not want to move out there with the wild
animals.” The family walked home, the parents still discussing the
possibility of moving west.
About
a week later, the family again went to town, this time to stock up on
the things necessary for the move west. They bought a new wagon to
replace the old one that they had. They also bought many oxen to pull
it. After transferring the belongings that they would take with them
to the new wagon, they began buying more supplies. Flour, salt, dried
fruit and vegetables, salted meat, ammunition, gunpowder, and tools
all were purchased and placed in the wagon. The girls no longer
looked happy, but were now sad and scared. They had to leave all of
their favorite toys behind, as well as their furniture and their pet
cats.
Early
the next morning, they left town to join a wagon train at the next
town. Their wagon was filled to the brim, leaving no room for the
family to ride. The road was hard dirt, which did not easily send
dirt flying. However, the sun was hot, and they all became thirsty.
It was late in the afternoon by the time they pulled into the area
where the wagon train had camped for the night. Finding a spot in the
circle, they set up the tents and went to sleep. The girls and their
mother were dreaming of the home they had left behind, and their
father was dreaming happily about the home they were traveling to.
After
about two weeks of traveling, the roads became dirt trails. The
wagons kicked up huge clouds of loose dirt, which made the people
start coughing. The wagons only carried a small amount of water,
which was carefully saved and given to the people who needed it the
most. The train only traveled about twenty miles a day, sometimes
twenty-five.
Great
was the joy of everyone when the fort came in sight! The leaders of
the wagon train planned a week-long stay, giving everyone enough time
to rest and restock on supplies. The Harrisons wandered around the
fort, purchasing some supplies for the remainder of the journey. They
also finally got to eat some fresh food again, which was a welcome
change from the dried and salted foods they had been eating. There
was also plenty of fresh water, which people used to refill the water
barrels on the wagons.
Once
the week was over, the wagon train set out again, refreshed by the
stop. Everything settled back into the dreary pattern of walking and
sleeping, occasionally broken by a hunting party or stopping to
gather vegetables along the road. Everyone was becoming tired of
traveling, and a few people began debating turning back.
In
October, the wagon train reached the mountains. As they were crossing
the trail between the mountains, Anna and Maria were able to look up
and see all the snow on the peaks. It was beautiful, and the girls
wanted to stop and try to climb to it, but the wagon train needed to
continue as fast as possible in order to finish the journey before
the snow came down.
Finally,
the wagon train reached the Oregon Territory! Everyone was extremely
excited about having made it. After walking around the small town,
which was where the wagon train had stopped, the Harrisons went to
the small government office and purchased three hundred acres of
land. They drove out to it and set up the tents, then wandered around
the property near the wagon. They were quite happy to have their own
land at last, and not be crowded by neighbors.
Within
a week, they had built a little cabin and some furniture and were
beginning to settle in. They would have to work hard to earn a living
out there, and there were no stores where they could buy what they
needed, but they were all content with where they were.
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