CHAPTER V.

PROGRESS OF THE WORKS IN THE YEAR 1809.

[Sidenote: 1809, January.]

In the month of January 1809, the winds prevailed much from the east and north-east, which never fail to produce a heavy sea on the eastern shores of Great Britain, and particularly at the Bell Rock, from its exposed position to these points. This state of the weather, therefore, rendered it extremely difficult to communicate with the Floating-light, for the purpose of relieving the seamen in their turns ashore, and supplying the ship with provisions and necessaries.

[Sidenote: Railways injured, and Bracing chain-bolts unlocked.]

It was also found impracticable to land upon the Rock itself sooner in this month than the 20th, when, after several attempts, Mr Francis Watt and Captain Wilson, two of the engineer’s assistants, landed with four seamen, and four artificers with their tools, at 12 noon, and remained till a quarter past 1 P. M. By this time several of the supports of the iron-railways on the Rock had got loose, and two of the castings forming the waggon-track and footpath had broken adrift. One of these was found at a considerable distance from its place, but the other had entirely disappeared, and must have been washed off the Rock, although it weighed upwards of 100 lb. In these gales, no fewer than ten of the bracing-chains of the Beacon were shaken entirely loose, seven of which had unscrewed the tightening-bolts, and the remaining three lifted the pieces of rock into which the chain-bats had been fixed. The tightening-bolts were again screwed up, and pieces of small wire twisted round the points of the screws, to prevent the nuts from unlocking. The three bolts, with their chains, which had lifted the parts of the rock, were disengaged from the Beacon altogether, to prevent injury to the wooden beams, by their motion with the force of the sea; and things were otherwise left in as serviceable a state as the circumstances of a limited stay upon the Rock at this season of the year would admit. It was, upon the whole, highly satisfactory to learn, that the Beacon, this important auxiliary to the operations, had received no material injury, after such a continued tract of stormy weather; the great iron stanchions sunk into the Rock, which kept the main beams in their places, and all the joints and fixtures of the higher parts of the framed work, being quite entire, and without the smallest appearance of having shifted.

[Sidenote: Proofs of strong currents in the Sea.]

On this trip to the Rock, the Light-house Yacht picked up a floating-buoy belonging to the navigation of the river Weser. It was marked “Bremen 1808, W. R. No. 2.,” and measured six feet in length, and three feet in diameter over the head, being of the form known to mariners as a Cann buoy. It appeared to have drifted, in the course of this winter, from the shores of Germany, which, in a direct line, is a distance of at least 340 miles. This circumstance, as the buoy presented, while afloat, but a small surface for the wind to act upon, being heavily bound with iron, and having about two fathoms of mooring chain appended to it, affords an extraordinary proof of the effects of the tides and currents in the ocean. We may likewise here notice, among other instances corroborative of this curious anomaly of the tides, the drifting, within the same period, of part of the apparatus belonging to the works of the Bell Rock; particularly the two buoys, formerly mentioned, that parted from their moorings, and came ashore, the one, along with a raft of timber, at Fifeness, and the other at the Island of May, after having been upwards of two months at sea. But, perhaps, the most remarkable occurrence of this kind, was that of the Praam-boat, also formerly mentioned, which broke loose from the Floating-light, and was found at the Redhead about 13 miles distant, having been at sea for the space of three months and eight days.

[Sidenote: Three large drift-stones found upon the Rock.]

The artificers again landed at the Rock on the morning of the 31st at 7 o’clock, being rather before _day-break_, and left it again at 10, after having been on it about three hours. Several of the bracing-chains were found loosened, notwithstanding the precautions hitherto used for preventing the bolts from unlocking. But the writer had resolved, when the weather would admit, to remove these chains altogether, and introduce strong bars of malleable iron, about eight feet above the Rock, as represented in Plate VIII., to connect the several beams in a horizontal direction. At this landing, three large masses of rock were found close to the Beacon, which had been drifted upon the Rock by the force of the sea. They were of various dimensions, the largest containing no less than about 20 cubic feet, equal perhaps to a ton and a quarter in weight. After a careful examination, in every direction, of the low-water surface of the rock, it was ascertained that these stones had formed no part of it, though of the same description of rock; and it was therefore concluded, they must have been thrown up from deep water. The refitting of the chains of the Beacon and the cast-iron Railways, so occupied the time of the artificers, that they could not get the stones so broken as to be removed, and thereby prevent their being perhaps thrown, by the force of the sea, against the Beacon and Railways, like so many battering rams.

[Sidenote: February.]

During the month of February, the weather continued to be extremely boisterous, and it was not without considerable difficulty that the Floating-light could be visited at the stated periods; while two unsuccessful attempts were made, on the 1st and 20th, to land at the Bell Rock.

[Sidenote: Progress of the Works at Arbroath, and exertions made at the Quarries.]

In the work-yard, the preparation of the several courses of the building was going progressively forward. The Ninth course was now finished, and part of the Tenth laid upon the platform. At Mylnefield Quarry, the operations were at a stand; for in winter, as formerly mentioned, no work is done here, owing to the liability of the stones to split in frosty weather, especially when newly taken from the quarry, the laminæ of the strata being then charged with moisture. But, as granite imbibes water very slowly, and is not liable to those changes, every exertion continued to be made at the quarries of Aberdeenshire, that, if possible, the outside casing of granite might be carried to the height of 30 feet, or to the top of the solid part of the building, instead of 16 feet, or to high-water mark, as had been latterly intended. The stone-agent at Aberdeen, accordingly, had a person traversing the numerous quarries in that neighbourhood, while one of the foremen from the work-yard at Arbroath, was similarly employed, during the winter months, at Peterhead; and whenever a stone was found answerable to the Light-house moulds, it was immediately purchased, and laid aside for the use of the Bell Rock.

[Sidenote: 1809, February.]

[Sidenote: Employment of Shipping.]

The sloops Smeaton and Alexander made several trips to the North, and also to Mylnefield, near Dundee, for stones which had been quarried in the course of the summer months, and were in no danger from the frost; but owing to the difficult nature of the navigation of the Tay in winter, these voyages were frequently attended with considerable danger. On the last trip which the Smeaton made to this quarry, she had a very narrow escape, and lost both her boat and an anchor; but the hazardous state of the vessel and all on board, will be better understood by the following very distinct and explicit letter or journal from Mr Thomas Calder, commander of the Light-house Yacht, who, on this occasion, was acting master on board of the Smeaton.

[Sidenote: Captain Calder’s account of a trip to the Tay.]

_“Arbroath, 25th February 1809._

“Mr STEVENSON.

“Sir,--At 3 o’clock P. M., on the 21st inst., I got under way from the South Ferry Roads for Mylnefield quarry, wind at West. At 7 were about a mile from the quarry pierhead. Light airs of wind. Got beset amongst ice, and brought up with the small bower-anchor. At midnight, all hands employed hanging fenders over the bows and sides, to save the vessel from getting cut with the ice.

“At day-light, on the 22d., being high-water, got under way; ice all round, and had frequently to let go an anchor, to allow it to drift past us. Could not get up to the quarry, and at 10 put into Dundee. During the remainder of this day had light breezes, with hard frost.

“On the 23d, at 7 A. M. got again under way, with a westerly wind, but still could not make up to the quarry. At 10, had drifted down as far as the Lights of Tay, having little wind, but a heavy sea from E.SE. At 11, the boat filled, and was turned bottom up; nothing could be done for her safety; cut her adrift. At noon, had a very heavy sea on our broadside, breaking over all, with little or no wind. Got into three fathoms water, the sea sweeping every thing off the deck that was moveable. All hands in the rigging for safety, except the man at the helm. Endeavour if possible to get back, but all in vain. Let go our anchor in two fathoms water, the sea breaking over all. At 9 o’clock P. M., being then high-water, let go the best bower-anchor. At midnight calm weather, with heavy breaking seas.

“At 9 A. M. of the 24th, got under way again, and took our fate, being in much peril to ride longer. Could not purchase our anchor, and were therefore obliged to cut the cable. Had light airs of wind, but still a heavy sea. Went over the bank in going out of the Tay, and, at 9 in the evening, had the good fortune to get into Arbroath. In the course of this trip we saw one sloop sink with all hands in the rigging, while close by us, but we could render them no assistance, and we were still drifting towards the shore. Another sloop, named the Lady Kinnaird, I believe bound for Leith, God only knows what her fate was; being thick with snow I lost sight of her frequently. It was often impossible for a man to stand on deck; and we took to the rigging for safety. The Smeaton and these two vessels being a long way a-head of six of the Dundee London smacks, were certainly the means of saving them. The ship’s company is now employed in rigging the Light-house Yacht, and fitting her for sea. I am, Sir, your humble servant,

THO^S. CALDER.”

[Sidenote: 1809, March.]

[Sidenote: Large Stones removed. Joisting of platform lifted by the sea.]

The month of March set in with some pretty good weather, and eight artificers landed upon the Rock on the 5th, at half-past 11 A. M., and remained till half-past 1, when they got the three large stones, formerly mentioned as lying near the Beacon, broken, and reduced to such a size as to admit of their removal. Several of the fixtures of the Railways had got loose, and were again secured; and two lengths of the waggon-tracks were broken to pieces by the movement of the above mentioned stones, which, in their progress across the rock, had made indelible ruts upon it. The bracing-chains of the Beacon still required to be screwed up; but the essential parts of this fabric were in the most entire and perfect state; although all the joisting of the lower platform, excepting three pieces, had been carried away. The deals of this floor had been lifted at the end of the working season, being only about 30 feet above the Rock, but the joisting presented so little resistance to the waves, that it had been allowed to remain, being only fixed in a slender manner, that both the floor and the joisting might lift with the force of the sea, without endangering the safety of the Beacon.

[Sidenote: A vessel in danger of being wrecked on the Bell Rock.]

On this occasion, the people of the Floating-light informed the landing party, that they had just been spoken to by the crew of a large brig from Gottenburgh, bound for Liverpool. This vessel having got out of her reckoning, had been lying-to in the entrance of the Firth for three days, not knowing the land. But having been directed as to their situation, the strangers now shaped their course for the Orkneys. Had it not been for these instructions, this vessel, in all probability, might have been wrecked on the Bell Rock; and, therefore, looking prospectively to the completion of this work, we may see its extensive and important advantages to shipping.

[Sidenote: Fourteenth course laid on the platform, and further progress of the Work.]

During the remainder of this month, no opportunity occurred for landing on the Rock, but the other departments of the service went forward with all possible dispatch. The Thirteenth course was nearly completed, and a part of the Fourteenth had been laid on the platform. The last of the moulds for the granite stones, to the height of 30 feet, had now been sent to the quarries of Aberdeen and Peterhead, where the Smeaton, and the hired sloop Alexander, were each loading a cargo. Mr Peter Logan had now left the quarries at Peterhead, where he had been for some months; and Alexander Davidson, one of the principal granite masons, appointed to attend the quarries at Aberdeen, was also soon to be removed from that station, to perform the same duty at the sandstone quarry of Mylnefield. Measures had likewise been taken for providing the necessary castings for the extension of the Railways to the western landing place at the Rock, which altogether were to include a range of about 800 feet.

[Sidenote: Cast-iron Mushroom Anchors. Difficulty in procuring Trenails.]

The uncertainty attending the fixing of the malleable iron shank into the large cast-iron head of the mushroom anchor, represented in Plate X. Fig. 4., from its liability to shake loose, had induced the writer to make trial of a mushroom anchor, made wholly of cast-iron, which was finished in a very complete manner by the Shotts Iron Company. At the same works, castings were also made for a set of new sheers for those broken in the month of September at the eastern landing creek, which answered all the purposes of a crane, as represented in Plate XI. The two new praam-boats building at Arbroath, had advanced considerably in the course of this month, and were now ready for the laying of the decks. Of all the materials connected with those which may be termed of a trifling nature, none was more difficult to be procured than the oaken trenails, for fixing the stones of the lower or solid part of the building while the work was in progress. After much correspondence with London and other ports, a considerable quantity was procured from trenail merchants of Wapping. But such was the demand for oak timber at this period, owing to the great supply wanted for the Navy, that it was not only at a considerable expence, from about L. 3 to L. 5 per hundred, but with great difficulty, that trenails of the dimensions wanted could be collected. It was found by a calculation, at this time, that 2544 trenails, from 20 to 26 inches in length, and 1¼ inches in diameter, and 3720 pairs of wedges, from 15 to 19 inches in length, 3 inches in breadth, and 1 inch in thickness at the top, would still be wanted. Fortunately, however, a great quantity of oak timber, suitable for trenails, was brought about this time from the Highland districts to Perth, for making the spokes of carriage-wheels. A supply of these was accordingly got, at a much cheaper rate than the ordinary trenails of the carpenter, and which were also considered better for the purposes of the work.

[Sidenote: Purchase of the Sloop Patriot.]

In order that the building operations at the Rock might suffer as little delay as possible, from the difficulty attending the regular transportation of the stones from Arbroath, and also to provide against the numerous accidents to which the vessels in this service were incident, it was judged proper to have another vessel besides the Smeaton for this department of the service. The writer consequently corresponded with various ports, with a view to procure a vessel of about 40 tons burden, or nearly the size of the Smeaton. Two vessels of this description were offered for sale, at the same price of L. 470; but one of them, the sloop Patriot of Kirkaldy, was stated to be a new vessel, which had hardly been at sea, while the other was several years old; the Kirkaldy vessel was therefore preferred.

[Sidenote: 1809, April.]

On the 5th and 6th April, the boats of the Floating-light landed the artificers on the Bell Rock at 11 o’clock A. M., and they remained till 1, having had two hours’ work each tide in refitting the railways, and setting up the bracing-chains of the Beacon, which were still found in a loose state. Notwithstanding all the precautions used, one of them had unscrewed its nut to the extent of 3 inches, by the friction arising from the agitation of the sea, but every thing else was found to be in good order.

[Sidenote: Floating-light encounters some heavy seas.]

From the 6th to the 20th, the weather was particularly boisterous, the winds being chiefly from the eastward, with occasional showers of snow. On the 16th it was found necessary to veer out the cable of the Floating-light from the 30th to the 90th fathom service; and, on the 17th, at 2 o’clock A. M., she had shipped so heavy a sea, that it filled both of the boats amid-ships, and ran down the companion and hatches in such quantities as to give great alarm to all on board, who, for a time, concluded that the vessel was sinking.

[Sidenote: Twelfth course completed by the Stone-cutters.]

About the beginning of this month, the stone-cutters in the workyard had just completed the hewing of the sandstone or hearting of the Fourteenth course of the building: but those employed at the granite blocks of the course were at a stand, both with that and the Thirteenth course, for want of materials: a supply, however, having timeously arrived from Aberdeen and Peterhead, these courses were proceeded with, though, as yet, none higher than the Twelfth was in a finished state. As the sandstone masons were considerably ahead of those who wrought the granite, the former were chiefly employed in laying the courses on the platform, and boring the trenail holes. The necessary implements were also prepared, and in readiness for shipping for the Rock, with 62 barrels of lime, 78 barrels of pozzolano, and 60 barrels of sand.

[Sidenote: Employment of Shipping.]

The Light-house Yacht was now fitted out for her voyage with stores for the Northern Light-houses, and the other general business connected with her department. The Sir Joseph Banks Tender was ready for sea by the 17th of April; and the Smeaton and Alexander were still making trips to the quarries, and occasionally supplying the Floating-light with provisions.

[Sidenote: Sloop Patriot condemned.]

[Sidenote: Opinion of Mr Solicitor-General Boyle.]

