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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, Records of a Family of Engineers, by Robert
+Louis Stevenson
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: Records of a Family of Engineers
+
+
+Author: Robert Louis Stevenson
+
+
+
+Release Date: November 3, 2010  [eBook #280]
+[This file was first posted on July 9, 1995]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS***
+
+
+Transcribed from the 1912 Chatto & Windus edition by David Price, email
+ccx074@pglaf.org.  Additional proofing by Peter Barnes.
+
+
+
+
+
+                               RECORDS OF A
+                           FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
+
+
+                                    BY
+
+                          ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON
+
+            [Picture: Decorative graphic for Chatto & Windus]
+
+                                  LONDON
+
+                             CHATTO & WINDUS
+
+                                   1912
+
+                          _All rights reserved_
+
+
+
+
+INTRODUCTION: THE SURNAME OF STEVENSON
+
+
+From the thirteenth century onwards, the name, under the various
+disguises of Stevinstoun, Stevensoun, Stevensonne, Stenesone, and
+Stewinsoune, spread across Scotland from the mouth of the Firth of Forth
+to the mouth of the Firth of Clyde.  Four times at least it occurs as a
+place-name.  There is a parish of Stevenston in Cunningham; a second
+place of the name in the Barony of Bothwell in Lanark; a third on Lyne,
+above Drochil Castle; the fourth on the Tyne, near Traprain Law.
+Stevenson of Stevenson (co. Lanark) swore fealty to Edward I in 1296, and
+the last of that family died after the Restoration.  Stevensons of
+Hirdmanshiels, in Midlothian, rode in the Bishops' Raid of Aberlady,
+served as jurors, stood bail for neighbours--Hunter of Polwood, for
+instance--and became extinct about the same period, or possibly earlier.
+A Stevenson of Luthrie and another of Pitroddie make their bows, give
+their names, and vanish.  And by the year 1700 it does not appear that
+any acre of Scots land was vested in any Stevenson. {2a}
+
+Here is, so far, a melancholy picture of backward progress, and a family
+posting towards extinction.  But the law (however administered, and I am
+bound to aver that, in Scotland, 'it couldna weel be waur') acts as a
+kind of dredge, and with dispassionate impartiality brings up into the
+light of day, and shows us for a moment, in the jury-box or on the
+gallows, the creeping things of the past.  By these broken glimpses we
+are able to trace the existence of many other and more inglorious
+Stevensons, picking a private way through the brawl that makes Scots
+history.  They were members of Parliament for Peebles, Stirling,
+Pittenweem, Kilrenny, and Inverurie.  We find them burgesses of
+Edinburgh; indwellers in Biggar, Perth, and Dalkeith.  Thomas was the
+forester of Newbattle Park, Gavin was a baker, John a maltman, Francis a
+chirurgeon, and 'Schir William' a priest.  In the feuds of Humes and
+Heatleys, Cunninghams, Montgomeries, Mures, Ogilvies, and Turnbulls, we
+find them inconspicuously involved, and apparently getting rather better
+than they gave.  Schir William (reverend gentleman) was cruellie
+slaughtered on the Links of Kincraig in 1582; James ('in the mill-town of
+Roberton'), murdered in 1590; Archibald ('in Gallowfarren'), killed with
+shots of pistols and hagbuts in 1608.  Three violent deaths in about
+seventy years, against which we can only put the case of Thomas, servant
+to Hume of Cowden Knowes, who was arraigned with his two young masters
+for the death of the Bastard of Mellerstanes in 1569.  John ('in
+Dalkeith') stood sentry without Holyrood while the banded lords were
+despatching Rizzio within.  William, at the ringing of Perth bell, ran
+before Gowrie House 'with ane sword, and, entering to the yearde, saw
+George Craiggingilt with ane twa-handit sword and utheris nychtbouris; at
+quilk time James Boig cryit ower ane wynds, "Awa hame! ye will all be
+hangit"'--a piece of advice which William took, and immediately
+'depairtit.'  John got a maid with child to him in Biggar, and seemingly
+deserted her; she was hanged on the Castle Hill for infanticide, June
+1614; and Martin, elder in Dalkeith, eternally disgraced the name by
+signing witness in a witch trial, 1661.  These are two of our black
+sheep. {3a}  Under the Restoration, one Stevenson was a bailie in
+Edinburgh, and another the lessee of the Canonmills.  There were at the
+same period two physicians of the name in Edinburgh, one of whom, Dr.
+Archibald, appears to have been a famous man in his day and generation.
+The Court had continual need of him; it was he who reported, for
+instance, on the state of Rumbold; and he was for some time in the
+enjoyment of a pension of a thousand pounds Scots (about eighty pounds
+sterling) at a time when five hundred pounds is described as 'an opulent
+future.'  I do not know if I should be glad or sorry that he failed to
+keep favour; but on 6th January 1682 (rather a cheerless New Year's
+present) his pension was expunged. {4a}  There need be no doubt, at
+least, of my exultation at the fact that he was knighted and recorded
+arms.  Not quite so genteel, but still in public life, Hugh was
+Under-Clerk to the Privy Council, and liked being so extremely.  I gather
+this from his conduct in September 1681, when, with all the lords and
+their servants, he took the woful and soul-destroying Test, swearing it
+'word by word upon his knees.'  And, behold! it was in vain, for Hugh was
+turned out of his small post in 1684. {4b}  Sir Archibald and Hugh were
+both plainly inclined to be trimmers; but there was one witness of the
+name of Stevenson who held high the banner of the Covenant--John,
+'Land-Labourer, {4c} in the parish of Daily, in Carrick,' that 'eminently
+pious man.'  He seems to have been a poor sickly soul, and shows himself
+disabled with scrofula, and prostrate and groaning aloud with fever; but
+the enthusiasm of the martyr burned high within him.
+
+'I was made to take joyfully the spoiling of my goods, and with pleasure
+for His name's sake wandered in deserts and in mountains, in dens and
+caves of the earth.  I lay four months in the coldest season of the year
+in a haystack in my father's garden, and a whole February in the open
+fields not far from Camragen, and this I did without the least prejudice
+from the night air; one night, when lying in the fields near to the
+Carrick-Miln, I was all covered with snow in the morning.  Many nights
+have I lain with pleasure in the churchyard of Old Daily, and made a
+grave my pillow; frequently have I resorted to the old walls about the
+glen, near to Camragen, and there sweetly rested.'  The visible band of
+God protected and directed him.  Dragoons were turned aside from the
+bramble-bush where he lay hidden.  Miracles were performed for his
+behoof.  'I got a horse and a woman to carry the child, and came to the
+same mountain, where I wandered by the mist before; it is commonly known
+by the name of Kellsrhins: when we came to go up the mountain, there came
+on a great rain, which we thought was the occasion of the child's
+weeping, and she wept so bitterly, that all we could do could not divert
+her from it, so that she was ready to burst.  When we got to the top of
+the mountain, where the Lord had been formerly kind to my soul in prayer,
+I looked round me for a stone, and espying one, I went and brought it.
