The Sun.
London, England, 1844-12-11 00:00:00

ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL
SOCIETY.

This Society met on Monday last, Mr. Murchison,
President, in the chair. The paper of the evening
was the Chevalier Schomburgk's account of his last
expedition in British Guayana, viz., his route from
Pirara to the Upper Cerentyu, an from thence to
Demerara. This was rather a large volume than a
paper, so that portions only could be read ; and as
these will be continued at the next meeting, we re-
serve our report of Mr. Schomburgk's interesting
explorations till then. We must, however, add, that
the walls of the large room of the Society were lite-
rally covered with the beautiful drawings of Mr.
Goodall, the artist of the expedition, and the splendid
maps constructed by Mr. Schomburgk; while on the
tables were displayed about 150 more drawings, and
a vast number of specimens of minerals and beauti-
ful woods, which latter might with much advantage
be introduced into this country. Mr. Schomburgk
was present, and, after answering many questions put
to him by the President and members, said that, be-
fore leaving this country to return to his family after
so long an absence (four years), he begged to express
his warm gratitude to the Society, who had been the
first to take him by the hand, and his assurance that
he had done all in his power to render himself worthy
of the encouragement he had received from it. It
will be remembered that Mr. Schomburgk received
the gold medal of the Society in 1840.

THE FROST.—We gave warning, last Monday, to
all wise and prudent housekeepers to lay in a stock of
coals, as, frequently, dense fogs were the heralds of sharp
and continued frosts ; unfortunately for the poor the
snow of last Sunday and Monday still lies upon our
fields and houses, and winter in his most grisly shape
has laid his icy hand upon us ; this night week our frost
commenced, and we see no likelihood of when we shall
have a thaw. Our gutters are six inches thick with ice,
the glass has been twelve below freezing point, the
skaiters are looking everywhere for ponds, and furs and
muffled forms are the order of the day. With all this
the weather has been most cheering ; our days, with the
blue skies above us, have wore more the appearance of a
clear and exhilirating Canadian winter than anything
we remember in Europe. And this, the first week in
December ! Which of the young men of the day remem-
bers a similar early continuous frost ? During the
eighteenth century it was common ; with the nineteenth
winter delayed his visits generally to the new year, and
often, as last season, forgot his urbanity all together. To
what then are we indebted for this change ? Is it to the
comets or the eclipses ? Whatever the cause, we hope
the poor will not be forgotten.—Boulogne Gazette of
Monday.
THE WEATHER.—Thej change to frost, which we
noticed on Thursday last, has continued since then with-
out intermission, and with increasing intensity. The
thermometer on Thursday night indicated, in a northern
exposure, 23 degrees—nine degrees below freezing—and
has generally ranged from 25 to 30 degrees throughout
the day. On Friday the ice on Duddingston Loch was
so strong as to tempt some keen skaters to enjoy their
favourite sport on the margins of the loch. Should the
frost continue, as it appeared to do last night, the whole
of this beautiful sheet of water will be safe for all skaters
to-day. The change of weather, we perceive, is general
—winter, though somewhat early, prevails over the whole
island. In this neighbourhood every description of out-
door-labour has been suspended for the last five or six
days.—Caledoxian Mercury of Monday.

i/

THE FROST AND THE PARKS.
The frost during yesterday was coraiderably dimi-
nished severity, but there was by no means any ap-
pearance of a thaw. The thermometer at the Roy
Humane Society's Receiving-house in Hyde-park, and at
the Society's marquees in Regent's-park mid St. Jame '
-,;.:15 exhibited 30 degrees early in the morning, La;
as, ended betweu twelve and two o'clock as high as 34
degrees ; yet last evening the mercury receded to 30
degrtes, with the wind still N.ll, but more cairn. The,
ltmosphere was hazy, and the barometer 30.4, indjcatirig
slight change.
The ice or the Long-water and round pond in Ken-
iington-gardens was very strong and in good condition,
in'! on them during the day the number of skaters was
upwards of 2,000. On the north bank of the Long-
c Ater thc Skating Club yesterday morning had their
marquee erected, and several of the members skated' on
the ice during the afternoon. No accidents, we are happy
to say, occurred.
The ice in the centre of the Serpentine is not above
two inches in thickness, and at the sides it is not near
so thick. It is, therefore, still considered most danger-
,ms. Notwithstanding, however, the numerous cautions
given by the Royal Humane Society's icemen, about
2.500 skaters ventured thereon, and the banks were
thronged by respectably and fashionably-dressed persons.
The drive on the north side exhibited also a very fair
display of fashionable equip.r.ges, consideringyt,ehaers.tatoenof
he
the weather and the advanced period of t
accident only occurred during the day. and that took
place about ten minutes to three o'clock, when a man
named William Somers, who was engaged on th,, north-
bal( of the Serpentine at the east end in c;itting tho
fur removal to the lea-welts of Buckinghm
..1 ten feet
Palace for
the use of her Majesty, 1
became immersed
water, but was speedily extricated by a fellow labourer
ny means of a hoot-hook befo:e the Humane Society's
men could reach him. He was immediately conre:ed
:)3, iceman Robinson on an ice-sledge to the receiving,
house, where he WO attended by. Dr. Woolley, and
placed- in a hot.bath, and afterwards in a warm bed. The
unfortunate man appeared in st wretched state of poverty
.nd disease, and Mr. Alderman Wilson and Mr. Oldham,
who witnessed the accident, left at di:" receiving-house a.
,overeign towards buying him clothes fretter adapted for
the season.

.ne ice in the Regent's-park is in quite a sdund con-
Aion, and is from two inches to two inches ants three
quarters in thickness. The number of skaters w.aa be-
tween 4,000 and 5,000, and the banks of the ornatiacri-
tel water wore lined by persons letting skates for 11.'re.
No accidents occurred.
The ice on the lake in St. James's-park was yesterday
shout two inches in thickness, and rather less dangelMs
than on the preceding day, but by no means sate:,
During the day there were several thousand skaters, but
no accidents whatever. At an early hour yesterday
morning Suporintendent Williams attended, and directed
the men in the operation of cutting away the ice in the
vicinity of the recent accident, in order to ascertain if
there were (as reported) any bodies beneath the•
Four men were engaged during the greater part of the
day constantly using tl.e drags, and dredging. Mr. Wil-
liams's newly-invented floating drag for creeping under
the surface of the ice was also tried. No bodies, as has -
been already stated, were found ; but a hat, with a black
crape band, in which were two handkerchiefs, one blue
and white. and the other a lady's white handkerchief,,,,
marked "W. E H., 5." The two icemen, Joseph..;
Knight and Charles Clapstone, for their great courage
and praiseworthy exertions on Sunday, have been libe;
rally rewarded by the Royal Humane Society.
Arrangements are now in progress for building new
lodges in the inclosure for the park-keepers, and it is
intended, by the Commissioners of Woods and Forests,
that they shall be so constructed as to form residences
for these keepers, who attend by night as well as by day.
The Themes is still clear of ice, and consequently the
navigation is uninterrupted. The docks, though par-
tially frozen, do not offer any obstruction to the move...,
ments of the shipping, barges, &c. Last evening the
thermometer at six o'clock, at the Dockmaster's-office,
St. Katharine's, stood at 32 degrees, freezing point,
being four degrees higher than on the preceding evening ,
at the same hour. There was a fresh breeze daring the
day about N.E. The atmosphere had a gloomy ap-
pearance.