[a]s the sun arose, i saw it [the pond] throwing off its nightly clothing of mist, and here and there, by degrees, its soft ripples or its smooth reflecting surface was revealed, while the mists, like ghosts, were stealthily withdrawing in every direction into the woods, as at the breaking up of some nocturnal conventicle [secret meeting]. in the excerpt, thoreau uses imagery to describe fog slowly rising from the surface of the pond. a fierce wind blowing water across the pond. insects floating peacefully above the pond. a soft, warm light shining on the pond.