Hiswhitebreast，thestillnessoftheair，andthesmoothnessofthewaterwereallagainsthim。Atlengthhavingcomeupfiftyrodsoff，heutteredoneofthoseprolongedhowls，asifcallingonthegodofloonstoaidhim，andimmediatelytherecameawindfromtheeastandrippledthesurface，andfilledthewholeairwithmistyrain，andIwasimpressedasifitweretheprayeroftheloonanswered，andhisgodwasangrywithme；andsoIlefthimdisappearingfarawayonthetumultuoussurface。
Forhours，infalldays，Iwatchedtheduckscunninglytackandveerandholdthemiddleofthepond，farfromthesportsman；trickswhichtheywillhavelessneedtopractiseinLouisianabayous。
Whencompelledtorisetheywouldsometimescircleroundandroundandoverthepondataconsiderableheight，fromwhichtheycouldeasilyseetootherpondsandtheriver，likeblackmotesinthesky；and，whenIthoughttheyhadgoneoffthitherlongsince，theywouldsettledownbyaslantingflightofaquarterofamileontoadistantpartwhichwasleftfree；butwhatbesidesafetytheygotbysailinginthemiddleofWaldenIdonotknow，unlesstheyloveitswaterforthesamereasonthatIdo。
House-WarmingInOctoberIwenta-grapingtotherivermeadows，andloadedmyselfwithclustersmorepreciousfortheirbeautyandfragrancethanforfood。There，too，Iadmired，thoughIdidnotgather，thecranberries，smallwaxengems，pendantsofthemeadowgrass，pearlyandred，whichthefarmerpluckswithanuglyrake，leavingthesmoothmeadowinasnarl，heedlesslymeasuringthembythebushelandthedollaronly，andsellsthespoilsofthemeadstoBostonandNewYork；destinedtobejammed，tosatisfythetastesofloversofNaturethere。Sobutchersrakethetonguesofbisonoutoftheprairiegrass，regardlessofthetornanddroopingplant。Thebarberry’sbrilliantfruitwaslikewisefoodformyeyesmerely；butIcollectedasmallstoreofwildapplesforcoddling，whichtheproprietorandtravellershadoverlooked。WhenchestnutswereripeIlaiduphalfabushelforwinter。ItwasveryexcitingatthatseasontoroamthethenboundlesschestnutwoodsofLincoln——theynowsleeptheirlongsleepundertherailroad——withabagonmyshoulder，andasticktoopenburswithinmyhand，forIdidnotalwayswaitforthefrost，amidtherustlingofleavesandtheloudreproofsoftheredsquirrelsandthejays，whosehalf-consumednutsIsometimesstole，fortheburswhichtheyhadselectedweresuretocontainsoundones。OccasionallyIclimbedandshookthetrees。
Theygrewalsobehindmyhouse，andonelargetree，whichalmostovershadowedit，was，wheninflower，abouquetwhichscentedthewholeneighborhood，butthesquirrelsandthejaysgotmostofitsfruit；thelastcominginflocksearlyinthemorningandpickingthenutsoutofthebursbeforetheyfell，Irelinquishedthesetreestothemandvisitedthemoredistantwoodscomposedwhollyofchestnut。Thesenuts，asfarastheywent，wereagoodsubstituteforbread。Manyothersubstitutesmight，perhaps，befound。