The Oregon Trail by William Malcolm Jones
 
 
In the mid-1800s, early American pioneers left the colonised east and headed west to Oregon City and the Pacific Coast along what was to become known as The Oregon Trail. They went in search of adventure, a new way of life, gold, and land. Light covered wagons, typically pulled by oxen, were used to transport everything they owned. If it didn’t fit inside the wagon, it was sold or simply left behind. The advice was to take 400lbs of food for every adult, as there were hardly any staging posts along the route in the mid 1800s. The 2000-mile journey across the wilderness took between 4-6 months. Exposure to the elements, difficult terrain, and the unknown – not knowing what they might encounter – were but a few of the dangers the early pioneers encountered on the trail. About 10 per cent of those who embarked on the journey, died along the way for one reason or another.
 
Disease was the biggest killer, namely cholera, diphtheria, small pox, and dysentery. Other deaths were attributed to drownings at river crossings, accidents with people falling under wagon wheels, or just succumbing from sheer exhaustion. Accidental shootings were also a concern as settlers had little or no experience handling guns. Contrary to popular myth, confrontations with Native American Indians were rare. Indians actively helped the early emigrants reach their destination, acting as guides and as trading partners. It was only during the Californian Gold Rush of 1849 and the passing of the Oregon Donation of Land Act in 1850, when the numbers of emigrants swelled to the many thousands and continued to increase, did the Native American Indians’ fears start to grow. They began to resist using aggression in a futile attempt to stem the flow. Historically, it was the beginning of a new way of life for the pioneering settlers, and sadly, the beginning of the end of a long-held way of life for the indigenous Native American people.
 
Over many decades, the trail became an abandoned junkyard for surrendered possessions and a graveyard for tens of thousands of pioneer men, women, children, and countless livestock. Wheel ruts from the numerous wagons passing through were leaving their mark and a visible trail began to emerge. One which endures to this day.
 
Sources: History.com; Britannica.com
 
The Composer: For more information about the composer visit: www.williammalcolmjonescomposer.com
 
Front Cover: Image designed by macrovector / Freepik (www.freepik.com)