按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
corresponding to these marks； rank behind rank； as if the waves had
planted them。 There also I have found； in considerable quantities；
curious balls； composed apparently of fine grass or roots； of
pipewort perhaps； from half an inch to four inches in diameter； and
perfectly spherical。 These wash back and forth in shallow water on
a sandy bottom； and are sometimes cast on the shore。 They are
either solid grass； or have a little sand in the middle。 At first
you would say that they were formed by the action of the waves； like
a pebble； yet the smallest are made of equally coarse materials；
half an inch long； and they are produced only at one season of the
year。 Moreover； the waves； I suspect； do not so much construct as
wear down a material which has already acquired consistency。 They
preserve their form when dry for an indefinite period。
Flint's Pond！ Such is the poverty of our nomenclature。 What
right had the unclean and stupid farmer； whose farm abutted on this
sky water； whose shores he has ruthlessly laid bare； to give his
name to it？ Some skin…flint； who loved better the reflecting
surface of a dollar； or a bright cent； in which he could see his own
brazen face； who regarded even the wild ducks which settled in it as
trespassers； his fingers grown into crooked and bony talons from the
long habit of grasping harpy…like； so it is not named for me。 I
go not there to see him nor to hear of him； who never saw it； who
never bathed in it； who never loved it； who never protected it； who
never spoke a good word for it； nor thanked God that He had made it。
Rather let it be named from the fishes that swim in it； the wild
fowl or quadrupeds which frequent it； the wild flowers which grow by
its shores； or some wild man or child the thread of whose history is
interwoven with its own； not from him who could show no title to it
but the deed which a like…minded neighbor or legislature gave him
him who thought only of its money value； whose presence perchance
cursed all the shores； who exhausted the land around it； and would
fain have exhausted the waters within it； who regretted only that it
was not English hay or cranberry meadow there was nothing to
redeem it； forsooth； in his eyes and would have drained and sold
it for the mud at its bottom。 It did not turn his mill； and it was
no privilege to him to behold it。 I respect not his labors； his
farm where everything has its price； who would carry the landscape；
who would carry his God； to market； if he could get anything for
him； who goes to market for his god as it is； on whose farm nothing
grows free； whose fields bear no crops； whose meadows no flowers；
whose trees no fruits； but dollars； who loves not the beauty of his
fruits； whose fruits are not ripe for him till they are turned to
dollars。 Give me the poverty that enjoys true wealth。 Farmers are
respectable and interesting to me in proportion as they are poor
poor farmers。 A model farm！ where the house stands like a fungus in
a muckheap； chambers for men horses； oxen； and swine； cleansed and
uncleansed； all contiguous to one another！ Stocked with men！ A
great grease…spot； redolent of manures and buttermilk！ Under a high
state of cultivation； being manured with the hearts and brains of
men！ As if you were to raise your potatoes in the churchyard！ Such
is a model farm。
No； no； if the fairest features of the landscape are to be named
after men； let them be the noblest and worthiest men alone。 Let our
lakes receive as true names at least as the Icarian Sea； where
〃still the shore〃 a 〃brave attempt resounds。〃
Goose Pond； of small extent； is on my way to Flint's； Fair
Haven； an expansion of Concord River； said to contain some seventy
acres； is a mile southwest； and White Pond； of about forty acres； is
a mile and a half beyond Fair Haven。 This is my lake country。
These； with Concord River； are my water privileges； and night and
day； year in year out； they grind such grist as I carry to them。
Since the wood…cutters； and the railroad； and I myself have
profaned Walden； perhaps the most attractive； if not the most
beautiful； of all our lakes； the gem of the woods； is White Pond；
a poor name from its commonness； whether derived from the remarkable
purity of its waters or the color of its sands。 In these as in
other respects； however； it is a lesser twin of Walden。 They are so
much alike that you would say they must be connected under ground。
It has the same stony shore； and its waters are of the same hue。 As
at Walden； in sultry dog…day weather； looking down through the woods
on some of its bays which are not so deep but that the reflection
from the bottom tinges them； its waters are of a misty bluish…green
or glaucous color。 Many years since I used to go there to collect
the sand by cartloads； to make sandpaper with； and I have continued
to visit it ever since。 One who frequents it proposes to call it
Virid Lake。 Perhaps it might be called Yellow Pine Lake； from the
following circumstance。 About fifteen years ago you could see the
top of a pitch pine； of the kind called yellow pine hereabouts；
though it is not a distinct species； projecting above the surface in
deep water； many rods from the shore。 It was even supposed by some
that the pond had sunk； and this was one of the primitive forest
that formerly stood there。 I find that even so long ago as 1792； in
a 〃Topographical Description of the Town of Concord；〃 by one of its
citizens； in the Collections of the Massachusetts Historical
Society； the author； after speaking of Walden and White Ponds； adds；
〃In the middle of the latter may be seen； when the water is very
low； a tree which appears as if it grew in the place where it now
stands； although the roots are fifty feet below the surface of the
water； the top of this tree is broken off； and at that place
measures fourteen inches in diameter。〃 In the spring of '49 I
talked with the man who lives nearest the pond in Sudbury； who told
me that it was he who got out this tree ten or fifteen years before。
As near as he could remember； it stood twelve or fifteen rods from
the shore； where the water was thirty or forty feet deep。 It was in
the winter； and he had been getting out ice in the forenoon； and had
resolved that in the afternoon； with the aid of his neighbors； he
would take out the old yellow pine。 He sawed a channel in the ice
toward the shore； and hauled it over and along and out on to the ice
with oxen； but； before he had gone far in his work； he was surprised
to find that it was wrong end upward； with the stumps of the
branches pointing down； and the small end firmly fastened in the
sandy bottom。 It was about a foot in diameter at the big end； and
he had expected to get a good saw…log； but it was so rotten as to be
fit only for fuel； if for that。 He had some of it in his shed then。
There were marks of an axe and of woodpeckers on the butt。 He
thought that it might have been