"We were now, as I before mentioned, upon this St. Joseph's trail. It was evident, by the traces, that large parties were a few days in advance of us; and as we too supposed them to be Mormons, we had some apprehension of interruption"

This quote is from Francis Parkman's book, The Oregon Trail. In it, he is explaining a journey he is bring the St. Joseph's trail. He mentions that there are traces of large celebrations that had actually been there a couple of days prior to them, and he presumes that they are Mormons. This implies that he is stressed that they might be disrupted by these celebrations, as the Mormons may not be friendly towards them. This quote shows the apprehension that Parkman and his celebration felt as they took a trip through unknown area, and the worry of prospective danger that they faced. It also highlights the tension between the Mormons and other travelers, as Parkman watched out for them. This quote is a suggestion of the risks that tourists dealt with in the 19th century, and the importance of being prepared for any potential threat.