B?.?K thaw. IV. and all the fnow difappeared in a few hours. The
-> fummer and winter are not, as in our climate, gradually-
divided by a fpring and autumn o f any length, but feem al-
moft to fucceed each other.
On the 15th of November the Neva * was entirely frozen
and foon afterwards the Gulf of Finland was covered with
ice, and fledges began to pafs from Peteriburgh to Cronftadt,
the road being marked over the furface by rows of trees.
I found, that even during the months of December and
January, the weather was extremely changeable, as it ihifted
in a very fudden manner from a fevere frofl: to a thaw; and
the mercury in the thermometer often rofe within the courfe
* The freezing o f the Neva is not attended
with any peculiarities which diftin-
guiih it from other rivers. T h e following
circumftances, which fell under my obfer-
vation, are extra&ed from my journal.
Monday morning, Nov. 9. On Saturday
the 7th, fmall pieces, which came from the
lake Ladoga, were firft obferved floating
■with the ftream : the fame day in the even-'
in g the bridge o f boats was removed, as in
thefe cafes they colledt and would carry it
away. Yefterday the pieces o f ice were
more frequent and mafly : to-day they are
fmall floating iilands, which- almoit cover
the r iv e r ; the lides o f the Neva are frozen
only a few feet.frorii the banks : all the canals
are covered with ice, and people are
fearing upon them.
Nov. 12 and 13. T h e Neva is frozen
above the.place where the bridge was ftationed
by the pieces o f ice which have collected
and barred the paflage: below it . the
ftream is perfe&ly free from-any floating
mafles, and the river is open for boats
which are continually paffing to and fro.
Nov. 13. T h e bridge-of boats is again
replaced, as there is no longer any danger
o f its being carried away by the floating
mafles o f ice j and will continue during the
whole winter, a circumftance which has not
happened fince the foundation o f Peterf-
burgh.
Nov. 15. Th e riverabout and below the
bridge is entirely frozen, and I faw perfons
walking acrofs it. I am informed that y ef.
terday the ice was flrong enough to b.ear
foot pafleagers j this will convey fome idea
o f the feverity. o f the weather in this climate
j as the rapid current was open on the
13th, and on the next day was frozen.
V freezing and thawing o f the Neva for five fucceflive years, from Profefior
ivrart s Oblervations:
April,
Nov.
New Style
Old Style
17 7 3 -
April
May
>7 7 4 - * 7 7 5 -
May
Open 217 days, j
See Nov. A c. Pet. for 1777. P. t f r p. 73.
1776..
May
1 7 7 7 -
May
204 I