+When the woman with me saw me set down the stone, she smiled, and asked
+what I was going to do with it.  I told her I was going to set it up as
+my Ebenezer, because hitherto, and in that place, the Lord had formerly
+helped, and I hoped would yet help.  The rain still continuing, the child
+weeping bitterly, I went to prayer, and no sooner did I cry to God, but
+the child gave over weeping, and when we got up from prayer, the rain was
+pouring down on every side, but in the way where we were to go there fell
+not one drop; the place not rained on was as big as an ordinary avenue.'
+And so great a saint was the natural butt of Satan's persecutions.  'I
+retired to the fields for secret prayer about mid-night.  When I went to
+pray I was much straitened, and could not get one request, but "Lord
+pity," "Lord help"; this I came over frequently; at length the terror of
+Satan fell on me in a high degree, and all I could say even then
+was--"Lord help."  I continued in the duty for some time, notwithstanding
+of this terror.  At length I got up to my feet, and the terror still
+increased; then the enemy took me by the arm-pits, and seemed to lift me
+up by my arms.  I saw a loch just before me, and I concluded he designed
+to throw me there by force; and had he got leave to do so, it might have
+brought a great reproach upon religion. {7a}  But it was otherwise
+ordered, and the cause of piety escaped that danger. {7b}
+
+On the whole, the Stevensons may be described as decent, reputable folk,
+following honest trades--millers, maltsters, and doctors, playing the
+character parts in the Waverley Novels with propriety, if without
+distinction; and to an orphan looking about him in the world for a
+potential ancestry, offering a plain and quite unadorned refuge, equally
+free from shame and glory.  John, the land-labourer, is the one living
+and memorable figure, and he, alas! cannot possibly be more near than a
+collateral.  It was on August 12, 1678, that he heard Mr. John Welsh on
+the Craigdowhill, and 'took the heavens, earth, and sun in the firmament
+that was shining on us, as also the ambassador who made the offer, and
+_the clerk who raised the psalms_, to witness that I did give myself away
+to the Lord in a personal and perpetual covenant never to be forgotten';
+and already, in 1675, the birth of my direct ascendant was registered in
+Glasgow.  So that I have been pursuing ancestors too far down; and John
+the land-labourer is debarred me, and I must relinquish from the trophies
+of my house his _rare soul-strengthening and comforting cordial_.  It is
+the same case with the Edinburgh bailie and the miller of the Canonmills,
+worthy man! and with that public character, Hugh the Under-Clerk, and,
+more than all, with Sir Archibald, the physician, who recorded arms.  And
+I am reduced to a family of inconspicuous maltsters in what was then the
+clean and handsome little city on the Clyde.
+
+The name has a certain air of being Norse.  But the story of Scottish
+nomenclature is confounded by a continual process of translation and
+half-translation from the Gaelic which in olden days may have been
+sometimes reversed.  Roy becomes Reid; Gow, Smith.  A great Highland clan
+uses the name of Robertson; a sept in Appin that of Livingstone; Maclean
+in Glencoe answers to Johnstone at Lockerby.  And we find such hybrids as
+Macalexander for Macallister.  There is but one rule to be deduced: that
+however uncompromisingly Saxon a name may appear, you can never be sure
+it does not designate a Celt.  My great-grandfather wrote the name
+_Stevenson_ but pronounced it _Steenson_, after the fashion of the
+immortal minstrel in _Redgauntlet_; and this elision of a medial
+consonant appears a Gaelic process; and, curiously enough, I have come
+across no less than two Gaelic forms: _John Macstophane cordinerius in
+Crossraguel_, 1573, and _William M'Steen_ in Dunskeith (co. Ross), 1605.
+Stevenson, Steenson, Macstophane, M'Steen: which is the original? which
+the translation?  Or were these separate creations of the patronymic,
+some English, some Gaelic?  The curiously compact territory in which we
+find them seated--Ayr, Lanark, Peebles, Stirling, Perth, Fife, and the
+Lothians--would seem to forbid the supposition. {9a}
+
+'STEVENSON--or according to tradition of one of the proscribed of the
+clan MacGregor, who was born among the willows or in a hill-side
+sheep-pen--"Son of my love," a heraldic bar sinister, but history reveals
+a reason for the birth among the willows far other than the sinister
+aspect of the name': these are the dark words of Mr. Cosmo Innes; but
+history or tradition, being interrogated, tells a somewhat tangled tale.
+The heir of Macgregor of Glenorchy, murdered about 1858 by the Argyll
+Campbells, appears to have been the original 'Son of my love'; and his
+more loyal clansmen took the name to fight under.  It may be supposed the
+story of their resistance became popular, and the name in some sort
+identified with the idea of opposition to the Campbells.  Twice
+afterwards, on some renewed aggression, in 1502 and 1552, we find the
+Macgregors again banding themselves into a sept of 'Sons of my love'; and
+when the great disaster fell on them in 1603, the whole original legend
+reappears, and we have the heir of Alaster of Glenstrae born 'among the
+willows' of a fugitive mother, and the more loyal clansmen again rallying
+under the name of Stevenson.  A story would not be told so often unless
+it had some base in fact; nor (if there were no bond at all between the
+Red Macgregors and the Stevensons) would that extraneous and somewhat
+uncouth name be so much repeated in the legends of the Children of the
+Mist.
+
+But I am enabled, by my very lively and obliging correspondent, Mr.
+George A. Macgregor Stevenson of New York, to give an actual instance.
+His grandfather, great-grandfather, great-great-grandfather, and
+great-great-great-grandfather, all used the names of Macgregor and
+Stevenson as occasion served; being perhaps Macgregor by night and
+Stevenson by day.  The great-great-great-grandfather was a mighty man of
+his hands, marched with the clan in the 'Forty-five, and returned with
+_spolia opima_ in the shape of a sword, which he had wrested from an
+officer in the retreat, and which is in the possession of my
+correspondent to this day.  His great-grandson (the grandfather of my
+correspondent), being converted to Methodism by some wayside preacher,
+discarded in a moment his name, his old nature, and his political
+principles, and with the zeal of a proselyte sealed his adherence to the
+Protestant Succession by baptising his next son George.  This George
+became the publisher and editor of the _Wesleyan Times_.  His children
+were brought up in ignorance of their Highland pedigree; and my
+correspondent was puzzled to overhear his father speak of him as a true
+Macgregor, and amazed to find, in rummaging about that peaceful and pious
+house, the sword of the Hanoverian officer.  After he was grown up and
+was better informed of his descent, 'I frequently asked my father,' he
+writes, 'why he did not use the name of Macgregor; his replies were
+significant, and give a picture of the man: "It isn't a good _Methodist_
+name.  You can use it, but it will do you no _good_."  Yet the old
+gentleman, by way of pleasantry, used to announce himself to friends as
+"Colonel Macgregor."'
+
+Here, then, are certain Macgregors habitually using the name of
+Stevenson, and at last, under the influence of Methodism, adopting it
+entirely.  Doubtless a proscribed clan could not be particular; they took
+a name as a man takes an umbrella against a shower; as Rob Roy took
+Campbell, and his son took Drummond.  But this case is different;
+Stevenson was not taken and left--it was consistently adhered to.  It
+does not in the least follow that all Stevensons are of the clan Alpin;
+but it does follow that some may be.  And I cannot conceal from myself
+the possibility that James Stevenson in Glasgow, my first authentic
+ancestor, may have had a Highland _alias_ upon his conscience and a
+claymore in his back parlour.
