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under the spell of Jason Lee’s reasoning, and began deliberating on ways and means of securing the Oregon country for the United States.

Senator Linn of Missouri had introduced a bill in Congress in 1841 authorizing construction of a line of forts from the Missouri River to the “best pass for entering the Valley of the Oregon,” and this had, in the minds of those contemplating emigrating, removed much of the danger of the journey. John Bainbridge had been following the bills and the debates on the Oregon question. When Senator Linn introduced the Donation-land bill proposing to give to each white male inhabitant over eighteen six hundred and forty acres of land—a square mile—half that number of acres to the wife, and one-fourth to each child under eighteen, he began to arrange his affairs to emigrate to Oregon.

There was little sale for farms in Sangamon County—too many farmers were preparing to emigrate—but the Bainbridge farm was well developed, and finally John sold it for five hundred dollars, stock, farm implements, and all.

A new Conestoga wagon and his two yoke of oxen cost him three hundred dollars. The supply of food and clothing left very little money, but the Bainbridges had not worried about that; they had as much as or even more than many of the others when they set out with the train from the rendezvous at St. Joseph, Missouri, the 11th of May.

More than once on that trip John had cursed himself for a fool, but, having started, there was no turning back. The peril of going on was less than