Howdy, I have previously posted Missouri and Arkansas river jumping-off-places for the overland CA goldrush emigrants. Not far behind in early popularity, were various Texas gateways, which lacked the concentration of the others, and varied more.. First, let me roll the credits: Ralph P. BIEBER's "Southern Trails to California in 1849(Philly:Porcupine Press,1974)"contains a mass of information on these TX trails, including references to copious newspaper articles. As an elaboration, I include bits and pieces from 49er "William Perkins Journal..." edited by Morgan & Scobie, Benjamin B. Harris''"The Texas Argonauts & the CA Gold Rush,"edited by Richard Dillon, and thanks to CindyLadyBug,"The Gold Rush Diary of William P.Huff(copyrighted property of David Ewing Stewart). It appears that early on, the all-water Cape Horn, the water-land routes by Panama, and the northern overland trails were the most popular. But the escalating cost of sea travel and the mess in crossing the Isthmus soon swayed some eastern newspapers, especially. to reconsider, and for a time to recommend the routes from Texas and Arkansas. For a little more info, let's start with Southern Trails editor Ralph B. Bieber: "Texas energetically advertised two main groups of routes. One of these groups included the trails extending from Brownsville, Corpus Christi, and San Antonio to the lower Rio Grande, and thence either soutwest to the Mexcian port of Mazatlan or northwest by a way of Chihuahua and the Gila River.. Another group embraced trails.[basically theDeep Southern Trail]. from San Antonio to the Gila river, proceeding either through Presidio del Norte[Presidio,TX] and Chihuahua or through El Paso del Norte[Ciudad Juarex,MX] and New Mexico. It was argued that these routes, on account of the mild climate[:-))))maybe spring-not summer] of Texas, would permit the emigrant to make an early start and hence bring him to the mines before those who took a more northern course...." Beiber continues: "...Texas was the starting point for the first overland migration[ Jan.] to California in 1849. Early in that year emigrants from at least 20 states began to assemble at Brownsville, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, Austin, Fredericksburg, and in the vacinity of Dallas[:-)]. These towns soon experienced such boom times as had not been seen since the early days of the Mexican war. They were highly elated at the prospect of being placed on the main highway of travel from the East to California and some of them had visions of becoming great and prosperous cities. For the time being they were very active in welcoming the emigrants, in suggesting to them the best routes to follow, and in furnishing them with needed supplies for the overland journey. The ONLY thing to mar this otherwise cordial reception was a severe outbreak of cholera, which swept through the whole country in 1849, reaching Texas in the latter part of February of that year. The worst attacks appear to have been at Brownsville, Laredo, and San Antonio, where the epidemic raged for many weeks." Folks, minute route descriptions would unduly elongate this posting, which is basically to name the embarkation points. But I would like to interject entries from various of my 49er diarists/journalists. Let's start with 49er/diarist William PERKINs( we haven't heard from him before, but I suspect we will again:-))).Perkins left New Orleans on February 28, 1849 for Chargres(Panama). But a leaky ship forced his return to NO where a few days later he took the steamship GLOBE for Brazos in TX. Let's join him: "At the Brazos we purchased a wagon and six mules for the conveyance of our goods, and a horse for each, the horses costing from ten to fifty dollars. At Fort Brown[Brownsville?] we were obliged to purchase an additional wagon and four mules. I tried to persuade them to sell the wagons and mules, and proceed on horses, but without effect."(Note:To CA, they traveled across MX through Reynosa, Monterey, Saltillo, and Durango to Mazatlan on the Pactic. >From there to SF on the Danish schooner, JOHANNA & OLLUFFA - arriving on June 9th.) Cindy LoBug's 49er/diarist William HUFF writes: "I left the town of Richmond[just W of Houston], Fort Bend County, Texas on the 22nd day of April, A.D. 1849, having as an outfit a good four mule team and a good wagon, a strong serviceable American horse and everything in the way of provisions, cooking utensils, and blankets that would conduce or give comfort and plenty so as render the long tedious journey before me as easy and agreeable as possible. Nothing occured worthy of note during our travel to the city of Austin. Having learned at the city of Austin that the United States train[another story:-)] under the command of Gen. WORTH would not take up its line of march for several days, and that all of the California emigrants had left Fredericksburg[TX] some two or three weeks previously, no other alternative was left but to wait patiently..."(Complex travels across TX and part of NM.After layover at Socorro,NM, he took the deep Southern Trail to CA.) Let's close with one of our ole 49er/diarist friends, Benjamin B. HARRIS[remember the Indian boy 'Little Reub" story:-)] who opens his journal/diary with: "I formed one of a horseback party, each with at least one pack mule, that left Panola County, Texas[far east Texas -bordering Louisiana]. on March 25, 1849...for the then military post about 20 miles west of Dallas, Texas, called Johnson Station, which was understood to be the rallying point of a mountain pack-mule overland company destined for California."[Note:Subsequently, he crossed TX to El Paso, took deep Southern Route to Tucson, and then down the Gila to Uma.] "With but little adventure, traveling through slightly broken, fertile timber and prairie country with embryo farms and sparse infant settlements, and passing a camp of serveral hundreds of friendly Creek Indians then on a hunting visit to Texas, we reached DALLAS, Texas, having then a population of less than 300, many of whose men were dressed 'a la' Indian in frontier buckskin SUITS":-))) Sorry about that - had to leave the best trail for last:-)), Bob Norris in Dallas <BNorris166aol.com>