The sloop Patriot, of 45 register tons, formerly mentioned as having been purchased for the work, had her hatches enlarged, for the conveniency of loading and delivering stones; and was otherwise fitted up for the service at the Rock. On the 20th, she took on board five cast-iron mushroom anchors, with chains and floating-buoys, together with a quantity of cast-iron work for extending the Railways. With this cargo she sailed from Leith on the 21st of April, reached the Bell Rock on the morning of the 22d, and was discharged with the assistance of the boats of the Tender and Floating-light. In the course of this trip, the Patriot was observed to make a considerable quantity of water; and instead, therefore, of proceeding for the quarries for a cargo of stone, it was found necessary to send her to Arbroath for examination, when James Macdonald, the master, reported that he could not proceed to sea until the vessel underwent repair. A warrant was accordingly obtained from the Judge-Admiral for a survey of carpenters, who declared her “not sea-worthy.” On farther opening the bottom planks, it appeared, that, upon the starboard-bow, both planks and trenails were in a state of decay, and the expence of the necessary repairs was estimated at L. 80. Upon this report of the carpenters being produced, a correspondence was entered into with the late owner of the vessel, who resisted the charge; and the matter being submitted by the Light-house Board to Mr Solicitor-General Boyle, then _ex officio_ one of the Commissioners, (now Lord Justice-Clerk,) he was of opinion, from the circumstance of the Patriot’s having been sold as an almost new vessel, that the late owner was liable for the estimated repairs. Upon this opinion being made known, the sum of L. 80 was immediately paid, and the vessel was put under repair.

[Sidenote: Two Praams launched.]

Two of the praam-boats built at Arbroath had been launched, by the names of “Fernie,” and “Dickie,” after the respective builders, and were fitted out with complete sets of warps and grapplings for landing the stones at the Bell Rock. Every thing being in readiness for commencing the operations, it was fully expected that the solid part would be completed in the course of the ensuing season, and the Light-house thus carried to the height of 30 feet.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 20th.]

[Sidenote: Tender sails. Floating light put under charge of Mr Reid.]

The Sir Joseph Banks Tender, having been fitted out for sea, sailed on the 20th of April, with the Hedderwick praam-boat in tow, to attend the works at the Bell Rock. She had also on board 15 artificers, consisting of mill-wrights, joiners, smiths and masons, to be employed in extending the Railways, and fitting up the Beacon-house as a place of residence for the workmen. Having left the harbour of Arbroath at 5 A. M., the Floating-light was hailed at 8, when her boat came alongside with Captain Wilson, the landing-master, who was now to leave his charge on board of the Floating-light for a time, and attend as landing-master at the Bell Rock, while Mr John Reid, mariner, and principal light-keeper, took charge as master of the Floating-light, acting in these capacities with much credit to himself and advantage to the service.

[Sidenote: Two sets of Moorings laid down.]

The first attention of the landing-master was to lay down a mushroom-anchor, weighing 18 cwt. 1 qr. with 32 fathoms of ⅞th inch chain, in 13 fathoms water, as the future moorings of the Tender; the Beacon on the Bell Rock bearing E. by S. distant ¼ mile. A set of moorings were also laid down about 300 fathoms to the eastward of this for the praam-boat, with a mushroom-anchor, weighing 15 cwt. 24 lb., with 25 fathoms of chain, in 11 fathoms water. The artificers, having left the Tender in two boats, landed on the Rock at 9 A.M. and returned on board again at half-past 12 noon. But, in the afternoon, the weather becoming more coarse, with the wind from the NE., accompanied with showers of snow, a landing was not attempted in the evening.

[Sidenote: Friday, 21st.]

[Sidenote: Tender slips her moorings.]

The wind to-day being still from the NE., a heavy sea set upon the Rock. The artificers, notwithstanding, left the Tender in two boats, at 10 A. M., but, after various attempts to land at the western creek, it was found impracticable, and the boats returned to the vessel at half past 11; when the Tender was found to ride so heavily at her moorings, that it was judged advisable to slip her hawser; when she set sail, and at 5 P. M. anchored in the bay of Arbroath; but, in the course of the night, she again returned to her moorings off the Bell Rock.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: Other three sets of Moorings laid down.]

The wind having come round to the south to-day, the weather had moderated; and at 10 A. M. the artificers landed, their number having been augmented by nine additional men from Leith, so that they now counted twenty-five. The latter part of this day was employed in laying down three sets of moorings with mushroom-anchors, weighing from 15 to 23 cwt., for the use of the Stone-Lighters, and other craft employed at the work. The positions of these, as nearly as may be, will be seen in Plate V.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 23d.]

[Sidenote: Artificers cannot land.]

At 6 A. M. the artificers left the vessel, with an intention to land on the Beacon at high-water, but there being too much sea, they returned without effecting their purpose. At one P. M., being low-water, fifteen of them made a landing, and remained till 4 o’clock, making preparations for commencing the operations at the Railways and Beacon-house. This afternoon the Smeaton supplied the Floating-light and Tender with necessaries, and returned to Arbroath, carrying with her twelve of the artificers for the work-yard.

[Sidenote: Monday, 24th.]

At 7 A. M. the artificers left the Tender, and landed on the Beacon, where they remained all the day. The masons, who could only be employed on the Rock during low-water, in boring holes for the bats, and in dressing the Rock for the supports of the Railways, landed at 1 P. M., and left off work at 3, having been two hours at work, when the tide overflowed the Rock; but the joiners and smiths continued on the Beacon till 7 P. M.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 25th.]

During these twenty-four hours the wind was from the westward, with moderate breezes and showers of rain. At half-past 6 A. M., the smiths and joiners landed on the Beacon, and continued the whole day. At half-past 3 P. M., the low-water artificers landed, and the whole returned again on board of the Tender at half-past 8.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 26th.]

[Sidenote: Sailors account for the unsettled state of the weather.]

The weather continued to be very unsettled, and there being still great quantities of snow lying on the hills of Angus, it was an observation made by the sailors, “That the wind never continued twenty-four hours in one direction, while there was any whiteness on the Braes of Angus.” To-day, it was at E.NE., with strong breezes and hazy weather. At half-past 8 the joiners and smiths left the vessel for the Rock, but could not make a landing, and returned again at half-past 9, when she immediately slipped her moorings and sailed for Arbroath, to wait the return of the spring-tides.

[Sidenote: Progress of the work.]

At Arbroath, the several departments of the work went forward with alacrity, and the courses of the building, as high as the 19th, were now ready for shipment. The Patriot having undergone a complete repair, was equipped for sea. The Smeaton was employed chiefly in attending the quarries at Mylnefield, and the Alexander those of Aberdeenshire. The Tender took on board provisions, water, and other necessaries for the supply of the Floating-light and artificers, and also some of the dressed timber for fitting up the cabins of the higher parts of the Beacon-house.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 30th.]

[Sidenote: Tender sails for the Rock.]

The Tender accordingly left the harbour of Arbroath this morning, under the command of Mr David Taylor, and sailed for the Bell Rock with Mr Francis Watt and eighteen artificers. At 6 A. M. they spoke the Floating-light, and got Mr James Wilson, the landing-master, on board. The wind being from the westward with moderate breezes, the artificers were landed at 7 A. M., and remained on the Rock till 11 P. M. While the water was low they were employed at refitting and extending the Railways; and when the Rock was overflowed, they ascended to the Beacon, and continued their operations. The wind came to blow so fresh from the N.W., or in the direction of the Tender’s moorings from the Rock, that it was not judged safe to make her fast; and as soon as the artificers got on board, she beat to windward and got into St Andrew’s bay for the night.

[Sidenote: 1809, May.]

[Sidenote: Monday, 1st.]

In the morning the Tender stood again towards the Bell Rock. In the course of the day the wind shifted from W.NW. to N.E. The writer reached the Rock this morning, in the Smeaton, at half-past 7, when he landed with nineteen artificers, and remained till noon, and then went on board of the Tender, now at her moorings.

[Sidenote: Writer visits the Rock.]

The several tides’ work which had been got upon the Rock this season, had enabled the artificers to refit the damage which the railways had sustained during the winter months, and to make further progress with the great circular track round the building, which measured fifty-five feet in diameter; but, as yet, the western reach had made but little advancement. The fitting up of the temporary residence on the higher part of the Beacon, began to make some more habitable-like appearance; the joistings for the respective floors were laid, and a few of the upright spars of the framing had also been set up. This work continued to create much interest with every one connected with the operations, as its completion was to relieve those affected with the sea-sickness, and the whole troop from the continual plague of boating to and from the Rock by day and night. Having examined the works here, the writer left the Rock at 11 P. M. with the artificers, who went on board of the Tender, while he embarked in the Smeaton and sailed for Arbroath.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 2d.]

It blew so fresh, from West to N.W., that no landing could be made to-day, and the Tender was obliged to slip her moorings, and beat up into St Andrew’s bay, to pass the night in smooth water.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 3d.]

[Sidenote: Some timber is landed.]

The wind was still blowing fresh from the same quarter, and, of course, directly upon the Rock from the moorings of the Tender; it was therefore judged proper, in the present unsettled state of the weather, that she should keep under sail, instead of making fast. At 9 A. M. the artificers landed, and returned on board at 1 P. M. In the evening they again landed and remained till 9. Notwithstanding the state of the weather, several boat-loads of timber and iron were landed for the use of the Railways and Beacon.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 4th.]

From the state of the winds at W.NW., instead of making fast to her moorings, the Tender kept plying about the Rock all day, and passed the night reaching about in St Andrew’s Bay, and returned to the Rock at the proper time of tide in the morning. At 7 A. M., eighteen artificers landed, and remained at work till 6 P. M., when they again returned on board.

[Sidenote: Friday, 5th.]

This morning, Captain Taylor embraced the opportunity of the wind having veered to the north, to make the Tender fast to her moorings, but there was too much wind and sea for landing on the Rock. The vessel was, therefore, made as snug as possible, with her top-masts struck, her yards lowered, and boltsprit run in, to enable her to ride more easily.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 6th.]

[Sidenote: Tender in danger of drifting upon the Rock.]

The wind was at North to-day, and the weather being more moderate, Mr Watt, with eight of the artificers, landed at 6 A. M., on the Beacon, and at 10, being then low-water, the remaining twelve followed. At half-past 3 P. M., the whole returned on board, as the wind blew very hard. The boltsprit was launched out, and the ship was got ready for sea, in case of the wind shifting to the N.W., which might endanger the vessel’s drifting upon the Rock.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 7th.]

The wind remained in the same direction, but the weather was much more moderate, and at 7 A. M., eight artificers left the vessel for the Beacon, where they were employed at the upper works. At 10 the remaining twelve artificers landed and continued at work till 4 P. M., when the whole returned on board of the vessel. At 5, the joiners and smiths again went to the Beacon, and remained till half-past 8.

[Sidenote: Monday, 8th.]

At 6 A. M., the artificers employed at the Beacon landed, and at noon the low-water workmen followed, and returned on board again at 5 P. M. At 9, the joiners and smiths also returned to the vessel for the night. The weather was so fine to-day, that the crew of the Tender were enabled to paint her upper works; for, although this had been intended all the season, yet the present was the first favourable opportunity.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 9th.]

[Sidenote: Artificers return to Arbroath.]

The weather still continued moderate, but as the tides became neap, little could now be done to the Railways. The operations were, therefore, confined, at this time, chiefly to the upper works of the Beacon. At 6 A. M., eight artificers went to the Beacon, and at half-past 10, the other twelve landed on the Rock, and remained till half-past 1. At 6 P. M., the whole came on board, when the vessel made sail for Arbroath, to wait the return of spring-tides.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 13th.]

[Sidenote: Tender sails for the Rock.]

The Sir Joseph Banks having been supplied with necessaries for the ensuing spring-tides, left Arbroath at 2 A. M., having in tow the Hedderwick praam-boat; and at 2 P. M., both the ship and praam were made fast to their respective moorings, when six joiners and two smiths were landed on the Beacon. At 5, the remaining eighteen artificers landed on the Rock, and continued till 9, when the whole returned on board of the Tender, after a good evening’s work at the Railways and cabins of the Beacon.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 14th.]

[Sidenote: Joiners get high premiums. One of them is hurt.]

At half-past 6 A. M., twenty-seven artificers landed on the rock, and returned again at half-past 9. At half-past 10, the joiners and smiths again went to the Beacon, and at 6 P. M. the remaining eighteen artificers landed, and the whole returned to the ship at half-past 9; the masons having been six hours and a half on the rock to-day, while the joiners and smiths were about fourteen hours at work on the rock and Beacon together, so that their premiums for extra hours’ work, independently of their stated pay and allowances, were considerable, averaging about L. 3 per month for the workmen, and double that sum for the foremen. Unfortunately, one of the joiners was pretty severely hurt, by the fall of a mason’s pick upon one of his feet, from the smith’s gallery on the Beacon, which disabled him for some time from working in the water.

[Sidenote: Monday, 15th.]

[Sidenote: The work makes rapid progress.]

The weather continuing moderate, and the tides being good, the work went on without interruption during these tides. This morning at half-past 6 o’clock, twenty-seven artificers landed on the rock, and continued till a quarter past 10. At noon, the joiners and smiths returned to the Beacon, and commenced their operations, as usual, at the higher parts of it; and at half-past 6, or at low-water, the remaining eighteen artificers landed, when the whole were employed at the railways, fixing mooring rings, and laying down small floating-buoys as guides for the landing-master, in approaching the rock from the westward with the loaded praams. In all these operations, the sailors took an active part, and the number of hands at work to-day, including them, amounted to thirty-eight. In this manner, the work was continued without any material interruption during five days. The low-water operations, including the night-tides, generally continued for six hours, and the joiners and smiths, for twelve or fourteen hours each day.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 20th.]

[Sidenote: One of the Buoys gets water-logged. Tender leaves her station.]

The wind, which had been easterly during these spring-tides, continued moderate till yesterday, when it blew what sailors term a _stiff breeze_, which soon set up a considerable sea upon the Rock, and the tides being now in the state of neap, no landing was attempted to-day. One of the mooring buoys having got water-logged, must soon have disappeared and sunk, had not the Tender been hauled alongside, when it was taken upon deck. An auger-hole was bored in it and the water let off, being what the sailors term “_bleeding_;” when the hole was closed with a plug, and the buoy was again lowered in the water, and floated as before. The spring-tides being now considered over, the Tender sailed for the bay of Arbroath, where she was made fast to a set of moorings laid down for the conveniency of the work during the summer months, and at 8 P. M. the artificers came on shore in the boats.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 21st.]

[Sidenote: Tender again sails for the Rock.]

The operations at the Rock, during the last spring-tides, had exhausted the stock of timber, of which a great quantity could not be kept either on board of the Tender, or on the Beacon, while much loss and inconveniency had frequently been experienced by attempting to keep it afloat in rafts. At 5 o’clock this morning, the boats left Arbroath with seventeen artificers, and two rafts of timber, which were taken on board of the Tender, when she immediately sailed for the Bell Rock. But there being little wind, it was 7 in the evening before she was made fast to her moorings; and, from the state of the tide, no landing was made this evening.

[Sidenote: Monday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: Great exertions made in laying the circular track of Railway.]

The weather was moderate to-day, and, at 9 A. M., Mr Watt and the artificers left the vessel for the Beacon; but the wind having been at S.E., it was with great difficulty that a landing was effected. At half-past 11, the masons and other low-water artificers landed, and proceeded with the operations of the railways; but the spring-tides being as yet very languid, little work was done, and the boats returned to the Tender in about an hour and a half. The joiners and smiths, however, continued their operations on the higher parts of the Beacon till 9 P. M. Had it not been a matter of extreme importance to get the circular track of the Railway completed, so that the waggons might be wheeled round the site of the building, and the materials brought within reach of the building-cranes in every direction, as will be understood from Plates VI. and IX., the artificers, at this period of the tides, would not have remained at the Rock, but have returned to the work-yard at Arbroath. In this stage of the work, however, the gaining of a single tide was an object of great moment to its future progress.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 23d.]

[Sidenote: Attempt made to erect one of the cranes.]

The artificers employed at the Beacon, landed upon it at 6 o’clock A.M., being then high-water. At 12 noon, one of the building cranes was brought to the Rock in a praam, by the landing-master’s crew; but, as the water did not leave the Rock sufficiently for getting hold of the ring-bats of the guy-tackles, the crane could not be set up: it was therefore laid upon the building, and made fast to Lewis-bats fixed in the upper course, and left in that state for the present. The praam-boat was towed to her moorings at 2 o’clock P. M., but the joiners and smiths continued at work till 10 o’clock, when they came on board of the Tender.

[Sidenote: Smeaton sails with the first stones this season.]

