1908 From Feb, 26 to July 17, 1909
1908 Feb 26. To Washington today. Clears off in p.m. The sight of the dome of the capital against the blue as I have so often seen it, makes me both glad and sad - the sadness predominates. And all the familiar scenes - how pathetic they all seem to me! Stay with the Bakers till March 2d. Lunch with Prest. Roosevelt on 27th. Find him looking as well and as unsupplied as I ever saw him. Told me that Prest. Murray Butler had written him a letter strongly enduring his famous message to congress.
-Said the message made every American hang his head with shame and c. The president seemed astonished that Butler should look at it that way, but said nothing in his own defence, said he was glad I liked the message and c. It was not an academic document - that is why Butler could not stand it. There was no stage thunder in it, it was full of the real thing and the elegant academic mind of B, recoiled from it, saw all my old friends on Sunday the 1st. March 2d. Mrs. B. comes on from A.C. and we take train for Atlanta Ga. at 11 p.m. 3d. Reach Atlantic at 7 1/2 p.m.
4. Go to experiment Ga. to see Prof De Loach.
8. Stay with De Loach till today, a pleasant time; weather warm and pleasant most of the time. Peach trees just blooming. Off for Macon today, at 5 p.m. take train for Jacksonville Fla. 9th. Stayed at Jacksonville last night. Down to Orange Park this morning. Stay at Orange Park with the Van Burens till the 19th. Weather hot most of the time - 86 and 88 and dry. Glad to be with Trowbridge again. We walk and ride and sit together. He is well and hearty - doubt if I can ever carry 80 years so well many people, much pleasure a little to many social.
demands, but beautiful hospitality. Abby Brown, Ethel Howard, Mr. Bush, Mr. Williams, Mr. Waterman - all very pleasant people. Mrs. Van Buren attractive and intelligent and a part of many accomplishments. We tire of the August like weather and leave on the 19th for Atlantic City. In Va. on the night of the 20th ran into a snow storm which delayed the train 2 hours, frost on the windows in the morning. Pass through Washington at 11. Reach A.C. at 6 p.m. on the 21st. 22d. Again at A.C. and glad to be there, gained 8 lbs
feel in fine health. 23, 24, 25. At A.C. fine cool days. Walk to Ventnor in one hour on the 24th. 26th. Off to High Bridge to visit Knox and Lucy Taylor, a very pleasant time amid the Jersey hills.
27. To N.Y. and with Katharine. Go to M. 28, 29. At M. a pleasant time. C.B. sad and over worked. She goes to P.B. on the 30.
30.
Back to N.Y. at Rowlands.

31.
In NY looking for girl. April 1st. Mrs. B. comes from A.C. stay at Dr. Johnsons.


2. Home today. Rained in the night, mild.
3d. Cold wave, below freezing. Bright windy day; go to P. My 71th birthday. Health excellent, weight 157.
4.
Cold, windy bright. No sap.

5.
Bright; down to 26. Grows warmer and clouds up.

6.
Clear often rain in the night; warmer, an ideal April morning.

7.
Home today on early train. Reach Curtis's at 11. Go directly to sap bush where I see steam and smoke issuing from sap house. Windy, sap running well. Johnny and hired man Fred boiling sap. Find the family well. Snow banks yet linger on side hill and in the wood, on the mountains. In p.m. I tap 6 trees in upper [Andaz]

bush. We [sump] off in p.m. Am very glad to be amid the old scenes once more.

8.
Rain; in the sap house most of the day boiling sap. Rain stops in p.m.

9.
A cold wave with wind in the night; froze feet, hand. A windy raw day. Clearing in p.m. Boil sap.

10.
Warmer, cloudy, came home in p.m. Curtis suffers more and more with the sore, (cancer) on his head. I doubt if he lives another year.

11.
Windy, with signs of cold wave, new book "Leaf and Tendril" came this morning. Mercury 60. Grass starting and elm trees in bloom.

12.
Bright day. Work to S.S in p.m.

13.
Clear, windy day, fine but chilly, soft maples red with bloom, pussy willows yielding pollen to the bees.

14.
Froze last night; clear, crisp calm today. The red poll warbler over by the station - now on the low branches of the trees, now on the ground. Hear him sing for the first time - a song much like that of chippy, a little finer in tone - notes a little more rapid.

15.
Some rain today,

16.
Clearing, very windy cold, Amelia A. and her friends at S.S.

17.
Fine day; froze last night. Spend the day at S.S.

18.
Cloudy and light rain in p.m. Spend p.m. at S.S. Mrs. Van S. and some P. boys.

19.
Cloud and sun, chilly

20.
Hard snow squall from S.W. Froze last night.

21.
Clear, cold, windy. Froze again.

22.
Warmer, cloud and sun, a fine day.

23.
A perfect April morning, at last, warm, still wooing, a morning that makes a great stir about the farms. How the plows will start today, there is a kind of sex warmth and longing in nature. The swallow should be here today, and the early birds will be concerned about their nests today. Hud plowing the vineyard, Ed, hoeing. How the seed men will sell seeds and bulbs this day. Off to M. today.

24.
At M. mild day.

25.
To N.Y. and then to Summit with Mabie, a dinner to Whittridge at night

26.
At S. a fine day, Ride to Morristown to see Davenports fowls and horses - very interesting.

27.
Back to Orange to the Frank at night.

28.
To Lehigh University with Carnegie and party, a lovely day and an enjoyable one.

29.
To Pittsburgh with the Franks. Snow and rain at night.

30.
A cold storming day. See many people at Founders day at Carnegie Inst. May 1st. Cold and wet. 2d. To Slack, at Edgeworth, a pleasant family.


3.
Cloudy. Play golf at country club.

4.
Back to Orange at night.

5.
Bright, milder. In N.Y.

today and to lunch on 5th Ave, meet Edith Rickert in p.m. To Brooklyn to dinner with her.

6.
To Washington in p.m. reach Whitehouse at 6, raining, president out horse back riding.

7.
Raining, off for Pine Knot with president and Mrs. R. at 11. Reach P.K. at about 4 p.m. Sun shining. 8, 9, 10. At P.K. walking and driving with president and observing the birds. Back to W. in p.m.


