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would have wholly disappeared； all gone off with the fog； spirited
away。 One year I went across the middle only five days before it
disappeared entirely。 In 1845 Walden was first completely open on
the 1st of April； in '46； the 25th of March； in '47； the 8th of
April； in '51； the 28th of March； in '52； the 18th of April； in '53；
the 23d of March； in '54； about the 7th of April。
Every incident connected with the breaking up of the rivers and
ponds and the settling of the weather is particularly interesting to
us who live in a climate of so great extremes。 When the warmer days
come； they who dwell near the river hear the ice crack at night with
a startling whoop as loud as artillery； as if its icy fetters were
rent from end to end； and within a few days see it rapidly going
out。 So the alligator comes out of the mud with quakings of the
earth。 One old man； who has been a close observer of Nature； and
seems as thoroughly wise in regard to all her operations as if she
had been put upon the stocks when he was a boy； and he had helped to
lay her keel who has come to his growth； and can hardly acquire
more of natural lore if he should live to the age of Methuselah
told me and I was surprised to hear him express wonder at any of
Nature's operations； for I thought that there were no secrets
between them that one spring day he took his gun and boat； and
thought that he would have a little sport with the ducks。 There was
ice still on the meadows； but it was all gone out of the river； and
he dropped down without obstruction from Sudbury； where he lived； to
Fair Haven Pond； which he found； unexpectedly； covered for the most
part with a firm field of ice。 It was a warm day； and he was
surprised to see so great a body of ice remaining。 Not seeing any
ducks； he hid his boat on the north or back side of an island in the
pond； and then concealed himself in the bushes on the south side； to
await them。 The ice was melted for three or four rods from the
shore； and there was a smooth and warm sheet of water； with a muddy
bottom； such as the ducks love； within； and he thought it likely
that some would be along pretty soon。 After he had lain still there
about an hour he heard a low and seemingly very distant sound； but
singularly grand and impressive； unlike anything he had ever heard；
gradually swelling and increasing as if it would have a universal
and memorable ending； a sullen rush and roar； which seemed to him
all at once like the sound of a vast body of fowl coming in to
settle there； and； seizing his gun； he started up in haste and
excited； but he found； to his surprise； that the whole body of the
ice had started while he lay there； and drifted in to the shore； and
the sound he had heard was made by its edge grating on the shore
at first gently nibbled and crumbled off； but at length heaving up
and scattering its wrecks along the island to a considerable height
before it came to a standstill。
At length the sun's rays have attained the right angle； and warm
winds blow up mist and rain and melt the snowbanks； and the sun；
dispersing the mist； smiles on a checkered landscape of russet and
white smoking with incense； through which the traveller picks his
way from islet to islet； cheered by the music of a thousand tinkling
rills and rivulets whose veins are filled with the blood of winter
which they are bearing off。
Few phenomena gave me more delight than to observe the forms
which thawing sand and clay assume in flowing down the sides of a
deep cut on the railroad through which I passed on my way to the
village； a phenomenon not very common on so large a scale； though
the number of freshly exposed banks of the right material must have
been greatly multiplied since railroads were invented。 The material
was sand of every degree of fineness and of various rich colors；
commonly mixed with a little clay。 When the frost comes out in the
spring； and even in a thawing day in the winter； the sand begins to
flow down the slopes like lava； sometimes bursting out through the
snow and overflowing it where no sand was to be seen before。
Innumerable little streams overlap and interlace one with another；
exhibiting a sort of hybrid product； which obeys half way the law of
currents； and half way that of vegetation。 As it flows it takes the
forms of sappy leaves or vines； making heaps of pulpy sprays a foot
or more in depth； and resembling； as you look down on them； the
laciniated； lobed； and imbricated thalluses of some lichens； or you
are reminded of coral； of leopard's paws or birds' feet； of brains
or lungs or bowels； and excrements of all kinds。 It is a truly
grotesque vegetation； whose forms and color we see imitated in
bronze； a sort of architectural foliage more ancient and typical
than acanthus； chiccory； ivy； vine； or any vegetable leaves；
destined perhaps； under some circumstances； to become a puzzle to
future geologists。 The whole cut impressed me as if it were a cave
with its stalactites laid open to the light。 The various shades of
the sand are singularly rich and agreeable； embracing the different
iron colors； brown； gray； yellowish； and reddish。 When the flowing
mass reaches the drain at the foot of the bank it spreads out
flatter into strands； the separate streams losing their
semi…cylindrical form and gradually becoming more flat and broad；
running together as they are more moist； till they form an almost
flat sand； still variously and beautifully shaded； but in which you
can trace the original forms of vegetation； till at length； in the
water itself； they are converted into banks； like those formed off
the mouths of rivers； and the forms of vegetation are lost in the
ripple marks on the bottom。
The whole bank； which is from twenty to forty feet high； is
sometimes overlaid with a mass of this kind of foliage； or sandy
rupture； for a quarter of a mile on one or both sides； the produce
of one spring day。 What makes this sand foliage remarkable is its
springing into existence thus suddenly。 When I see on the one side
the inert bank for the sun acts on one side first and on the
other this luxuriant foliage； the creation of an hour； I am affected
as if in a peculiar sense I stood in the laboratory of the Artist
who made the world and me had come to where he was still at work；
sporting on this bank； and with excess of energy strewing his fresh
designs about。 I feel as if I were nearer to the vitals of the
globe； for this sandy overflow is something such a foliaceous mass
as the vitals of the animal body。 You find thus in the very sands
an anticipation of the vegetable leaf。 No wonder that the earth
expresses itself outwardly in leaves； it so labors with the idea
inwardly。 The atoms have already learned this law； and are pregnant
by it。 The overhanging leaf sees here its prototype。 Internally；
whether in the globe or animal body； it is a moist thick lobe； a
word especially applicable to the liver