[Manchester—Tuesday, 22 August 1876]
Tuesday. Blowing rather hard but extremely beautiful.
Went in the afternoon to Agassiz’s rock. We left Anna with the carriage as we ascended. We had been told we should find guide-boards, but they had all been taken down. After some inquiry we found the entrance to the path which being well-trodden we followed for ten or fifteen minutes into the heart of the wood and to the top of the noble boulder which bears Agassiz’s name. After looking at it as long as was satisfactory we turned to go home. I soon observed dog-wood and damp ferns which we had not observed in coming, and shortly we came upon another noble rock in the damp woods which were as untrodden as in the indian days but we could find no path out! Then we retraced our steps as far as the small boulder and wandered about it for an hour. We finally decided we might be obliged to pass half the night up there, at least until we were hunted out by our neighbors. As a last hope we returned to Agassiz’s rock and after several trials struck the path. We were pretty worn and tired and wet but we ran gladly along and were soon out of the woods indeed. It was an adventure—“J.” was so heated in spite of the coolness of the day that his face was swollen and red all over. I believe I was pretty thoroughly impressed by the scene where I fancied we were to pass the night. I can seem to hear the night-breezes & hear the cry of owls now.
Anna was quietly reading Schiller when we appeared and would have read without suspecting trouble though she heard our cries. She cannot understand of course the difference between our wild-woods and their (Germany’s) well kept woodlands.
