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VII. Oil the Meteorology of the Lake District of Cumberland and Westmoreland ; with 
a continuation of the Results of Experiments on the Fall of Rain at various heights, 
up to 3166 feet above the sea level. 
By John Fletcher Miller, F.R.S., F.R.A.S., Assoc. Inst. C.E. 
Communicated by Lieut. -Colonel Sabine, For. Sec. R.S. 
Received March 7, — Read May 30, 1850. 
Introductory Remarks. 
The Roman numerals at the head of the Tables refer to the same stations as in 
former years. The gauge at Round Close near Whitehaven has been discontinued, 
and a new station has been established on the top of Lingmell (which mountain forms 
the lower part of Sea Fell facing the village of Wastdale Head), so that the number 
of instruments is the same as in the year 1848. 
During the spring, summer and autumn, the mountain gauges are emptied on the 
last day of each month, whatever may be the state of the weather at the time ; but 
in the winter months, they are of course only examined when accessible, or when the 
contents are judged to be in a state of partial or entire liquefaction. These gauges 
have been frozen up since the end of October last ; and at the close of the year the 
higher stations were inaccessible from ice and snow. On the 31st of January, 1850, 
the whole of the receivers were brought down into the valley, and their contents 
liquefied by artificial heat. 
In severe winters, like the present, I find it difficult to get parties to attend to 
these instruments, for almost any pecuniary recompense ; indeed, so great is the risk of 
fractured limbs, and the sacrifice of life itself, that even the hardy shepherds shrink from 
the task of ascending such elevated and rugged peaks as Sea Fell Pike and the Gabel, 
at this season ; and when there is a considerable accumulation of snow on the sum- 
mits, an occurrence by no means unusual, it is quite impracticable. On the 31st 
of January, as the person who has charge of the gauges was ascending the Gabel, 
with two large empty copper receivers fastened together, his foot slipped and he slided 
down the precipice, a distance of several hundred yards, but fortunately escaped with- 
out any material injury. The receivers parted company in the descent, and both of 
them were literally dashed to pieces. On the same day a shepherd met with a similar 
accident on Sea Fell, and the injuries he sustained were of so serious a nature as to 
endanger his life. 
