Religious fanatic Ishmael Bush is determined to find a land where the rules could be of his own making. So he sets out from Kentucky with his wife and five sons to go into the un-surveyed territory of the recent Louisiana Purchase. Asa Bush, the eldest son, and his uncle, Abiram White, save Ellen Wade from the Indians, and Ishmael allows her to travel with his flock. They face incredible hardships, as the burning sun and seas of scorched grass torture them with thirst and hunger. A stranger, Paul Hover, a government mapmaker, appears and guides them to water. Further along, all of the sons and Abiram have fallen in love with Ellen, who has fallen in love with Paul. Asa and his uncle quarrel over the girl. Then Asa has a fight with Paul that is broken up by Ishmael, and Paul tells Asa that next time he will finish the fight. Ishmael takes this as a threat upon Asa`s life, and later, when Asa is found dead, Ishmael plans to hang Paul.