An old man named McDonald

August 28.

August 28, 2017

Polygonum Pennsylvanicum by bank, how long? 

R. W. E. says that he saw Asclepias tuberosa abundant and in bloom on Naushon last week; also a sassafras stump three feet across. The deer escape by running to the mainland, and in winter cross on the ice. The last winter they lost about one hundred and fifty sheep, whose remains have never been found. Perhaps they were carried off on the ice by the sea. Looking through a glass, E. saw vessels sailing near Martha's Vineyard with full sails, yet the water about them appeared perfectly smooth, and reflected the vessels. They thought this reflection a mirage, i. e. from a haze. 

As we were riding by Deacon Farrar's lately, E. Hoar told me in answer to my questions, that both the young Mr. Farrars, who had now come to man’s estate, were excellent young men, — their father, an old man of about seventy, once cut and corded seven cords of wood in one day, and still cut a double swath at haying time, and was a man of great probity, — and to show the unusual purity of one of them, at least, he said that, his brother Frisbie, who had formerly lived there, inquiring what had become of a certain hired man whom he used to know, young Mr. Farrar told him that he was gone, “that the truth was he one day let drop a prophane word, and after that he thought that he could not have him about, and so he got rid of him.” It was as if he had dropped some filthy thing on the premises, an intolerable nuisance, only to be abated by removing the source of it. 

I should like to hear as good news of the New England farmers generally. It to some extent accounts for the vigor of the father and the successful farming of the sons. 

I read the other day in the Tribune that a man apparently about seventy, and smart at that, went to the police in New York and asked for a lodging, having been left by the cars or steamboat when on his way to Connecticut. When they asked his age, native place, etc., he said his name was McDonald; he was born in Scotland in 1745, came to Plymouth, Mass., in 1760, was in some battles in the Revolution, in which he lost an eye; had a son eighty-odd years old, etc.; but, seeing a reporter taking notes, he was silent. 

Since then I heard that an old man named McDonald, one hundred and twelve years old, had the day before passed through Concord and was walking to Lexington, and I said at once he must be a humbug.

When I went to the post office to-night (August 28), G. Brooks asked me if I saw him and said that he heard that he told a correct story, except he said that he remembered Braddock’s defeat! He had noticed that Dr. Heywood’s old house, the tavern, was gone since he was here in the Revolution. Just then Davis, the postmaster, asked us to look at a letter he had received. It was from a Dr. Curtis of Newton asking if this McDonald belonged about Concord as he said, and saying that his story appeared to be a correct one. Davis had never heard of him, and, as we presumed him to be a humbug, we advised Davis to write accordingly. 

But I afterward remembered reading nearly a year ago of a man of this name and age in St. Louis, who said he had married a wife in Concord before the Revolution, and then began to think that his story might be all true. So it seems that a veteran of a hundred and twelve, after an absence of eighty-seven years, may come back to the town where he married his wife in order to hunt up his relatives, and not only have no success, but be pronounced a humbug!

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, August 28, 1857

Naushon. See June 27, 1856 ("Saw all the Elizabeth Isles, going and coming. They are mostly bare, except the east end of Naushon. This island is some seven miles long, by one to two wide. I had some two and a half hours there. . . .Naushon is said to. . .belong to Mr. Swain of New Bedford and Forbes of Boston. . .")

A Tour of the Elizabeth Islands

June 27

June 27, 2016

P. M. — Went with R. and his boys in the Steamer Eagle’s Wing, with a crowd and band of music, to the northeast end of Naushon, “Woods Hole,” some fifteen miles from New Bedford; about two hours going. 

Talked with a Mr. Congdon, cashier of a bank and a vegetarian. 

Saw all the Elizabeth Isles, going and coming. They are mostly bare, except the east end of Naushon. This island is some seven miles long, by one to two wide. I had some two and a half hours there. 

I was surprised to find such a noble primitive wood, chiefly beech, such as the English poets celebrate, and oak (black oak, I think), large and spreading like pasture oaks with us, though in a wood. The ground under the beeches was covered with the withered leaves and peculiarly free from vegetation. 

On the edge of a swamp I saw great tupelos running up particularly tall, without lower branches, two or three feet in diameter, with a rough light-colored bark. Noticed a thorn, perhaps cockspur, with an undivided leaf, gooseberries, stag-horn sumach, not in bloom. Most of the passengers expected to find strawberries. 

Saw a common wild grape—vine running over a beech, which was apparently flattened out by it, which vine measured, at six feet from ground, twenty-three inches in circumference. It was large below, where it had already forked. At five feet from ground it divided into three great branches. It did not rise directly, but with a great half-spiral sweep or anguish. No sight could be more primeval. It was partly or chiefly dead. 

This was in the midst of the woods, by a path-side. Just beyond we started up two deer. 

I suppose the white gull I saw and heard (somewhat like the sound of the small mackerel gull of the Cape) at Naushon was the Sterna hirundo, or great tern, with long forked tail. 

A Mr. Wall, artist, at New Bedford, told me of a high pine wood or swamp some miles down Naushon with “storks’ nests” (!) in the pines. Were they blue herons?

Naushon is said to be part of the township of Chilmark, Martha’s Vineyard, and to belong to Mr. Swain of New Bedford and Forbes of Boston; some say to Swain alone. 

Walton Ricketson went down in a schooner the next day again, and found the pond near Swain’s well stocked with pickerel, of which he caught many in a few hours. 

Returning, I caught sight of Gay Head and its light house with my glass, between Pasque and Nashawena. This lighthouse, according to Congdon, who says he measured it trigonometrically, is not more than one hundred and fifty feet above the sea.

The passages between the islands are called “holes.” Quick’s is one. 

Cuttyhunk was very plain. Congdon said that he was there about thirty years ago, but could see no traces of Gosnold there, and does not believe there are any. Captain Slocum (of the day before), who has relations there, never saw any. Mr. Wall said that there was one old gentleman still alive, a Mr. Howland, who went on there with Belknap, who could tell all about it. The island is cultivated.

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, June 27, 1856


Gosnold: a town that encompasses the Elizabeth Islands, including Nonamesset Island, Uncatena Island, Naushon Island, Pasque Island, Nashawena Island,Penikese Island, Cuttyhunk Island, and several smaller islands

The Eagle's Wing was  439 tons, 173 feet long, 27 feet beam. In October 1854 she made the trip from New York to New Bedford in 13 1-2 hours, and arrived at Nantucket for the first time on Saturday, October 21st, 1854, commencing her regular trips the following week. She was.kept on the Nantucket route two years, and then operated between New Bedford and Edgartown. On July 24 1861 she caught fire opposite Pawtuxet on the Providence River and was totally destroyed.

 Ricketson's account of this tour can be found here.