1889
March 21
  Got back to the Mitton House at 9.30 a.m. and
spent the forenoon on the piazza and in a grove of
cedars. Purple Martins about a martin hour. A
King bird setting on a tree in the garden. Blue Jays
& mockingbirds numerous. Yellow-rumped & Palm Warblers
about the cedars.
  At 2 p.m. started for Chippola River having arranged with
a crippled negro boatman, Manual by name, to paddle
me down to Merritt's plantation, a distance of 20 miles
by river but only 7 by road. Hartsfield was to drive
down, "roost" some Turkeys at sunset if possible, &
meet me at the river landing about dark.
  On reaching the river we found the boat which we
had engaged gone. After a long delay searching for
it we rode back to town on an ox cart, got some
saddle horses and started for another boat which
was said to be at the trestle bridge. This boat we
finally found but it was 5 p.m. before we
started off in it (6 p.m. by eastern time).
  I found Chippola River a beautiful stream, about
as wide as the Assabet, with a  current averaging
probably four miles an hour, Manual paddled
steadily & vigorously and we made nearly half
our distance before dark. The scenery was beautiful,
the river passing most of the way between  high
banks wooded with pines & various hardwoods
with an undergrowth of red bud & dogwood in
full bloom. There were many fine large white
lilies new to me growing near the water's edge &
in one place forming a long bed of snowy
white so thickly were they massed. In places
there were clusters of pink or salmon azaleas