1893
April 2
(No 2)
Concord, Mass.
Ball's Hill.
  After a slight & hurried breakfast we launced the
boat and following the west shore paddled down river
to within half-a-mile of Carlisle bridge where we
landed and took a short walk through some oak
woods where a solitary Song Sparrow seemed to hold
undisputed possession into a wet, dreary meadow which
appeared to be wholly devoid of birds.
[margin]Narrative
of the
day's doings[/margin]
  Returning to the river we crossed it and tried to
reach the big pines in the Bedford swamp but the
water proved too low on the meadows so we turned
back and ran before the wind to Davis's Hill
where we landed and walked through the fine old
woods. The wind raked them relentlessly & we
could find no birds there.
  Reaching the cabin at 11 A.M. we cooked & ate
another meal and then walked to Blakemore's knoll
& thence to the glacial hollow returning through
Bensen's pasture and field. 
  There is still plenty of snow in the woods & among
young pines some of the drifts are three or four feet
deep. The fields are everywhere bare but the only
trace of green grass was on the bank in front of
my house where the change has come since yesterday.
Despite the raw & violent wind we saw several
butterflies (one Comma?) and many flies, spiders
and sand wasps. Snow fleas swarmed among drift
wood & river trash along the edge of the flooded 
meadows.
  Hoffmann left me at 4 P.M. and took the
train for home. I decided to pass the night
at the cabin alone. Peder called in the evening.