Chapter 7, The Maine Woods Summary and Analysis

Although Thoreau suffers homesickness when he is in large cities, he does like to travel and even to visit with people. Over the years he goes backpacking or surveying across New England, Minnesota, Cape Cod and Canada. The Concord region by this time is relatively urban. Big predators like cougar and large mammals like moose have disappeared from the woods, and he badly wishes to see these interesting animals, so in 1853 he goes on a boat and hiking trip through Maine, where unspoiled wilderness can still be found. On the first trip a guide and boatman named Uncle George McCauslin shows Thoreau and others in the group how to use long iron-tipped poles to get around rapids. They have to carry the boat around other rough water. Among the amazing sights he sees are predatory...