Because the distance between each degree of latitude is approximately 69 miles.

December 2. 

As the stars, though spheres, present an outline of many little points of light to our eyes, like a flower of light, so I notice to-night the horns of the new moon appear split.

The skeleton which at first sight excites only a shudder in all mortals becomes at last not only a pure but suggestive and pleasing object to science. The more we know of it, the less we associate it with any goblin of our imaginations. The longer we keep it, the less likely it is that any such will come to claim it. We discover that the only spirit which haunts it is a universal intelligence which has created it in harmony with all nature.

Science never saw a ghost, nor does it look for any, but it sees everywhere the traces, and it is itself the agent, of a Universal Intelligence.

A communication to a newspaper, dated Bangor, 28th (November), says of the Penobscot :

“The navigation is closed here, the anchor ice with the surface ice making an obstruction of several feet thickness. There are enclosed in the ice from 60 to 80 vessels with full cargoes, besides the steamers. The ice obstruction extends about five miles," etc.

There is still no ice in the Concord River, or the skimming which forms along the shore in the night almost entirely disappears in the day. On the 30th I paddled on it in the afternoon, and there was not a particle of ice, and even in the morning my constantly wet hands were not cold.

The latitude of Lynn church is 42° 27' 51".

Calling Concord, at a venture, 42° 27', Bangor being 44° 47' 50', the difference equals about 2° 21'.

The length of a degree of latitude in Italy (43° 1') being, according to Boscovich and Lemaire's measurement, 68.998 English miles, call it in this case 69 miles, and the difference of latitude in miles between B. and C. is about 162 miles.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, December 2, 1853

I notice to-night the horns of the new moon appear split. See August 8, 1851 (“The moon has not yet quite filled her horns”); December 23, 1851 (“ I detect, just above the horizon, the narrowest imaginable white sickle of the new moon.”); July 20, 1852 ("The horns of the moon only three or four days old look very sharp , still cloud like , in the midst of a blue space , prepared to shine a brief half - hour before it sets . . . and, as it sinks in the west . . . the outline of the old moon in its arms is visible if you do not look directly at it.”)

Penobscot navigation is closed. See January 20, 1857 (" I hear that Boston Harbor froze over on the 18th, down to Fort Independence.") ; January 26, 1857 ("Saw  Boston Harbor frozen over (for some time). Reminded me of, I think, Parry's Winter Harbor, with vessels frozen in . . . [Ice did not finally go out till about Feb. 15th.] ")

 

There is still no ice in the Concord River. . . the skimming which forms along the shore in the night almost entirely disappears in the day. See December 2, 1852 ("Started in boat before 9 A.M. down river to Billerica . . .. I do not remember when I have taken a sail or a row on the river in December before. . . . The banks are white with frost. The air is calm, and the water smooth.") Compare November 30, 1855 ("River skimmed over . . . remained iced over all day."); November 30, 1858 ("The river may be said to have frozen generally last night."); December 4, 1856("Dark waves are chasing each other across the river . . . Smooth white reaches of ice, as long as the river, on each side are threatening to bridge over its dark-blue artery any night. They remind me of a trap that is set for it, which the frost will spring. "); December 5, 1853 ("The river frozen over thinly in most places and whitened with snow, which was sprinkled on it this noon");. December 5, 1856 ("The river is well skimmed over in most places, . . .. The ice trap was sprung last night")