Answer the following questions, after reading the three documents BELOW  What motivated settlers to face dangers and hardships to move west? How important were the cattle industry and mining in fueling westward expansion? How do these authors' experiences compare to the experiences of most settlers? Lydia Allen Rudd, Diary of Westward Travel (1852) May 6 1852 Left the Missouri river for our long journey across the wild uncultivated plains and unhabitated except by the red man. As we left the river bottom and ascended the bluffs the view from them was handsome! In front of us as far as vision could reach extended the green hills covered with fine grass. . . . Behind us lay the Missouri with its muddy water hurrying past as if in great haste to reach some destined point ahead all unheeding the impatient emigrants on the opposite shore at the ferrying which arrived faster than they could be conveyed over. About half a miles down the river lay a steamboat stuck fast on a sandbar. Still farther down lay the busy village of St. Joseph looking us a good bye and reminding us that we were leaving all signs of civilised life for the present. But with good courage and not one sigh of regret I mounted my pony (whose name by the way is Samy) and rode slowly on. In going some two miles, the scene changed from bright sunshine to drenching showers of rain this was not quite agreeable for in spite of our good blankets and intentions otherwise we got some wet. The rain detained us so that we have not made but ten miles today. . . . May 7 I found myself this morning with a severe headache from the effects of yesterday's rain. . . . There is a toll bridge across this stream kept by the Indians. The toll for our team in total was six bits. We have had some calls this evening from the Indians. We gave them something to eat and they left. Some of them [had] on no shirt only a blanket, whiles others were ornamented in Indian style with their faces painted in spots and stripes feathers and fur on their heads beeds on their neck brass rings on their wrists and arms and in their ears armed with rifles and spears. May 8 . . . We have come about 12 miles and were obliged to camp in the open prairie without any wood. Mary and myself collected some dry weeds and grass and made a little fire and cooked some meat and the last of our supply of eggs with these and some hard bread with water we made our supper. May 9 . . . We passed a new made grave today . . . a man from Ohio We also met a man that was going back: he had buried his Wife this morning She died from the effects of measels we have come ten miles today encamped on a small stream called Vermillion creek Wood and water plenty Their are as many as fifty waggons on this stream and some thousand head of stock It looks like a village the tents and waggons extend as much as a mile. . . . Some are singing some talking and some laughing and the cattle are adding their mite by shaking their bells and grunt[ing]. Mosquit.

1. Answer the following questions, after reading the three
documents BELOW
What motivated settlers to face dangers and hardships to move
west?
How important were the cattle industry and mining in fueling
westward expansion?
How do these authors' experiences compare to the experiences
of most settlers?
Lydia Allen Rudd, Diary of Westward Travel (1852)
May 6 1852
Left the Missouri river for our long journey across the wild
uncultivated plains and unhabitated except by the red man. As
we left the river bottom and ascended the bluffs the view from
them was handsome! In front of us as far as vision could reach
extended the green hills covered with fine grass. . . . Behind us
lay the Missouri with its muddy water hurrying past as if in
great haste to reach some destined point ahead all unheeding the
impatient emigrants on the opposite shore at the ferrying which
arrived faster than they could be conveyed over. About half a
miles down the river lay a steamboat stuck fast on a sandbar.
Still farther down lay the busy village of St. Joseph looking us a
good bye and reminding us that we were leaving all signs of
civilised life for the present. But with good courage and not one
sigh of regret I mounted my pony (whose name by the way is
Samy) and rode slowly on. In going some two miles, the scene
changed from bright sunshine to drenching showers of rain this
was not quite agreeable for in spite of our good blankets and
intentions otherwise we got some wet. The rain detained us so
that we have not made but ten miles today. . . .
May 7
I found myself this morning with a severe headache from the
effects of yesterday's rain. . . .
There is a toll bridge across this stream kept by the Indians. The
toll for our team in total was six bits. We have had some calls