+
+To one more tradition I may allude, that we are somehow descended from a
+French barber-surgeon who came to St. Andrews in the service of one of
+the Cardinal Beatons.  No details were added.  But the very name of
+France was so detested in my family for three generations, that I am
+tempted to suppose there may be something in it. {12a}
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I: DOMESTIC ANNALS
+
+
+It is believed that in 1665, James Stevenson in Nether Carsewell, parish
+of Neilston, county of Renfrew, and presumably a tenant farmer, married
+one Jean Keir; and in 1675, without doubt, there was born to these two a
+son Robert, possibly a maltster in Glasgow.  In 1710, Robert married, for
+a second time, Elizabeth Cumming, and there was born to them, in 1720,
+another Robert, certainly a maltster in Glasgow.  In 1742, Robert the
+second married Margaret Fulton (Margret, she called herself), by whom he
+had ten children, among whom were Hugh, born February 1749, and Alan,
+born June 1752.
+
+With these two brothers my story begins.  Their deaths were simultaneous;
+their lives unusually brief and full.  Tradition whispered me in
+childhood they were the owners of an islet near St. Kitts; and it is
+certain they had risen to be at the head of considerable interests in the
+West Indies, which Hugh managed abroad and Alan at home, at an age when
+others are still curveting a clerk's stool.  My kinsman, Mr. Stevenson of
+Stirling, has heard his father mention that there had been 'something
+romantic' about Alan's marriage: and, alas! he has forgotten what.  It
+was early at least.  His wife was Jean, daughter of David Lillie, a
+builder in Glasgow, and several times 'Deacon of the Wrights': the date
+of the marriage has not reached me; but on 8th June 1772, when Robert,
+the only child of the union, was born, the husband and father had scarce
+passed, or had not yet attained, his twentieth year.  Here was a youth
+making haste to give hostages to fortune.  But this early scene of
+prosperity in love and business was on the point of closing.
+
+There hung in the house of this young family, and successively in those
+of my grandfather and father, an oil painting of a ship of many tons
+burthen.  Doubtless the brothers had an interest in the vessel; I was
+told she had belonged to them outright; and the picture was preserved
+through years of hardship, and remains to this day in the possession of
+the family, the only memorial of my great-grandsire Alan.  It was on this
+ship that he sailed on his last adventure, summoned to the West Indies by
+Hugh.  An agent had proved unfaithful on a serious scale; and it used to
+be told me in my childhood how the brothers pursued him from one island
+to another in an open boat, were exposed to the pernicious dews of the
+tropics, and simultaneously struck down.  The dates and places of their
+deaths (now before me) would seem to indicate a more scattered and
+prolonged pursuit: Hugh, on the 16th April 1774, in Tobago, within sight
+of Trinidad; Alan, so late as 26th May, and so far away as 'Santt
+Kittes,' in the Leeward Islands--both, says the family Bible, 'of a
+fiver'(!).  The death of Hugh was probably announced by Alan in a letter,
+to which we may refer the details of the open boat and the dew.  Thus, at
+least, in something like the course of post, both were called away, the
+one twenty-five, the other twenty-two; their brief generation became
+extinct, their short-lived house fell with them; and 'in these lawless
+parts and lawless times'--the words are my grandfather's--their property
+was stolen or became involved.  Many years later, I understand some small
+recovery to have been made; but at the moment almost the whole means of
+the family seem to have perished with the young merchants.  On the 27th
+April, eleven days after Hugh Stevenson, twenty-nine before Alan, died
+David Lillie, the Deacon of the Wrights; so that mother and son were
+orphaned in one month.  Thus, from a few scraps of paper bearing little
+beyond dates, we construct the outlines of the tragedy that shadowed the
+cradle of Robert Stevenson.
+
+Jean Lillie was a young woman of strong sense, well fitted to contend
+with poverty, and of a pious disposition, which it is like that these
+misfortunes heated.  Like so many other widowed Scots-women, she vowed
+her son should wag his head in a pulpit; but her means were inadequate to
+her ambition.  A charity school, and some time under a Mr. M'Intyre, 'a
+famous linguist,' were all she could afford in the way of education to
+the would-be minister.  He learned no Greek; in one place he mentions
+that the Orations of Cicero were his highest book in Latin; in another
+that he had 'delighted' in Virgil and Horace; but his delight could never
+have been scholarly.  This appears to have been the whole of his training
+previous to an event which changed his own destiny and moulded that of
+his descendants--the second marriage of his mother.
+
+There was a Merchant-Burgess of Edinburgh of the name of Thomas Smith.
+The Smith pedigree has been traced a little more particularly than the
+Stevensons', with a similar dearth of illustrious names.  One character
+seems to have appeared, indeed, for a moment at the wings of history: a
+skipper of Dundee who smuggled over some Jacobite big-wig at the time of
+the 'Fifteen, and was afterwards drowned in Dundee harbour while going on
+board his ship.  With this exception, the generations of the Smiths
+present no conceivable interest even to a descendant; and Thomas, of
+Edinburgh, was the first to issue from respectable obscurity.  His
+father, a skipper out of Broughty Ferry, was drowned at sea while Thomas
+was still young.  He seems to have owned a ship or two--whalers, I
+suppose, or coasters--and to have been a member of the Dundee Trinity
+House, whatever that implies.  On his death the widow remained in
+Broughty, and the son came to push his future in Edinburgh.  There is a
+story told of him in the family which I repeat here because I shall have
+to tell later on a similar, but more perfectly authenticated, experience
+of his stepson, Robert Stevenson.  Word reached Thomas that his mother
+was unwell, and he prepared to leave for Broughty on the morrow.  It was
+between two and three in the morning, and the early northern daylight was
+already clear, when he awoke and beheld the curtains at the bed-foot
+drawn aside and his mother appear in the interval, smile upon him for a
+moment, and then vanish.  The sequel is stereo-type; he took the time by
+his watch, and arrived at Broughty to learn it was the very moment of her
+death.  The incident is at least curious in having happened to such a
+person--as the tale is being told of him.  In all else, he appears as a
+man ardent, passionate, practical, designed for affairs and prospering in
+them far beyond the average.  He founded a solid business in lamps and
+oils, and was the sole proprietor of a concern called the Greenside
+Company's Works--'a multifarious concern it was,' writes my cousin,
+Professor Swan, 'of tinsmiths, coppersmiths, brass-founders, blacksmiths,
+and japanners.'  He was also, it seems, a shipowner and underwriter.  He
+built himself 'a land'--Nos. 1 and 2 Baxter's Place, then no such
+unfashionable neighbourhood--and died, leaving his only son in easy
+circumstances, and giving to his three surviving daughters portions of
+five thousand pounds and upwards.  There is no standard of success in
+life; but in one of its meanings, this is to succeed.
