1888
April 5
Concord, Massachusetts
"Fast Day"
  Morning clear and still. As the day advanced the
sky clouded and the wind began to come in puffs
from E. & S. E. About 2 P. M. it began to rain and 
during the remainder of the afternoon it fairly poured.
  With Spelman took the 6.30 train to Concord. After a
slight delay at the Manse we launched my boat and
started down river. The water was so high that we had
to crouch as the boat shot under Flint's bridge and the
meadows and coves were all flooded. Great Meadow was
a lake, smooth as a mirror, set in a frame of woods
and hills. We followed the river down to get the
advantage of its swift current. It was a perfect morning,
absolutely calm, with bright, warm sunshine but withal
a suspicion of haze in the heavens that foretold the
coming storm. Birds were singing on every side. Near
the manse Robins, Phebeys, Song Sparrows, and Fox Sparrows; on
the river below the bridge Song Sparrows, Red-wings,
Flickers, tree Sparrows, and one Savanna Sparrow.
[margin]Passerella[/margin]
  Opposite Ball's Hill we saw the first Ducks, a pair of
Whistlers which pitched down from the skies and
alighted, striking the water heavily, and cutting a
long sharp line that glistened on the brassy surface like
the reflection of a piece of looking-glass. A few moments
later they rose again, their wings sounding distinctly
at the distance of half a mile & making a noise
not unlike that of a humming top.
[margin]Bucephala 
americana[/margin]
  We landed at Ball's Hill to look off from its top.
A fine expanse of water on three sides, on the fourth
brown fields, gray woods, and dark green pines. A
few patches of snow dotting the north sides of the hills,
no ice whatever left in the river. The wind just