Things being now in a state of preparation for commencing the building operations for the season, the sloop Smeaton was loaded with twenty-six blocks of stone belonging to the Fifth course. She had also on board a few casks of pozzolano, cement, lime, and sand, with trenails, wedges, and other materials connected with the building. At 5 P. M., the writer embarked with Mr Peter Logan the building-foreman, Captain Wilson the landing-master, and fifteen masons, and sailed for the Bell Rock with the first cargo of stones for this season’s operations. The wind was moderate, but being easterly, it was not till 9 o’clock that the vessel reached the floating-light, when the writer, accompanied by the landing-master, went on board to examine her moorings after the gales of winter, while the Smeaton continued her course to the Bell Rock.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 24th.]

[Sidenote: Floating light’s moorings examined.]

The last night was the first that the writer had passed in his old quarters on board of the Floating-light for about twelve months, when the weather was so fine, and the sea so smooth, that even here he felt but little or no motion, excepting at the turn of the tide, when the vessel gets into what the seamen term the _trough of the sea_. At 5 A. M., all hands were called to man the windlass for heaving up the moorings, consisting of a cast-iron mushroom anchor, weighing 17 cwt., and forty fathoms of chain, made from bars of iron one and a half inch square, and a hempen cable of 120 fathoms, measuring 16 inches in circumference. At 6, the crew began to lay the part of this cable upon deck that had been in the hold, and afterwards to heave up that which was in the water: the whole was found in a serviceable condition, excepting where the operation of _worming and rounding_ had been used to defend the part which was most liable to be chafed on the ground. This operation consists in warping a small rope of about two and a half inches in circumference, round between the strands or hollows in the cable, so as to give the whole a more uniform surface. This small rope, however, was found in several places, to cut yarns of the cable, and appeared to be attended with very bad consequences. The master and mate therefore concurred in opinion, that the worming should be discontinued in future, as the small rope stretched more than the cable, and chafed it. There was also a small rope wound round the cable in a circular form, which, being laid with parcelling, or strips of canvas, was a good defence to it.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 24th.]

[Sidenote: State of the Floating-light’s Moorings.]

At 8 A. M., the best bower-anchor and cable were in readiness to be let go, to hold the ship while the mushroom-anchor was lifted. The crew then began to heave up the mooring-chain, which had now been in the water upwards of two years. The first 10 fathoms of the chain were distinctly observed to have suffered by the action of the marine acid. The links had a grooved-like appearance, perhaps, from the softer parts of the iron being wasted, in the lengthway of the link, and those parts which were more hard were observed in a raised form like threads; but at the weldings or joinings of the links, where the iron was more consolidated, from having received additional beating, it had not suffered oxidation in the slightest degree. The next 10 fathoms of the chain had also a slight appearance of waste. It may be remarked, that the half of the chain next to the hempen cable, was generally suspended between the ship and the ground, in moderate weather, and was therefore more exposed to waste from the current of the tides than the half next to the anchor. On heaving up this last part, which lay chiefly on the ground, it was found to be almost as free of rust, some trifling spots excepted, as when it was first laid down: in general, the hammer marks, and even somewhat of the bluish appearance peculiar to the surface of forged iron, were perceptible. The mushroom-anchor had not sustained the slightest change, and, although the ground was rather soft, did not appear to have been imbedded in the mud; so that the ship had rode chiefly by the weight of the chain. On narrowly examining it, when laid upon deck, two of the links were observed to be insufficient, the rust having exposed the faulty parts to view. These defective links were accordingly broken out or removed, and the sound ones connected by means of shackles, kept on board for this purpose. At noon, after seven hours of hard labour, the examination of the moorings was completed, and the writer left the Floating-light, accompanied by the landing-master, to attend the work on the Rock at low-water.

[Sidenote: State of the works at the Rock.]

At 6 A. M. Mr Watt, who conducted the operations of the Railways and Beacon-house, had landed with nine artificers. At half-past 1 P. M., Mr Peter Logan had also landed with fifteen masons, and immediately proceeded to set up the crane, which still lay lashed to the building. The sheer-crane or apparatus for lifting the stones out of the praam-boats at the eastern creek had been already erected, and the Railways now formed about two-thirds of an entire circle round the building: some progress had likewise been made with the Reach towards the western landing-place. The external framing of the cabins of the Beacon was in the state described in the second year’s work, and partly represented in Plate IX. The floors being also laid, the Beacon now assumed the appearance of a habitation. The Smeaton was at her moorings, with the Fernie Praam-boat astern, for which she was laying down moorings, and the Tender being also at her station, the Bell Rock had again put on its former busy aspect. At 11 A. M., the Hedderwick praam was loaded with 11 stones, which were safely landed upon the Rock: and at 2 P. M. the Fernie was loaded with 16 stones, and towed to her moorings, to wait the proper time of tide for getting to the Rock. The Smeaton being discharged, she sailed for Arbroath at 5 P. M.

[Sidenote: Plants and Animals on the building.]

The wind was from the east, with light airs, and there was hardly any ruffle or motion on the surface of the water. The masons were chiefly employed during this tide in clearing the upper course of the building from sea-weed, of which, since the month of September, it had acquired a thick coating. The weed consisted chiefly of _Fucus digitatus_, which, on the new wall, had attained the length of about 18 inches, with a proportional thickness of stalk and breadth of frond, during the preceding eight or nine months. The barnacle was also pretty numerous, and a good many white buckies and small mussels had attached themselves to several parts of the building. The masons left the Rock this evening at 6 o’clock, having had four hours and a half’s work; but the joiners and smiths continued till 10 P. M., and had therefore been 16 hours on the Rock to-day.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 25th.]

At half-past 2 this morning, the landing-master’s bell was rung on board of the Tender; and at a quarter past 3, the writer landed with fifteen masons, nine mill-wrights and joiners, two blacksmiths, and ten seamen, in all thirty-six, with their respective foremen. The low-water work continued two hours and a half, when those employed at the Beacon were left as usual to continue their operations. In the afternoon, at 3 o’clock, the builders were again landed, and remained on the Rock till 8, having been five hours at work, when all hands returned on board of the Tender.

[Sidenote: Friday, 26th.]

The wind had shifted to the south, with fresh breezes, which set a considerable sea upon the Rock. The boats landed the artificers at a quarter past 3 this morning, who continued on the Rock till a quarter past 6, when it was overflowed. They landed again at a quarter past 3 P. M., and remained till a quarter past 6, when all hands returned on board of the Tender for the night. The masons, for the two last days, were employed in cutting out the square joggle-holes in the upper course of last season’s work, represented with deep shaded lines in Plate XIII., which were not, as usual, cut in the respective stones before they left the work-yard, that there might be the less resistance to the waves during the storms of winter. The seamen were employed this tide in landing wedges and trenails, with cement, lime, sand, and pozzolano, the necessary materials for mortar: these were stowed on the mortar gallery or the lower floor of the Beacon-house; which, in a work of this nature, was found to be of inestimable value for this purpose. The mill-wrights, joiners, and smiths continued their operations as formerly at the Railways and upper part of the Beacon.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 27th.]

[Sidenote: Builders commence and lay 5 stones.]

The landing-master’s bell rung this morning at half-past 4, and at a quarter past 5, the artificers and seamen, thirty-six in number, commenced work, and continued for 2 hours and a half. The crane having been raised, and the necessary preparations made for beginning the building for the season, five stones of the Fifth course were landed and laid. In the afternoon, the artificers returned to the Rock at a quarter past 4, and remained till 9, when other five stones were laid. The seamen landed six stones with the Hedderwick praam, and sixteen stones with the Fernie, being her first cargo. The mill-wrights, joiners, and smiths, were employed at the Railways, and fitting up the cabins of the Beacon-house.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 28th.]

[Sidenote: 22 stones laid.]

Landed this morning at half-past 5, and continued at work till a quarter to 9; and, in the evening tide, the work commenced at a quarter past 5, and continued till 9, when all hands left the Rock. The landing-master’s crew brought two cargoes of the praam-boats to the Rock, consisting of 22 stones, which were laid or built. During the first and middle parts of these twenty-four hours, the wind was from the west, blowing fresh, but towards the evening it shifted to the N.E., with rain.

[Sidenote: Monday, 29th.]

[Sidenote: Tender rides very hard.]

The wind having blown fresh all night, and a considerable sea set up, there was no possibility of landing on the Rock to-day. In the course of the night it blew so fresh, that Captain Taylor struck the top-masts of the Tender, launched in her boltsprit, hoisted the boats on board, and had every thing in a state calculated to make her ride at her moorings as easily as possible. At 2 P. M. the vessel pitched very hard, and one of the mooring-hawsers having got foul of the cathead or timber, the ship came with such a jerk, from the run of the sea, as was sufficient to carry it away. But the Tender still kept her station, in company with the sloop Smeaton, and the praam-boats Hedderwick and Fernie.

[Sidenote: Tuesday 30th.]

[Sidenote: Apparatus on the Rock viewed from a boat.]

To-day the wind shifted from N.E. to west, but there was still too heavy a sea for landing on the Rock. The writer being on board, looked often and anxiously for the safety of the crane and the unfinished course of the building. At low-water, he accompanied the landing-master in a boat, and went round the Rock, when he had the satisfaction to find that every thing had the appearance of being in good order.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 31st.]

[Sidenote: 13 stones laid. Landing rendered difficult from snow showers.]

The landing-master’s bell, often no very favourite sound, rung at 6 this morning; but on this occasion, it is believed, it was gladly received by all on board, as the welcome signal of the return of better weather. At a quarter past 7, the artificers landed, and continued at work four hours and a half. At 7 P. M. they landed again, and at 10 all hands, 36 in number, returned to the Tender. The masons laid 13 stones to-day, which the seamen had landed, together with other building materials. During these twenty-four hours the wind was from the south, blowing fresh breezes, accompanied with showers of snow. In the morning, the snow showers were so thick, that it was with difficulty the landing-master, who always steered the leading-boat, could make his way to the Rock through the drift. But at the Bell Rock, neither snow, nor rain, nor fog, nor wind, retarded the progress of the work, if unaccompanied by a heavy swell or breach of the sea.

[Sidenote: 1809, June.]

[Sidenote: Thursday, 1st.]

[Sidenote: State of the weather. Zeal of the Writer’s assistants.]

The weather, during the months of April and May, had been uncommonly boisterous, and so cold that the thermometer seldom exceeded 40°, while the barometer was generally about 29.50. We had not only hail and sleet, but the snow, on the last day of May, lay on the decks and rigging of the ship to the depth of about three inches; and, although now entering upon the month of June, the length of the day was the chief indication of summer. Yet such is the effect of habit, and such was the expertness of the landing-master’s crew, that, even in this description of weather, seldom a tide’s work was lost. Such was the ardour and zeal of the heads of the several departments at the Rock, including Mr Peter Logan, foreman builder, Mr Francis Watt, foreman mill-wright, and Captain Wilson, landing-master, that it was on no occasion necessary to address them, excepting in the way of precaution and restraint. Under these circumstances, however, the writer not unfrequently felt considerable anxiety, of which this day’s experience will afford an example.

[Sidenote: Eleven of the artificers left on the Beacon.]

This morning, at a quarter past 8, the artificers were landed as usual, and, after three hours and three quarters’ work, 5 stones were laid, the greater part of this tide having been taken up in completing the boring and trenailing of the stones formerly laid. At noon, the writer, with the seamen and artificers, proceeded to the Tender, leaving on the Beacon the joiners, and several of these who were troubled with sea-sickness, among whom was Mr Logan, who remained with Mr Watt, counting altogether eleven persons. During the first and middle parts of these twenty-four hours, the wind was from the east, blowing what seamen term “fresh breezes;” but, in the afternoon it shifted to E.N.E., accompanied with so heavy a swell of sea, that the Smeaton and Tender struck their topmasts, launched in their boltsprits, and “made all snug” for a gale. At 4 P. M. the Smeaton was obliged to slip her moorings, and passed the Tender, drifting before the wind, with only the foresail set. In passing, Mr Pool hailed that he must run for the Firth of Forth, to prevent the vessel from “riding under.”

[Sidenote: They encounter a severe gale.]

On board of the Tender the writer’s chief concern was about the eleven men left upon the Beacon. Directions were accordingly given that every thing about the vessel should be put in the best possible state, to present as little resistance to the wind as possible, that she might have the better chance of riding out the gale. Among these preparations, the best bower cable was bent, so as to have a second anchor in readiness, in case the mooring hawser should give way, that every means might be used for keeping the vessel within sight of the prisoners on the Beacon, and thereby keep them in as good spirits as possible. From the same motive the boats were kept afloat, that they might be less in fear of the vessel leaving her station. The landing-master had, however, repeatedly expressed his anxiety for the safety of the boats, and wished much to have them hoisted on board. At 7 P. M., one of the boats, as he feared, was unluckily filled with sea from a wave breaking into her, and it was with great difficulty that she could be baled out and got on board, with the loss of her oars, rudder, and loose thwarts. Such was the motion of the ship, that in taking this boat on board, her gunwale was stove in, and she otherwise received considerable damage. Night approached, but it was still found quite impossible to go near the Rock. Consulting, therefore, the safety of the second boat, she also was hoisted on board of the Tender.

[Sidenote: The Tender is also very uncomfortable.]

At this time, the cabins of the Beacon were only partially covered, and had neither been provided with bedding nor a proper fire-place, while the stock of provisions was but slender. In these uncomfortable circumstances, the people on the Beacon were left for the night, nor was the situation of those on board of the Tender much better. The rolling and pitching motion of the ship was excessive; and, excepting to those who had been accustomed to a residence in the Floating-light, it seemed quite intolerable. Nothing was heard but the hissing of the winds and the creeking of the bulk-heads or partitions of the ship: the night was therefore spent in the most unpleasant reflections upon the condition of the people on the Beacon, especially in the prospect of the Tender being driven from her moorings. But even in such a case, it afforded some consolation that the stability of the fabric was never doubted, and that the boats of the Floating-light were at no great distance, and ready to render the people on the Rock the earliest assistance which the weather would admit. The writer’s cabin being in the sternmost part of the ship, which had what sailors term a good entry, or was sharp built, the sea, as before noticed, struck her counter with so much violence, that the water, with a rushing noise, continually forced its way up the rudder case, lifted the valve of the water-closet, and overran the cabin floor. In these circumstances, daylight was eagerly looked for, and hailed with delight, as well by those afloat, as by the artificers upon the Rock.

[Sidenote: Friday, 2d.]

[Sidenote: The Artificers are relieved.]

In the course of the night, the writer held repeated conversations with the officer on watch, who reported that the weather continued much in the same state, and that the barometer still indicated 29.20 inches. At 6 A. M., the landing-master considered the weather to have somewhat moderated; and from certain appearances of the sky, he was of opinion that a change for the better would soon take place. He accordingly proposed to attempt a landing at low-water, and either get the people off the Rock, or at least ascertain what state they were in. At 9 A. M., he left the vessel with a boat well manned, carrying with him a supply of cooked provisions, and a tea-kettle full of mulled port wine, for the people on the Beacon, who had not had any regular diet for about 30 hours, while they were exposed, during that period, in a great measure, both to the winds and the sprays of the sea. The boat having succeeded in landing, she returned at 11 A. M. with the artificers, who had got off with considerable difficulty; and who were heartily welcomed by all on board.

[Sidenote: Mr Logan’s account of the state of the Beacon.]

Upon enquiry, it appeared that three of the stones last laid upon the building had been partially lifted from their beds by the force of the sea, and were now held only by the trenails, and that the cast-iron sheer-crane represented in Plate XI., had again been thrown down and completely broken. With regard to the Beacon, the sea, at high-water, had lifted part of the mortar gallery or lowest floor, and washed away all the lime casks and other moveable articles from it; but the principal parts of this fabric had sustained no damage. On pressing Messrs Logan and Watt, on the situation of things in the course of the night, Mr Logan emphatically said: “That the Beacon had an _ill-fared twist_ when the sea broke upon it at high water, but that they were not very apprehensive of danger.” On enquiring as to how they spent the night, it appeared that they had made shift to keep a small fire burning, and, by means of some old sails, defended themselves pretty well from the sea sprays.

[Sidenote: James Glen’s exertions.]

