This book describes the cross country trek of a group of people in the year just before the Gold Rush started. Gold has been discovered in California, but the news hasn't managed to get back East yet. So the majority of the people along the emigrant trail at the time of our story are simply people hoping for a fresh start in life, either in Oregon or in California. We first meet David and his friend Leff, who have just buried a friend who was supposed to go with them to California. Until cholera took his life. But the two friends still plan to head west, and the night before they plan to leave, along comes a doctor, his daughter, and their handyman, who are also planning the trek to California in hopes of improving the doctor's health. (Goodreads)