Page:Oregon Historical Quarterly vol. 2.djvu/135



The following reminiscences of Hon. John Minto of his experiences on the Oregon Trail in 1844, were prepared only after long urging from many of his friends, among whom ex-Governor William P. Lord was probably the most influential. Mr. Minto held out against the suggestion for some time, believing that besides being laborious to himself, such a task was unnecessary, as many able writers had furnished histories of Oregon, and there was a great quantity of original matter already in print. He also said that present events were so much more important that the story of old times, besides being threadbare, would not be even interesting. He also thought that anything like a detailed account of his experiences might seem egotistical or trivial.

But against all these reasons for personal disinclination he finally yielded to importunity, and out of a life still active he has taken his time and made the effort to recall the daily incidents of the journey to Oregon in the immigrant train. Being asked how he should write it, he was answered "In such a way that if an artist desired he might reconstruct the scenes; or that the writer who may, and will some time, wish to give a vital description of the Oregon immigrant's life across North America would find there all that is necessary to create it again in literature; or, just as you would tell it to your grandchildren, so that they could see it." How faithfully he