+
+In what we know of his opinions, he makes a figure highly characteristic
+of the time.  A high Tory and patriot, a captain--so I find it in my
+notes--of Edinburgh Spearmen, and on duty in the Castle during the Muir
+and Palmer troubles, he bequeathed to his descendants a bloodless sword
+and a somewhat violent tradition, both long preserved.  The judge who sat
+on Muir and Palmer, the famous Braxfield, let fall from the bench the
+_obiter dictum_--'I never liked the French all my days, but now I hate
+them.'  If Thomas Smith, the Edinburgh Spearman, were in court, he must
+have been tempted to applaud.  The people of that land were his
+abhorrence; he loathed Buonaparte like Antichrist.  Towards the end he
+fell into a kind of dotage; his family must entertain him with games of
+tin soldiers, which he took a childish pleasure to array and overset; but
+those who played with him must be upon their guard, for if his side,
+which was always that of the English against the French, should chance to
+be defeated, there would be trouble in Baxter's Place.  For these
+opinions he may almost be said to have suffered.  Baptised and brought up
+in the Church of Scotland, he had, upon some conscientious scruple,
+joined the communion of the Baptists.  Like other Nonconformists, these
+were inclined to the Liberal side in politics, and, at least in the
+beginning, regarded Buonaparte as a deliverer.  From the time of his
+joining the Spearmen, Thomas Smith became in consequence a bugbear to his
+brethren in the faith.   'They that take the sword shall perish with the
+sword,' they told him; they gave him 'no rest'; 'his position became
+intolerable'; it was plain he must choose between his political and his
+religious tenets; and in the last years of his life, about 1812, he
+returned to the Church of his fathers.
+
+August 1786 was the date of his chief advancement, when, having designed
+a system of oil lights to take the place of the primitive coal fires
+before in use, he was dubbed engineer to the newly-formed Board of
+Northern Lighthouses.  Not only were his fortunes bettered by the
+appointment, but he was introduced to a new and wider field for the
+exercise of his abilities, and a new way of life highly agreeable to his
+active constitution.  He seems to have rejoiced in the long journeys, and
+to have combined them with the practice of field sports.  'A tall, stout
+man coming ashore with his gun over his arm'--so he was described to my
+father--the only description that has come down to me by a light-keeper
+old in the service.  Nor did this change come alone.  On the 9th July of
+the same year, Thomas Smith had been left for the second time a widower.
+As he was still but thirty-three years old, prospering in his affairs,
+newly advanced in the world, and encumbered at the time with a family of
+children, five in number, it was natural that he should entertain the
+notion of another wife.  Expeditious in business, he was no less so in
+his choice; and it was not later than June 1787--for my grandfather is
+described as still in his fifteenth year--that he married the widow of
+Alan Stevenson.
+
+The perilous experiment of bringing together two families for once
+succeeded.  Mr. Smith's two eldest daughters, Jean and Janet, fervent in
+piety, unwearied in kind deeds, were well qualified both to appreciate
+and to attract the stepmother; and her son, on the other hand, seems to
+have found immediate favour in the eyes of Mr. Smith.  It is, perhaps,
+easy to exaggerate the ready-made resemblances; the tired woman must have
+done much to fashion girls who were under ten; the man, lusty and
+opinionated, must have stamped a strong impression on the boy of fifteen.
+But the cleavage of the family was too marked, the identity of character
+and interest produced between the two men on the one hand, and the three
+women on the other, was too complete to have been the result of influence
+alone.  Particular bonds of union must have pre-existed on each side.
+And there is no doubt that the man and the boy met with common ambitions,
+and a common bent, to the practice of that which had not so long before
+acquired the name of civil engineering.
+
+For the profession which is now so thronged, famous, and influential, was
+then a thing of yesterday.  My grandfather had an anecdote of Smeaton,
+probably learned from John Clerk of Eldin, their common friend.  Smeaton
+was asked by the Duke of Argyll to visit the West Highland coast for a
+professional purpose.  He refused, appalled, it seems, by the rough
+travelling.  'You can recommend some other fit person?' asked the Duke.
+'No,' said Smeaton, 'I'm sorry I can't.'  'What!' cried the Duke, 'a
+profession with only one man in it!  Pray, who taught you?'  'Why,' said
+Smeaton, 'I believe I may say I was self-taught, an't please your grace.'
+Smeaton, at the date of Thomas Smith's third marriage, was yet living;
+and as the one had grown to the new profession from his place at the
+instrument-maker's, the other was beginning to enter it by the way of his
+trade.  The engineer of to-day is confronted with a library of acquired
+results; tables and formulae to the value of folios full have been
+calculated and recorded; and the student finds everywhere in front of him
+the footprints of the pioneers.  In the eighteenth century the field was
+largely unexplored; the engineer must read with his own eyes the face of
+nature; he arose a volunteer, from the workshop or the mill, to undertake
+works which were at once inventions and adventures.  It was not a science
+then--it was a living art; and it visibly grew under the eyes and between
+the hands of its practitioners.
+
+The charm of such an occupation was strongly felt by stepfather and
+stepson.  It chanced that Thomas Smith was a reformer; the superiority of
+his proposed lamp and reflectors over open fires of coal secured his
+appointment; and no sooner had he set his hand to the task than the
+interest of that employment mastered him.  The vacant stage on which he
+was to act, and where all had yet to be created--the greatness of the
+difficulties, the smallness of the means intrusted him--would rouse a man
+of his disposition like a call to battle.  The lad introduced by marriage
+under his roof was of a character to sympathise; the public usefulness of
+the service would appeal to his judgment, the perpetual need for fresh
+expedients stimulate his ingenuity.  And there was another attraction
+which, in the younger man at least, appealed to, and perhaps first
+aroused, a profound and enduring sentiment of romance: I mean the
+attraction of the life.  The seas into which his labours carried the new
+engineer were still scarce charted, the coasts still dark; his way on
+shore was often far beyond the convenience of any road; the isles in
+which he must sojourn were still partly savage.  He must toss much in
+boats; he must often adventure on horseback by the dubious bridle-track
+through unfrequented wildernesses; he must sometimes plant his lighthouse
+in the very camp of wreckers; and he was continually enforced to the
+vicissitudes of outdoor life.  The joy of my grandfather in this career
+was strong as the love of woman.  It lasted him through youth and
+manhood, it burned strong in age, and at the approach of death his last
+yearning was to renew these loved experiences.  What he felt himself he
+continued to attribute to all around him.  And to this supposed sentiment
+in others I find him continually, almost pathetically, appealing; often
+in vain.
