The diary and 13 letters concern Eastland's overland trip from Nashville, Tenn. to Mazatlan where he boarded the steamer Oregon for the remainder of the trip to San Francisco.

The route followed by Eastland was through Texas and Mexico, but after 4 months enroute West Eastland wrote to his wife "...we are still 170 miles from El Paso...gross ignorance or willful design has governed those who induced the government to make a road this route...". On Sept. 11,1849 Eastland decided to strike out on his own--to continue to Chichuahua and there book passage to San Francisco. He arrived in San Francisco aboard the steamer Oregon on Dec. 1, 1848. By 1850 he and his son had formed Eastland and Son, a diversified business venture. Thomas Eastland returned to his family in Nashville in 1853. In addition to his business venture with his son he had purchased mining claims in Chinese Camp and Indian Gulch and lots for resale in the short-lived town of Ora in what was then Sutter Co., now Placer Co.

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