his neighbors in line.

Among the pleasant acquaintances made that day, was Mr. J.Q. Thornton,
a young attorney from Quincy, Illinois, who, with his invalid wife, was
emigrating to Oregon. He informed us that himself and wife and
ex-Governor Boggs and family, of Missouri, were hourly expecting
Alphonso Boone, grandson of Daniel Boone; and that as soon as Boone and
his family should arrive from Kentucky, they would all hasten on to
join Colonel Russell's California company, which was already on the
way, but had promised to await them somewhere on the Kansas River.

It was then believed that at least seven thousand emigrant wagons would
go West, through Independence, that season. Obviously the journey
should be made while pasturage and water continued plentiful along the
route. Our little party at once determined to overtake Colonel Russell
and apply for admission to his train, and for that purpose we resumed
travel early on the morning of May twelfth.

As we drove up Main Street, delayed emigrants waved us a light-hearted
good-bye, and as we approached the building of the American Tract
Society, its agent came to our wagons and put into the hand of each
child a New Testament, and gave to each adult a Bible, and also tracts
to distribute among the heathen in the benighted land to which we were
going. Near the outskirts of town we parted from William Donner, took a
last look at Independence, turned our backs to the morning sun, and
became pioneers indeed to the Far West.

[Illustration: THE CAMP ATTACKED BY INDIANS]

[Illustration: OUR STEALTHY FOES]

CHAPTER II

IN THE TERRITORY OF KANSAS--PRAIRIE SCHOONERS FROM SANTA FE TO
INDEPENDENCE, MO.--LIFE _en route_--THE BIG BLUE--CAMP GOVERNMENT--THE
_Blue Rover_.

During our first few days in the Territory of Kansas we passed over
good roads, and through fields of May blossoms musical with the hum of
bees and the songs of birds. Some of the party rode horseback; others
walked in advance of the train; but each father drove his own family
team. We little folk sat in the wagons with our dolls, watching the
huge white-covered "prairie schooners" coming from Santa Fe to
Independence for merchandise. We could hear them from afar, for the
great wagons were drawn by four or five span of travel-worn horses or
mules, and above the hames of each poor beast was an arch hung with
from three to five clear-toned bells, that jingled merrily as their
carriers moved along, g