+
+Snared by these interests, the boy seems to have become almost at once
+the eager confidant and adviser of his new connection; the Church, if he
+had ever entertained the prospect very warmly, faded from his view; and
+at the age of nineteen I find him already in a post of some authority,
+superintending the construction of the lighthouse on the isle of Little
+Cumbrae, in the Firth of Clyde.  The change of aim seems to have caused
+or been accompanied by a change of character.  It sounds absurd to couple
+the name of my grandfather with the word indolence; but the lad who had
+been destined from the cradle to the Church, and who had attained the age
+of fifteen without acquiring more than a moderate knowledge of Latin, was
+at least no unusual student.  And from the day of his charge at Little
+Cumbrae he steps before us what he remained until the end, a man of the
+most zealous industry, greedy of occupation, greedy of knowledge, a stern
+husband of time, a reader, a writer, unflagging in his task of
+self-improvement.  Thenceforward his summers were spent directing works
+and ruling workmen, now in uninhabited, now in half-savage islands; his
+winters were set apart, first at the Andersonian Institution, then at the
+University of Edinburgh to improve himself in mathematics, chemistry,
+natural history, agriculture, moral philosophy, and logic; a bearded
+student--although no doubt scrupulously shaved.  I find one reference to
+his years in class which will have a meaning for all who have studied in
+Scottish Universities.  He mentions a recommendation made by the
+professor of logic.  'The high-school men,' he writes, 'and _bearded men
+like myself_, were all attention.'  If my grandfather were throughout
+life a thought too studious of the art of getting on, much must be
+forgiven to the bearded and belated student who looked across, with a
+sense of difference, at 'the high-school men.'  Here was a gulf to be
+crossed; but already he could feel that he had made a beginning, and that
+must have been a proud hour when he devoted his earliest earnings to the
+repayment of the charitable foundation in which he had received the
+rudiments of knowledge.
+
+In yet another way he followed the example of his father-in-law, and from
+1794 to 1807, when the affairs of the Bell Rock made it necessary for him
+to resign, he served in different corps of volunteers.  In the last of
+these he rose to a position of distinction, no less than captain of the
+Grenadier Company, and his colonel, in accepting his resignation,
+entreated he would do them 'the favour of continuing as an honorary
+member of a corps which has been so much indebted for your zeal and
+exertions.'
+
+To very pious women the men of the house are apt to appear worldly.  The
+wife, as she puts on her new bonnet before church, is apt to sigh over
+that assiduity which enabled her husband to pay the milliner's bill.  And
+in the household of the Smiths and Stevensons the women were not only
+extremely pious, but the men were in reality a trifle worldly.  Religious
+they both were; conscious, like all Scots, of the fragility and unreality
+of that scene in which we play our uncomprehended parts; like all Scots,
+realising daily and hourly the sense of another will than ours and a
+perpetual direction in the affairs of life.  But the current of their
+endeavours flowed in a more obvious channel.  They had got on so far; to
+get on further was their next ambition--to gather wealth, to rise in
+society, to leave their descendants higher than themselves, to be (in
+some sense) among the founders of families.  Scott was in the same town
+nourishing similar dreams.  But in the eyes of the women these dreams
+would be foolish and idolatrous.
+
+I have before me some volumes of old letters addressed to Mrs. Smith and
+the two girls, her favourites, which depict in a strong light their
+characters and the society in which they moved.
+
+    'My very dear and much esteemed Friend,' writes one correspondent,
+    'this day being the anniversary of our acquaintance, I feel inclined
+    to address you; but where shall I find words to express the fealings
+    of a graitful _Heart_, first to the Lord who graiciously inclined you
+    on this day last year to notice an afflicted Strainger providentially
+    cast in your way far from any Earthly friend? . . .  Methinks I shall
+    hear him say unto you, "Inasmuch as ye shewed kindness to my
+    afflicted handmaiden, ye did it unto me."'
+
+This is to Jean; but the same afflicted lady wrote indifferently to Jean,
+to Janet, and to Ms. Smith, whom she calls 'my Edinburgh mother.'  It is
+plain the three were as one person, moving to acts of kindness, like the
+Graces, inarmed.  Too much stress must not be laid on the style of this
+correspondence; Clarinda survived, not far away, and may have met the
+ladies on the Calton Hill; and many of the writers appear, underneath the
+conventions of the period, to be genuinely moved.  But what unpleasantly
+strikes a reader is, that these devout unfortunates found a revenue in
+their devotion.  It is everywhere the same tale; on the side of the
+soft-hearted ladies, substantial acts of help; on the side of the
+correspondents, affection, italics, texts, ecstasies, and imperfect
+spelling.  When a midwife is recommended, not at all for proficiency in
+her important art, but because she has 'a sister whom I [the
+correspondent] esteem and respect, and [who] is a spiritual daughter of
+my Hond Father in the Gosple,' the mask seems to be torn off, and the
+wages of godliness appear too openly.  Capacity is a secondary matter in
+a midwife, temper in a servant, affection in a daughter, and the
+repetition of a shibboleth fulfils the law.  Common decency is at times
+forgot in the same page with the most sanctified advice and aspiration.
+Thus I am introduced to a correspondent who appears to have been at the
+time the housekeeper at Invermay, and who writes to condole with my
+grandmother in a season of distress.  For nearly half a sheet she keeps
+to the point with an excellent discretion in language then suddenly
+breaks out:
+
+    'It was fully my intention to have left this at Martinmass, but the
+    Lord fixes the bounds of our habitation.  I have had more need of
+    patience in my situation here than in any other, partly from the very
+    violent, unsteady, deceitful temper of the Mistress of the Family,
+    and also from the state of the house.  It was in a train of repair
+    when I came here two years ago, and is still in Confusion.  There is
+    above six Thousand Pounds' worth of Furniture come from London to be
+    put up when the rooms are completely finished; and then, woe be to
+    the Person who is Housekeeper at Invermay!'
+
+And by the tail of the document, which is torn, I see she goes on to ask
+the bereaved family to seek her a new place.  It is extraordinary that
+people should have been so deceived in so careless an impostor; that a
+few sprinkled 'God willings' should have blinded them to the essence of
+this venomous letter; and that they should have been at the pains to bind
+it in with others (many of them highly touching) in their memorial of
+harrowing days.  But the good ladies were without guile and without
+suspicion; they were victims marked for the axe, and the religious
+impostors snuffed up the wind as they drew near.
+
+I have referred above to my grandmother; it was no slip of the pen: for
+by an extraordinary arrangement, in which it is hard not to suspect the
+managing hand of a mother, Jean Smith became the wife of Robert
+Stevenson.  Mrs. Smith had failed in her design to make her son a
+minister, and she saw him daily more immersed in business and worldly
+ambition.  One thing remained that she might do: she might secure for him
+a godly wife, that great means of sanctification; and she had two under
+her hand, trained by herself, her dear friends and daughters both in law
+and love--Jean and Janet.  Jean's complexion was extremely pale, Janet's
+was florid; my grandmother's nose was straight, my great-aunt's aquiline;
+but by the sound of the voice, not even a son was able to distinguish one
+from other.  The marriage of a man of twenty-seven and a girl of twenty
+who have lived for twelve years as brother and sister, is difficult to
+conceive.  It took place, however, and thus in 1799 the family was still
+further cemented by the union of a representative of the male or worldly
+element with one of the female and devout.
