b o o k recovered. This or friftion with flannel is the ufual remedy .;
. ' . but lhould the perfon in that ftate approach the fire, or dip
the part in warm water, it immediately mortifies and drops
off.
The common people continued at their work as ufual, and
the drivers plied in the ftreets with their fledges feemingly
unaffected by the froft; their beards were incrufted with
clotted ice, and the horfes were covered with ificles. The
people did not (even during this extreme cold) add to their
ordinary cloathing, which is at all times well calculated for
the feverities of their climate. They are careful in preferv-
ing their extremities againft the cold, by covering their legs,
hands, and head with fur. Their upper garment of lheep-ikin,
with the wool turned inwards, is tied round the waift with
a faih, but their neck is quite bare, and their breaft only
covered with a coarfe ihirt: thefe parts, however, are well
guarded by their beard, which is, for that reafon, of great
ufe in this country. I was greatly furprized with obferving,
that even at this time feveral women, whofe drefs differs but
little from that of the men, were engaged in waihing upon
the Neva or on the canals. They cut holes in the ice with
an hatchet, dipped their linen into the water with their bare
hands, and then beat it with flat flicks. During this operation
the ice continually formed again, and they were con-
ftantly employed in clearing it away. Many of them paffed
two hours without intermiffion at this work, when the
thermometer was at 60 below freezing point; a circum-
ftance which proves how the human body may be brought
to endure all extremes.
It fometimes happens that coachmen or fervants, while
they are waiting for their matters, are frozen to death. In
order to prevent as much as poflible thefe dreadful accidents,
6 great
Pidiitrfied acctordmy to ActofParliament. Sartfj $784. ty T.&dell: m die Strand.