walking after midnight (a full moon to the south and near the horizon)

last night a full moon to the south and near the horizon (allegedly).

in 1851 thoreau is going through a phase of walking by night (as the chapter in his a writer's journal is called by its editor laurence stapleton). 

long passages these - typically three or four pages. 

'july 11, 1851. friday. at 7.15pm with W.E.C. go forth to see the moon, the glimpses of the moon. we think she is not quite full; we can detect a little flatness on the eastern side... 

the moon is silvery still, not yet inaugurated... 

now we are getting into moonlight. we see it reflected from particular stumps in the depths of the darkest woods, and from the stems of trees, as if it selected what to shine on, - a silvery light... 

how simply and naturally the moon presides.' 

thoreau has much to say. 

he goes out again the next night (but on his own this time). 

the moon will be full (more of this tomorrow). 

on july 21st he is off on a walk in the morning, thinking he will write better in the afternoon because of it. 

august 5th he is out watching the half moon. august 12th he goes for a bathe in the river by the light of the full moon.