Page:The first and last journeys of Thoreau - lately discovered among his unpublished journals and manuscripts.djvu/65

 And now another scow hove in sight, sweeping down the river; and, hailing it, we attached ourselves to its side, and floated back in company, chatting with the boatmen, and obtaining a draught of cooler water from their jug. They appeared to be merchants from among the hills, who had taken this means to get to the seaboard, and see the world; and who would possibly visit the Falkland Isles and the China Sea before they again saw the waters of the Merrimac,—or peradventure they might never return. They had already embarked the private interests of the landsman in the larger venture of the race, and were ready to mess with mankind,—securing only the till of a chest to themselves. But still the noon prevailed; and we turned our prow ashore, under the oaks of a retired pasture, sloping to the water's edge, and bordered with hazel, in the town of Hudson. Still had India the better part of our thoughts, and that old noontide philosophy.

Here then the actual voyage ended for the night; but the Oriental scriptures and [17]