+
+This essential difference remained unbridged, yet never diminished the
+strength of their relation.  My grandfather pursued his design of
+advancing in the world with some measure of success; rose to distinction
+in his calling, grew to be the familiar of members of Parliament, judges
+of the Court of Session, and 'landed gentlemen'; learned a ready address,
+had a flow of interesting conversation, and when he was referred to as 'a
+highly respectable _bourgeois_,' resented the description.  My
+grandmother remained to the end devout and unambitious, occupied with her
+Bible, her children, and her house; easily shocked, and associating
+largely with a clique of godly parasites.  I do not know if she called in
+the midwife already referred to; but the principle on which that lady was
+recommended, she accepted fully.  The cook was a godly woman, the butcher
+a Christian man, and the table suffered.  The scene has been often
+described to me of my grandfather sawing with darkened countenance at
+some indissoluble joint--'Preserve me, my dear, what kind of a reedy,
+stringy beast is this?'--of the joint removed, the pudding substituted
+and uncovered; and of my grandmother's anxious glance and hasty,
+deprecatory comment, 'Just mismanaged!'  Yet with the invincible
+obstinacy of soft natures, she would adhere to the godly woman and the
+Christian man, or find others of the same kidney to replace them.  One of
+her confidants had once a narrow escape; an unwieldy old woman, she had
+fallen from an outside stair in a close of the Old Town; and my
+grandmother rejoiced to communicate the providential circumstance that a
+baker had been passing underneath with his bread upon his head.  'I would
+like to know what kind of providence the baker thought it!' cried my
+grandfather.
+
+But the sally must have been unique.  In all else that I have heard or
+read of him, so far from criticising, he was doing his utmost to honour
+and even to emulate his wife's pronounced opinions.  In the only letter
+which has come to my hand of Thomas Smith's, I find him informing his
+wife that he was 'in time for afternoon church'; similar assurances or
+cognate excuses abound in the correspondence of Robert Stevenson; and it
+is comical and pretty to see the two generations paying the same court to
+a female piety more highly strung: Thomas Smith to the mother of Robert
+Stevenson--Robert Stevenson to the daughter of Thomas Smith.  And if for
+once my grandfather suffered himself to be hurried, by his sense of
+humour and justice, into that remark about the case of Providence and the
+Baker, I should be sorry for any of his children who should have stumbled
+into the same attitude of criticism.  In the apocalyptic style of the
+housekeeper of Invermay, woe be to that person!  But there was no fear;
+husband and sons all entertained for the pious, tender soul the same
+chivalrous and moved affection.  I have spoken with one who remembered
+her, and who had been the intimate and equal of her sons, and I found
+this witness had been struck, as I had been, with a sense of
+disproportion between the warmth of the adoration felt and the nature of
+the woman, whether as described or observed.  She diligently read and
+marked her Bible; she was a tender nurse; she had a sense of humour under
+strong control; she talked and found some amusement at her (or rather at
+her husband's) dinner-parties.  It is conceivable that even my
+grandmother was amenable to the seductions of dress; at least, I find her
+husband inquiring anxiously about 'the gowns from Glasgow,' and very
+careful to describe the toilet of the Princess Charlotte, whom he had
+seen in church 'in a Pelisse and Bonnet of the same colour of cloth as
+the Boys' Dress jackets, trimmed with blue satin ribbons; the hat or
+Bonnet, Mr. Spittal said, was a Parisian slouch, and had a plume of three
+white feathers.'  But all this leaves a blank impression, and it is
+rather by reading backward in these old musty letters, which have moved
+me now to laughter and now to impatience, that I glean occasional
+glimpses of how she seemed to her contemporaries, and trace (at work in
+her queer world of godly and grateful parasites) a mobile and responsive
+nature.  Fashion moulds us, and particularly women, deeper than we
+sometimes think; but a little while ago, and, in some circles, women
+stood or fell by the degree of their appreciation of old pictures; in the
+early years of the century (and surely with more reason) a character like
+that of my grandmother warmed, charmed, and subdued, like a strain of
+music, the hearts of the men of her own household.  And there is little
+doubt that Mrs. Smith, as she looked on at the domestic life of her son
+and her stepdaughter, and numbered the heads in their increasing nursery,
+must have breathed fervent thanks to her Creator.
+
+Yet this was to be a family unusually tried; it was not for nothing that
+one of the godly women saluted Miss Janet Smith as 'a veteran in
+affliction'; and they were all before middle life experienced in that
+form of service.  By the 1st of January 1808, besides a pair of
+still-born twins, children had been born and still survived to the young
+couple.  By the 11th two were gone; by the 28th a third had followed, and
+the two others were still in danger.  In the letters of a former
+nurserymaid--I give her name, Jean Mitchell, _honoris causa_--we are
+enabled to feel, even at this distance of time, some of the bitterness of
+that month of bereavement.
+
+    'I have this day received,' she writes to Miss Janet, 'the melancholy
+    news of my dear babys' deaths.  My heart is like to break for my dear
+    Mrs. Stevenson.  O may she be supported on this trying occasion!  I
+    hope her other three babys will be spared to her.  O, Miss Smith, did
+    I think when I parted from my sweet babys that I never was to see
+    them more?'  'I received,' she begins her next, 'the mournful news of
+    my dear Jessie's death.  I also received the hair of my three sweet
+    babys, which I will preserve as dear to their memorys and as a token
+    of Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson's friendship and esteem.  At my leisure
+    hours, when the children are in bed, they occupy all my thoughts, I
+    dream of them.  About two weeks ago I dreamed that my sweet little
+    Jessie came running to me in her usual way, and I took her in my
+    arms.  O my dear babys, were mortal eyes permitted to see them in
+    heaven, we would not repine nor grieve for their loss.'
+
+By the 29th of February, the Reverend John Campbell, a man of obvious
+sense and human value, but hateful to the present biographer, because he
+wrote so many letters and conveyed so little information, summed up this
+first period of affliction in a letter to Miss Smith: 'Your dear sister
+but a little while ago had a full nursery, and the dear blooming
+creatures sitting around her table filled her breast with hope that one
+day they should fill active stations in society and become an ornament in
+the Church below.  But ah!'
+
+Near a hundred years ago these little creatures ceased to be, and for not
+much less a period the tears have been dried.  And to this day, looking
+in these stitched sheaves of letters, we hear the sound of many
+soft-hearted women sobbing for the lost.  Never was such a massacre of
+the innocents; teething and chincough and scarlet fever and smallpox ran
+the round; and little Lillies, and Smiths, and Stevensons fell like moths
+about a candle; and nearly all the sympathetic correspondents deplore and
+recall the little losses of their own.  'It is impossible to describe the
+Heavnly looks of the Dear Babe the three last days of his life,' writes
+Mrs. Laurie to Mrs. Smith.  'Never--never, my dear aunt, could I wish to
+eface the rememberance of this Dear Child.  Never, never, my dear aunt!'
+And so soon the memory of the dead and the dust of the survivors are
+buried in one grave.
