AUGUST 



27 



I made quite an excursion up and down the 

 river in the water, a fluvial . . . walk. It seemed 

 the properest highway for this weather, now in 

 water a foot or two deep, now suddenly descending 

 through valleys up to my neck, but all alike agree- 

 able. 



THOKEAU: Summer. 



Dense flocks of blackbirds were .winging their 

 way along the river's course, as if on a short even- 

 ing pilgrimage to some shrine of theirs, or to cele- 

 brate so fair a sunset. 



THOREAU : A Week on the Concord and Merrimack 

 Rivers. 



28 



Formerly I had come to this pond adventurously, 

 from time to time, in dark summer nights, with a 

 companion, and making a fire close to the water's 

 edge, which we thought attracted the fishes, we 

 caught pouts with a bunch of worms strung on 

 a thread, and when we had done, far in the night, 

 threw the burning brands high into the air like 

 skyrockets, which coming down into the pond, 

 were quenched with a loud hissing, and we were 

 suddenly groping in total darkness. Through this, 

 whistling a tune, we took our way to the haunts of 

 men again. 



THOREAU: Walden. 



