Ellen, when I had told her it was my intent to write the story of our
coming from Pike County, said that it would not be proper for me to
write anything about what we saw or did while on the Oregon trail. We
were bound for California, and would not be upon the direct road to
that country until we had left Fort Bridger.
It was her idea that I should begin the story with the time when we
turned from the trail leading to Oregon, and set our faces directly
toward California; but, as has been seen, I nearly forgot her advice,
and even now it seems impossible to do exactly as she proposed.
I intend, however, in order to please her, to set down only such
matters as seem to me of the greatest importance, and thereby hurry
over a certain portion of the march, beginning in earnest with the time
when we finally came to Fort Bridger.