[9] 11. Go to Bakers and to the British Embassy to lunch, like Bryce much.
13. Fine day and warm.
[14] Back to N.Y.
14. Home today, apple trees
dropping bloom Getting warm.
16. To Slabsides and glad to be there. Tired and dull. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23,. 24, 25. At Slabsides. Company several days.
25.
To Edenville with E.R. in p.m. Very warm 86.

26.
At E. hot 87.

27.
Home again, hot 87, hot since the 22d.

28.
Shower last night; hot and clear today. Season striding ahead. Locust bloom dropping.

29.
Cloudy, cooler, off for De Bruce in p.m. Health excellent these days. Weigh 158, sleep like a boy. C and S come to L.M.

30.
Cloudy, misty; drive up to De B. Go fishing in forenoon. C takes 3 good trout. Rain in p.m.

The Martins and Corbins come to tea at Caufields.

31.
Fine day. We all drive to the Corbin lake on top of mountain and have a picnic. C. S. and I troll for Pickerd - take fire, a fine time. Walk down the mountain to C's. Cooler at night. June 1st. Cool, clear. C. and S. up at 5 and start for L.M. sorry to see them leave, not ,much left for me. Cool day. Drive up to Willowemock to see Mat Decker, am convinced he saw a flock of pigeons a year ago last fall - nearly a hundred he thinks. Take only 2 trout today.


2.
Clear and cool. Fish the mongaup, take only 5. Back home in p.m.

3.
Fine cool day; go up to R. in p.m. with boat.

4.
An ideal June day; the breath of meadow grass again on the air. Daisies buttercup, clover. Hot in p.m, all day at S.S.

5.
Ideal June weather, clear, cool, a party at S.S. Vassar girls, the Van B's, J. and E. and the children, a pleasant day.

6.
Lovely day. Go to K. to the Van Slykes, meet the women of S. clubs.

7.
Clear, warm, dry, signs of a drought. How sweet is the breath of June. Grape vines nearly ready to bloom.

8.
Warm fine day.

9.
Hot day 86. Getting dry. Doing little these days, but writing a few letters and sitting under the trees, stay at S.S at night, Rover with me.

10.
A little cooler. The promised shower last night flashed in the pan, I saw lightning and heard thunder.

11.
Calm, cool, gray clay, go on river in p.m.

12.
Clear, cool, dry, air streaked with perfumes of blooming grapes.

13.
Warm, dry, C.B. and sunshine come at 4 p.m.

14.
Fine warm day, a sail in Wawee.

15.
The long wanted rain is here. Rains all p.m. and nearly all night, hard at times 2 or 3 inches of water, never more needed, an ideal rain.

16.
Cooler, clearing.

17.
Off for N.Y. in Wawee, pass night at Croton point.

18.
Reach N.Y. at 9, anchor Spuyten Duyvil. I go to Sagaponack at p.m.


19, 20. Cool clear days by the sea, with Miss Peck and her friends, air fragrant with clovers and daisies, [but] and full of ,the songs of meadow larks and bobolinks, an enjoyable time.
21.
Off for Floral Park. Stay with the Childs; hot.

22.
To N.Y. hot, hot; start home in p.m. Pass night at Croton Point; hot, hot, hot, a bad night.

23.
Reach home at 11, left C.P. at 3 1/2, Hot.

24.
Hot, 96, Company come at 4.30 for Slabsides and fine shower, about one inch water.

25.
Cooler, fine day.

26.
Cool, clear delightful, Chestnut trees getting hoary, currents and cherries ripe.

27.
Ideal day, calm, clear hot. Boat races.

28.
Go home on morning train hot and dry. Curts folks all well; very dry in R. 29 and 30. At Curts; wild strawberries in the meadows. July 1st. Light rain. 2d. To Edens today; heavy shower in H, light in R. Eden in better health than for 10 years, he says; work all the time.


3.
Heavy rain all forenoon.

4.
Muggy; go to James, Jane well, all her children home and 8 grand children.


to W.P. at night; heavy shower here in p.m. ground well drenched. 5. Hot, 92. 6. Hot, 92. 7. Hot, 93 to 96.
8.
Hot, cooler in p.m. a delightful change.

9.
Cool, lovely.

10.
Warming up a little, hot wave due here by Sunday the 12th very well these days, no work.

11.
Warm, off for Roxbury this morning, all well.

12.
Hot, hot, go on N. side the house. Cloudy with sprinkles of rain.

13.
Cooler, pleasant.

14.
Fine day, very dry. C.B. and Addie ,come at night, old house very comfortable. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. All lovely days


-Idyllic days in the woods on the hills in the Hammock, in the house - all goes merry as "a marriage bill" congenial company - what a factor [of] in human happiness is that? C.B. improves daily. Each day too short, never had a happier week. To Pine Hill all of us on Tuesday the 21st.
22.
Rain abortive, as usual. Rained part of the night and did not make easy drop, very dry, as soon as the storm clouds reach this part of the country, they seem struck with paralysis.

23.
Delightful day, a walk to woods of Hay barn meadows. June plums, apples, and nectar. Pass night on [24] "old clumps," six of us. Warm, cloudy, thundery, but no rain. C.B. in Hammock.

24.
Cloudy. Return to house at 6. Began raining in p.m. at dark. Slow gentle rained all night.

25.
Rained slowly till near noon over 2 inches of water.

a walk to [Augin] in p.m.

26.
Lovely bright day. Photograph thorn trees.

27.
Bright, hot, a memorable night.

28.
Bright, hot. C.B. and A. gone to village.

29.
Hot. Find Gold finches nest [at] in home orchard.

30.
Fine hot day, and gone with Johnny.

31.
C.B. and I take a walk, sit in the corner of the meadow. Aug 1. Cooler, windy. C.B. and I go to old clump; get 2 gts of huckle berries, a wonderful day.


2.
Warmer, leave Woodchuck Lodge today. Leave C.B. at K. reach home at 8.

3.
Start on our boat trip today. Pass night at Coxsackie, warm windy at night.

4.
To Albany at 4 1/2. Enter Canal at 2, hot, hot. Pass night at cold spring.

5.
Hot, two showers, reach Ft Edward at night.

6.
Hot, hot, reach White Hall at 5. Pass night there.

7.
Leave W.H. at 11. Pass night near Ner Tie, mosquitoes, mosquitoes no sleep.

8.
Visit ruins of Old Tie, much impressed. Go on to chimney point in p.m. a delightful anchorage. Warm.

9.
Lovely day. Go on to Essex in p.m.

10.
All day at Essex, hot, clear, calm. Start back at 7 1/2, for a Merrilight sail. Reach [ch] Crown Point at 10 1/2. Peaceful waters.