2. this evening from the Indians. We gave them something to eat
and they left. Some of them [had] on no shirt only a blanket,
whiles others were ornamented in Indian style with their faces
painted in spots and stripes feathers and fur on their heads
beeds on their neck brass rings on their wrists and arms and in
their ears armed with rifles and spears.
May 8
. . . We have come about 12 miles and were obliged to camp in
the open prairie without any wood. Mary and myself collected
some dry weeds and grass and made a little fire and cooked
some meat and the last of our supply of eggs with these and
some hard bread with water we made our supper.
May 9
. . . We passed a new made grave today . . . a man from Ohio
We also met a man that was going back: he had buried his Wife
this morning She died from the effects of measels we have come
ten miles today encamped on a small stream called Vermillion
creek Wood and water plenty Their are as many as fifty
waggons on this stream and some thousand head of stock It
looks like a village the tents and waggons extend as much as a
mile. . . .
Some are singing some talking and some laughing and the cattle
are adding their mite by shaking their bells and grunt[ing].
Mosquitoes are intruding their unwelcome presence. Harry says
that I must not sit here any longer writing but go to bed for I
will not want to get up early in the morning to get breakfast.
May 10
I got up this morning and got breakfast and before sunrise we
had eat in spite of Harry's prophecies to the contrary. . . .
May 11
We had a very heavy fog this morning which cleared up about
noon. Our men are not any of them very well this morning. We
passed another grave to day which was made this morning. The
board stated that he died of cholera. He was from Indiana. We
met several that had taken the back track for the states homesick
I presume let them go. We have passed through a handsome

3. country and have encamped on the Nimehaw river, the most
beautiful spot that ever I saw in my life. I would like to live
here. As far as the eye can reach either way lay handsome
rolling prairies, not a stone a tree nor a bush even nothing but
grass and flowers meets the eye until you reach the valley of the
river which is as level as the house floor and about half a mile
wide, where on the bank of the stream for two or three rods
wide is one of the heaviest belts of timber I ever saw covered
with thick foliage so thick that you could not get a glimpse of
the stream through it. You can see this belt of timber for three
or four miles from the hills on both sides winding through the
prairie like some huge snake. We have traveled twelve miles. . .
.
May 12
. . . Our men not much better.
May 13
. . . Henry has been no better to day. Soon after we stopped to
night a man came along with a wheel barrow going to
California: he is a dutchmann. He wheels his provisions and
clothing all day and then stops where night overtakes him sleeps
on the ground in the open air. He eats raw meat and bread for
his supper. I think that he will get tired wheeling his way
through the world by the time he gets to California.
May 14
Just after we started this morning we passed four men dig[g]ing
a grave. They were packers. The man that had died was taken
sick yesterday noon and died last night. They called it cholera
morbus. The corpse lay on the ground a few feet from where
they were dig[g]ing. The grave it was a sad sight. . . .
On the bank of the stream waiting to cross, stood a dray with
five men harnessed to it bound for California. They must be
some of the persevering kind I think. Wanting to go to
California more than I do. . . . We passed three more graves this
afternoon. . . .
Sept. 5
Traveled eighteen miles today encamped on a slough of powder

4. river poor camp not much grass water nor wood. I am almost
dead tonight. I have been sick two or three days with the bowel
complaint and am much worse tonight.
Sept. 6
We have not been able to leave this miserable place today. I am
not as well as yesterday and no physician to be had. We got a
little medicine from a train tonight that has checked the disease
some, the first thing that has done me any good.
Sept. 7
. . . I am some better today so much so that they ventured to
move me this for the sake of a better camp. Mrs. Girtman is also
sick with the same disease. Our cattle are most all of them
ailing--there are two more that we expect will die every day. . .
.
Oct. 8
started early this morning without any breakfast for the very
good reason that we had nothing to eat still three miles from the
falls safely landed about eight o'clock tired hungry and with a
severe cold from last nights exposure something like
civilization here in the shape of three or four houses there is an
excuse here for a railroad of a mile and half on which to convey
bag[g]age below the falls where they can again take water for
the steamboat landing. Harry packed our bag[g]age down the
railroad and the rest of us walked the car is drawn across the
railroad by a mule and they will car[r]y no persons but sick. We
again hired an Indian with his canoe to take us from the falls to
the steamboat landing ar[r]ived about sundown a great many
emigrants waiting for a chance to leave the steamboat and
several flat boats lying ready to start out in the morning
encamped on the shore for the night.
October 9-October 13
. . .
October 14
. . . I am so anxious to get some place to stop and settle that my
patience is not worth much.
October 15-18