It was particularly mentioned that, by the exertions of _James Glen_, one of the joiners, a number of articles were saved from being washed off the mortar gallery. Glen was also very useful in keeping up the spirits of the forlorn party. In the early part of life, he had undergone many curious adventures at sea, which he now recounted somewhat after the manner of the Tales of the Arabian Nights. When one observed that the Beacon was a most comfortless lodging, Glen would presently introduce some of his exploits and hardships, in comparison with which, the state of things at the Beacon bore an aspect of comfort and happiness. Looking to their slender stock of provisions, and their perilous and uncertain chance of speedy relief, he would launch out into an account of one of his expeditions in the North Sea, when the vessel being much disabled in a storm, was driven before the wind with the loss of almost all their provisions; and the ship being much infested with rats, the crew hunted these vermin, with great eagerness, to help their scanty allowance. By such means, Glen had the address to make his companions, in some measure, satisfied, or at least passive, with regard to their miserable prospects upon this half-tide rock in the middle of the Ocean. This incident is noticed, more particularly, to shew the effects of such a happy turn of mind, even under the most distressing and ill-fated circumstances.

[Sidenote: State of matters after the gale.]

The people from the Beacon had no sooner got safely on board of the Tender, and were provided for, than the writer went to the Rock with the landing-master, carrying along with them five artificers, and landed, though not without considerable difficulty; for, although the wind had shifted to the westward, yet there was still a very heavy swell of sea. The first object at the Rock was to relay the three stones which had been lifted about three inches off their beds. On examining the Beacon narrowly, it appeared to be all in good order, excepting the mortar gallery, which, as before noticed, had been lifted, and all the lighter articles that could not be stowed in the upper apartments, carried into the sea; and two of the four legs of the sheer-crane were broken in pieces. But the crane upon the building, fortunately still kept its erect position. After fixing the three stones and making these remarks, the boat after two hours’ absence returned to the Tender.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 3d.]

[Sidenote: Tender obliged to leave her station.]

The wind was at N.W. to-day, so that the vessel rode with her stern towards the Rock; and as it came to blow excessively hard, there was some danger, in the event of any thing giving way, that she might drift upon the Rock. Accordingly, Mr Taylor, who commanded the Tender, came into the writer’s cabin between 1 and 2 o’clock this morning, and, after some consultation, it was thought advisable to slip the hawser, and to stand with the ship towards the land. It then blew so fresh, that though the sails were double reefed when the vessel got under way, it was still found necessary to take in a third reef in the mainsail, and at 6 A. M. she got into the harbour of Arbroath.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 4th.]

At this time the sea was in such a state of agitation with the shifting and violence of the winds, that apprehensions were entertained about the safety of the sloop Smeaton, as she was deeply laden when she left her moorings, especially as her cargo was quite invaluable to the progress of the works of this season. At 5 o’clock this morning, however, Mr Pool made his appearance with the vessel, and got safely into the harbour of Arbroath.

[Sidenote: Thursday 8th.]

[Sidenote: Progress of the works at Arbroath.]

In the work-yard, the hewing or cutting of the several courses went on with great alacrity: the freestone masons were now at work as high as the Twentieth and Twenty-first courses, and the granite masons had completed the Sixteenth course, which was now lying on the platform, marked and ready for shipment. A great stock of lime, in a pounded state, had been prepared, and a quantity of clean sharp sand collected, which were put up in separate casks. A large supply of oaken trenails and wedges was also made up in bundles, each containing twenty-four trenails, and a like number of pairs of wedges. The hewing of the stones, and the preparation of the building materials, were placed under the charge of Mr David Logan, as clerk of works; and the writing of the books, disbursement of cash, and the dispatch of the vessels with the materials, provisions and necessaries for the Rock, formed the department of Mr Lachlan Kennedy, engineer’s clerk.

[Sidenote: Friday 9th.]

[Sidenote: 4 Stones are laid.]

The Tender and Smeaton having remained in port till last evening, both vessels sailed for the Rock, and reached their moorings at 5 o’clock A. M. The boats were immediately hoisted out, when the mill-wrights, joiners and smiths, ten in number, landed on the Beacon, with their foreman, and proceeded to the fitting up of the cabins. Notwithstanding the hazardous situation upon the Beacon in which these artificers had lately been placed, Mr Watt, with his principal assistant James Glen, were not to be moved with trifles, and the work, as formerly, was continued by the joiners’ squad of artificers during the whole day, trusting to the eventual prospect of their being taken off by the boats at night. At low-water, or about 3 P. M., Mr Peter Logan landed, with the sixteen artificers who composed the builders’ squad, and the whole left it again at 8 P. M. The three stones which had been re-laid on the 2d of this month, having had the pozzolano mortar washed out by the heavy sea, before it had time to fix, it was found necessary to lift again, and lay them a third time. In the late gales, the casks of lime and cement left on the Beacon having been washed off by the sea, an entirely new stock was required. The praams were accordingly employed in delivering the Smeaton and landing a supply of these articles, together with four blocks of stone. The operations of the building-artificers continued only three hours to-day, and no more than four additional stones were laid.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 10th.]

[Sidenote: Patriot obliged to slip her moorings.]

The Patriot having now undergone a complete repair, she was loaded with stones for the first time, and the writer took a passage in her to the Bell Rock, when he had the pleasure of finding that she wrought or sailed extremely well. She was made fast to her moorings at 6 A. M., but only one praam-load had been discharged from her to-day, when the wind came suddenly from the N.E., and it was found necessary to let slip her moorings at 6 P. M., when she made sail for the Firth of Forth.

[Sidenote: 10 Stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Artificers divided into squads.]

Notwithstanding the boisterous state of the weather, the artificers were enabled to continue their visits to the Rock, and landed this morning at 5. At this time they counted twenty-six, and were, as formerly, divided into two squads; the mill-wrights, joiners, and smiths, ten in number, wrought at the fitting up the Railways while the Rock was accessible, and when it was covered with the tide, they were employed in fitting up the Beacon-house. The operations of the builders were as yet wholly confined to low-water work. Both squads were attended, and occasionally assisted, by the landing-master’s crew of about twelve sailors, who were always ready for every sort of work. Including the low-water periods of morning and evening tides the whole had six hours’ and a quarter’s work to-day, when ten stones were laid. But those employed at the Beacon did not leave off till half-past 9 P. M., having been sixteen hours upon the Rock, when all hands returned to the Tender; and, owing to the bad state of the weather, the boats were immediately hoisted on board.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 11th.]

[Sidenote: No landing on the Rock to-day.]

The wind was still from the N.E., accompanied with so heavy a swell of sea, that it was found impossible to land this morning. At 12 noon, all hands, forty-two in number, were assembled on deck, when prayers were read as usual. At 5 P. M., the weather being somewhat more moderate, the boats left the vessel with the artificers. But on a more narrow inspection of the state of the sea upon the Rock, it was found impracticable to effect a landing, and they returned to the Tender, after having been about an hour absent. This evening, the Light-house Yacht came to the Bell Rock from her first voyage to the Northern Light-houses for the season, but there was too much sea for making her fast to any of the moorings. Captain Calder, after ascertaining that all was well, laid the Yacht to for the night, and kept the Floating-light in view.

[Sidenote: Monday, 12th.]

[Sidenote: 17 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Ships belonging to the service.]

The wind having fortunately shifted to the S.W., in the course of the night, the weather became more moderate, and at a quarter past 6 the artificers landed. Including both tides, the builders had seven hours’ work to-day, and laid seventeen stones, those employed at the Beacon continuing at work throughout the day. The Smeaton having arrived from Arbroath with another cargo of stones, and the Patriot from Largo Bay, in the Firth of Forth, where she had run for shelter, the Rock had now a very busy appearance, the following vessels belonging to the service being at their respective moorings, viz. the Light-house Yacht; the Sir Joseph Banks Tender; the Sloops Smeaton and Patriot, besides the Hedderwick and Fernie decked Praam-boats; and at the distance of about two miles and a half, the Floating-light was stationed as represented in Plate V.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 13th.]

[Sidenote: 12 stones laid.]

The artificers landed this morning at the Rock, at a quarter past 6, and had three hours’ and a half’s work; and in the evening, the builders again returned at 7 o’clock, and remained three hours and a quarter, when the whole left the Rock. In the course of this day twelve stones were laid, which discharged the Patriot, and she returned to Arbroath for another cargo.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 14th.]

[Sidenote: 21 stones laid.]

At 7 this morning, the whole of the artificers land, and have four hours and a quarter of low-water work, when 21 stones are laid. In the evening, they land again at half-past 6, and have three hours’ and three quarter’s work in completing the boring and trenailing of the stones of the course which had already been built. The landing-master’s crew discharged the Smeaton’s cargo to-day, consisting of twenty-six blocks, together with four casks of pozzolano, four casks of lime, four casks of sand, one cask of cement, three bundles of oaken trenails, and six bundles of wedges; and at 8 o’clock P. M. she sailed for Arbroath. The cargo of the Smeaton was partly landed upon the Rock; but, calculating upon the settled appearance of the weather, the greater part of it kept on board of the praams at their moorings.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 15th.]

[Sidenote: 18 stones laid.]

At a quarter from 7 o’clock this morning the artificers landed, and having had five hours’ and a quarter’s work, eight stones were laid, and the remainder of the tide was occupied in boring and trenailing. In the evening, at half-past 6, they again landed and laid eighteen stones, having had five hours’ and a half’s work. The Patriot arrived from Arbroath with another cargo, consisting of thirty-nine blocks of stone, four casks of pozzolano, four casks of lime, four casks of sand, four bundles of wedges, and four bundles of trenails. There were thirty-six blocks of stone landed to-day on the Rock, with the above materials. The stones, when landed, were laid on the south-west side of the building till those previously built were trenailed; and the lime, &c. were carried up to the mortar-gallery on the Beacon. The three remaining stones of this cargo were left on board of one of the praams at her moorings, and the Patriot thus discharged, again sailed for Arbroath at 9 P. M. to load another cargo.

[Sidenote: Friday, 16th.]

[Sidenote: 24 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Great exertions used in supplying materials.]

This morning, at a quarter past 7, the artificers landed on the Rock, and had an excellent tide’s work, which continued for five hours and a quarter, when 24 stones of the Patriot’s last cargo were laid. Landing again at half-past 8 in the evening, they continued at work an hour and a quarter, when four stones were laid; and at 10 o’clock all hands left the Rock; the joiners, smiths, and such of the masons as were inclined, having been, as usual, left all day on the Beacon, had their victuals sent to them from the Tender. In the present favourable state of the weather, through the exertions of Mr Lachlan Kennedy, in dispatching the vessels, both by night and day, and also by the activity of Captains Pool of the Smeaton, and Macdonald of the Patriot, the work was largely and regularly supplied with building materials. The Smeaton having returned with a cargo from Arbroath, was made fast to her moorings at 11 this morning; but, as the wind blew strongly from the westward, it was found impracticable to land any stones to-day, without the greatest risk of injuring the materials. About mid-day, after the landing-master’s crew had taken the artificers on board of the Tender, they towed the Fernie praam-boat alongside of the Smeaton, and endeavoured to load her, but it was found impracticable; and, after three stones had been laid on the praam’s deck, any further attempt was given up.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 17th.]

[Sidenote: 7 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Artificers left all night on the Beacon.]

At 8 A. M., the artificers and sailors, forty-five in number, landed on the Rock, and, after four hours’ work, seven stones were laid. The remainder of this tide, from the threatening appearance of the weather, was occupied in trenailing, and making all things as secure as possible. At 12 noon, the Rock and Building were again overflowed, when the masons and seamen went on board of the Tender, but Mr Watt, with his squad of ten men, remained on the Beacon throughout the day. As it blew fresh from the N.W. in the evening, it was found impracticable either to land the building-artificers, or to take the artificers off the Beacon, and they were accordingly left there all night, but in circumstances very different from those of the 1st of this month. The house being now in a more complete state, was provided with bedding, and they spent the night pretty well; though they complained of having been much disturbed at the time of high-water, by the shaking and tremulous motion of their house, and by the plashing noise of the sea upon the mortar gallery. Here James Glen’s versatile powers were again at work, in cheering up those who seemed to be alarmed, and in securing every thing as far as possible. On this occasion, he had only to recall to the recollections of some of them the former night which they had spent on the Beacon, the wind and sea being then much higher, and their habitation in a far less comfortable state.

[Sidenote: Smeaton and Patriot slip their moorings.]

The Patriot came to the Rock this morning from Arbroath, loaded chiefly with timber and apparatus for the works of the Beacon. At 5 A. M., Captain Wilson, the landing-master, and his crew, made a second attempt to deliver the Smeaton of her cargo, but were only enabled to get out other five stones, with which the Fernie praam was towed to her moorings, without being able to land upon the Rock. The wind still continuing to blow fresh from the N.W., at 5 P. M., the writer caused a signal to be made from the Tender for the Smeaton and Patriot to let slip their moorings, when they ran for Lunan Bay, an anchorage on the east side of the Redhead. Those on board of the Tender spent but a very rough night, and, perhaps, slept less soundly than their companions on the Beacon, especially as the wind was at N.W., which caused the vessel to ride with her stern towards the Bell Rock; so that, in the event of any thing giving way, she could hardly have escaped being stranded upon it.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 18th.]

[Sidenote: 16 stones laid.]

The weather having moderated to-day, the wind shifted to the westward. At a quarter past 9 A. M., the artificers landed from the Tender, and had the pleasure to find their friends who had been left on the Rock quite hearty, alleging that the Beacon was the preferable quarters of the two. The builders laid 16 stones in four hours and a half, when the whole returned on board of the Tender; and at 3 P. M. all hands, counting fifty-four, assembled upon deck to prayers. In the evening, at 9, the artificers again landed, and left off work at a quarter from 12 o’clock at night, having been employed in boring, trenailing, and wedging the stones which had been built in the morning.

[Sidenote: Monday, 19th.]

[Sidenote: Remarkable breach of sea upon the Rock.]

The wind was at N.E. to-day, with gentle breezes, but accompanied by the heaviest swell of sea which had yet been observed at the Bell Rock. It was what seamen term a Ground Swell, and, although the landing-master’s crew were employed alongside of the Smeaton, in loading the praams, the surface of the water being comparatively smooth, yet the breach upon the Rock was truly surprising. It is when the sea is in this state,--being the result no doubt of a distant gale of wind,--that the sprays conducted by a building, rise to such a height as is represented in the Vignette of Smeaton’s Narrative of the Edystone Light-house. In the forenoon, the writer, accompanied by the landing-master, in a well manned boat, went off to observe the effect of the breach of the sea upon the building and apparatus. The work had now attained the height of about 8 feet, on which one of the cranes was erected, the top of which was about 30 feet above the low-water mark. In the course of this tide, the sea, at the meeting of the waves round the building, was observed to rise in the most beautiful conical jets, of about 30 or 40 feet in diameter at the base, to the height of 10 or 15 feet above the crane. Between these seas, but more particularly at low-water, it was observed with a telescope, that some of the last laid stones had been partially lifted; but others, which had not been trenailed, it was feared had been washed off the building.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 20th.]

[Sidenote: 3 stones in danger of being washed away.]

At 11 A. M., the boats landed, with much difficulty to-day, in order to ascertain the state of the building and apparatus. On examination it was happily found, that none of the stones were lost, and that those observed yesterday to have been lifted off their beds, were the three which had not been trenailed, but which being fortunately confined by two of the jumpers or boring-irons left in the trenail holes of the lower course, were thus held in their places. After laying these stones, the remainder of this tide, which lasted for three hours and a quarter, was occupied in grouting or filling the perpendicular joints, and plastering them over with Parker’s Roman cement, to preserve the pozzolano mortar. At this period, it not only happened to be rough weather, but the building being now at that height, relatively to the tides, which seamen term “Between wind and water,” the upper part of the work was exposed to the wash of every wave towards high-water. It was, therefore, often found necessary to repeat the grouting of the same joints with mortar several times. As the evening tide fell wholly under night, the building artificers did not land; but the squad employed at the Beacon and Railways remained at the Rock throughout the day, and were, indeed, only restrained from taking up their quarters also for the night, in consequence of a positive injunction which the writer thought it prudent to enforce, until the Beacon should be in a more habitable state.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 21st.]

