January 26

Walking On The River

Walked down the river as far as the south head behind Abner Buttrick's . I also know its condition as far as the Hubbard Bridge in the other direction. 'There is not a square foot open between these extremes, and, judging from what I know of the river beyond these limits, I may safely say that it is not open (the main stream, I mean) anywhere in the town.

The same must have been the case yesterday, since it was colder. Probably the same has been true of the river since January 7th, when it closed at the Hubbard Bath, or nearly three weeks -- a long time, methinks, for it to be frozen so solidly. A sleigh might safely be driven now from Carlisle Bridge to the Sudbury meadows on the river.

Methinks it is a remarkably cold, as well as snowy, January, for we have bad good sleighing ever since the 26th of December and no thaw.

Walked as far as Flint's Bridge with Abel Hunt, where I took to the river. I told him I had come to walk on the river as the best place, for the snow had drifted somewhat in the road, while it was converted into ice almost entirely on the river.

"But," asked he, "are you not afraid that you will get in?"

"Oh, no, it will bear a load of wood from one end to the other."

"But then there may be some weak places."

Yet he is some seventy years old and was born and bred immediately on its banks. Truly one half the world does not know how the other half lives .

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