11.
Visit ruins of Crown Point. Well worth the trouble. Up anchor and away at 9. Reach White Hall and 4. Run into a shower. Reach Ft Ann at 7, pass night there.

12.
Up and off [at] early. Pass sunken boat. Reach Flynns lock at night; hot.

13.
Up and off early; Reach Troy at 10; Hot, hot. 90+. Detained 6 hours by lock menders. Off again at 4 1/2. Reach Shad Island at 7 1/2.

14.
An early start; hot, hot, hot, hot. Reach home without incident at 4 p.m.

15.
A little cooler. Tired and sleepy.

16.
Clear, dry.

17.
Cloudy, light rain.

18.
Clear, cooler, rain a failure.

19.
Cool and delightful, but too dry, off tomorrow for N.H. 20.. To Franklin N.H. today. Stay till Friday the 28 with Mrs. Aiken on the shores of Webster Lake, cool fine weather, a pleasant


place, a hospitable family. Go to Lake Winnipesaukee on the 25th a memorable day.
28. Start for Nantucket today. We reach there at 9 p.m. Stay till Sept 3d. Only one rainy day, cool and beautiful. Sept 3d. Cool bright day. Leave Nantucket at 1 p.m.
4.
In N.Y. this morning a lovely day. Reach home at 2 p.m.

5.
Cool bright day, very dry. Grapes nearly off.

6.
Cool and dry.

7.
Cool and dry.

8.
Cool and dry. Clear. Go to S.S. to stay.

9.
Clear, dry, dry, getting warmer. [Finish]

10.
Dry, dry, grapes finished today.


12. Dry, warm, dusty, to Saugerties and then to Hi Craig, a pleasant time.
14.
To Napanoch with Mr. Seaman, warm, dry.

15.
To M. today.

16.
Home today.

17.
Off in the Wawee for East Hampton, still warm, hazy. Reach Croton Point after dark.

18.
Off early, pass little Hell Gate 11-12. The sound very hazy, all the sirens singing! Reach Stamford harbor at 5.

19.
An early start all day on. The smooth water in the dense haze. Reach Clinton

Harbor at 5 1/2.

20.
Bright with some wind, Haze gone, cross the Somuel and go three Plum. Got at12 1/2. Gradener bay rough, reach 3 Mile Harbor at 3, pass night there.

21.
To East Hampton where we stay till Oct 8. Bright fine weather, with one heavy rain, fairly well, much time on the beach. Read considerable - "The Long Labrader Train." "The Flock" and finish Olivers Hamilton. Oct 8. Leave on return trip, a fair day, smooth. Reach Bridgeport at 6. A wind drives us into Black Rock Harbor, a quiet night.


9. Fine day, off early. Reach our anchorage in Harlan at 4 p.m. 10 and 11. In N.Y. and vicinity.
12.
High wind from north. Start up river at 11. Reach Greens Cove at 5, a still frosty night.

13.
Reach home at 3 p.m. a fine quiet day. All well, very dry here, only one light rain since [oc] we left. 14, 15, 16, 17. Warm, hazy lovely days. Company at S.S, two days.


18.
Health all right again. Since my return, hazy partly overcast.

19.
A change to cooler without rain, stiff North wind, very smoky can smell the smoke and see it in the rooms; river hidden. Sun a ball of fire cherry red, very dry. Oct 24. A week of calm, clear lovely days. Sharp frost some nights. Haze over all. Forest fires all about. Wells and springs and creeks going dry everywhere. Remarkable drought. Health good, writing each forenoon on Man and Evolution e.t.c. Have struck few leading veins yet. Fairly happy, as I always am if I can write at all. Walk to S.S. each p.m. Cloudy, signs of rain today.


-Yesterday while my dog was eating his dinner I started
off hurriedly for the P.O. as I was ,starting up the drive my dog overtook me, jumped up against me and whined, I hurried on. When I looked around he had gone - he had hurried back to finish his dinner, in a few moment he overtook me again and went with me to the P.O. Now most persons would say that my dog asked me in his dog way to wait till he had taken his dinner. But I do not suppose there was any process in his mind akin to that which would go on in our minds under similar circumstances. This is my explanation of his act He wanted the food and he wanted to go with me. For the moment the latter desire overcame the former and he started to follow. Then he remembered his food and rushed back. The whining was expressive of his discomfort at being pulled in two ways at the same time. To formulate an idea, like "wait for me," [a] I doubt if even a dog ever does that. 25, 26, 27, 28. Light rain here, heavy in parts of the country, heavy out home, when it started all the springs that had dried up. No effect on the springs here. Spent the time at Slabsides.
31. Go to Napanoch. Cold and windy C.B. joins at M.
Nov 1st. At M. at her Seamans a pleasant time. A cold windy day. 2d. Warmer, Mr. S. and Mrs. Sarse bring me home in auto, a pleasant ride.
3.
Mild, fine day. Go up to vote in p.m. Vote the Republican ticket, though hesitatingly, I hate to vote with all the big rascals and pirates.

4.
Cold, still at S.S.

5.
Cold, windy, first snow tonight. Leave SS. 6 and 7. Milder. Stay at Riverby.


8.
Cloudy, mild. Go to S.S. with Mr. Finley.

9.
Mild Indian summer like day. Send off MS. to C.B. to type

10.
Calm, hazy, sun like a great copper ball, at sunset it was abroad scarlet, mild. Staying at S.S, still writing on the Long Road.

11.
Calm, mild, cloudy, Ethel Van B. wedding day, sleep well and am well these days, but losing flesh. Sprinkled a little and then cleared at night. To rain seems impossible.

