believed as citizens of this country they had a right to
quarter-sections in the promised land, and who were determined to
enforce those rights.

No matter, however, what were the motives of the "boomers," as they were
called from the first, it is certain that they went to work in a
business-like manner, planned a regular invasion, and formed a number of
colonies or small armies for the purpose.

We will follow the fortune of one of these colonies in order to show
what extraordinary difficulties they went through, and how much more
there is in heaven and earth than is dreamt of in our humdrum
philosophy. The town of Caldwell, on the southern line of Kansas, was
the camp from which the first colonists started. It consisted of about
forty men, and about 100 women and children. Each family provided itself
with such equipment and conveniences as the scanty means at disposal
made possible. A prairie schooner, or a wagon with a covering to protect
the inmates from the weather and secure a certain amount of privacy for
the women and children, was an indispensable item. When the advance was
made, there were forty such covered wagons, each drawn by a pair of
horses or mules, and each containing such furniture as the family
possessed. The more fortunate ones also had in the wagons certain
material to be used in building the little hut, which was to be their
home until they could earn enough to build a more pretentious residence.

Eye witnesses describe the starting of the colony as one of the most
remarkable sights ever witnessed. The wagons advanced in single file,
and some few of the men rode on horseback in order to act as advance
guides to seek suitable camping grounds, and to protect the occupants of
the wagons from attack. In some cases one or two cows were attached by