Life — September 6, 1928 — page 10: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Westward Ho!" - Cartoon Analysis This satirical cartoon depicts the California Gold Rush migration. A large vehicle labeled "CALIFORNIE or BUST!" carries prospectors heading westward, with smaller airplanes and vehicles scattered around showing various mishaps and failed attempts at reaching California. The humor targets the chaotic, desperate nature of gold rush fever—people using improvised aircraft, vehicles breaking down, and individuals getting injured or lost in pursuit of California wealth. Speech bubbles reference ice gas shortages, parachute failures, and the promise of riches ("Texas today—I've never seen Texas"), satirizing both the optimism and recklessness of westward migration. The title "Westward Ho!" references the historical expansion slogan, while the cartoon mocks modern 1920s-era prospectors' equally frantic, poorly-planned scramble for fortune.