Henry David Thoreau

Cape Cod Henry David Thoreau

Wishing to get a better view than I had yet had of the ocean, which, we are told, covers more thantwo-thirds of the globe, but of which a man who lives a few miles inland may never see any trace, more than of another world, I made a visit to Cape Cod in October, 1849, another the succeedingJune, and another to Truro in July, 1855; the first and last time with a single companion, the secondtime alone. I have spent, in all, about three weeks on the Cape; walked from Eastham to Provincetown twice on the Atlantic side, and once on the Bay side also, excepting four or five miles, andcrossed the Cape half a dozen times on my way; but having come so fresh to the sea, I have got butlittle salted. My readers must expect only so much saltness as the land breeze acquires from blowingover an arm of the sea, or is tasted on the windows and the bark of trees twenty miles inland, afterSeptember gales. I have been accustomed to make excursions to the ponds within ten miles ofConcord, but latterly I have extended my excursions to the seashore..