Thoreau and William Ellery Channing go on a walking trip through the southern New Hampshire area. The four day trip takes them to Tyngsborough, Dunstable, Moore’s Falls, Mount Uncanoonuc, Goffstown, and Hooksett before they stay one night at Caleb Harriman’s tavern in Hampstead and go through Plaistow and Haverhill on their way back to Concord, Mass.
(The Days of Henry Thoreau, 233-234)
Channing writes about their trek:
Once walking in old Dunstable, he much desired the town history by C[harles]. J[ames]. Fox of Nashua [History of the old township of Dunstable: including Nashua, Nashville, Hollis, Hudson, Litchfield, and Merrimac, N.H.; Dunstable and Tyngsborough, Mass.]; and, knocking, as usual, at the best house, he went in and asked a young lady who made her appearance whether she had the book in question. She had,—it was produced. After consulting it, Thoreau in his sincere way inquired very modestly whether she “would not sell it to him.” I think the plan surprised her, and have heard that she smiled; but he produced his wallet, gave her the pistareen, and went his way rejoicing with the book, which remained in his small library.
(Thoreau the Poet-Naturalist, 34-35)
