Thoreau writes in his journal:

  Fair again. To Sudbury Meadow by boat. The river higher than before and rising. [William Ellery] C[hanning]. and I sail rapidly before a strong northerly wind,—no need of rowing upward, only of steering,—cutting off great bends by crossing the meadows. We have to roll our boat over the road at the stone bridge, Hubbard’s causeway, (to save the wind), and at Pole Brook (to save distance) . . .