+
+There was another death in 1812; it passes almost unremarked; a single
+funeral seemed but a small event to these 'veterans in affliction'; and
+by 1816 the nursery was full again.  Seven little hopefuls enlivened the
+house; some were growing up; to the elder girl my grandfather already
+wrote notes in current hand at the tail of his letters to his wife: and
+to the elder boys he had begun to print, with laborious care, sheets of
+childish gossip and pedantic applications.  Here, for instance, under
+date of 26th May 1816, is part of a mythological account of London, with
+a moral for the three gentlemen, 'Messieurs Alan, Robert, and James
+Stevenson,' to whom the document is addressed:
+
+    'There are many prisons here like Bridewell, for, like other large
+    towns, there are many bad men here as well as many good men.  The
+    natives of London are in general not so tall and strong as the people
+    of Edinburgh, because they have not so much pure air, and instead of
+    taking porridge they eat cakes made with sugar and plums.  Here you
+    have thousands of carts to draw timber, thousands of coaches to take
+    you to all parts of the town, and thousands of boats to sail on the
+    river Thames.  But you must have money to pay, otherwise you can get
+    nothing.  Now the way to get money is, become clever men and men of
+    education, by being good scholars.'
+
+From the same absence, he writes to his wife on a Sunday:
+
+    'It is now about eight o'clock with me, and I imagine you to be busy
+    with the young folks, hearing the questions [_Anglice_, catechism],
+    and indulging the boys with a chapter from the large Bible, with
+    their interrogations and your answers in the soundest doctrine.  I
+    hope James is getting his verse as usual, and that Mary is not
+    forgetting her little _hymn_.  While Jeannie will be reading
+    Wotherspoon, or some other suitable and instructive book, I presume
+    our friend, Aunt Mary, will have just arrived with the news of _a
+    throng kirk_ [a crowded church] and a great sermon.  You may mention,
+    with my compliments to my mother, that I was at St. Paul's to-day,
+    and attended a very excellent service with Mr. James Lawrie.  The
+    text was "Examine and see that ye be in the faith."'
+
+A twinkle of humour lights up this evocation of the distant scene--the
+humour of happy men and happy homes.  Yet it is penned upon the threshold
+of fresh sorrow.  James and Mary--he of the verse and she of the
+hymn--did not much more than survive to welcome their returning father.
+On the 25th, one of the godly women writes to Janet:
+
+    'My dearest beloved madam, when I last parted from you, you was so
+    affected with your affliction [you? or I?] could think of nothing
+    else.  But on Saturday, when I went to inquire after your health, how
+    was I startled to hear that dear James was gone!  Ah, what is this?
+    My dear benefactors, doing so much good to many, to the Lord,
+    suddenly to be deprived of their most valued comforts!  I was thrown
+    into great perplexity, could do nothing but murmur, why these things
+    were done to such a family.  I could not rest, but at midnight,
+    whether spoken [or not] it was presented to my mind--"Those whom ye
+    deplore are walking with me in white."  I conclude from this the Lord
+    saying to sweet Mrs. Stevenson: "I gave them to be brought up for me:
+    well done, good and faithful! they are fully prepared, and now I must
+    present them to my father and your father, to my God and your God."'
+
+It would be hard to lay on flattery with a more sure and daring hand.  I
+quote it as a model of a letter of condolence; be sure it would console.
+Very different, perhaps quite as welcome, is this from a lighthouse
+inspector to my grandfather:
+
+    'In reading your letter the trickling tear ran down ray cheeks in
+    silent sorrow for your departed dear ones, my sweet little friends.
+    Well do I remember, and you will call to mind, their little innocent
+    and interesting stories.  Often have they come round me and taken me
+    by the hand, but alas!  I am no more destined to behold them.'
+
+The child who is taken becomes canonised, and the looks of the homeliest
+babe seem in the retrospect 'heavenly the three last days of his life.'
+But it appears that James and Mary had indeed been children more than
+usually engaging; a record was preserved a long while in the family of
+their remarks and 'little innocent and interesting stories,' and the blow
+and the blank were the more sensible.
+
+Early the next month Robert Stevenson must proceed upon his voyage of
+inspection, part by land, part by sea.  He left his wife plunged in low
+spirits; the thought of his loss, and still more of her concern, was
+continually present in his mind, and he draws in his letters home an
+interesting picture of his family relations:
+
+                      '_Windygates Inn_, _Monday_ (_Postmark July_ 16_th_)
+
+    'MY DEAREST JEANNIE,--While the people of the inn are getting me a
+    little bit of something to eat, I sit down to tell you that I had a
+    most excellent passage across the water, and got to Wemyss at
+    mid-day.  I hope the children will be very good, and that Robert will
+    take a course with you to learn his Latin lessons daily; he may,
+    however, read English in company.  Let them have strawberries on
+    Saturdays.'
+
+                                              '_Westhaven_, 17_th_ _July_.
+
+    'I have been occupied to-day at the harbour of Newport, opposite
+    Dundee, and am this far on my way to Arbroath.  You may tell the boys
+    that I slept last night in Mr. Steadman's tent.  I found my bed
+    rather hard, but the lodgings were otherwise extremely comfortable.
+    The encampment is on the Fife side of the Tay, immediately opposite
+    to Dundee.  From the door of the tent you command the most beautiful
+    view of the Firth, both up and down, to a great extent.  At night all
+    was serene and still, the sky presented the most beautiful appearance
+    of bright stars, and the morning was ushered in with the song of many
+    little birds.'
+
+                                               '_Aberdeen_, _July_ 19_th_.
+
+    'I hope, my dear, that you are going out of doors regularly and
+    taking much exercise.  I would have you to _make the markets
+    daily_--and by all means to take a seat in the coach once or twice in
+    the week and see what is going on in town.  [The family were at the
+    sea-side.]  It will be good not to be too great a stranger to the
+    house.  It will be rather painful at first, but as it is to be done,
+    I would have you not to be too strange to the house in town.
+
+    'Tell the boys that I fell in with a soldier--his name is
+    Henderson--who was twelve years with Lord Wellington and other
+    commanders.  He returned very lately with only eightpence-halfpenny
+    in his pocket, and found his father and mother both in life, though
+    they had never heard from him, nor he from them.  He carried my
+    great-coat and umbrella a few miles.'
+
+                                            '_Fraserburgh_, _July_ 20_th_.
+
+    'Fraserburgh is the same dull place which [Auntie] Mary and Jeannie
+    found it.  As I am travelling along the coast which they are
+    acquainted with, you had better cause Robert bring down the map from
+    Edinburgh; and it will be a good exercise in geography for the young
+    folks to trace my course.  I hope they have entered upon the writing.
+    The library will afford abundance of excellent books, which I wish
+    you would employ a little.  I hope you are doing me the favour to go
+    much out with the boys, which will do you much good and prevent them
+    from getting so very much overheated.'
+
+                        [_To the Boys--Printed_.]
+
+    'When I had last the pleasure of writing to you, your dear little
+    brother James and your sweet little sister Mary were still with us.
+    But it has pleased God to remove them to another and a better world,
+    and we must submit to the will of Providence.  I must, however,
+    request of you to think sometimes upon them, and to be very careful
+    not to do anything that will displease or vex your mother.  It is
+    therefore proper that you do not roamp [Scottish indeed] too much
+    about, and that you learn your lessons.'
