Harris was many things well east of the Pacific Coast. He was a mountain man, cattle hand, saddle tramp, riverboat gambler, wagon master of a few lost wagons. He met up with folks of three wagons that got lost once they were near the Mississippi River. Their goal was to take the Oregon Trail west prior to the first mountain snow fall. Then they hoped to settle on small farms somewhere along the California Trail. They had wagon break downs and the ferryboat to St. Louis they chose had was not running from an earlier accident. Then they failed to find another crossing without losing too much time. Earner and his horse were drifting south toward Baton Rouge when met them for the second time. He led them to a riverboat bound for Baton Rouge and New Orleans after he found them lost again. They all disembarked as trial witnesses of a several card cheat shootings. They lost more time before agreed to lead them to Texas on some old Spanish trails after crossing the river in the delta. He used his guess and a compass finding his way to Texas. All of these trails that he chose eventually led there. They did with more great difficulties. Still the settlers survived illness, attacks from outlaws and angry Native Americans before they could pursue their dreams of a better life in the west.