12.
Clear and windy and colder. Stay at Riverby.

13.
Cloudy and cold with now and then a snow flake in the air. Walk to S.S. in p.m. and see flocks of crossbills feeding on the hemlock cones,


-It is quite easy to interpret the action of your dog, but to read into his mind the ideas which his act awakens in yours may be and probably is very wide of the mark.
14. A seamless cloud over the sky. Go to M. Begins snowing in p.m. a walk to the woods over dusty roads.
[Nov 14, 1908] One thing which shows the low psychic life of the dog is his enormous capacity for sleep. If nothing is doing he can, apparently sleep all the time, sleep all night and sleep all day, the week through. Physical activity or nothing with him. He has little or no mind to keep awake. Evidently he does not think or brood or reminisce; he runs or he sleeps. One trait I envy my dog, he never finds a walk or a run over the same rout, tiresome or uninteresting. The moment we start he is all alertness and expectation. The old and familiar becomes new and strange at once, adventure lurks on every hand, he is sure something exciting will happen [Nov 14, 1908] around that corner, or behind that rock, or over that Knowl. He is the true pedestrian, always on the trail, or near the trail of some notable game. If he sits down for a moment he is constantly feeling the air with his nose; his interest rarely flags. To his hightened instincts other peoples eats other peoples hens, other peoples cows or pigs, or sheep are pet subjects for reprisal. Oh, if my own interest and powers of observation could be always hightened by a walk, as his are!
[Nov 14, 1908] Birds will break a butte with their beaks or by pounding them on a stick or stone. It is said that in S.A. the Sulphur tyrant bird will take a snake by the tail and beat it over a branch, a stone like a flail, till it is dead. Has it ever been known to reverse the process and beat the snake with a stick? This is the step an animal cannot take.
[Nov 1908]
15.
Five or six inches of snow, all day with C. call on the Caufields, pretty cold, a young winter.

16.
Clearing cold, down to 16, or 18. Home at 10.10.

17.
Clear, milder, much snow. Still on the ground. Blue birds still here.


19. Fine day, at S.S.
22. Clear crisp day. Go to N. to look at farm for C.B. Like the farm.
21.
Fine bright day; cool.

22.
Fine day.

23.
Fine day. Capt Baldwin the Arctic explorer at S.S. Good fellow, but had been drinking.

24.
Foggy. An enormous flock of wild geese at 8 1/2 going south, probably 200. J. shoots at them. The 3d or 4th big flock


within a week.
-Later Julian went down on the river and shot 4 of this flock of geese - snow geese from the far North, beautiful fowls, poor things! I thought, with no one to care for them or provide for or protect them, without [arms] tools, or weapons, without instruction or guides of any sort, without season, with only blind instinct.
-What a wonder that they survive at all. Compelled to migrate from one end of a continent to another often bewildered by the fog as they were this morning, many of them young birds without experience of man and his ways demanding food, but with no supplies between here and Fla, that they do not seek at the hazard of their lives - what a pity to kill them.
P.m. clearing warm as early Oct.
25.
Still foggy, mild, promised rain does not come. Start for Hobart in p.m. Clearing at H. Find Eden and Mag well.

26.
Meet my people once more at thansgiving dinner. Curtis Jane, Eden, Olly, Dessie, Ann, Mariah, and Willies family. A mild, pleasant day, all goes well. Go to Hiram's grave in the morning. Curtis about as he was in July. Looks young for a man of his age.

27.
Cooler, clearing. Return home on morning train. Clear here.

28.
Fine day, no frost. Go to S.S, and write, my dog and I.

29.
Fine mild day, no rain yet about finish the Long Road began in late Oct.

30.
Mild, cloudy, threatening rain still at work on the Long Road


Dec 1st. Clearing without rain. Rain seems impossible in this part of the country. Warm, but cold wave near at hand, chipmonks still running about, mercury 60.
4.
Colder. To N.Y. today, meet C.at 1 1/2 and take her to see "Dinner of Herbs." She returns at 7. Stay at Rowlands

5.
Lunch with Mr. Seaman and to Campfire club dinner at night.

6.
Cold, down to 18 at W.P.

7.
Warmer and raining hard. Home today. Snow and rain at W.P. 8 and 9. Clear fine winter weather.


10.
Cold, down to 12, clear. Mrs. B. leaves for P. Still at work on Long Road.

11.
Cloudy, begins snowing at 8 1/2.


p.m. about 2 1/2 inches of snow.
12.
Clearing, mild, C.B. comes in p.m., a delightful day.

13.
Snowing gently, one inch during day. C.B. and I have our dinner at Slabsides. The flower of the Dec days.

14.
Clearing, mild. Go to P. in p.m.

15.
Clear, mild, no frost last night. Snow melting. Got off the Long Road to Atlantic.

16.
Clear, colder, calm, not much go in me these days.


18.
Go to N.Y. today. 5 inches of snow last night.

19.
In N.Y. at Rowlands, meet many people. 20 and 21. In N.Y.


22.
To P. today, mild.

23.
Mild, in P.

24.
Go home to Roxbury this p.m. Chant meets me at train.

Reach Curtises at 6 in the deem moon light, a white landscape.

25.
Xmas at the old home, mild. still, cloudy day. Jane and Olly and her husband there, and Ed and his wife, 12 of us at dinner. In morning Chant found a woodchuck on the snow over above the orchard; brought him home in the sleigh, slow and dull, but apparently well, I found hole in orchard where he came out and followed his wanderings about the fields. Had his sexual instincts awoke him prematurely and sent him forth in greed of mate? He seemed looking for something. Glad to be at the old place again and see the winter landscape. No xmas at home for over 10 years.

26.
Colder, snowing and blowing this morning. Return to West Park.

27.
In P. with Mrs. B.

28.
At West Park today. Clear mild lovely day. Hope to get work again.

29.
Mild day.

30.
Cloudy, signs of storm a light rain at night.

31.
Clearing, mild. Go to P. with J. 1909 Jany 1st. Fair day, colder, ice in the roads, thin coat of hard snow in fields, very well these days. The old Adam rampant for 2 weeks. Living here in study and boarding at J's. Writing again on the animal mind. Fairly happy, weight 153. Blue birds still here. Terrible news from Italy. 2d. Mild day, still writing. 3d. Mild day, still writing.


