Scope and Contents: This diary was written by Hamilton Raven to describe his 1862 journey from Michigan to California for his family. Raven was a school teacher, and he beautifully describes the scenery and travel conditions as he travels across the country. He also talks about the food, weather, and Indian attacks. The volume is small and he writes for only three months, but it is an excellent description of the hardships of a wagon train trip across the country.