5. . . .
October 19
. . . We have had a very bad day today for traveling it has rained
nearly all the time and it has rained very hard some of the time
and we have had a miserable road the rain has made the hills
very slippery and had to get up and down we have made but
eleven miles of travel encamped on the prairie no water for our
stock and not much for ourselves.
October 21
. . .
October 22
. . . Traveled three miles this morning and reached the village of
Salem it is quite a pretty town a much handsomer place than
Oregon City and larger. . . .
I am afraid that we shall be obliged to pack from here the rest
of our journey and it will be a wet job another wet rainy day I
am afraid that the rain will make us all sick. I am already begin
to feel the affects of it by a bad cold.
October 23
. . . We cannot get any wagon to take us on our journey and are
obliged to pack the rest of the way Mr. Clark and wife have
found a house to live in and employment for the winter and they
will stop here in Salem It took us until nearly noon to get our
packs fixed for packing went about two miles and it rained so
fast that we were obliged to stop got our dinner and supper in
one meal cooked in a small cabin ignorant people but kind
started again just
October 24-25
. . .
October 26
. . . we reached Burlington about two o'clock. There is one store
one blacksmith shop and three or four dwelling houses. We
encamped close by found Mr. Donals in his store an old
acquaintance of my husband's. I do not know what we shall yet
conclude on doing for the winter. There is no house in town that
we can get to winter in. We shall probably stay here tomorrow

6. and by the time know what we are to do for a while at least.
October 27
. . . Our men have been looking around for a house and
employment and have been successful for which I feel very
thankful. Harry has gone into copartnership with Mr. Donals in
the mercantile business and we are to live in the back part of the
store for this winter. Henry and Mary are going into Mr. D---
house on his farm for the winter one mile from here. Mr. D---
will also find him employment if he wants. I expect that we
shall not make a claim after all our trouble in getting here on
purpose for one. I shall have to be poor and dependent on a man
my life time.
Joseph G. McCoy, Historic Sketches of the Cattle Trade of the
West and Southwest (1874)
We left the herd fairly started upon the trail for the northern
market. Of these trails there are several: one leading to Baxter
Springs and Chetopa; another called the "Old Shawnee trail,"
leaving Red river and running eastward, crossing the Arkansas
not far above Fort Gibson, thence bending westward up the
Arkansas river. But the principal trail now traveled is more
direct and is known as "Chisholm trail," so named from a
semicivilized Indian who is said to have traveled it first. It is
more direct, has more prairie, less timber, more small streams
and less large ones, and altogether better grass and fewer flies
(no civilized Indian tax or wild Indian disturbances) than any
other route yet driven over, and is also much shorter in distance
because direct from Red river to Kansas. Twenty-five to thirty-
five days is the usual time required to bring a drove from Red
river to the southern line of Kansas, a distance of between two
hundred and fifty and three hundred miles, and an excellent
country to drive over. So many cattle have been driven over the
trail in the last few years that a broad highway is tread out,
looking much like a national highway; so plain, a fool could not
fail to keep in it. . . .
Few occupations are more cheerful, lively, and pleasant than