[Jan 3, 1909]
-Life of course has its mechanisms but is life itself a mechanism or the result of a mechanism? No machine can run itself; what runs this machine, the animal body? Is there something back of and independent of the machine that runs it? Is there a vital force? Force of some sort runs all machines and prompts all chemical action whence its source? In the inorganic world we see only the action of mechanical and chemical principles, but have not there principles been touched by something to finer issues in the organic world? I wonder.
4th. Calm, mild day with, with fog and a little rain, clearing in p.m. at night moonlight with fog. A day at S.S, with Warwick admirers.
5. Mild, foggy, rainy all day, not heavy. Snow nearly gone, mercury 40. Write in morning. Weight 148 1/2, height 5.7.
-I often find myself saying of certain class of books, usually the so called new thought books, that come in my way, or are sent to me, "I cant read them, they are not literature an they are not science, and a book must be one or the other to appeal to me. The new thought is for the most part, a kind of counterfeit thought. It [Jan 1909]
-Looks like that at first glance and the writers yet evidently, persuade themselves it is that but it is not. If the idea of Emerson could be reduced to a jelly, all the lime land iron taken out of them - that would be [the] like the new thought.
6.
Quite a rain yesterday, more than an inch I think. Snow all gone, clearing today, mercury 46, but cold wave coming.

7.
Much colder, down to 10, zero at some points, clear.


9.
Much ice in river, cloudy with signs of snow, milder. Writing again on Animal Mind. Blue birds still here.

10.
Mild cloudy, at times a mist of rain.

11.
Like yesterday.

12.
Colder, sleet and then snow from the North, Le Gallienne and his friend come, an interesting day at S.S. 1/2 inch of snow.

13.
Cold and clear, down to 4.


-Do we not recoil from the explanation of life and mind in the terms of physics? Why should we? I know not, of course, physics and chemist and mechanics enter into the problem, but are they the only, or the chief factors? Well, when we invoke physics, we must accept the results of physics, when we invoke metaphysics we seem to be in freer or more spiritual regions. Physics can explain the phonograph how simple the mechanism of it is, but the wonder, the marvel if it is not diminished by its physics.
Probably the soul and all that pertains to it, has a physical, and physiological explanation, but how inadequate it seems in face of its miraculous powers of all we feel and think and dream and aspire to! For the origin if there tones and harmonies and living voices of the phonograph, we can only point you to these waving lives of the records, yet think what sleeps in these lives!
14.
To N.Y. to Rowlands.

15.
Start for Ithaca, mild day. Snow on the ground. Meet Prof. Basty on train.

16.
At J. cold. Mr. S. and Mrs. S. and I attend lectures on chickens.

17.
To Dr. Andrew D. Whites to tea. Dr. W. an attractive man, gentle and wise, and learned.

To Prof Baily's at night.

18.
Snow and cold. To Dr. Whites to lunch, meet many interesting people, a fine lunch. Stay to Ithaca till Friday the 22d a good time, many interesting people, a great university. 22d. Warmer, thawing. Start for M. today. Get in wrong train at Waverly and am carried West instead of East, much chagrined, an enforced ride to Elmira, snow running fast. Reach Port Jervis at 10.


23.
To Middletown today, warm.

24.
At M. raining.


27.
Stay at M. till this morning. Then to N.Y. C.B looking

extra well.

28.
In N.Y. at Mrs. Franklins, a party at night.

29.
To P. this morning, and to W.P. in p.m. Snowing.

30.
Four or five inches of snow.

31.
Cold, near zero, at work on Long Road. Feb 1. Fine winter weather plenty of blue birds. Gone sleighing. 3d. To Vassar to dinner.


4.
Milder.

5.
Much warmer 50 degrees.

6.
Rained a little, sleighing gone. Hazy, mild, calm, dark today, not much work in me these days. Live in the study, Mrs.


B. in P. The trip to Cala abandoned Vassar girls at S.S. Clearing and spring like.
[Feb 1909]
7.
Mild, snow all gone. At P. with Mrs. B.

8.
Froze last night. Ice boats out. Clear, mild, March like, no work in me.

9.
Colder down to 20, this morning. Storm coming.

10.
Some snow last night and rain this morning, trees coated with ice. Fog and murk. A song sparrow timing her instrument this morning. To Saugerties yesterday.

11.
Thunder yesterday p.m. and a long shower. Clearing and colder at night. Cold and windy this morning. Snow all gone again, except in woods.

12.
Clear, down to 24 this morning ice boating good Fine day.


-Oh, the world and systems that the night reveals, the out
12.
An ideal ice boating day, steady stiff breeze from S.W. and smooth ice. The river is flocked with ice boats, going at great speed. So far Feb. has been like March, yesterday and today are typical March days.

13.
Rained a little in the night, hazy and still and cloudy this morning, more rain coming I think.


13. P.m. Clear, soft, warm like an April day. Mercury above 50. Bees out of the hive. Spring is getting ahead of itself.
-Boys whistle, girls do not, so male birds sing, females do not, whistling and singing are male characteristics.
-Ice harvesters beginning to open the canals this p.m. too late I think,
14.
Colder, cloudy.

15.
A little rain. Conclude to go to California, with C.B. and Mrs. Ashley.

16.
Cold rain most of the day, an enamel of ice over everything.

17.
Thunder last night and heavy dashes of rain. Clearing this morning, an ice storm, some trees broken down. Colder 29 degrees.


