Farnham's Travels in the Great Western Prairies, etc., part 1, May 21-October 16, 1839

A travel narrative recounts a party led by a young lawyer from Illinois as they attempt to reach the Columbia River, choosing an arduous southern route that provokes thirst, hunger, desertions, and conflicts. The account blends vivid landscape description with practical detail about forts, mountain men, and mission stations, and records negotiations with indigenous guides. The author alternates enthusiasm for the fertile valleys with later misgivings, helps promote a petition requesting American protection for settlers, and ultimately departs westward by sea toward Pacific islands and California.