7. that of the cowboy on a fine day or night; but when the storm
comes, then is his manhood and often his skill and bravery put
to test. When the night is inky dark and the lurid lightning
flashes its zigzag course athwart the heavens, and the coarse
thunder jars the earth, the winds moan fresh and lively over the
prairie, the electric balls dance from tip to tip of the cattle's
horns--then the position of the cowboy on duty is trying, far
more than romantic. When the storm breaks over his head, the
least occurrence unusual, such as the breaking of a dry weed or
stick, or a sudden and near flash of lightning, will start the herd
as if by magic, all at an instant, upon a wild rush, and woe to
the horse or man or camp that may be in their path. The only
possible show for safety is to mount and ride with them until
you can get outside the stampeding column. It is customary to
train cattle to listen to the noise of the herder, who sings in a
voice more sonorous than musical a lullaby consisting of a few
short monosyllables. A stranger to the business of stock driving
will scarce credit the statement that the wildest herd will not
run, so long as they can hear distinctly the voice of the herder
above the din of the storm.
But if by any mishap the herd gets off on a real stampede, it is
by bold, dashing, reckless riding in the darkest of nights, and by
adroit, skillful management that it is checked and brought under
control. The moment the herd is off, the cowboy turns his horse
at full speed down the retreating column and seeks to get up
beside the leaders, which he does not attempt to stop suddenly,
for such an effort would be futile, but turns them to the left or
right hand and gradually curves them into a circle, the
circumference of which is narrowed down as fast as possible
until the whole herd is rushing wildly round and round on as
small a piece of ground as possible for them to occupy. Then
the cowboy begins his lullaby note in a loud voice, which has a
great effect in quieting the herd. When all is still and the herd
well over its scare, they are returned to their bed ground, or
held where stopped until daylight. . . .
After a drive of twenty-five to one hundred days the herd

8. arrives in western Kansas, whither, in advance, its owner has
come, and decided what point at which he will make his
headquarters. Straightway a good herding place is sought out,
and the herd, upon its arrival, placed thereon, to remain until a
buyer is found, who is dilligently sought after; but if not found
as soon as the cattle are fat, they are shipped to market. But the
drover has a decided preference for selling on the prairie, for
there he feels at home and self-possessed; but when he goes on
the cars he is out of his element and doing something he doesn't
understand much about and doesn't wish to learn, especially at
the price it has cost many cattle shippers. . . .
We have in a former paper said that Texan drovers, as a class,
were clannish, and easily gulled by promises of high prices for
their stock. As an illustration of these statements we cite a
certain secret meeting of the drovers held at one of the camps in
1867, whereat they all, after talking the matter over, pledged
themselves to hold their cattle for 3 cents per pound gross and
to sell none for less. One of the principal arguments used was
that their cattle must be worth that price or those Illinoisans
would not be expending so much money and labor in preparing
facilities for shipping them. To this resolution they adhered
persistently, refusing $2.75 per 100 pounds for fully 10,000
head; and afterwards, failing to get their 3 cents on the prairie
for their cattle, shipped them to Chicago on their own account
and sold them there at $2.25 to $2.50 per 100 pounds; and out
of that paid a freight of $150 per car, realizing from $10 to $15
per head less than they had haughtily refused upon the prairie.
Some of them refused to accept these prices and packed their
cattle upon their own account. Their disappointment and chagrin
at their failure to force a buyer to pay 3 cents per pound for
their cattle was great and bitter, but their refusal to accept the
offer of 23/4 cents per pound was great good fortune to the
would-be buyers, for at that price $100,000 would have been
lost on 10,000 head of cattle. An attempt was made the
following year to form a combination to put up prices; but a
burnt child dreads the fire, and the attempted combination

9. failed, and every drover looked out sharply for himself.
Now one instance touching their susceptibility to being gulled
by fine promises. In the fall of 1867, when Texan cattle were
selling at from $24 to $28 per head in Chicago, a well-dressed,
smooth-tongued individual put in an appearance at Abilene and
claimed to be the representative of a certain (bogus) packing
company of Chicago, and was desirous of purchasing several
thousand head of cattle. He would pay Chicago prices at
Abilene or, rather than be particular, $5 or $10 per head more
than the same cattle would sell for in Chicago. It was
astonishing to see how eagerly certain drovers fell into his trap
and bargained their cattle off to him at $35 per head at Abilene,
fully $15 more than they would pay out. But, mark you, the
buyer, so "childlike and bland," could only pay the little sum of
$25 down on 400 to 800 head, but would pay the balance when
he got to Leavenworth with the cattle, he being afraid to bring
his wealth up in that wild country. In the meantime they would
load the cattle on the cars, bill them in the name of the buyer,
and of course everything would be all right. Strange as it may
appear, several of the hitherto most suspicious drovers of 1867
fell in with this swindler's scheme; and were actually about to
let him ship their herds off on a mere verbal promise, when the
parties in charge of the yards, seeing that the drovers were
about to be defrauded out of their stock, posted them to have the
cattle billed in their own name, and then, if the pay was not
forthcoming, they would have possession of their own stock
without troublesome litigation, as every man of sense
anticipated they would have. When the swindler, after various
excuses for his failures to pay at Leavenworth, Quincy, and
Chicago (all the while trying to get the cattle into his own
hands) found that he must come down with the cash, he very
plainly told the Texan to go to Hades with his cattle. Instead of
obeying this warm parting injunction of his newfound, high-
priced buyer, he turned his cattle over to a regular commission
man and received about $26 per head at Chicago less freight
charges, or almost $18 per head at Abilene instead of $35 per