J.B.
Feb 20, - 1909 to July 15, - 1909
Part dictated to C.B.
Par C.B. Friday, Feb, 19/09 (To Po'Keepice to pass the day and night with Mrs. B. before starting on Western trip. When I said goodbye to the children, Urane said in her peculiar plaintive tone, with her "gee - gee" in her and and her thumb in her mouth, "We shall be lonesome, but we shall be happy.") C.B. Feb, 20. An eventful day. C.B. and Mrs. Ashley come to P - in the morning, Julian meets them at Highland and helps them with baggage. All meet at station, Mrs. B. with us, and wait for the 11.47 train. C.B. and Mrs. A. apparently in high spirits. Off on time - Mrs. B. and Julian standing on the platform looking rather forlon. My own heart is pretty heavy - I know there's joy and sunshine ahead but for the time an feel the burden of the undertaking, and the pain of the parting. We had not gone far before we saw gleams of sunshine on the opposite shore of the Hudson? Then we pass a bald eagle flying leisurely Northward above the river. We distinctly see his white tail and head. We hail it as a good omen
As we near Albany we see the effects of the heavy rain which fell Friday night - Front street under water, people rowing in it in row boats.
We find the valley of the Mohawk flooded, vast stretches of meadow under water and covered with the dirty wreckage of the river ice.
In many places trees stand waist deep in water, fences half submerged, or more. But our train is not delayed and we make good speed and pass Port Byron after dark - straining our eyes trying to see. C.B's group of nieces and nephews she hopes to see standing on the platform.
Feb 21/09
Wake up in Northern Ohio, sun shining. Smooth easy run to Chicago which we reach on time. Bright and warm like a mild day in March. C.B's friends, the Macaulay's meet us at the train and take us home with them. Here we stay, the recipients of their cordial hospitality, during our stay in the dirty Mammoth city. Feb 22.
The day began bright and spring like but became overcast in p.m. Visit R. way exchange and arrange for our tickets over the Santa Fe'. Secure, each of us, a pair of hob nailed shoes for tramping on the heels of John Muir in his great preserves in the Petrified forests and Grand Canon. Lunch at Marshall field's store. Feb 23
A day fog and mist and murk. Visited R. way office and got our letters of introduction which the officials kindly proffered us. On our way to Elle's Ave, to the old home of my dear cousin. John C Burroughs, we were much delayed by blockaded street cars. But afterward felt rather grateful for the blockade.
I found his old home turned into a club house and all memory of him and his family gone from the place. It was very sad to me. My last visit there was 1886 when both he and his wife were well.
In the evg, C.B's friends help us pull ourselves together, bag and baggage, and accompany us to the train through a thick misty atmosphere and over sidewalks be daubed with black prairie mud and soot.
Off on time at 8 p.m. on the California Limited and have a smooth easy ride through the night. Feb 24,
We wake up in the morning under clear bright skies in North Western Missouri and are very soon speeding through the broad bottom lands of the Missouri river. At 9 o'clock we are at Kansas City. The rest of the day we are speeding through Kansas; looking out upon the great stretches of undulating prairie and river bottoms, seeing many home like farm houses and many very uninviting ones.
But little wild life in the landscape - Two crows struggling in the air over a bit of food which one carried in the beak, but which he was finally compelled to drop in the Missouri river. Now and then a hawk and one blue bird sitting on a stake in a farm yard.
(For more details of impressions, see letter to Julian of this date.)
West of Emporia we saw a good many stone walls built of fragments of the light cream sandstone which crops out of many of the hills. But they are not attractive stone walls as we have at home; they are free from moss and lichens and look new an hasty.
Apparently the Kansas farmers never draw manure on the land, at least I have seen none in my journeyings thus far.
Feb 24
1 p.m. West of Topeka, a beautiful rolling country. Looks like "live." As soon as the earth is lifted up a little was to make good drainage what a different atmosphere it has, how much more friendly and salubrious it looks (a red tailed hawk) Osage orange hedges, stacks of straw, looking like great warts. Mrs. A. says some attractive farm houses on the swelling landscape. Black muddy rusty roads and straining teams hauling loads of baled hay, a few stone walls and wooded hills.
Feb 25/09 Thursday
Las Vegas, New Mexico, 9.30 a.m. Passed through S.E. corner of Colorado in the night. At sunrise in New Mexico entering upon a new kind of scenery; broad yellow plains stretching away on either hand surrounded by a wall of those short angular much broken volcanic mountains, with snow on their summits.
All the morning speeding through this tawny plain, feeding our eyes upon the distant snow-streaked and snow capped mountains.
Here and there on the broad plain herds of grazing cattle, groups of low in conspicuous ranch buildings, or the humble shacks of the new settlers.
Much trap rock here and there and many stumps of volcanoes.
Only a little wild life on the plain now and then flocks of what seemed to be prairie horned larks (saw an Oriole's nest there, probably Bullocks Oriole) now and then a big hawk.
prowling slowly along above the landscape.
In recruiting of Las Vegas the low hills were dotted with scrub pine.
Everywhere the landscape is goshed by little canons made by the small streams any of which night serve as a model for the great canons - a photograph of any of these little earth canons, enlarged, would give a pretty good idea of the grand canon. Nature seems to have her fashions. In the East West of her creek and river banks slope but when one gets in the Rocky Mt. region they are precipitous in the soil as well as in the rock.
Las Vegas seemed quite a large, bright well built town with a picturesque minion style hotel Castenada.
Here and there after leaving Las Vegas, numerous adobe huts and houses of the earth [earthy].
2/25 10.30am. Passing through a broad, winding, irregular valley of red soil, dotted with scrub pine and cedars, surrounded by mountains covered with the same. But little signs of human occupancy or fertility of soil. To west of us high snow copped peaks shine in bright seen like great orbs - level lines across face of mts, as if strata lay
perfectly horizontal and here and there a broadness and Va butte. Road muds and winds on a down grade. Dry water courses on as red as raw beef. Evidences here and there of glaciation in the banks of worn boulders and red clay. Two engines pull us over the Glorietta, 7420 ft. A vast expanse of rolling pine covered barrens, surrounded by irregular mountain ranges, snow capped here and there.
Soil as red as that of Jersey or Georgia. The bunch grass, and trees take great care not to crowd one another. A coyote's track, ant hills(?) Top of Glorietta at 11.30 am.
Pleasant 20 minutes stop at Alberquerque at 1.30 where met Mr. and Mrs. Simpson of the Santa Fe' who showed us kind attention. Hotel Alvarado mission style, Mr. Harvey's most interesting Indian collection. Navajo Indians weaving modern blankets; saw many rare old ones, one which Mrs. S. showed us is priced at $1200.00.
Leaving Alberquerque see San Dio mountains and Rio Grande river, and soon pass a picturesque Indian village (Isleta) The plain of the Rio Grande here is broken and irregular, 5 or 6 miles broad, bounded by the snow capped San Dio range on the East.
No rain here from this time till July and Aug. No crops can be grown except by irrigation.
Many of these table mountain or mesas have a sort of cosmic along the level line of the top - a broad band of fluted or scalloped rock (trap?) that has the effect of an architectural finish. At their base and on their sides there is often an effect of piers and columns high and massive with deep shadows that is very pleasing, abrupt perpendicular walls in the rocks and in the soil is the order here. Something about it all that suggest Egyptian ruins, except in the red color. None of our Eastern Mts, suggest architecture or architectural ruins but here in the West such suggestions come to you from every hand. Reached Adamana, Arizona Thursday night Feb 25, 1909.
John Muir met us at the train and his voice sounded familiar and good out of the obscurity of the night. "How are you,
Johnny?" my reply was "By thunder, Muir I'm glad to see you!" I introduced him to my two travelling companions and he said in a [jorose] way that he was surprised that there were
not 6 instead of only two women in my train.
We passed the night at the little inn at Adamana.
In the morning we drove to the North Forest across an undulating Plateau and saw our first Jack rabbits scurrying away the low bushes - then big ears tipped with get always being conspicuous. They ran with so little effort that they in same way gave me the impression of the motion of a bicycle.
After a ride of 2 hours we found ourselves on the brink of the broad valley in which lie the petrified trees. The spectacle of the painted desert in the distance was such that it moved C.B. to tears.
We descended into the dry river bottom and after a walk of 2 or 3 miles came to the trunks of the petrified trees, lying scattered about over the red and gray clay mounds. Everywhere were trunks or fragments of trunks of enormous trees, some broken into fragments and others whole and partly covered by the soils. We saw trees 100 ft or more long, straight as a candle apparently lying where they had fallen, as in many cases the stumps and roots were still visible. We spent several hours wandering about amid there ruins of a foreworld. One could not look without emotion upon these silicified trunks of trees that had been growing millions of years ago, probably in carboniferous times.
In some cases the all structure of the tress was exactly reproduced in the stone, so that under the magnifying glass we could see the cells as in the living tree. In other cases the process of crystalization had gone on and the interior of the trunk presented more of a solid vitreous appearance, in which the cell structure was obliterated. These were the ones that presented many brilliant colors, red, orange, yellow blue, purple e.t.c. The only signs of animal life