[Sidenote: 22 stones laid.]

The artificers employed at the Beacon landed upon it this morning at 7 o’clock; and, at a quarter past 11, the builders landed, and continued at work till 4 P. M., having had five hours’ and a quarter’s work, when 22 stones were laid. The landing-master’s crew, at the same time, transported 19 blocks to the Rock with the praam-boats, which completely discharged the Smeaton of her cargo of 32 stones, four casks of pozzolano, and a similar quantity of cement, lime, and sand, with four bundles of trenails, and the like number of wedges, when she immediately left her moorings.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: Great waste of mortar.]

The artificers landed upon the Rock this morning at half-past 11, and, from the advanced state of the building, they were enabled to continue at work for six hours and a half, being the longest tide’s work which had yet been got upon the Rock by the building artificers. During this tide only four stones were laid, but the time was otherwise occupied in boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting the joints of the stones last built. From the great waste of mortar, owing to the wash of the sea, in the present stage of the building, the usual proportions of its ingredients were not found sufficient for the courses in hand; and having no conveniency for keeping more than a few casks on the Beacon, while it was an object to have the lime always fresh, it was found necessary to dispatch a boat to-day express to Arbroath, for additional supplies of pozzolano, lime and sand.

[Sidenote: Friday, 23d.]

The work commenced at 12 noon, and continued six hours and a quarter; but, owing to the roughness of the weather, no stones were laid to-day, as, notwithstanding every precaution in pointing the joints with cement, the mortar was continually washed away. This tide was, therefore, occupied in the operation of grouting, and securing the mortar with tow, loaded with pieces of iron laid horizontally along such of the joints as were accessible to this, which had the effect of preserving them until the cement dried sufficiently to defend it against the wash of the sea.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 24th.]

[Sidenote: 57 Stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Cooking commenced on the Beacon.]

Mr Peter Logan, the foreman builder, and his squad, twenty-one in number, landed this morning at 3 o’clock, and continued at work four hours and a quarter, and, after laying 17 stones, returned to the Tender. At 6 A. M., Mr Francis Watt, and his squad of twelve men, landed, and proceeded with their respective operations at the Beacon and Railways, and were left on the Rock during the whole day, without the necessity of having any communication with the Tender, the kitchen of the Beacon-house being now fitted up. It was to-day also, that Peter Fortune,--a most obliging and well known character in the Light-house service,--was removed from the Tender to the Beacon, as cook and steward, with a stock of provisions as ample as his limited store-room would admit. At 2 P. M. the building-artificers again landed, and continued at work till a quarter past 8, when 40 of the stones, formerly landed, were now laid, making no fewer than 57 blocks which had been built to-day in the course of both tides. The weather being extremely fine, with light airs of wind from the S.E., the landing-master’s crew discharged the Patriot into the praam-boats, which were then towed to their moorings, as the stones could not at this time be received at the Rock.

[Sidenote: Situation of the Mortar-makers and smiths.]

When as many stones were built as comprised this day’s work, the demand for mortar was proportionally encreased, and the task of the mortar-makers on these occasions was both laborious and severe. This operation was chiefly performed by John Watt,--a strong active quarrier by profession,--who was a perfect character in his way, and extremely zealous in his department. While the operations of the mortar-makers continued, the forge upon their gallery was not generally in use; but, as the working-hours of the builders extended with the height of the building, the forge could not be so long wanted, and then a sad confusion often ensued upon the circumscribed floor of the mortar-gallery, as the operations of Watt and his assistants trenched greatly upon those of the smiths. The casks with the ingredients for the mortar, consisting of pozzolano, lime, and sand, were laid to hand by the sailors. These materials were lifted in spadefulls, and thrown into the cast-iron mortar tubs, represented in Plate X. Fig. 12., where they were beat with an iron-shod pestle, to a consistency suitable to the respective purposes of the work. Under these circumstances, the boundary of the smiths was much circumscribed, and they were personally annoyed, especially in blowy weather, with the dust of the lime in its powdered state. The mortar-makers, on the other hand, were often not a little distressed with the heat of the fire and the sparks elicited on the anvil, and not unaptly complained that they were placed between the “Devil and the Deep-sea.”

[Sidenote: Sunday, 25th.]

[Sidenote: 27 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Rope-ladder distended.]

The work being now about 10 feet in height, admitted of a Rope-ladder being distended between the Beacon and the Building, as represented in Plate IX. By this “Jacob’s-Ladder,” as the seamen termed it, a communication was kept up with the Beacon, while the Rock was considerably under water. One end of it being furnished with tackle-blocks, was fixed to the beams of the Beacon, at the level of the mortar-gallery, while the further end was connected with the Upper-course of the building by means of two Lewis-bats, which were lifted from course to course as the work advanced. In the same manner, a rope furnished with a travelling-pulley, was distended, for the purpose of transporting the mortar-buckets, and other light articles, between the Beacon and the building, which also proved a great conveniency to the work. At this period the rope-ladder, and tackle for the mortar, had a descent from the Beacon to the building; by and by they were on a level; and, towards the end of the season, when the solid part had attained its full height, the ascent was from the mortar-gallery to the building; as will be understood by examining the second year’s work, as shewn in the Plate above alluded to, and when viewed in connection with the progress of the work. The building-artificers were accordingly enabled to land this morning at 3 A. M., and to continue at work five hours and a quarter, when 27 stones were laid of the Seventh course. The praam-boats were brought from their moorings, where they lay loaded with 43 stones, besides a supply of pozzolano, lime, sand, cement, trenails, and wedges. The Smeaton having made a trip ashore for a supply of the castings for the western Reach of the Railway, she discharged 15 tons of cast-iron work, and returned to Arbroath for a cargo of stones. At 12 noon, all hands, fifty-seven in number, being collected upon the deck of the Tender, prayers were read as usual. At three quarters past 2 o’clock P. M., the building-artificers again landed, and had five hours’ and three quarters’ work, at boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting the stones laid during the two previous tides, which completed the Seventh course of the building.

[Sidenote: Monday, 26th.]

[Sidenote: 21 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Builders stopped by a simple mistake.]

The weather still continuing to be very favourable for the operations, the building-artificers landed on the Rock at a quarter past 3 A. M., and continued at work five hours and a half, when 21 stones were laid. In the course of this tide, it was discovered that the Patriot had by mistake carried off the trainer or gauge-rule to be used for regulating the position of the stones in building the Eighth course, which, for a time, stopped the progress of building. A fast rowing boat was dispatched to Arbroath for this useful implement, a diagram of which will be seen in Plate X. In the mean time, the remainder of the landing-master’s crew were employed in laying the cast-iron work in order upon the Rock, so as to be at hand in the course of fitting up the Railways. In the evening, at a quarter past 4 P. M., the artificers landed, and had five hours and a half at boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting the last laid course of the building.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 27th.]

[Sidenote: 33 stones laid, and 66 landed.]

The Joiners’ squad of artificers, with Mr Fortune, their cook and steward, landed this morning at 5 A. M. for the day, and the Builders’ squad continued on the Rock till a quarter past 10. They again landed, at half-past 4, and returned on board of the Tender with all hands, at 10 P. M. The express-boat came from Arbroath with the trainer this forenoon: 33 stones were laid to-day, and the weather being extremely fine the landing-master’s crew delivered no fewer than 66 blocks at the Rock.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 28th.]

[Sidenote: 32 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Artificers now at work while the Rock is under water.]

As the work was daily getting higher, the artificers landed on the Beacon, and began this morning at a quarter before 6 o’clock, having passed along the rope-ladder, distended between it and the Building, while the Rock was yet under water, when the builders got five hours and a quarter’s work. In the evening, they landed again at 6 o’clock, and remained till 11. In the course of this day 32 stones were laid, but, owing to the wind blowing fresh from N.NE., the praams could not approach the eastern creek, and the western reach of Railway being yet unfinished, no materials were landed. The Joiners’ squad, as usual, remained all day on the Rock, and were enabled to make great progress with the lodging part of the Beacon or “Hurricane-house,” as the seamen termed it.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 29th.]

[Sidenote: 25 stones laid, and 50 landed.]

The wind was still in the N.E., but being more moderate, the work, in all its departments, proceeded with great spirit; 50 blocks of stone were accordingly landed to-day, with the necessary proportions of lime and other materials. At half-past 6, the whole of the artificers landed, and remained till half-past 11, having been five hours on the Rock. The builders again landed at 6 P. M.; and at midnight, all hands left the Rock. The builders having to-day been no less than ten hours and a half at work, had laid 25 stones. The roughness of the weather yesterday washed a great part of the mortar out of the joints, and this morning’s tide was chiefly occupied in grouting and pointing the Eighth course, which being closed, the work was brought to the height of about 11 feet above the lower bed of the Foundation-stone.

[Sidenote: Friday, 30th.]

[Sidenote: 18 stones are laid.]

[Sidenote: Michael Wishart meets with a serious accident.]

The artificers landed on the Rock this morning at a quarter past 6, and remained at work five hours. The cooking apparatus being now in full operation, all hands had breakfast on the Beacon at the usual hour, and remained there throughout the day. The crane upon the building had to be raised to-day from the Eighth to the Ninth course, an operation which now required all the strength that could be mustered for working the guy-tackles; for, as the top of the crane was at this time about 35 feet above the Rock, it became much more unmanageable. This will be better understood by examining the apparatus in Plate IX., and comparing the appearance of the crane-tackle of the second year’s work with that of the first. In order, to give an additional purchase in tightening the tackle, one of the blocks of stone was suspended at the end of the moveable-beam of the crane, which, by adding greatly to the purchase or weight, tended to slacken the guys in the direction to which the beam with the stone was pointed, and thereby enabled the artificers more easily to brace them one after another. While the beam was thus loaded, and in the act of swinging round from one guy to another, a great strain was suddenly brought upon the opposite tackle, with the end of which the artificers had very improperly neglected to take a turn round some stationary object, which would have given them the complete command of the tackle. Owing to this simple omission, the crane, with the large stone at the end of the beam, got a preponderancy to one side, and the tackle alluded to having _rended_, the crane fell upon the building with a terrible crash. The surrounding artificers immediately flew in every direction to get out of its way; but Michael Wishart, the principal builder, having unluckily stumbled upon one of the uncut trenails, fell upon his back. His body fortunately got between the moveable-beam and the upright shaft of the crane, and was thus saved; but his feet got entangled with the wheels of the crane, and were severely injured. Wishart being a robust young man, endured his misfortune with wonderful firmness: he was laid upon one of the narrow framed beds of the Beacon, and dispatched in a boat to the Tender; where the writer was when this accident happened, not a little alarmed, on missing the crane from the top of the building, and at the same time seeing a boat rowing towards the vessel with great speed. When the boat came alongside with poor Wishart stretched upon a bed, covered with blankets, a moment of great anxiety followed, which was, however, much relieved, when, on stepping into the boat, he was accosted by Wishart, though in a feeble voice, and with an aspect pale as death, from excessive bleeding. Directions having been immediately given to the coxwain to apply to Mr Kennedy at the work-yard, to procure the best surgical aid, the boat was sent off without delay to Arbroath. The writer then landed at the Rock, when the crane was in a very short time got into its place, and again put in a working state. The builders commenced work with it at 7 o’clock in the evening, and continued till midnight, and in the course of this day 18 stones were laid. Robert Selkirk was appointed by Mr Logan to succeed Wishart, as principal builder.

[Sidenote: 1809, July.]

[Sidenote: Saturday, 1st.]

[Sidenote: Artificers have no less than ten hours’ work, and lay 59 stones.]

The artificers landed this morning at half-past 7, and as the building was gradually rising out of the reach of the tide, the work was continued no less than six hours and a half at this time, being the longest tide’s work which the builders had hitherto had. They again landed at half-past 7 in the evening, and did not leave off till midnight, having, to-day, had ten hours and a half’s work, when no fewer than 59 blocks of stone were built; 56 of which were landed on the Rock to-day, being the entire cargo of the Patriot, including six casks of pozzolano, and a similar quantity of lime and sand; besides twenty parcels containing 200 trenails and 200 pairs of wedges; together with six sacks of moss (_hypnum_), two bales of green woollen-cloth, a bale of red binding tape, with nails, &c. for lining the cabins of the Beacon-house.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 2d.]

[Sidenote: The Writer visits the Carr Rock. Some of the vessels slip their moorings.]

After a trip which he had taken in the Light-house Yacht to examine the Carr Rock, with a view to the erection of a Beacon, as described in the Introduction of this work, page 53., the writer landed on the Bell Rock this evening. He found that the artificers had commenced work at a quarter from 8 o’clock A. M., and continued for seven hours and a quarter, when seven blocks of stone were laid, with which the Ninth course of the building was completed. The remainder of this long tide’s-work was occupied in boring trenail holes, driving trenails and wedges, and in filling the perpendicular joints of the course with thin mortar, mixed up into that consistency which is technically termed Grout. Having again landed in the evening, the same operation was continued from 8 till 11 o’clock P. M.; but the wind having shifted from south to E.NE., it blew so fresh that the torches could not be kept burning, being now more exposed, and without the shelter which the foundation-pit formerly afforded. The work was, therefore, obliged to be dropt, before the tide had overflowed the Rock. From the state of the weather, it was also judged necessary to give directions to the landing-master to employ his crew in removing the iron-jumpers and other implements to the Beacon; and to remove every encumbrance from the boats, so as to lighten them as much as possible, and fit them the better for carrying the artificers, thirty-two in number. At midnight, all hands left the Rock in four boats, two of which belonged to the Tender, one to the Light-house Yacht, and one to the Smeaton; and, after much difficulty, they reached their respective vessels. The Yacht and Smeaton then slipped their moorings, and proceeded for Arbroath, as they rode very hard, but the Tender kept her position.

[Sidenote: Monday, 3d.]

[Sidenote: No landing on the Rock to-day.]

The wind still continued to blow so fresh, that no landing could be made to-day on the Rock. As the Tender’s stock of provisions was getting low, a considerable effort was made by the Patriot, which had come from Arbroath with supplies, to prevent the necessity of her leaving her moorings. After several vain attempts however, the Patriot was obliged to bear away for the Firth of Forth to wait a change of weather.

[Sidenote: Michael Wishart is recovering.]

The writer having come to Arbroath with the Yacht, had an opportunity of visiting Michael Wishart, the artificer who had met with so severe an accident at the Rock on the 30th ult., and had the pleasure to find him in a state of recovery. From Dr Stevenson’s account, under whose charge he had been placed, hopes were entertained that amputation would not be necessary, as his patient still kept free of fever or any appearance of mortification; and Wishart expressed a hope that he might, at least, be ultimately capable of keeping the light at the Bell Rock, as it was not now likely that he would assist farther in building the house.

[Sidenote: Progress of the Works at Arbroath.]

In the work-yard, the operations were going on as usual, under the direction of Mr David Logan, and the stone-cutters were now working at the Twenty-third course. The Twentieth course being nearly finished, it was partly laid on the platform, and ready to be fitted, marked, and numbered for shipping to the Bell Rock. Dispatch was also making in the joiners’ shop where Mr James Slight, was preparing the moulds for the succeeding courses, diagrams of which will be seen in Plate X.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 4th.]

The Tender had kept her station at the Rock. Though the wind was still at N.E., it had abated a little, and the artificers landed at 11 A. M., to the number of twenty-four, and were employed for three hours in completing the trenailing of the Ninth course. At 3 P. M., the building artificers, fourteen in number, left the Rock, and went on board of the Tender, but the joiners and smiths remained upon the Beacon till half-past 9 P. M., when they also returned on board of the vessel.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 5th.]

[Sidenote: 19 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Joiners left on the Beacon.]

The wind having shifted to the east, and the weather being moderate, the artificers landed at half-past 11 this forenoon, when 19 stones were laid after four hours work. At 8 P. M. the boats again left the vessel, and made an attempt to land on the Rock, but it was found impracticable, there being then too much sea. The joiners’ squad were therefore left on the Beacon all night.

[Sidenote: Thursday 6th.]

[Sidenote: 16 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Joiners resolve to remain on the Beacon.]

