OVERLAND BY COVERED WAGON

The alternative to sailing around The Horn was to travel overland by covered wagon to the goldfields.

THE JOURNEY

In fact, nearly three-quarters of the gold seekers did come that way - usually because they lived in the interior states and territories and, many being farmers, they already had a lot of the equipment they would need.

So they packed up a canvas-covered wagon - known as the "prairie schooner" in deference to its vague resemblance to a white-sailed ship - with all the supplies they could imagine they might possibly need, hitched up the 4 to 6 mules or oxen they would need to pull the wagon, and headed for California, little realizing the hardships they were letting themselves in for.

Most would walk nearly the entire 2000 miles of the overland route because their wagons had absolutely no suspension and to ride was to have your teeth, bones, and buttocks rattled and bruised to an unbelievable degree.

They would form companies to pool their money and their resources, usually starting out from Independence or St. Joseph, Missouri in May (so as to be able to get across the mountains in California or Oregon before the winter snows), and set out on a trip that would take 4 to 6 months and would traverse half the continent.

The first part of the trip must have seemed idyllic with its endless plains of tall grasses for feeding the livestock, and its ample water sources. But there were swollen rivers to cross, arid deserts, diseases such as cholera and scurvy, and two monstrously challenging mountain ranges - the Rocky Mountains and, depending on the route they took, either the Sierra Nevadas or the Cascades - before they could reach California's goldfields!

And, unlike those who set sail for California, these 49ers had no experienced ships' captains to help them navigate the hazards, nor did they have reliable maps or even directions. Many paid the highest price and died along the way.

But once they did reach California, they had to restock their supplies, check on the latest goldfield news, and decide where to go next. Where to go for all of the above? Sacramento City and Sutter's Fort!

If you're interested in how the 49ers got to California, check here:

For what they did once they arrived, try these pages:

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