England
Oxford to Henley.
1909.
Aug. 9. [August 9, 1909]
  Cloudless with light southerly winds. Cool at
morning and evening, warm through middle of day. I did
not see a thermometer but was told that the maximum
temperature was about 82 [degrees]. The English called it "a very hot day";
to me it seemed only agreeably warm - like our best August
or early September weather. From morning to night there was not
the smallest cloud in the sky nor enough haze to dim objects
less than six or eight miles distant.
Down the Thames by steamer
  Spent the entire day on the Thames leaving Oxford at
9.30 A.M. and reaching Henley at 7.30 P.M. Although a
good-sized river boat, permitted by law to carry 230 passengers,
our steamer, the "Henley", consumes only 500 pounds of coal
during this run of 47 miles. She can make 12 miles per
hour but rarely does more than 7 or 8, which her average rate
of speed is only about 6. As her engines are almost perfectly
noiseless and as she seldom sounds her whistle she disturbs
even the quietest reaches of the river and their teeming bird life
scarce more than do the barges, punts & canoes. From her decks
one may see much of England and of its fauna and flora & to
exceptionally good advantage, especially when the weather is as
fine as it was to-day.
  The river is everywhere interesting and attractive while
some of its reaches are surprisingly wild & picturesque.
For the most part it flows rather straight through open farming country
with perfectly level low-lying but well drained fields of
grass, grain and pasturage bordering it on either hand.
But there are some sharp bends and in several places high,
wooded hills slope steeply down to the waters edge. The finest
as well as most extensive tract of woodland is on Earl Harcourt's
estate. These are essentially primitive woods or rather forest with
innumerable trees of the largest size and abundant, untrimmed undergrowth.