April 29, 2012
I stepped ashore behind Prichard's to examine a dead mud turtle, and when I had done, and turned round toward my boat again, behold, it was half-way across the river, blown by the southwest wind!
The wind had risen after I landed, and perhaps I had given it a slight impulse with my foot when I landed. It lodged against a clump of willows on the other side.
It was remarkable what a bar the river had become to me, being between me and my boat,- how comparatively helpless I was. I have rarely looked at it in that light.
I was compelled to return up-stream to borrow another boat. When I had borrowed a boat, I came near making the mistake of simply crossing the stream at once and running down the opposite shore; as if I could release my own boat and return on the same side to the borrowed one, return that, and so have got over my difficulties.
It was remarkable what a bar the river had become to me, being between me and my boat,- how comparatively helpless I was. I have rarely looked at it in that light.
I was compelled to return up-stream to borrow another boat. When I had borrowed a boat, I came near making the mistake of simply crossing the stream at once and running down the opposite shore; as if I could release my own boat and return on the same side to the borrowed one, return that, and so have got over my difficulties.
I had to pause a moment and cipher it out in my mind.
There was no way but to row quite down to my boat, bring it over to this side, row back with the borrowed boat, and return on the bank to my own. It reminded me of the man crossing the bridge with a fox, a goose, and a peck of corn.
By the time I got under weigh again the afternoon was too far spent for a long excursion.
By the time I got under weigh again the afternoon was too far spent for a long excursion.
H. D. Thoreau, Journal, April 29, 1860
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