Page:The first and last journeys of Thoreau - lately discovered among his unpublished journals and manuscripts.djvu/54

 Freemasons Hall, on the public square. He afterwards gave eighteen other lectures before this same Lyceum; the last one in 1860. In the end of August, 1839, the two brothers, having built their boat, set forth in it for the White Mountains of New Hampshire,—rowing or sailing up the two rivers as far as Hooksett, and then travelling to the mountains and back, to find their boat where they had left it. Of this journey Miss Ward wrote, September 30, 1839:

"The young gentlemen returned from their expedition to the White Mountains in less than a fortnight; having gone nearly to Concord, N. H., in their boat,—from there they travelled most of the way on foot, returning to their boat by stage. Their return was very expeditious,—coming in the boat fifty miles the last day. Having so much of his vacation left, John thought he would visit his sisters at Roxbury, and also go to Scituate. We knew not for certain whether Mr. Sewall would be gone. It seems he had set off that very day. John enjoyed himself, however, very well with Ellen and the boys. Caroline told you of the very pleasant visit [6]