Sunday, September 22, 2013

The birch bark canoe

September 22.

 Behind one house, an Indian had nearly finished one canoe and was just beginning another, outdoors. I looked very narrowly at the process and had already carefully examined and measured our birch. Canoe is nearly straight on bottom — straight in principle — and not so rounded the other way as is supposed.
Vide this section in middle.
The sides bulge out an inch or so beyond the rail. It took him a fortnight or three weeks to complete a canoe after he had got the materials ready. I was much struck by the method of this work, and the process deserves to be minutely described, — ...

 H. D. Thoreau, Journal, September 22, 1853


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A journal, a book that shall contain a record of all your joy.
"A stone fruit. Each one yields me a thought." ~ H. D. Thoreau, March 28, 1859


I sit on this rock
wrestling with the melody
that possesses me.
May 23, 1854