10. head.
Edward Gould Buffum, Six Months in the Gold Mines (1850)
A scene occurred about this time that exhibits in a striking
light, the summary manner in which "justice" is dispensed in a
community where there are no legal tribunals. We received a
report on the afternoon of January 20th, that five men had been
arrested at the dry diggings, and were under trial for a robbery.
The circumstances were these:--A Mexican gambler, named
Lopez, having in his possession a large amount of money,
retired to his room at night, and was surprised about midnight
by five men rushing into his apartment, one of whom applied a
pistol to his head, while the others barred the door and
proceeded to rifle his trunk. An alarm being given, some of the
citizens rushed in, and arrested the whole party. Next day they
were tried by a jury chosen from among the citizens, and
sentenced to receive thirty-nine lashes each, on the following
morning. Never having witnessed a punishment inflicted by
Lynch-law, I went over to the dry diggings on a clear Sunday
morning, and on my arrival, found a large crowd collected
around an oak tree, to which was lashed a man with a bared
back, while another was applying a raw cowhide to his already
gored flesh. A guard of a dozen men, with loaded rifles pointed
at the prisoners, stood ready to fire in case of an attempt being
made to escape. After the whole had been flogged, some fresh
charges were preferred against three of the men--two
Frenchmen, named Garcia and Bissi, and a Chileno, named
Manuel. These were charged with a robbery and attempt to
murder, on the Stanislaus River, during the previous fall. The
unhappy men were removed to a neighbouring house, and being
so weak from their punishment as to be unable to stand, were
laid stretched upon the floor. As it was not possible for them to
attend, they were tried in the open air, in their absence, by a
crowd of some two hundred men, who had organized themselves
into a jury, and appointed a
pro tempore

11. judge. The charges against them were well substantiated, but
amounted to nothing more than an attempt at robbery and
murder; no overt act being even alleged. They were known to be
bad men, however, and a general sentiment seemed to prevail in
the crowd that they ought to be got rid of. At the close of the
trial, which lasted some thirty minutes, the Judge put to vote the
question whether they had been proved guilty. A universal
affirmative was the response; and then the question "What
punishment shall be inflicted?" was asked. A brutal-looking
fellow in the crowd, cried out, "Hang them." The proposition
was seconded, and met with almost universal approbation. I
mounted a stump, and in the name of God, humanity, and law,
protested against such a course of proceeding; but the crowd, by
this time excited by frequent and deep potations of liquor from
a neighbouring groggery, would listen to nothing contrary to
their brutal desires, and even threatened to hang me if I did not
immediately desist from any further remarks. Somewhat fearful
that such might be my fate, and seeing the utter uselessness of
further argument with them, I ceased, and prepared to witness
the horrible tragedy. Thirty minutes only were allowed the
unhappy victims to prepare themselves to enter on the scenes of
eternity. Three ropes were procured, and attached to the limb of
a tree. The prisoners were marched out, placed upon a wagon,
and the ropes put round their necks. No time was given them for
explanation. They vainly tried to speak, but none of them
understanding English, there were obliged to employ their
native tongues, which but few of those assembled understood.
Vainly they called for an interpreter, for their cries were
drowned by the yells of a now infuriated mob. A black
handkerchief was bound around the eyes of each; their arms
were pinioned, and at a given signal, without priest or prayer-
book, the wagon was drawn from under them, and they were
launched into eternity. Their graves were dug ready to receive
them, and when life was entirely extinct, they were cut down
and buried in their blankets. This was the first execution I ever
witnessed.--God grant that it may be the last!