“Behold the river Thames is frozen o’er,
Which lately ships of mighty burden bore;
Now different arts and pastimes here you see,
But printing claims the superiority.”
Besides the above the Lord’s Prayer and several other pieces were issued
from these ice bated printing offices, and were bought with the greatest
avidity.
Thursday, February 3rd: The adventurers were still more numerous. Swings,
book-stalls, dancing in a barge, suttling-booths, playing at skittles,
and almost every appendage of a fair on land was now transferred to the
Thames. Thousands of people flocked to behold this singular spectacle,
and to partake of the various sports and pastimes. The ice now became
like a solid rock of adamant, and presented a truly picturesque
appearance. The view of St. Paul’s and of the city with its white
foreground had a very singular effect; in many parts mountains of ice
were upheaved, and these fragments bore a strong resemblance to the rude
interior of a stone quarry.
Friday, February, 4th: Every day brought a fresh accession of “pedlars
to sell their wares,” and the greatest rubbish of all sorts was raked up
and sold at double and treble the original cost. Books and toys labelled
“bought on the Thames” were seen in profusion. The waterman profited
exceedingly, for each person paid a toll of 2d. or 3d. before he was
admitted to the Frost Fair. Some _douceur_ also was expected on your
return. These men were said to have taken £6 each in the course of a day.
This afternoon, about five o’clock three persons, an old man and two
lads, having ventured on a piece of ice above London Bridge, it suddenly
detached itself from the main body, and was carried by the tide through
one of the arches. The persons on the ice, who laid themselves down for
safety, were observed by the boatmen at Billingsgate, who with laudable
activity, put off to their assistance, and rescued them from their danger.
One of them was able to walk, but the other two were carried in a state
of insensibility to a public-house in the neighbourhood, where they
received every attention their situation required.
Many persons were seen on the ice till late at night, and the effect by
moonlight was singularly picturesque and beautiful. With a little stretch
of imagination, we might have transported ourselves to the frozen climes
of the north--to Lapland, Sweden or Holland.
Saturday, February 5th: The morning of this day augured rather
unfavourably for the continuance of Frost Fair. The wind had shifted
to the south, and a light fall of snow took place. The visitors of the
Thames, however, were not to be deterred by trifles. Thousands again
returned, and there was much life and bustle on the frozen element.
The footpath in the centre of the river was hard and secure, and among
the pedestrians we observed four donkeys which trotted at a nimble pace
and produced considerable merriment. At every glance, the spectator
met with some pleasing novelty. Gaming in all its branches threw out
different allurements, while honesty was out of the question. Many of
the itinerant admirers of the profit gained by E. O. Tables, wheel of
fortune, the garter, &c., were industrious in their avocations, leaving
their kind customers without a penny to pay their passage over a plank
to the shore. Skittles was played by several parties, and the drinking
tents filled by females and their companions, dancing reels to the sound
of fiddles, while others sat round large fires, drinking rum, grog, and
other spirits. Tea, coffee, and eatables were provided in ample order,
while passengers were invited to eat by way of recording their visit.
Several respectable tradesmen also attended with their wares, selling
books, toys, and trinkets of every description.
Towards evening the concourse became thinned; rain fell in some quantity;
Maister Ice gave some loud cracks, and floated with the printing presses,
booths, &c., to the no small dismay of publicans, typographers, &c. In
short, this icy palace of Momus, this fairy frost work, was soon to be
dissolved, and doomed to vanish like the baseless fabric of a vision, but
leaving some “wrecks behind.”
A short time before the thaw, a gentleman standing by one of the printing
presses, and supposed to be a limb of the law, handed the following
_jeu d’esprit_ to its conductor, requesting that it might be printed
on the Thames. The prophecy which it contains has been most remarkably
fulfilled:--
“To Madam Tabitha Thaw.