Howdy, I suspect both my little One Hoss Shay po'm and the 24 hrs. on the trail posts got me back into this. I started looking through George STEWART's "The California Trail'. Even though I have posted some on wagons vs.pack trains from the journal of 49er August M. HESLEP. let's look at a little more from Stewart's book. Please feel free to jump in with your imput:-)) Evidently, the overland CA emigrant during the goldrush era, much like the OR-Oregon Trailer, sought travel-west advice for whatever source available. Unfortunately, those who followed the Santa Fe trade experiences were often misled. The pre-gold rush Santa Fe traders used big wagons, formed large companies, and organized military style - many times to their grief. The emigrant, many of whom were farmers long experienced in handling teams and wagons, were often the more successful. Their achievements gave birth to what soon became known as the COVERED-WAGON MIGRATION . Even with wagons as the more popular transport, many, gold rushers especially, traveled by pack train - using mules and occasionally horses. With their greater speed and easier handling in the desert, fording of streams and crossing mountains, they could often cut the California trip by a month or so. But the pack train had its disadvantages - not feasible with small children or a pregnant wife. As one ox-driver put it: "The pack-mule companies are a pitiful set of slaves. They have to sit on their mules roasting in the sun all day. If they get down to walk or rest themselves, they must be bothered leading the animals. When they stop at night, they must unpack everything. In the mornings they have to repack everything." Another little problem with a pack-train was what to do with an injured member. Suppose one of the packers breaks a leg, gets dysentery, or worse. In a covered-wagon, ,they they could place him in the wagon-bed and continue on. But in a pack-train, really no humane solutions. Stewart says that the pack train companies were almost entirely composed of young men(my 20yr.old ggf:-) who were "willing to risk their chances of getting through quickly against their chances of not getting through at all." But the covered wagon was no lark in the park - slow, heavy, cumbersome with constant break downs. It was a real pain when crossing rivers, ravines, and mountains - not to mention rocky or sandy country. Flipping, the wagon served as a home on wheels, an ambulance, and, OF COURSE:-), a fortress against attack. Requiring little packing and unpacking, it also carried more heavy baggage/equptment per animal . Limited posting space allows little elaboration. But the wagon commonly used by the emigrants was not the big ole boat-like Conesta Wagon with "a sway-backed cover that overhung front and rear," which we often see depicted.. While the huge land schooners were used earlier in PA and with the Santa Fe Trail traders, these oversized cruisers didn't function well along the twisting and hilly trails of California. Stewart reports that the emigrants mostly used a small 9 or 10 foot covered wagon, which looked sorta like a small loaf of bread loaf placed on a wagon-bed or a buck-board.Also, there were a few medium sized wagons with sloping sides and ends. If the emigrant had a big family or an extra heavy load, he generally found that a couple of the little wagons worked better than a big 'un. OK, now that we have chosen the covered wagon as our vehicle/transport.. What are we going to use to haul it - horses, mules or oxen? TO BE CONTINUED. Let's think about it:-) - see ya tomorrow, Bob Norris In Dallas <BNorris166aol.com>