[^ xxviii '1 



the new surroundings; but the fertility of the prai- 

 ries, the wide reach of the primitive forests, the 

 novelty and affluence of the wild flowers and birds, 

 did not prevent an occasional craving for the sight 

 of a bit of New England barrenness, — such as a 

 rocky pasture, bounded by stone walls and dotted 

 with creeping junipers, or a few of New England's 

 commonest flowers, — buttercups, or houstonias, or 

 ox-eye daisies. It was at this time that the writer 

 first became acquainted with the portions of Thor- 

 eau's journal published in the eighties by his friend, 

 Mr. H. G. O. Blake; and the reading of these, with 

 their vivid delineation of characteristic New Eng- 

 land scenes, sacredly cherished in memory, aroused 

 a passionate longing to visit the region so intimately 

 described by Thoreau and enjoy a ramble among 

 his beloved haunts. Consequently, at the close of 

 the "exile" above noted, an early opportunity was 

 seized to visit Concord, with camera in hand, and 

 many photographic mementos were taken of locali- 

 ties associated with Thoreau. But this was only the 

 beginning. During the fifteen years succeeding, the 

 writer has made frequent pilgrimages to Concord, 

 under all conditions of season and weather, searching 

 out places and objects described by Thoreau, tread- 

 ing in his footsteps so far as they were discoverable, 

 and bringing back photographs of all that was most 

 interesting.^ Out of many hundred views thus taken 



1 Lest any should assume that the fondness for New England scenery 



