1887
April 7
Concord, Massachusetts.
  With Spelman took an early train
to Concord and spent the day on the river.
It was a fine day, cloudless, frosty in
the early morning, rather windy and blustering
after nine O'clock, but still not too cold for
vigorous exercise and with plenty of sunshine
in the sheltered nooks and southern exposures.
  As we walked up the avenue to the Manse
a Purple Finch was singing in the ash trees
an a Nuthatch (S. Carolineusis), doubtless the
same bird that open last summer there,
hawking and calling. Down by the river in teh 
old orchard were more Purple Finches some
Juncos, a few Robins, and a Downy Woodpecker
Song Sparrows were singing on every side.
  Getting my Rushton boat from the barn we
 were soon afloat and on our way down river.
By this time the wind had risen and 
some after passing Flint's bridge hoisted
our sail and sailed almost [?]
as far as Ball's Hill. The river was over 
its banks and the meadows everywhere
flooded. At the "tent" we left the channel
and took to the meadow laying a straight
course for Ball's Hill. The water, most of
the way, was about four feet deep.
  After passing Balls' Hill we had a head
wind against which we made gather now
progress with the paddles and about two
miles below landed on the west bank
near my favorite haunt of last summer,