Emigrant's Guide to the Golden Land, Shewing Him When to Go, Where to Go, How to Go

Published in London, England by McGowan and Company, 1850.

Pioneers used guidebooks such as this to plan their journeys west where they hoped to create a better life for themselves and their families. This volume outlines the past, present and future prospects of California and details the hardships and obstacles that travelers would encounter on their way there. Its expressed purpose is to, "enable those who contemplate emigrating to choose the most appropriate labour-field for the future, and to instruct them how to proceed in making their arrangements for reaching it in the most economical, safe and expeditious manner." This book represents the great optimism of the pioneers who left their homes to settle the west and the difficulties they faced reaching their destinations.