[.ca] Journal of Travels Over the Oregon Trail in 1845 (ISBN 0875952534)

Absolute of early western travels:
Thanks to Joel Palmer's artistic writing abilities and keen observations, we have a sweeping visual perception of what it was like to travel along the Oregon Trail in 1845-46. Palmer is very descriptive of landforms, climate, people he met, and all the other happenstances not only along the Oregon Trail itself, but also of Oregon. He was one of few to blaze a new wagon road from the Dalles, around Mt. Hood to the Williamette Valley, which was later referred to as the Barlow Cutoff. Also included are excellent descriptions of the disastrous Stephen Meek wagon party; Oregon City in its infancy; advice to future emigrants; economic and agricultural possibilities in Oregon; etc. There is also a somewhat lengthy but insightful and prophetic letter from Reverend Spalding to Palmer with his thoughts and descriptions of Oregon. I did find it somewhat peculiar though that Palmer's advice to emigrants mirrors the same advice of Overton Johnson's "Route Across the Rocky Mountains" published a year earlier. A map would be handy for those unfamiliar with the geography as the one included is quite vague. Still, a great book.