day during the week,
between one and two o'clock." There were about 8,000 or 10,000 people
assembled to see the feat, which was to be performed from a scaffolding
overhanging the river. Here he swung by a rope noose round his chin, and
afterwards, with his head downwards and one of his feet in the noose. He
then again hung suspended by his chin, but the noose slipped, and he was
hanged in sight of all that huge crowd. This fatal accident created a
great impression at the time.

I do not know the Evening paper from which the following "small beer"
chronicle is copied into the _Times_ of 12 Feb., but it purports to be an
"authentic account" of an accident to Prince Albert: "It appears that His
Royal Highness was walking in the Royal gardens, in company of Her
Majesty, the only attendant present being the Hon. Miss Murray, one of
the Maids of Honour in waiting upon the Queen. It not being understood
by Col. Bouverie and Lieut. Seymour that His Royal Highness intended to
skate, they were not, as usual, in attendance on the Prince, who had left
the Palace, with Her Majesty, without their knowledge. After walking for
a short time with the Queen, on the margin of the lake, His Royal
Highness put on his skates, and left Her Majesty, who remained watching
the movements of the Prince from the gardens. He had not been on the ice
more than two or three minutes, when, as he was proceeding at a rapid
rate towards the spot where the Queen was standing, and had reached
between three or four feet of the water's edge, the ice suddenly broke,
and, instantaneously he was immersed, head over ears, in the water. His
Royal Highness immediately rose to the surface, when Her Majesty, with
great presence of mind, joined her hand to that of the Hon. Miss Murray
(telling her to stand firm, and to betray no fear), and, extending her
right hand to the Prince, dragged him to the shore. Her Majesty
manifested the greatest courage upon the occasion, and acted with the
most intrepid coolness. As soon as the Prince was safe on dry land, the
Queen gave way to the natural emotions of joy and thankfulness at his
providential escape.

"The Prince then lost no time in proceeding to the Palace, where a warm
bath was immediately prepared, and His Royal Highness, within an hour
afterwards, was sufficiently well to receive the King of the Belgians,
upon His Majesty's arrival from Claremont. The ice in the centre of the
lake being nearly a foot in thi