Across lots to Monadnock, some half-dozen miles in a straight line from Peterboro. Bunch-berries are everywhere now with the summit hardly more than a mile distant in a straight line, but about two miles as they go. Acer Pennsylvanicum, striped maple or moosewood or striped dogwood, but no keys to be seen.
Between the rocks on the summit, an abundance of large
and fresh blueberries still, apparently Vaccnium
Pennsylvanicum, very large fresh and cooling to eat, supplying the place of
water. Though
this vegetation was very humble, yet it was very productive of fruit.
In one
little hollow between the rocks grow blueberries, choke-berries, bunch-berries,
red cherries, wild currants (Ribes
prostratum, with the berry the odor of skunk-cabbage, but a not quite
disagreeable wild flavor), a few raspberries still, holly berries, mountain cranberries
(Vaccinium Vitis-Idaea), all close
together.
We
are on the top of the mountain at 1 P.M. The cars leave Troy, four or five
miles off, at three. Descending toward Troy, we see that the mountain had spurs
or buttresses on every side, by whose ridge you might ascend. It is an
interesting feature in a mountain. I have noticed that they will send out these
buttresses every way from their centre.
We reach the depot, by running at last, at the
same instant the cars, and reach Concord at a quarter after five, i.e. four
hours from the time we were picking blueberries on the mountain, with the
plants of the mountain fresh in my hat.
H. D. Thoreau, Journal, September 7, 1852
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