The building artificers having landed at a quarter past 12 to-day, 16 stones were laid, when they again left the Rock at a quarter past 4, having been four hours at work. The weather having a very unfavourable appearance, the landing-master expressed a wish to bring all hands with him; but the Joiners’ squad, with Mr Fortune their cook, had now resolved to continue their quarters on the Beacon-house, instead of having “the continual plague of boating;” and being now better provided with necessaries, they felt much more at ease. The boats were now less crowded, and this arrangement was a great relief to the landing-master’s crew. The writer was at Arbroath when the Beacon was thus taken possession of; and though he felt no uneasiness as to its permanency in withstanding the effects of the sea, yet he was not without scruples about the danger of accidental fire, from the chips of wood which unavoidably encumbered the place while the joiners were at work. Considering, therefore, the awful circumstances to those inhabiting the Beacon under such a possible calamity, together with its disastrous consequences to the work, it became a matter of much solicitude to guard against such a misfortune.

[Sidenote: Favourable to the possession of the Light-house.]

This practical expression of the opinion of the mill-wrights, joiners and smiths, with regard to the safety of the Beacon, was nevertheless highly satisfactory to the writer, as it shewed a degree of confidence in this temporary erection, which left no doubt as to its utility in the future operations. It was also an excellent prelude to the inhabitation of the Light-house itself when completed, as some were even doubtful if light-keepers would be found disposed to take up their residence permanently upon a rock, which, every tide, was sunk under water to the depth of from 10 to 16 feet, of which no instance had hitherto occurred, as the First entire course of the Edystone Light-house is understood to have been on a level with high-water mark.

[Sidenote: Friday, 7th.]

[Sidenote: 15 stones laid.]

The wind having shifted to the S.E. to-day, with easy weather, the Patriot returned from Largo Bay to her moorings, when the praam-boats discharged 19 stones of her cargo, and landed them on the Rock. The artificers landed at 10 A. M. and remained at work no less than nine hours and a half, when 15 stones of the Tenth course were laid. The builders then went on board of the Tender, leaving the mill-wrights, joiners and smiths, in possession of the Beacon-house.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.]

[Sidenote: 11 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: The Tide, for the first time, does not overflow the Building.]

The builders landed to-day at a quarter past 12 noon, and remained seven hours and three quarters, when they laid 11 blocks, while the landing-master’s crew transported 46 stones to the Rock. The tide’s work was now so much lengthened, that time was afforded for boring the trenail holes into the course below, fixing the trenails and wedges, and grouting up the perpendicular joints with pozzolano mortar, in a more deliberate manner than when the work was lower in the water. It was remarked to-day, with no small demonstration of joy, that the tide--being neap--did not, for the first time, overflow the building at high-water. Flags were accordingly hoisted, on the Beacon-house, and crane on the top of the Building, which were repeated from the Floating-light, Light-house Yacht, Tender, Smeaton, Patriot, and the two Praams. A salute of three guns was also fired from the Yacht at high-water, when all the artificers being collected on the top of the building, three cheers were given, in testimony of this important circumstance. A glass of rum was then served out to all hands on the Rock, and on board of the respective ships.

[Sidenote: Number of Joiners reduced. Balance Crane begun.]

Having thus got the Light-house above the sea-level in ordinary neap-tides, and the Beacon into a habitable state, while the Railway operations were confined to the western reach, it was now found expedient to diminish the number of mill-wrights and joiners at the Rock. At this period, the writer went to Edinburgh to attend a general meeting of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, and to report the advanced state of the works,--news which was received with the greatest satisfaction by the Board. He also visited the Shotts Iron-works, and took measures for the immediate construction of a Crane, upon a new principle. This had occupied his attention, along with the general scheme of the work. But, since the unfortunate accident which happened to Wishart, by the fall of the Moveable-beam-crane, it had became more apparently necessary, as the increasing height of this machine rendered the guy-tackles too _taunt_, to use a sailor’s expression for any thing that is high, or when the ropes, which support a spar or mast, form too small an angle at the top. Instead of these unmanageable tackles, the upright shaft of the new crane was to be kept in an erect position by a balance-weight acting upon the opposite end of the loaded working-beam, which was thus to be kept in a state of equilibrium. As Mr Watt, foreman of the Beacon and Railway works, could now be spared from the Rock for a time, he was sent to Shotts to get the patterns made for this machine, and other implements connected with the progress of the higher parts of the building; from whence the castings were sent to Edinburgh to be fitted up.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 9th.]

[Sidenote: Tenth course completed.]

On the writer’s return to the Bell Rock to-day, it appeared from the notes of the foreman builder, and log-book of the landing-master, that the work had made very good progress, of which the building itself bore testimony, being now about 13 feet in height. The wind was at N.E. this morning, and blowed so fresh that a landing could not be made till a quarter past 4 o’clock P. M., when the closing-stone of the Tenth course was laid, after three hours and a quarter’s work; but the landing-master’s crew could not approach the Rock with the praam-boats.

[Sidenote: Monday, 10th.]

Twenty of the artificers landed this morning at half-past 5, and continued at work till half-past 7. Again, in the evening, the work was resumed at 6, and continued till a quarter from 9. The artificers were employed to-day in dressing off and completing the last laid course. Still the wind being from the N.E., accompanied with a heavy sea, the praams could not approach the Rock, and consequently no materials were landed.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 11th.]

[Sidenote: 31 stones laid, and numerous articles landed.]

The wind having shifted to the westward, the sea was greatly run down; and the landing-master’s crew being early at work this morning, transported no fewer than 65 blocks to the Rock in the course of the day. At 6 A. M. the artificers landed, when 19 stones of the Eleventh course were laid. They again landed at 4 P. M. and laid 22, making altogether nine hours and a quarter upon the Rock to-day, when 31 stones were built. The Patriot had left Arbroath last night, and got to the Rock this morning with 43 pieces of stone, twelve bundles containing 396 wedges, five bundles containing 165 trenails, three casks of cement, six casks of pozzolano, six casks of lime, six casks of sand, besides provisions for the use of the Beacon-house and Tender, viz. five hogsheads of water, five bags of coals, three casks of beef, five bags of biscuit, one cask of oatmeal, one firkin of butter, one cask of flour, one cask of pot barley, with salt and vegetables.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 12th.]

[Sidenote: 37 stones laid.]

At a quarter past 5 this morning, the artificers, 21 in number, landed, and remained eight hours on the Rock, when 21 stones were laid. They landed again in the afternoon at half-past 3, and remained till 9 P. M., when 16 stones were laid. The landing-master’s crew transported three stones to the Rock to-day, which completed the Eleventh course. The Smeaton arrived from Leith this forenoon, with 53 casks of pozzolano earth, 39 of which were stowed on board of the Tender to be at hand: the Smeaton then proceeded with the remainder to Arbroath, where she loaded stones for the Rock.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 13th.]

[Sidenote: 29 stones laid.]

The weather still continuing favourable, the artificers landed this morning at half-past 6 and remained till half-past 11, when 15 stones were laid. They landed again at 5 and remained till 11 P. M., when 14 stones were laid. 29 stones were transported to the Rock to-day in the praam-boats.

[Sidenote: Friday, 14th.]

[Sidenote: 27 stones laid.]

The artificers landed this morning at a quarter from 7, and remained six hours and a quarter on the Rock, when 18 stones were laid. They landed again in the evening and remained four hours and a quarter, when 9 stones were laid, which completed the Twelfth course; the praam-boats having landed 27 stones.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 15th.]

[Sidenote: 52 Stones landed and laid.]

The wind was southerly, with occasional showers of rain to-day, but the sea was smooth. The artificers landed at a quarter past 7 this morning, and as the water did not overflow the building, they continued on the Rock till midnight, being 16 hours and a half, and laid no fewer than 52 stones, which, in the early part of the day, had also been transported to the Rock by the landing-master’s crew. This was the most successful day’s work which had hitherto been made. The Twelfth course was thus completed, which brought the building to the height of 15 feet above the lower bed of the foundation-stone.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 16th.]

[Sidenote: 32 Stones laid.]

Hitherto no order had been given for loading the Bell Rock vessels with stones on Sundays, but Mr Kennedy, to whose department this belonged, had, with his usual unwearied attention, commenced on Sunday night, at 12 o’clock, which enabled the Patriot to sail at 5, and reach the Rock at 10 A. M., with a cargo of stones. The artificers landed at half-past 7, and laid 21 stones in the course of seven hours and a half; and having again landed in the evening at 7, they laid 11 stones in four hours, all of which had been landed on the Rock to-day from the praams. Besides laying, boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting these stones, several other operations were proceeded with on the Rock, at low-water, when some of the artificers were employed at the Railways, and at high-water at the Beacon-house. The seamen having prepared a quantity of tarpaulin, or cloth laid over with successive coats of hot tar, the joiners had just completed the covering of the roof with it. This sort of covering was lighter and more easily managed than sheet-lead in such a situation. As a farther defence against the weather, the whole exterior of this temporary residence was painted with three coats of white-lead paint. Between the timber-framing of the habitable part of the Beacon, the interstices were to be stuffed with moss, as a light substance that would resist dampness, and check sifting winds: the whole interior was then to be lined with green baize-cloth, so that both without and within the cabins were to have a very comfortable appearance.

[Sidenote: Monday, 17th.]

[Sidenote: 9 Stones laid.]

The artificers landed this morning at half-past 7, and remained at work five hours and a half, when 9 stones were laid; but the wind having shifted to the N.E., which increased to a hard gale, in the course of this afternoon, both the Smeaton and Patriot were obliged to slip their moorings, when they proceeded in company to Leith Roads for shelter. The Tender, however, being in a more light trim, and better adapted for riding, continued at her station.

[Sidenote: One of the Artificers is accidentally killed in the work-yard.]

While some of the masons were employed to-day in raising a large stone in the work-yard at Arbroath, the purchase unfortunately slipped, and the stone fell upon William Walker, one of the labourers, who was putting a prop under it, to preserve its position till a better purchase could be taken. By this accident, Walker’s thigh-bone was unfortunately broken, and, though medical assistance was procured without delay, the poor man died in the course of a few hours, leaving a wife and two young children. The Commissioners of the Light-houses, in consideration of the circumstances of this case, settled an annuity of L. 5 upon his widow.

[Sidenote: Tuesday 18th.]

[Sidenote: One of the workmen remains in the Beacon alone.]

The wind still continued to blow fresh from the N.E., but the artificers were enabled to land on the Rock at a quarter from 11, where they remained two hours and three quarters, employed in shifting the crane on the building, and making other preparations for laying the Thirteenth course. Although the building-artificers generally remained on the Rock throughout the day, and the mill-wrights, joiners, and smiths, while their number was considerable, remained also during the night, yet the Tender had hitherto been considered as their night-quarters. But the wind having, in the course of the day, shifted to the N.W., and as the passage to the Tender, in the boats, was likely to be attended with difficulty, the whole of the artificers, with Mr Logan, the foreman, preferred remaining all night on the Beacon, which had, of late, become the solitary abode of George Forsyth, a jobbing-upholsterer, who had been employed in lining the Beacon-house with cloth, and in fitting up the bedding. Forsyth was a tall, thin, and rather loose-made man, who had an utter aversion at climbing upon the trap-ladders of the Beacon, but especially at the process of boating, and the motion of the ship, which he said, “was death itself.” He, therefore, pertinaciously insisted with the landing-master in being left upon the Beacon, with a small black dog as his only companion. The writer, however, felt some delicacy in leaving a single individual upon the Rock, who must have been so very helpless, in case of accident. This fabric had, from the beginning, been rather intended by the writer to guard against accident from the loss or damage of a boat, and as a place for making mortar, a smith’s shop, and a store for tools, during the working months, than as permanent quarters: nor was it at all meant to be possessed until the joiner-work were completely finished, and his own cabin, and that for the foremen, in readiness, when it was still to be left to the choice of the artificers to occupy the Tender or the Beacon. He, however, considered Forsyth’s partiality and confidence in the latter, as rather a fortunate occurrence.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 19th.]

[Sidenote: Artificers remove with Peter Fortune to the Beacon.]

The whole of the artificers, 23 in number, now removed, of their own accord, from the Tender, to lodge in the Beacon, together with Peter Fortune, a person singularly adapted for a residence of this kind, both from the urbanity of his manners, and the versatility of his talents. Fortune, in his person, was of small stature, and rather corpulent. Besides being a good Scotch cook, he had acted both as groom and house-servant; he had been a soldier, a suttler, a writer’s clerk, and an apothecary, from which he possessed the art of writing and suggesting recipes, and had hence, also, perhaps acquired a turn for making collections in natural history; but in his practice in surgery, on the Bell Rock, for which he received an annual fee of three guineas, he is supposed to have been rather partial to the use of the lancet. In short, Peter was the _fac-totum_ of the Beacon-house, where he ostensibly acted in the several capacities of cook, steward, surgeon, and barber, and kept a statement of the rations or expenditure of the provisions, with the strictest integrity.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 20th.]

[Sidenote: Praam-boats cannot approach the Rock.]

The wind was at the S.E. to-day, accompanied with a considerable swell of sea; and, although the Smeaton and Patriot had returned from Leith Roads, and the praams had been loaded, and were riding at their moorings, yet they could not approach the Rock. The building artificers, however, found employment in boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting the last laid course. The smiths and mill-wrights worked at the western Railway, and the joiners at sundry jobs about the Beacon-house.

[Sidenote: Friday, 21st.]

[Sidenote: 18 Stones laid and 69 landed.]

The weather having improved, the Smeaton was entirely discharged to-day of her cargo of 69 stones, which were also landed on the Rock, with a due proportion of other building materials, as pozzolano, lime, and sand, &c.; and 18 stones of the Thirteenth course were laid to-day.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: An embargo is laid on Shipping.]

In the present important state of the building, when it had just attained the height of 16 feet, and the upper courses, and especially the imperfect one, were in the wash of the heaviest seas, an express-boat arrived at the Rock, with a letter from Mr Kennedy of the work-yard, stating, that, in consequence of the intended Expedition to Walcheren, an embargo had been laid on shipping at all the ports of Great Britain; that both the Smeaton and Patriot were detained at Arbroath, and that, but for the proper view which Mr Ramsay, the port-officer, had taken of his orders, neither the express-boat, nor one which had been sent with provisions and necessaries for the Floating-light, would have been permitted to leave the harbour. The writer set off without delay for Arbroath, and, on landing, used every possible means with the official people; but their orders were deemed so peremptory, that even boats were not permitted to sail from any port upon the coast. In the mean time, the collector of the Customs at Montrose applied to the Board at Edinburgh, but could, of himself, grant no relief to the Bell Rock shipping.

[Sidenote: Mr Sheriff Duff corresponds with the Board of Customs.]

At this critical period, Mr Adam Duff, then Sheriff of Forfarshire, now of the county of Edinburgh, and _ex officio_ one of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, happened to be at Arbroath. Mr Duff took an immediate interest in representing the circumstances of the case to the Board of Customs at Edinburgh. But such were the doubts entertained on the subject, that, on having previously received the appeal from the Collector at Montrose, the case had been submitted to the consideration of the Lords of the Treasury, whose decision was now waited for.

[Sidenote: Operations at the Rock while the vessels were under embargo.]

In this state of things, the writer felt particularly desirous to get the Thirteenth course finished, that the building might be in a more secure state, in the event of bad weather. An opportunity was therefore embraced on the 25th, in sailing with provisions for the Floating-light, to carry the necessary stones to the Rock for this purpose, which were landed and built on the 26th and 27th. But so closely was the watch kept up, that a Customhouse-officer was always placed on board of the Smeaton and Patriot while they were afloat, till the embargo was specially removed from the Light-house vessels. The artificers at the Bell Rock had been reduced to fifteen, who were regularly supplied with provisions, along with the crew of the Floating-light, mainly through the port-officer’s liberal interpretation of his orders. After completing the Thirteenth course, they were employed in erecting a kind of stool or prop of masonry on the western side of the building, for which the stones had fortunately been landed previous to the embargo. This prop, as will be understood by examining the second year’s work of Plate IX., consisted of large blocks of stone, measuring 5 feet in length, 2 feet 6 inches in breadth, and 15 inches in thickness, and, when completed, it was 6 feet in height, and 6 feet square at the top, so that the men in working the crane had a sufficient space for standing. By this means, the foot of the lower crane was elevated 6 feet above the Rock, which, added to the length of the working-beam, made a height of about 18 feet, and, in the present state of the building, the stones were thus raised to the level of the last built course. The crane on the top of the building, with which the stones were laid, was, therefore, now only employed to take them from the lower crane, instead of lifting them at once from the waggons on the Railway. During this period, also, the Beacon-house and Railways were completely overhauled, and matters of minor importance attended to, which were obliged to be left behind when the works were going on briskly.

