hardship and peril.

The earlier emigrants, gold-hunters, men only--men of such stuff as
pioneers usually are made of--carried visions of picking up fortunes
in the California gold mines and soon returning to their former
haunts. But those who were going now felt that they were burning all
bridges behind them; that all they had was with them, and they were
going to stay.

Formerly we had heard that California was good only for its gold
mines; that it was a country of rocks, crags and deserts; where it
rained ceaselessly during half of the year and not at all in the other
half.[1] But later we had been told that in the valleys there was land
on which crops of wheat could be grown, and that cattle raising was
good, on the broad acres of wild oats everywhere in the "cow
counties." It was told us also that there were strips of redwood
forest along the coast, and these trees, a hundred to several hundred
feet in height, could be split into boards ten to twenty feet long,
for building purposes; and that this material was to be had by anybody
for the taking. Some said that the Spanish padres, at their missions
in several localities near the Pacific shore, had planted small
vineyards of what had come to be known as the "Mission" grape, which
produced enormous crops. Another report told us that other fruits,
including the orange and lemon varieties, so far as tried, gave
promise of being valuable products of the valley and foothill soils.
Such stories gave rise to a malady called "California fever." It was
contagious, and carried off many people.

Our first camp was on the open prairie, where grass grew about four
inches high, and a small spring furnished an ample supply of water.
Firewood we had brought with us for that night. The weather was very
fine, and all were joyous at the novelty of "camping out."

On or about the eighth day we came to the Platte River; broad, muddy
stream, at some points a mile or more in width; shallow, but running
rapidly, between low banks; its many small islands wholly covered by
growths of cottonwood trees and small willows. From these islands we
obtained from time to time the fuel needed for the camp, as we took
our course along the river's southerly shore; and occasionally added
to the contents of the "grub" wagon by capturing an elk or deer that
had sought covert in the cool shade of these island groves. Antelope
also were there, but too wary for our huntsmen.

[Illustration: "Fording th