A SEVERE SNOW-STORM. 197 



spell." This has already begun. At 4.30 p.m. I walked over the 

 frozen ornamental water. At 6.0, on crossing the road, my boots 

 were covered with mud. After the " warm spell " snow is expected. 

 But this is an altogether abnormal year. 



The expectations of the weather prophets were 

 speedily realised, for on the very next day there is the 

 following entry in the " log " : 



Here is the snow, and the boys, who have been fretting over 

 their sleds, will be pleased. Sleds are stacked in bundles everywhere. 

 They are painted of the most brilliant hues. They are shaped like 

 swans, dogs, beavers, skunks, <fec. There are double and tandem 

 sleds. When there is a certain depth of snow the mayor issues an 

 order prohibiting wheels, and all traffic has to be done on runners. 

 The carriages are so made that they can be taken off the wheels and 

 put on the runners. 



December 17th. I should just think that there was snow. It 

 is deep enough to paralyse London, and is still falling. In spite of 

 the double sashes it found its way through the window, and when I 

 got up at 6.30 my table and books were covered with snow. So I 

 turned to at once, put on some clothes, and dusted the snow off 

 without difficulty. In London we do not prepare for snow, but here 

 the people do prepare for it, and traffic is not stopped. Large gangs 

 of men are at work, the sleighs are dashing about, and it seems so 

 strange to see the traffic and hear nothing but the ceaseless jingle of 

 sleigh-bells. 



December 23rd. The snow is unexampled, even in Boston, and 

 all the appliances can scarcely keep pace with it. First came the 

 snow-plough, looking like a railway-truck with a great ploughshare 

 on each side, and diagonal cylindrical brushes beneath. It is drawn 

 at full speed by six or eight horses, and is covered with men yelling 

 and shouting just like firemen. It stops for nothing. Only yester- 

 day two men were killed by one of these ploughs. Behind it come 

 the car ploughs. These are much smaller, but exceedingly heavy, 

 and are furnished with scoops on each side so as to clear the rails of 

 the tramways. Then a legion of men are busy with ice-shovels, 

 clearing the snow from the fronts of the houses, and throwing it 



