Emigration to Oregon--Who should not come--Free advice and no fees--English emigrants--Farmers--Haste to be rich--Quoted experiences--Cost and ways of coming--Sea-routes--Railroads-- Baggage--What not to bring--What not to forget--Heavy property-- The Custom-house--San Francisco hotels--Conclusion. 293 Appendix. 305 TWO YEARS IN OREGON. CHAPTER I. Personal reasons for coming to Oregon--Plans of colonizing--Who came--Who have returned--Who remain--Bowie-knives and revolvers--A sheriff in danger--No tragedy--Our landing at Corvallis--Frail houses--Pleasant welcome--The barber's shop--Its customers--Given names--New acquaintances--Bright dresses--Religious denominations. After visiting Oregon in the year 1877, and traveling with three or four companions through its length and breadth, I ventured to publish in England on my return a short account of our seeings and doings. While the reception of this book by the reviews generally was only too kind and flattering, one paper, the "Athenæum," distinguished me by a long notice, the whole point of which lay in the observation that it would be interesting to know if I, who had been recommending Oregon to others, were prepared to take my own prescription, and emigrate there myself. Now, although it would not perhaps be fair to make all physicians swallow their own medicines, regardless whether or not they were sick, and although I certainly was not in any position rendering emigration necessary, or in the opinion of any of my friends and acquaintances even desirable, yet I did not like it to be possible to be accused rightly of recommending a course so serious as a change of dwelling-place and even of nationality, without being willing to prove by my own acts the genuineness of the advice I had given. And this, among other motives and inducements, had a strong influence in overcoming the crowd of hesitations and difficulties which spring up when so great a change begins to be contemplated as possible. And it is no more than natural that now, having had two years' experience in Oregon, I should desire to have it known if it be necessary to recall the general advice given in the former book, advocating, as undoubtedly I then did advocate, Oregon as a desirable residence. But, as this involves my putting into some kind of literary shape our experiences for the past two years in this far Western land, it is better to begin by some general relation of our plans.