elargestbubbles,whichwereafootindiameter.IinferredthattheinfinitenumberofminutebubbleswhichIhadfirstseenagainsttheundersurfaceoftheicewerenowfrozeninlikewise,andthateach,initsdegree,hadoperatedlikeaburningglassontheicebeneathtomeltandrotit.Thesearethelittleair-gunswhichcontributetomaketheicecrackandwhoop.
Atlengththewintersetiningoodearnest,justasIhadfinishedplastering,andthewindbegantohowlaroundthehouseasifithadnothadpermissiontodosotillthen.Nightafternightthegeesecamelumberingininthedarkwithaclangorandawhistlingofwings,evenafterthegroundwascoveredwithsnow,sometoalightinWalden,andsomeflyinglowoverthewoodstowardFairHaven,boundforMexico.Severaltimes,whenreturningfromthevillageattenoreleveno’clockatnight,Iheardthetreadofaflockofgeese,orelseducks,onthedryleavesinthewoodsbyapond-holebehindmydwelling,wheretheyhadcomeuptofeed,andthefainthonkorquackoftheirleaderastheyhurriedoff.In1845Waldenfrozeentirelyoverforthefirsttimeonthenightofthe22dofDecember,Flint’sandothershallowerpondsandtheriverhavingbeenfrozentendaysormorein’46,the16thin’49,aboutthe31standin’50,aboutthe27thofDecemberin’52,the5thofJanuaryin’53,the31stofDecember.Thesnowhadalreadycoveredthegroundsincethe25thofNovember,andsurroundedmesuddenlywiththesceneryofwinter.Iwithdrewyetfartherintomyshell,andendeavoredtokeepabrightfirebothwithinmyhouseandwithinmybreast.Myemploymentoutofdoorsnowwastocollectthedeadwoodintheforest,bringingitinmyhandsoronmyshoulders,orsometimestrailingadeadpinetreeundereacharmtomyshed.Anoldforestfencewhichhadseenitsbestdayswasagreathaulforme.IsacrificedittoVulcan,foritwaspastservingthegodTerminus.Howmuchmoreinterestinganeventisthatman’ssupperwhohasjustbeenforthinthesnowtohunt,nay,youmightsay,steal,thefueltocookitwith!Hisbreadandmeataresweet.Thereareenoughfagotsandwastewoodofallkindsintheforestsofmostofourtownstosupportmanyfires,butwhichatpresentwarmnone,and,somethink,hinderthegrowthoftheyoungwood.Therewasalsothedrift-woodofthepond.InthecourseofthesummerIhaddiscoveredaraftofpitch-pinelogswiththebarkon,pinnedtogetherbytheIrishwhentherailroadwasbuilt.ThisIhauleduppartlyontheshore.Aftersoakingtwoyearsandthenlyinghighsixmonthsitwasperfectlysound,thoughwaterloggedpastdrying.Iamusedmyselfonewinterdaywithslidingthispiecemealacrossthepond,nearlyhalfamile,skatingbehindwithoneendofalogfifteenfeetlongonmyshoulder,andtheotherontheiceorItiedseverallogstogetherwithabirchwithe,andthen,withalongerbirchoralderwhichhadahookattheend,draggedthemacross.Thoughcompletelywaterloggedandalmostasheavyaslead,theynotonlyburnedlong,butmadeave