(prairie horned larks) we saw were ravens flying above and croaking and the sand bore delicate tracery of the marks of small rodents such as field mice or ground squirrels or spermophiles.
After a most delightful day musing and dreaming and wandering amid there strange scenes we returned to the inn at 5 o'clock. Sat Feb, 27. On this day we went to two forests, the first and third, which lie 8 or 9 miles South of the railway. On this drive we saw three coyotes sneaking among the low shrubbery like kill-beef dogs.
The scene of these two forest does not differ greatly from those we saw the day before. We walked over the famous tree trunk that forms a bridge over a charm. This was over 100 ft. long and 3 or 4 ft in diameter. We ate our lunch in a huge trunk 4 or 5 ft in diameter and 100 or more feet long. In some cases we would see what appeared to be the marks of the wood borers which had tunnelled their way under the bark as they do in our own times. Often we found our
selves in what appeared to be a veritable wood yard, where the trunks were sawed up in store lengths and the ground was strewn with chips - a pan ful of these chips would have deceived the eye of any house wife, but when she would take the pan in her hand she would be astonished at the weight.
At one point there was a rocky spindle 30 or 40 ft high, on the top of one of the buttes, upon which was the remains of an eagle's nest.
We found petrified bones of extinct animals and casts of many shells - among other fossils we found the lace coral. Though these trees had branches along their trunks they were not of the branching kind as we know them, they went mainly to trunks, like our pines. They grew long before the flowing trees and shrubs had appeared.
We left Adamana that night.
Sunday Feburary 28/09
Arrived at Grand canon at 10 a.m, tired and hungry.
In the p.m. rode out through the Coconino forest with the Brauts.
March 1. Made our descent into the canon, found it "well worth while" not with standing the chafing of meier. Remained at the canon till evening of March 4.
March 5. Stopped at Doggett on the Mojave Desert to see Helen Muir.
Left then March 6, at noon, starting for Riverside, California, which we reach about 6 p.m.
At Riverside (Mission Inn) till March 15. March 15. Leave for Pasadena on the p.m. train. Stay at Miramonte over night. Rent a cottage on Madison Avenue. Remain at Pasadena, house keeping and enjoying the hos.
pitality of the people, and the sights of the beautiful country till April 23 - a long and delightful chapter in our Western experience, of which I cannot now give the particulars. April 23.
Start for Barstow, but find our tickets take us over Southern Pacific. Retrace steps to Los Angeles and reach Santa Barbara the evg of the 23d. April 24. Ride about S.B. with the Dreens in auto - a pleasant time. April 25. On hills above S.B. with Bradford Torrey - a memorable day. Stopped at the Gregson and find it a very satisfactory, moderate priced hotel.
Afternoon start for San Francisco, which we reach at midnight
-after a ride through a country very novel and picturesque to our eyes. April 26. Went to C.B. friends, Rev David Evans I hunted up Harvey Kilbourn, my boy lave of 58 yrs ago. Find him a practicing physician of good standing, looks so much like the Kellys. I would have known him on the street. April 27. Go to Charlie Keeler's and meet interesting people in afternoon and evening, connected with the university of California. [April 28] Met John Muir again and made the acquaintance of the artist. Wm Keith, whom I liked much. April 28.
Went to Mt Tamalpais and the Muir woods with Keith and Keeler and several others. April 29. Start for Yosemite with John Muir.
April 30 [May 1]. Meet Mr. Brown at El Portal, and drive into Yosemite. Reach floor of valley about noon.
In p.m. visited Yosemite Falls and strolled about the wonderful valley. May 1.
Tramped to Vernal and Nevada Falls with Muir and Browne and C.B. and H.M. A. a glorious day, full of the exhilaration of those wonderful scenes - a walk of about 13 miles. I cannot stop to give my impressions of Yosemite here further than to say that as contrasted with the S.C. one could live in Yosemite and find life sweet. It is like a great houses or hall in which one could find a nook where he could make his nest, looked down upon by the gods of the granite ages. The floor of the valley really has a domestic habitable look with its orchards
and ploughed lands, its superb trees and its limpid silently gliding river, and above all its waterfalls fluttering against the granite precipices. The ethereal beauty of waterfalls and the genial look of the pure streams makes almost any place seem inhabitable.
Stayed at Camp Ahwahnee that night where around the big camp fire, under the full moon playing pick a bad with us above Sentinel Rock, we passed a delightful evening. Sunday May 2. Spend in strolling about valley till p.m. when we take the stage for El Portal. Passed the night there. May 3. Take morning train for San Francisco. Reach Berkeley in evening. May 4. Spend in S.F. - at Keith's studio and met some more
College professors in Berkeley in evening. May 5. Opens a new chapter in our experience when we take S.S. Mongolia about 11 for Honolulu. 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. At sea - under clear skies and on smooth waters. My first enjoyable trip at sea. Reach Honolulu, morning of May 11. Go to Mr. and Mrs. John Warren's for luncheon - our first taste of Hawaiian hospitality and it tasted good. Stay at the Pleasanton till Friday 21st, having a very enjoyable time. 21st. Start on the 8 day trip to Main and Hawaii. Reach Main. Sat 22. - Mr. Aiken meets us and takes us to the plantation house at Wailuku, (the Penhallons) where we are very hospitably received. In the
a.m. We go up the Tao valley. In the p.m. go in auto 15 miles, to Mr. Aiken's house - the Hilly Peace, and pass the night there on our way up Haleakala. May 24. Mr. Aiken drives us to Idlewilde, where we rest and lunch and in p.m. make the ascent on mule back to the top of Haleakala. Reach the summit in time to see the sunset. 25th. We spend the night there under clear skies, and set out on our return at 10 a.m. Rest and lunch again at Idlewilde, then return to Mr. Aiken's home where we spend the night. May 26.
Visit the Baldwin pineapple cannery, and the sugar mill at Paia, where we lunch
with Mr. and Mrs. Lowell.
In the p.m. go to Wailuku by train, where on automobile meets us and takes us to LA, Hawaii just in time to catch the boat. Mauna Kea, for Hawaii. May 27.
Reach Hilo at 10 a.m. after a pretty rough voyage. Lunch at judge Andrews and take train for Volcano in p.m.
Reach Volcano House at dark and see the red glare of the volcano upon the clouds, from my bedroom window I can see its red glow at any hour in the night. May 28.
Spend forenoon walking about near hotel and looking into the great cratery Kilauea.
At 4 p.m. visit the Volcano (Halemaumau) on horse back, where we spend over 4 hours. May 29? ? Leave Volcano House early in a.m. and reach Steamer at 10. May 30.
Reach Honolulu in time for breakfast. May 30. Breakfast at governor Frear's and meet Dr. Anderson, an English vulcanist, and others. Lunch at Mrs. Hendricks, spend
p.m. and evening at Major Winslow's at Waikiki, moonlight serenade of native musicians. May 31 - Whitman's 90th birthday. Spend it up on Pacific Height with Mrs. Coleman, Miss Cross and others
Read "Leaves of grass" to an interested audience of 6 or more.
In evening met Whitman admires at Mrs. Hendricks where a Mr. Horton read form L of G. and where I talked a little about Whitman. June 1. Visited Diamond Head under guidance of Major Winslow, feel more heat, than we have before experienced.
Bath and lunch at Mrs. Winslow. Took afternoon tea at gov. Cleghorns and dined at artist. Havard Hetchcock's in evening, where gov. Frear and wife and several others were present. June 2.
Lunched with Cap. Wores - wrote my name in set of his books and went to Pearl Harbor in p.m. In p.m. moonlight stroll on Round Top.
June 2d. Sitting here in this land of perpetual summer. I think of the coming of June in my own land - the sparkling river, the new born leafage of the trees, the first diaries and clovers just opening, the tussle grass, the long tender, shoots of the grape vines the eager meting birds, and of all the suggestions and enticements of early June - how it all comes back to me! How I wish I was there. There are the year round summer get rather tame and humdrum while the coming of our fresh coy summer is like a new bride to our arms.
June 3. We walked up in the mountains (10 miles) with governor and Mrs. Frear and Mr. Cook. Dined at Prof. Alexanders in the evening.
June 4.
Saw paintings and artist Hitchcock's, launched at Mr. Thompsons, visited Lunalilo home and heard melees chanted and saw nose flute played by one of the natives, and heard Hawaiian girls sing modern Hawaiian music. In evening dined at Mr. Warren's. June 5.
Shopping in a.m. and rested before luncheon. In p.m. visited [the] Castle's Folly at Waikiki and had tea. Had beach supper at Dr. Coopers cottage - 17 present. Spend the evening on the beach in the
moonlight, talking of W.W. and other things. June 6 - Bathe in sea and stroll on beach for hours in a.m.
C.B. burns her shoulder badly. Lunch at Mrs. Water house's. June 7. Mrs Weaver at Lunalilo home gives us Hawaiian lunch. Steamer where we are waiting for, reported in dock at 5 p.m. Evening call at Dr. Hobdes and receive calls later. Francis Gay of Kain calls and writes me to be his guest on Kaur. June 8.
Leave the Pleasanton at 8.30 and board Manchuria. Many friends come with gifts and flowers and fruit to see us off. At 10 once more
afloat on Pacific, homeward bond.
June 9 - 10 - 11 - 12 - 13 - 14. Upon the sea. Little or no seasickness among passengers, smooth waters and fair skies. Dictate some letters, play shuffle board, read, visit, and in general have a good time.
At 11.30 land is sighted, our deeds are packed and we are ready to disembark.
15.
To John Muir's in Mrs. Harts Auto. Muir well and at work. Back at night.

