My Oregon Trail Journey
By: Davey Pines
Day one: April 25, 1854
Dear Diary,
I am Davey Pines. I am a blacksmith from Philadelphia with five kids and my beautiful wife, Jamie Pines. I decided to take all the money i could conjure up which is $400. Our upbeat wagon group have set fourth to try to find better land and a new life. Hopefully we will prosper and have great fortune in this new land. We have set out on our wagons and said good bye to our humble home. Leaving many possessions behind left us in gloom and mournfulness all through the first day. My children are trying to settle in their new "moving" home, but its kind of hard to play cards when your on a bumpy old road. Sleeping is the main problem. Oh my! Sleeping on a lumpy wagon while it's traveling on a bumpy road is horrid. But other than that, good feelings are being sent around on the first and second day from all the wagons. We are all dreaming up what our new life will be like once we reach our destination.On the third day aboard our journey we have reached the Missouri River. We must cross the river and our wagon leader choses a tranquil spot to cross. An indian running a ferry is at the shore offering us a ride across the river for $25. I decided to take the ferry so none of my possessions are lost and my family doesn't get hurt. Once back on the road for a few more miles, our wagon leader decides that we should hunt if we want to. I decide to not hunt and keep my ammunition for hunting farther along the trip. Wow, how the days have past! Our wagon has been on the Oregon trail for 3 weeks. Around lunch time we stop the wagons, circle up, and have a nice, relaxing lunch. After lunch we hit the road and one member from our wagon group gets injured because their horse gets spooked and steps on their leg. Their leg is broken. Their family wraps the broken leg and we hit the road again. A few hours while we're on the road a chief approaches us with a challenge. Our wagon leader takes on the challenge but fails to the succeed. This makes us stay behind a few hours. This makes all of us antsy on when we will leave again.
1 month into the trip
It's morning and we have a bright and shine rising. The wagon leader has us get our wagons in a strsight line and start moving on the trail. To pass the time the kids play games and tell stories. I just heard a holler! Let me check to see what it is about. Well, We have reached a fork in the trail. We can either take the long path or the short path. We choose the short path called Cheyenne Crossing. That was such a big decision and it took forever to conclude on which trail to take. The Cheyenne path to so dry and bumpy. I can't see green or water for miles. I feel bad for all our oxen because the sun is really beating down on their faces. I ask our wagon leader about taking rest for the night. He said yes! Finally some sleep. Night journal!
2 months has passed
Wow journal, it has been several weeks since we talked! The days have been passing by slower and slower. The kids are running out of things to do and things to draw on. The famlies are getting impatient with the speed we are making along the trail. Rumor has it that many wagon groups are making it safely to Oregon without a hassle. Everybody is happy to hear this news. But, then again, rumors are just rumors and they're probably not true. Whoa! We are taking a rest for a nice and peaceful lunch. Probably just dried foods again because that seems to be all that we eat. Oh man! I just heard a scream. One member in our wagon group just got bit by a scorpion. Oh shoot. Luckily we have a nurse in our group and she fixes it all up. Our wagon leader just yelled at us to pack up and get the move on the road again. After four hours on the trail our wagon leader has us stop for hunting. Once again, I pass on the hunting because I don't seem to have enough room in my wagon with all the junk in it. Man, who knew that a family of 6 could have so many things. At least my parents decided not to come with us. Man, it's almost night time. Wait, I see them. I hunting group has finally come back and with a bunch animals. Once they have prepared all the meat so it won't go bad, the wagon leader has us pack up and get the move on the road. Ahhhhhhhhhh. oh slimy silver toads! Indians have been chasing us for many miles now. We just can't seem to outrun them. The wagon leader decides that it would be best for us to stop and fight our ground. I totally disagree with this choice! There is at least 30 indians with many weapons ready to attack us at any moment.
This is going to be the 4th month on the trail
Oh man. We need help and we need help fast! One members wagon has just fallen and it's delaying us by 2 hours. I understand we can't leave her but, I need to get to the new land. I'm done traveling in a wagon along a bumpy road. Word has come around that the disease collar is spreading and spreading fast. I have just used a huge chunk of water to give the kids some water to wash their hands with. I do not need one of my children getting a strange disease. The wagon leader has just given his last spare wagon wheel to the one member wagon that fell over. Finally, we can set aboard the trail and finish this trip strong. It has been five hours along the trail and I can almost feel the feeling of accomplishment. Are you kidding me? There is stuff blocking the path that is making us turn around. The wagon leaders decided to take the Massacre path like most other wagons are doing. Hopefully it will bring us luck!
These are my last words. The path is being snowed in and there is no getting out. We have resulted to eating our own kind. I am ashamed to say we are doing this. It is a major sin and I highly disapprove. God help us.