A Thousand-Mile Walk 



music of running water. Reached Kingston 

 before dark. Sent back my plant collections by 

 express to my brother in Wisconsin. 



September Jj. Walked all day across small 

 parallel valleys that flute the surface of the one 

 wide valley. These flutings appear to have 

 been formed by lateral pressure, are fertile, and 

 contain some fine forms, though the seal of war 

 is on all things. The roads never seem to pro 

 ceed with any fixed purpose, but wander as if 

 lost. In seeking the way to Philadelphia [in 

 Loudon County, Tennessee], I was told by a 

 buxom Tennessee &quot;gal&quot; that over the hills was 

 much the nearer way, that she always went that 

 way, and that surely I could travel it. 



I started over the flint-ridges, but soon 

 reached a set of enchanted little valleys among 

 which, no matter how or in what direction I 

 traveled, I could not get a foot nearer to Phila 

 delphia. At last, consulting my map and com 

 pass, I neglected all directions and finally 

 reached the house of a negro driver, with whom 

 I put up for the night. Received a good deal of 

 [32] 



