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 13. 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 “gal” 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 ] 