[Sidenote: 1809, August.]

[Sidenote: The embargo is taken off the Light-house vessels.]

The Lords of the Treasury had no sooner received the appeal from the Board of Customs at Edinburgh, than an order was issued for all vessels and boats belonging to the service of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, to be released and permitted to sail upon their respective voyages. But before this order could be made effective, ten days of the finest weather of the season had elapsed. Every one connected with the work had now become impatient to be again at work, when the writer had the happiness to receive a letter from Mr Charles Cuningham, Secretary to the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, stating that an order might be expected to reach the Collector of the Customs at Montrose on the 30th. Mr Kennedy was consequently sent to Montrose to wait the arrival of the post, which happened at midnight, when Mr Paton the Collector, with much attention, gave immediate orders for the liberation of the Bell Rock vessels; and as both the Smeaton and Patriot were loaded and ready for sea, they sailed from Arbroath on Sunday the 30th, with the wind at E.S.E., and arrived at their moorings at the Rock early on the 31st.

[Sidenote: The necessity of stopping the Bell Rock shipping doubted, under any circumstances.]

On the subject of this embargo, as applicable to the boats and vessels in the Bell Rock service, it would be difficult, and perhaps improper, to give any opinion regarding the discretion or prudence exercised by the Officers of the Customs, especially as the Board itself found it necessary to appeal to the Treasury for instructions. If, however, the Superior Officers at Montrose, aware of all the circumstances of this peculiar case, had allowed the work at the Bell Rock to proceed, till special orders could have been received on this peculiar point, there is reason to believe it would not have been called in question by the Board of Customs at Edinburgh. But when the vessels were peremptorily stopped, and the matter brought formally under its notice, an appeal to the Treasury was considered indispensable.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 1st.]

[Sidenote: 78 stones landed, and 40 laid.]

[Sidenote: 24 artificers inhabit the Beacon.]

There being a considerable swell and breach of sea upon the Rock yesterday, the stones could not be got landed till the day following, when the wind shifted to the southward, and the weather improved. But to-day no less than 78 blocks of stone were landed, of which 40 were built, which completed the Fourteenth, and part of the Fifteenth courses. The number of workmen now resident in the Beacon-house were augmented to 24; including the landing-master’s crew from the Tender, and the boat’s crew from the Floating-light, who assisted at landing the stones. Those daily at work upon the Rock at this period amounted to 46. A cabin had been laid out for the writer on the Beacon, as will be seen from Plate VIII. but his apartment had been the last which was finished, and he had not yet taken possession of it; for though he generally spent the greater part of the day, at this time, upon the Rock, yet he always slept on board of the Tender.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 2d.]

[Sidenote: Mr Sheriff Duff visits the works at the Rock.]

To-day the wind was from the S.E., accompanied with a pretty heavy swell of sea, which, in the early part of the season, would perhaps have been sufficient to deter the attempt of landing building materials; but such was the dexterity of the landing-master and his crew, that 23 stones were transported to the western creek, and afterwards, by great exertions, got along the Rock, though the Railways were still in an incomplete state. With these, the builders were enabled to finish the Sixteenth course, consisting of 53 stones. The work was visited to-day by Mr Sheriff Duff, who, with his accompanying friends, were much gratified in landing on the Bell Rock, and viewing the advanced state of the works.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 3d.]

[Sidenote: 23 stones laid.]

The wind being from south-east, a heavy swell of sea ran upon the Rock, so that no stones were landed to-day. The building being now about 19 feet in height, it was found to produce a smoothness on the lee-side, and as the north-east wind produced the heaviest seas, the lower crane, erected on the prop, being placed on the south-west side, was somewhat sheltered from that quarter, and admitted of a considerable quantity of materials being occasionally laid around it; and, therefore, although none were landed to-day, yet 23 blocks of the Seventeenth course were built.

[Sidenote: Friday, 4th.]

[Sidenote: 2 stones laid.]

The weather proved very fine, and the seamen were employed on board of the Floating-light in shifting her winter cable, and inspecting her chain-moorings, as she had just undergone such repair in her upper-works, as could be conveniently given her while afloat. The artificers on the Rock laid two stones to-day, and were otherwise employed in trenailing and grouting the Seventeenth course.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 5th.]

[Sidenote: 8 stones laid.]

The weather still continued favourable, and the landing-master’s crew discharged the Patriot of her cargo, of which 40 stones were landed on the Rock, and the remaining 12 were kept on board of one of the Praam-boats at her moorings. The artificers built 8 stones to-day, so that 32 of the 40 which had been landed, were either laid without mortar, upon the building, or ranged round the stool of the lower crane, in readiness for next tide.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 6th.]

In the course of the last night, however, the wind had shifted to the N.E., accompanied by a heavy swell of sea, and it was impossible for the landing-master’s boats to approach the Rock. But the artificers being now stationary upon the Beacon, they could pass from it to the building at all times of tide, by means of the rope-ladder, formerly noticed, as will be understood by examining the second year’s work, represented in Plate IX. They accordingly laid 25 stones to-day, and completed the Seventeenth course, consisting of 60 blocks. The Praam-boat, with the remaining 12 stones of the Patriot’s cargo on board, rode at her moorings with great ease, and although the swell was very considerable, yet she had very little motion; and even when deeply loaded, these decked boats shipped no water. So easily did they ride at anchor, that the _sickly artificers_, while on board of the Tender, though much easier than the Floating-light, were often heard to express a wish that their births could be shifted to a Praam-boat.

[Sidenote: Narrow escape from ship-wreck.]

At day-break, this morning, a large schooner, the Fly of Bridport, Green, master, bound from London to Dundee, was observed standing right upon the Bell Rock, when she was suddenly taken _aback_ on seeing the Beacon and works on the Rock. The crew of this vessel being entire strangers, had hoisted a signal, when the landing-master immediately went on board, and after some consultation, Pool, the master of the Smeaton, was sent to conduct the Fly into the Firth of Tay.

[Sidenote: Monday, 7th.]

The wind had shifted to the S.W. to-day, but still a heavy swell of the sea prevented the landing of materials, and the artificers were accordingly employed in shifting the crane on the building, and at low-water they were all engaged in fixing and extending the Railways towards the western creek.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 8th.]

[Sidenote: 12 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Mr Sheriff Hamilton visits the works.]

The sea having fallen considerably, the loaded Praam-boat got to the Rock, and the artificers laid the 12 stones which had now been on board of her since the 5th. The works at the Rock were visited to-day by Mr Robert Hamilton, Sheriff of Lanark, and _ex officio_ one of the Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses, who expressed much satisfaction at the progress of the operations.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 9th.]

[Sidenote: 36 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: Additional supports for the Beacon landed to-day.]

The number of artificers were augmented from 24 to 26, and measures were taken for leveling the necessary sites on the Rock for some additional supports for the legs or principal beams of the Beacon. These supports had been prepared in the course of the winter, but had not yet been applied, from the pressing nature of the building operations. They consisted both of iron and of timber, the former to connect the principal beams horizontally, and the latter diagonally, in order that, by every possible means, this essential part of the establishment might be preserved through the winter, and divested of the _twist_ so expressively felt and complained of by Mr Logan, on the 30th of May. To-day 36 stones were landed and built, which finished the Nineteenth course, and brought the building to the height of about 23 feet.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 10th.]

To-day 26 stones of the Twentieth course were landed and laid.

[Sidenote: Friday, 11th.]

[Sidenote: Sheer-crane broken by the force of the sea.]

The wind was at S.E. on the 11th, and there was so very heavy a swell of sea upon the Rock, that no boat could approach it. Such indeed was the force of its breach, that one of the legs of the cast-iron Sheer-crane at the eastern creek, represented in Plate XI., was again broken. It is not a little remarkable, that these bars, which contained about 16 square inches of section, should nevertheless have been snapped, by the force of the sea, on three different occasions. It must, however, be remarked, that these sheers, in their operation, had necessarily a certain action laterally, in effecting the laying of a stone upon the waggon; in heavy seas, therefore, the apparatus was subject to a jerking motion, which proved sufficient to break it; so essential is it, that every thing within the range of the sea should be Dead-fast, as workmen emphatically express it, or as firm and steady as possible.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 12th.]

[Sidenote: Some of the Artificers become alarmed and leave the Beacon.]

The gale still continuing from the S.E., the sea broke with great violence both upon the Building and the Beacon. The former being 23 feet in height, the upper part of the crane erected on it having been lifted from course to course as the building advanced, was now about 36 feet above the Rock. From observations made on the rise of the sea by this crane, the artificers were enabled to estimate its height to be about 50 feet above the Rock, while the sprays fell with a most alarming noise upon their cabins. At low-water, in the evening, a signal was made from the Beacon, at the earnest desire of some of the artificers, for the boats to come to the Rock; and although this could not be effected without considerable hazard, it was however accomplished, when twelve of their number, being much afraid, applied to the foreman to be relieved, and went on board of the Tender. But the remaining fourteen continued on the Rock, with Mr Peter Logan, the foreman builder. Although this rule of allowing an option to every man either to remain on the Rock or return to the Tender, was strictly adhered to; yet, as it would have been extremely inconvenient to have had the men parcelled out in this manner, it became necessary to embrace the first opportunity of sending those who had left the Beacon to the workyard, with as little appearance of intention as possible, lest it should hurt their feelings, or prevent others from acting according to their wishes, either in landing on the Rock or remaining on the Beacon.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 13th.]

[Sidenote: Effects of the late gale.]

All hands were employed at low-water to-day, in refitting the sheer-crane at the eastern landing-place, and in adjusting other things about the Beacon and Rock, which had been scattered and deranged during the late gale. In particular, the guy-ropes of the cranes required to be tightened; for, although they were of patent-cordage, and had often been well tried, yet, upon this occasion, they were stretched and much relaxed with the excessive motion of the sea. The whole appurtenances of the mortar-gallery had been sent adrift; even the blacksmith’s anvil was upset! and found lying at the foot of the Beacon, while his bellows, and the greater part of the deals with which the floor was laid, were forced up and carried away, with all the lime and cement casks.

[Sidenote: Monday, 14th.]

The wind still continued from the S.E., and though blowing with less force, yet the sea rolled over the Rock too heavily for approaching it with building materials. But, in the course of the day, efforts were made for getting the landing-apparatus again into a working state.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 15th.]

[Sidenote: 5 stones laid.]

[Sidenote: The Writer takes possession of his cabin in the Beacon.]

The wind had fortunately shifted to the S.W. this morning, and though a considerable breach was still upon the Rock, yet the landing-master’s crew were enabled to get one Praam-boat, lightly loaded with five stones, brought in safety to the western creek: these stones were immediately laid by the artificers, who gladly embraced the return of good weather to proceed with their operations. The writer had this day taken possession of his cabin in the Beacon-house. It was small, but commodious, and was found particularly convenient in coarse and blowing weather, instead of being obliged to make a passage to the Tender in an open boat, at all times, both during the day and the night, which was often attended with much difficulty and danger.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 16th.]

[Sidenote: 52 stones landed and 18 built.]

The sea was much run down to-day, but the wind from the west, prevented the landing of stones on the western side of the Rock, and the repairs of the sheer-crane were still incomplete. Captain Wilson undertook, however, to land two Praam-boats of stones on the top of the building at high-water. He accordingly laid the Hedderwick and Fernie in succession, alongside of the building, and in this manner 30 stones were landed; the repairs of the sheer-crane were completed, and during the evening tide, other two praam-loads were landed at low-water at the eastern creek, making in all 52 stones, of which 18 of the Twentieth course were built.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 17th.]

The wind had shifted from W. to N.E. to-day, but the weather being fine, 29 stones were landed, and 25 built.

[Sidenote: Friday, 18th.]

The weather is rather boisterous to-day, accompanied with rain, and a considerable swell of sea. The two praam-boats, however, were got to the Rock, when 16 stones were landed, which, with those already at hand, finished the Twentieth and commenced the Twenty-first course.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 19th.]

[Sidenote: Floating-light boat loses her way.]

For some days past, the weather had been occasionally so thick and foggy, that no small difficulty was experienced in going even between the Rock and the Tender, though quite at hand. But the Floating-light’s boat lost her way so far in returning on board that the first land she made, after rowing all night, was Fifeness, a distance of about 14 miles, as will be seen from Plate IV. The weather having cleared in the morning, the crew stood off again for the Floating-light, and got on board in a half famished and much exhausted state, having been constantly rowing for about 16 hours.

[Sidenote: 29 stones built.]

The wind shifted this morning from E. to S.W. with much rain. The sloop Patriot returned from the Firth of Forth this forenoon, to which she had been driven by the late gales. The weather being more favourable to-day, 31 stones were landed on the Rock, and 29 stones were built, with which the Twenty-first course was finished, which brings the building to the height of 25 feet. The crane was also shifted, and every preparation made for commencing with the next course.

[Sidenote: Sunday, 20th.]

[Sidenote: An entire course laid to-day. Prayers read on the Rock.]

The weather being very favourable to-day, 53 stones were landed, and the builders were not a little gratified in having built the Twenty-second course, consisting of 51 stones, being the first course which had been completed in one day. This, as a matter of course, produced three hearty cheers. At 12 noon, prayers were read for the first time on the Bell Rock: those present, counting thirty, were crowded into the upper apartment of the Beacon, where the writer took a central position, while two of the artificers joining hands supported the Bible.

[Sidenote: Monday, 21st.]

[Sidenote: Smeaton arrives with the last course of the solid.]

The wind was from the S.W. this morning, blowing fresh, with rain. The Praam-boats, however, landed thirty-two stones, which were also built. At 6 P. M. the Smeaton arrived from Arbroath, having on board the last cargo of the solid part of the building. She was, of course, decorated with all her colours; and, in compliment to the advanced state of the work, there was a display of flags from the Floating-light and the other vessels on the station, and also from the Beacon-house and the Building itself.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: Floating-light breaks adrift.]

During last night it blew excessively hard, and the operations to-day were much interrupted by the breaking loose of the Floating-light. At 5 o’clock this morning an alarm was given throughout the Beacon-house of this circumstance, when a signal was instantly made for the Tender to get under way; at the same time one of her boats came to the Rock, and the writer left the Beacon, and sailed with the Tender to the assistance of the Floating-light. It was some time before the watch on the deck had observed, by their greater distance from the buoy upon the spare moorings, that the vessel had actually got adrift. Mr John Reid, acting master, was immediately called, when the best bower anchor was let go with a sufficient scope of cable, about a mile from her original station. Here she was obliged to be left till the weather should become moderate enough to admit of her being towed to her former station.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 23d.]

From the untoward circumstance of the Floating-light’s breaking adrift, the landing-master and his crew were fully employed with the Tender in this service, so that no materials could be got landed on the Bell Rock, either yesterday or to-day.

[Sidenote: Thursday, 24th.]

The wind was still from the westward, but had now moderated considerably, when 28 stones of the Smeaton’s cargo were landed on the Rock, and 14 blocks were laid, with which the Twenty-third course was completed.

[Sidenote: Friday, 25th.]

[Sidenote: Building operations concluded for the season.]

To-day, the remainder of the Smeaton’s cargo was landed, and the artificers laid 45 stones, which completed the Twenty-fourth course, reckoning above the first entire one, and the twenty-sixth above the Rock. This finished the solid part of the building, and terminated the height of the outward casing of granite, which is 31 feet 6 inches above the Rock or site of the foundation-stone, and about 17 feet above high-water of spring-tides. Being a particular crisis in the progress of the Light-house, the landing and laying of the last stone for the season was observed with the usual ceremonies.

[Sidenote: Probable height of waves in free space.]

[Sidenote: Inducements for stopping the building operations.]

