I have counted, in the last ten miles three hundred sixty-two wagons, which in the States cost about $120 each. The cause of so many wagons being abandoned, is to endeavor to save the animals and reach the end of the journey as soon as possible by packing through; the loss of personal goods is a matter of small importance comparatively. Between 1846 and 1869 more than 400,000 settlers took the perilous journey across the wide and wild spaces of the Western United States to settle in the coastal territories. James Abbey was just one of them and he kept a journal of the trip. The sheer determination, foolishness, or a combination of both that motivated pioneers to uproot their lives and families and risk it all is exemplified in Abbey's statement above. Once on the trail, there was often no going back and great sacrifices were exacted to reach the destination.