16.
To Burbanks today in Auto. C.B. and Mrs. A. do not go, greatly enjoy Burbank. Back at night.

17.
Leave for C, at10 p.m.

18.
All day speeding through Cal.

19.
In Arizona and N. Mexico.

20.
All day speeding through Kansas.

21.
Reach C. at 12 m. on time. 22d, 23d, 24. In C. stay with Ruth Gentry Bush, on North State St. CB. leave for Michigan on the 24th.


25.
Start for home at 10.30 a.m.

26.
Reach home at 12.14, all safe and sound. Find all well, weather very hot since 21st. 27, 28. Hot, 90 degrees. Heavy shower in P. on 28.


29.
Cooler. Trying to undo the work in my study of Mrs. A.

30.
Cool, dry, lovely day.


July 1st Hot, 90 degrees, dry. Pottering around home these days, rearranging my study; rather sad. All my western trip seems like a dream. Did I really have those 4 months in that strange new land and meet all these kind hearted people.
-4 months beyond the reach of the domestic furies. But the furies are fast squaring the account now. 2d. Dry, cooler, north wind. 3d. Dry, cooler, north wind.
4.
Dry, cooler, north wind. Rowland came yesterday. Ethel chase and Nora Gill today, all stay at Slabsides till the 6th.

5.
Bright cool day, night cold, dry, dry.


7th. At Slabsides alone trying to improve my Grand Canyon paper. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Dry fine day at Slabsides, writing, well but easily tired.
13. Partly cloudy and warm. S.W. winds and signs of rain, much needed, no rain for nearly 4 weeks.