From observations often made by the writer, in so far as such can be ascertained, it appears that no wave in the open seas, in an unbroken state, rises more than from 7 to 9 feet above the general surface of the ocean. The Bell Rock Light-house may therefore now be considered as from 8 to 10 feet above the weight of the waves; and, although the sprays and heavy seas have often been observed, in the present state of the building, to rise to the height of 50 feet, and fall with a tremendous noise on the Beacon-house, yet such seas were not likely to make any impression on a mass of solid masonry, containing about 1400 tons: its form being at the same time circular, and diminishing in diameter from the base to the top, as represented in the second year’s work, Plate IX. It had for some time been a matter of doubt with the writer, whether he might not attempt to carry the building to the top of the stone stair-case, or 13 feet above the solid, the wall being here of the medium thickness of 6 feet. Several considerations, however, induced him to stop for the season with the completion of the solid, especially as it left the work in a more entire and defensible condition than if the door and part of the void had been built. One of the chief objections to continuing the operations, was the dread of encountering the gales experienced in former years early in the month of September. Another special obstacle was the difficulty and danger attending the guying or fixing of the present crane on the top of the building, which had now got to too great a height for its stability, as the guy-ropes which supported it were of the unmanageable length of about 80 feet. Even in the month of July, as before noticed, this state of things had become so obvious, that it was then determined to make the crane upon a new construction, which was to be kept in equilibrium by means of a balance-weight, and thus do away with the guy-ropes altogether. This crane had accordingly been prepared, but, like most machines upon a new construction, it was not found to operate in so satisfactory a manner as to warrant its immediate removal to the Bell Rock. It was therefore resolved rather to perfect the Balance-crane in the course of the winter months, and begin with a better prospect of success in the spring. The building operations were therefore brought to a conclusion; and the writer now took his leave of the Bell Rock till the ensuing season, excepting in so far as an occasional visit might occur.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 29th.]

The Floating-light had been made fast to the spare moorings to-day, but those which had given way were again fished up, when she was towed back to her former station for the winter. It appeared that one of the shackles had got loose when she went adrift.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 30th.]

[Sidenote: Tender to continue her station, and Beacon to be occupied for a time.]

From the 25th till the 30th, the seamen and artificers were busily employed, at the proper time of tide, in removing every thing from the Rock that was not farther wanted for the season, and in securing such things as were to be left. It was still necessary, however, to keep the Tender on the station, and also to occupy the Beacon-house, and to retain the floor of the open gallery for the smiths, as an additional strut or support was to be erected on the inside of each of the six principal beams of the Beacon. There were also 36 strong tie-bars of malleable-iron to be bolted to these beams, in a horizontal direction, as represented in Plate VIII., in lieu of the bracing-chains, which were not found to answer, for connecting the whole together.

[Sidenote: Congratulations on the Artificers returning ashore after several months’ absence.]

These operations being arranged with Mr Francis Watt, as foreman, the whole of the artificers left the Rock at mid-day, when the Tender made sail for Arbroath, which she reached about 6 P. M. The vessel being decorated with colours, and having fired a salute of three guns on approaching the harbour, the work-yard artificers, with a multitude of people, assembled at the harbour, when mutual cheering and congratulations took place between those afloat and those on the quays. The Tender had now, with little exception, been six months on the station at the Bell Rock, and, during the last four months, few of the squad of builders had been ashore. In particular, Mr Peter Logan, the foreman, and Mr Robert Selkirk, principal builder, had never once left the Rock. The artificers having made good wages during their stay, like seamen upon a return-voyage, were extremely happy, and spent the evening with much innocent mirth and jollity.

[Sidenote: 1809, September.]

[Sidenote: Reflections on the very proper conduct of the Artificers.]

In reflecting upon the state of matters at the Bell Rock, during the working months, when the writer was much with the artificers, nothing can equal the happy manner in which these excellent workmen spent their time. They always went from Arbroath to their arduous task cheering, and they generally returned in the same hearty state. While at the Rock, between the tides, they amused themselves in reading, fishing, music, playing cards, drafts, &c. or in sporting with one another. In the work-yard at Arbroath, the young men were almost, without exception, employed in the evening at school, in writing and arithmetic, and not a few were learning architectural drawing, for which they had every convenience and facility, and were, in a very obliging manner, assisted in their studies by Mr David Logan, Clerk of Works. It therefore affords the most pleasing reflections, to look back upon the pursuits of about 60 individuals, who, for years, conducted themselves, on all occasions, in a sober and rational manner.

[Sidenote: Tuesday, 5th.]

[Sidenote: Tender again returns to her station at the Rock.]

The operations at the Bell Rock for the remainder of the season being confined to the lower parts of the Beacon and Railways, were chiefly low-water works. The Tender had again been fitted out for her station, with a supply of provisions and necessaries for ten seamen and nineteen artificers, carrying with her supplies for the Floating-light and Beacon-house. At 11 A. M. she left Arbroath on this service; but the wind being S.E., it was not till Thursday the 7th, at 8 o’clock P. M. that she was made fast to her moorings.

[Sidenote: Friday, 8th.]

[Sidenote: Experiences very bad weather.]

At 6 o’clock this morning, Mr Watt, with eighteen artificers, landed on the Rock, commenced the work, and remained on the Beacon till Thursday, the 14th, when the vessel returned to Arbroath, having had extremely boisterous weather, and been twice obliged during that period to slip and leave her moorings. The prevailing winds were S.E., and the barometer oscillated between 29.5 and 29.60.

[Sidenote: Monday, 17th.]

[Sidenote: Writer makes a trip to Flamborough-head Light-house.]

Looking forward with confidence to the completion of the Bell Rock Light-house in the course of the next year, the writer, with much expectation, began to prepare every part of the establishment. He had early anticipated the necessity of fixing upon the description of light which would be necessary for characterising and distinguishing its range or compartment of the coast. With this in view, he had already made a train of experiments with shades of different coloured glass at Inchkeith Light-house, the result of which tended to shew that light passing through Red-coloured shades, alternating with periodic intervals of Darkness, and light of the Natural appearance, were the most effectual and suitable means for answering this purpose. Notwithstanding that his opinion on this subject was quite decided, he was still desirous of seeing the effect produced by the light of Flamborough-head, on the coast of Yorkshire, which was the first erection of this description on the British coast, and had, indeed, been only lately exhibited. That his observations might therefore be the more certain and complete, he embarked in the sloop Smeaton, on the 16th of this month, reached the Yorkshire coast on the 18th, and in the course of that night had the light in view, at various distances, both in clear and foggy weather, which extended the range of his remarks.

[Sidenote: Experiences a sudden gale of wind.]

In the course of this night, the wind blew fresh from the S.W., and an immense number of large vessels, chiefly in the Coal-trade, passed our small ship, which obliged the crew to keep a sharp look-out, to avoid the imminent danger of being run down, especially after the weather became thick. As our course lay close to Flamborough-head, we had several hairbreadth escapes; for the vessel had no sooner put about to avoid the land, than she was in danger of being run foul of by the passing vessels. In this situation things remained from about 1 o’clock on the morning of the 19th till 5, when, all of a sudden, the wind shifted, in the most surprising manner, from W.SW. to N.W., when the weather immediately clearing, was succeeded by a heavy gale, which forced our ship into Burlington-Bay, where she was safely anchored.

[Sidenote: Storm described.]

[Sidenote: Great want of a Public Harbour on this coast.]

As this was one of the most extraordinary tornadoes that the writer ever witnessed, he will endeavour to give some account of it. On the morning of the 18th, the day preceding the storm, when off Scarborough, he had requested to be called early, that he might see the coast, and enjoy the sight of the rising sun. The weather was then extremely fine, but the sun had a most piercingly brilliant appearance as it came into view upon the horizon; and he was assured by Captain Pool, that the general aspect of the heavens indicated a change of weather for the worse. In the course of the 18th the sky became cloudy, and the wind shifted from point to point, but prevailed chiefly from the S.W. At midnight, the weather was foggy, and the wind blew so fresh that the second reef was taken into the Smeaton’s mainsail, and her topmast was struck. During the whole of the night, a fleet of vessels passed to the northward with a fair wind: these were understood to be colliers, in ballast, on their return voyage from London to Sunderland and Newcastle. At 5 A. M., however, while the Smeaton was lying-to, and waiting for day light, the wind shifted so suddenly to N.W., that it appeared to those below as if she had been upset, or had run upon a rock. In an instant all was bustle and confusion, till the vessel was got before the wind. The writer being in bed, immediately sprung up, and, on inquiring into the matter, the answer was, “It blows mere fire.” The man at the helm, at the same time, pointed out a vessel in a disabled state, having been dismasted with the sudden change of the wind. Our small bark was fortunately in the opening of Burlington Bay, where she got to an anchor about 6 o’clock A. M. In the course of the day, not fewer than 160 vessels took shelter in the same place, many of them in a mutilated and dismantled state, having, to use a sea phrase, had their sails “split in ribbons;” and two were towed into the Bay, one of which, a large brig, already alluded to, was totally dismasted. Such a scene, arising from what may be termed a “Summer’s Gale,” had rarely been seen on this coast. Three vessels were also driven ashore and wrecked in Robin Hood Bay, a few miles north of Flamborough-head, and several others, as the writer afterwards learned, had been stranded on various parts of the coast, between Yarmouth Roads and the Shetland Islands. The want of some place of refuge for the extensive shipping of this coast in disastrous circumstances like the present, is very apparent. Had there been a harbour at Bridlington of sufficient capacity for large ships, perhaps not fewer than 100 sail would have refitted there, which were obliged to go to sea in a very crippled condition. Probably a _Northern Ramsgate_ could not be better set down than here or somewhere upon the Norfolk coast.

[Sidenote: Progress of the gale along the coast.]

The writer is the more particular in noticing the anomalous state of the weather on this occasion, because the progress of this gale seems to have been comparatively slow. It appeared upon inquiry, from the date of various shipwrecks, to have visited Shetland on the evening of the 17th, Peterhead on the 18th, and Yarmouth at noon of that day. Now, as the distance between Sumburgh-head in Shetland and Yarmouth is about 430 miles, and if we allow 42 hours, as nearly as could be ascertained, for the progress of the wind between these points, it thus appears that the N.W. gale had not made its way against the S.W. wind, at a greater rate than about 10 miles per hour, though, from a train of experiments made in the neighbourhood of Leith, by Mr Andrew Waddell, F. R. S. E., and obligingly communicated to the writer, he has often observed the velocity of the wind to be about 60 miles per hour. But here we cannot enough regret the want of an efficient Anemometer, or instrument for measuring the force of the wind. Indeed, we hardly know any desideratum of more universal interest, for, notwithstanding the labours of Lind and others on this subject, from the want of a proper scale, we are still groping in the dark with the use of such indefinite terms, as “Light airs, inclining to calm,”--“Fresh breezes,”--“Fresh gales,”--“Hard gales,”--and “Very hard gales;” for it rarely happens that the sailor will admit the term “Storm” into his nomenclature.

[Sidenote: Monday, 25th.]

[Sidenote: Mr B. Mills suggests distinguishing-lights with colours.]

Having landed at Bridlington on the 20th, the writer had the pleasure of meeting with Mr Benjamin Mills, Collector of the Customs there, and agent for Flamborough-head Light-house. This gentleman accompanied the writer to the Light-house, about six miles distant. He was also at pains to explain the mode in which he had originally proposed the erection of a Distinguishing-light, from oil, with reflectors, for this station; as a Coal-light, formerly here, had long since been actually extinguished, on account of its being often mistaken for other lights on the coast. Mr Mills, observing the consequent disasters to shipping on these shores, proposed to construct a Revolving-light, distinguishable by means of colours, the machinery to be kept in motion by the agency of a neighbouring rill of water. Though the apparatus described to the writer seemed, upon the whole, not very applicable in practice, yet it is believed that Mr Mills was the first who suggested the idea of a distinguishing light, by means of coloured shades of glass. Some useful remarks having been made on the effects of Flamborough-head light, the writer sailed for the Firth of Forth, and reached Edinburgh on Monday the 25th.

[Sidenote: Voyage to the Northern Lights.]

Soon afterwards, he embarked at Greenock in the Light-house Yacht, on his annual voyage for the inspection of the Northern Light-houses, proceeding down the Clyde by the Mull of Kintyre, through the sounds of the Western Islands to Cape Wrath and the Orkneys, and from thence, along the eastern coast to the Firth of Forth, which he reached in the beginning of November; when he found the Bell Rock works about to be concluded.

[Sidenote: 1809, November.]

[Sidenote: State of the works when concluded for the season.]

The complement of artificers which had been employed at the Rock, and lodged in the Beacon-house, from the period of completing the building operations in the month of August, till November, was twenty-four, who, as before noticed, were chiefly employed in fixing additional supports to the Beacon, and in extending and completing the Railways leading to the western creek. The works therefore, were only continued during the period of spring-tides; and in neap-tides the artificers returned to the work-yard. The plate-iron-forge, anvil, and other weighty articles, had been removed from the Beacon, and set up in a centrical position on the top of the building, where the smiths had been for some time at work: the rope-ladder of communication, which had been found so useful this season, was taken down, and every thing arranged in the most compact and orderly manner for the winter. In the course of these latter operations, the Tender had been twice obliged to slip her moorings, and leave the artificers upon the Beacon. At one of these times, she proceeded for Leith Roads, when Mr Watt stated that very bad weather had been experienced on the Beacon, and that, on several occasions, considerable alarm was felt, more particularly when the Tender was driven off her station, the artificers conceiving themselves in a more forlorn and helpless situation while she was out of view. Having made the necessary arrangements for the Rock being visited during the winter months, the writer left the works on the 8th November.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: The prop of the crane is demolished.]

The Tender sailed to-day at 2 P. M., and next morning at 8, Mr Watt and five artificers were landed from two boats, and remained on the Rock till 11, when they had great difficulty in returning to the vessel, as the wind blew fresh from the N.E. The boats were no sooner hoisted on board, than, instead of sailing for Arbroath, the Tender was obliged to steer for Leith Roads, where she lay till the 29th: she then again made sail for Arbroath; but, from the severity of the weather, was put past her port, and went into Montrose. When the artificers landed, at this time, they found that the prop of the lower building-crane had been demolished during the late gales, and that the stones were scattered about the Rock in every direction, having done considerable damage to the contiguous Railways.

[Sidenote: 1809, December.]

[Sidenote: Thursday, 14th.]

[Sidenote: Artificers again visit the Rock. A large buoy has drifted.]

The Tender sailed early in the morning of the 14th December for the Rock, having on board six artificers and twelve seamen, with a supply of provisions for the Floating-light. The artificers landed in the evening, and though the tide did not leave the Railways, every thing appeared to be in the same state as at their former visit. Two of the large stones which had formed the prop of the crane, had been thrown forcibly against the Beacon; but it was impossible, under the present circumstances, to effect their removal. The large buoy placed upon the spare moorings of the Floating-light, had drifted between the night of the 9th and the morning of the 10th December, the wind then blowing hard at S.SW.; and the two spar-beacons, attached to small mushroom anchors, used as a direction to the western creek, had also been washed away during the same gale. But, on the whole, no material damage had been sustained either at the Rock or on board of the Floating-light.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.]

[Sidenote: Artificers visit the Rock. Floating-light has had bad weather.]

At 3 o’clock this morning, the Tender sailed for the Rock, and carried off a mushroom-anchor and chain, which were laid down as spare-moorings for the Floating-light, to be in readiness in case of her accidentally drifting, as the season would not admit of the old moorings being grappled for. On landing the artificers, they found every thing much in the same state as at their former visit, excepting two additional lengths of the Railways, extending to about eight feet, which had been broken by the loose stones of the prop of the crane. The crew of the Floating-light had also experienced some very bad weather, and on several occasions the ship is represented as having laboured much. In particular, on the 15th, with the wind at S.E., when in the act of swinging round to the tide, she was boarded by a heavy sea which unshipped the boats; and found its way below, in such quantity, that it extinguished the fires, and created considerable alarm; but the vessel, being strongly built, and well found in all her materials, sustained no damage.

Having now gone through the journal of the Bell Rock operations for the year 1809, we shall proceed with a narrative of the works for the year 1810, in the course of which the Bell Rock Light-house was completed.