+
+    'I went to Fraserburgh and visited Kinnaird Head Lighthouse, which I
+    found in good order.  All this time I travelled upon good roads, and
+    paid many a toll-man by the way; but from Fraserburgh to Banff there
+    is no toll-bars, and the road is so bad that I had to walk up and
+    down many a hill, and for want of bridges the horses had to drag the
+    chaise up to the middle of the wheels in water.  At Banff I saw a
+    large ship of 300 tons lying on the sands upon her beam-ends, and a
+    wreck for want of a good harbour.  Captain Wilson--to whom I beg my
+    compliments--will show you a ship of 300 tons.  At the towns of
+    Macduff, Banff, and Portsoy, many of the houses are built of marble,
+    and the rocks on this part of the coast or sea-side are marble.  But,
+    my dear Boys, unless marble be polished and dressed, it is a very
+    coarse-looking stone, and has no more beauty than common rock.  As a
+    proof of this, ask the favour of your mother to take you to Thomson's
+    Marble Works in South Leith, and you will see marble in all its
+    stages, and perhaps you may there find Portsoy marble!  The use I
+    wish to make of this is to tell you that, without education, a man is
+    just like a block of rough, unpolished marble.  Notice, in proof of
+    this, how much Mr. Neill and Mr. M'Gregor [the tutor] know, and
+    observe how little a man knows who is not a good scholar.  On my way
+    to Fochabers I passed through many thousand acres of Fir timber, and
+    saw many deer running in these woods.'
+
+                            [_To Mrs. Stevenson_.]
+
+                                              '_Inverness_, _July_ 21_st_.
+
+    'I propose going to church in the afternoon, and as I have
+    breakfasted late, I shall afterwards take a walk, and dine about six
+    o'clock.  I do not know who is the clergyman here, but I shall think
+    of you all.  I travelled in the mail-coach [from Banff] almost alone.
+    While it was daylight I kept the top, and the passing along a country
+    I had never before seen was a considerable amusement.  But, my dear,
+    you are all much in my thoughts, and many are the objects which
+    recall the recollection of our tender and engaging children we have
+    so recently lost.  We must not, however, repine.  I could not for a
+    moment wish any change of circumstances in their case; and in every
+    comparative view of their state, I see the Lord's goodness in
+    removing them from an evil world to an abode of bliss; and I must
+    earnestly hope that you may be enabled to take such a view of this
+    affliction as to live in the happy prospect of our all meeting again
+    to part no more--and that under such considerations you are getting
+    up your spirits.  I wish you would walk about, and by all means go to
+    town, and do not sit much at home.'
+
+                                              '_Inverness_, _July_ 23_rd_.
+
+    'I am duly favoured with your much-valued letter, and I am happy to
+    find that you are so much with my mother, because that sort of
+    variety has a tendency to occupy the mind, and to keep it from
+    brooding too much upon one subject.  Sensibility and tenderness are
+    certainly two of the most interesting and pleasing qualities of the
+    mind.  These qualities are also none of the least of the many
+    endearingments of the female character.  But if that kind of sympathy
+    and pleasing melancholy, which is familiar to us under distress, be
+    much indulged, it becomes habitual, and takes such a hold of the mind
+    as to absorb all the other affections, and unfit us for the duties
+    and proper enjoyments of life.  Resignation sinks into a kind of
+    peevish discontent.  I am far, however, from thinking there is the
+    least danger of this in your case, my dear; for you have been on all
+    occasions enabled to look upon the fortunes of this life as under the
+    direction of a higher power, and have always preserved that propriety
+    and consistency of conduct in all circumstances which endears your
+    example to your family in particular, and to your friends.  I am
+    therefore, my dear, for you to go out much, and to go to the house
+    up-stairs [he means to go up-stairs in the house, to visit the place
+    of the dead children], and to put yourself in the way of the visits
+    of your friends.  I wish you would call on the Miss Grays, and it
+    would be a good thing upon a Saturday to dine with my mother, and
+    take Meggy and all the family with you, and let them have their
+    strawberries in town.  The tickets of one of the _old-fashioned
+    coaches_ would take you all up, and if the evening were good, they
+    could all walk down, excepting Meggy and little David.'
+
+                                    '_Inverness_, _July_ 25_th_, 11 _p.m._
+
+    'Captain Wemyss, of Wemyss, has come to Inverness to go the voyage
+    with me, and as we are sleeping in a double-bedded room, I must no
+    longer transgress.  You must remember me the best way you can to the
+    children.'
+
+                       '_On board of the Lighthouse Yacht_, _July_ 29_th_.
+
+    'I got to Cromarty yesterday about mid-day, and went to church.  It
+    happened to be the sacrament there, and I heard a Mr. Smith at that
+    place conclude the service with a very suitable exhortation.  There
+    seemed a great concourse of people, but they had rather an
+    unfortunate day for them at the tent, as it rained a good deal.
+    After drinking tea at the inn, Captain Wemyss accompanied me on
+    board, and we sailed about eight last night.  The wind at present
+    being rather a beating one, I think I shall have an opportunity of
+    standing into the bay of Wick, and leaving this letter to let you
+    know my progress and that I am well.'
+
+                         '_Lighthouse Yacht_, _Stornoway_, _August_ 4_th_.
+
+    'To-day we had prayers on deck as usual when at sea.  I read the 14th
+    chapter, I think, of Job.  Captain Wemyss has been in the habit of
+    doing this on board his own ship, agreeably to the Articles of War.
+    Our passage round the Cape [Cape Wrath] was rather a cross one, and
+    as the wind was northerly, we had a pretty heavy sea, but upon the
+    whole have made a good passage, leaving many vessels behind us in
+    Orkney.  I am quite well, my dear; and Captain Wemyss, who has much
+    spirit, and who is much given to observation, and a perfect
+    enthusiast in his profession, enlivens the voyage greatly.  Let me
+    entreat you to move about much, and take a walk with the boys to
+    Leith.  I think they have still many places to see there, and I wish
+    you would indulge them in this respect.  Mr. Scales is the best
+    person I know for showing them the sailcloth-weaving, etc., and he
+    would have great pleasure in undertaking this.  My dear, I trust soon
+    to be with you, and that through the goodness of God we shall meet
+    all well.'
+
+    'There are two vessels lying here with emigrants for America, each
+    with eighty people on board, at all ages, from a few days to upwards
+    of sixty!  Their prospects must be very forlorn to go with a slender
+    purse for distant and unknown countries.'
+
+                       '_Lighthouse Yacht_, _off Greenock_, _Aug._ 18_th_.
+
+    'It was after _church-time_ before we got here, but we had prayers
+    upon deck on the way up the Clyde.  This has, upon the whole, been a
+    very good voyage, and Captain Wemyss, who enjoys it much, has been an
+    excellent companion; we met with pleasure, and shall part with
+    regret.'
+
+Strange that, after his long experience, my grandfather should have
+learned so little of the attitude and even the dialect of the
+spiritually-minded; that after forty-four years in a most religious
+circle, he could drop without sense of incongruity from a period of
+accepted phrases to 'trust his wife was _getting up her spirits_,' or
+think to reassure her as to the character of Captain Wemyss by mentioning
+that he had read prayers on the deck of his frigate '_agreeably to the
+Articles of War_'!  Yet there is no doubt--and it is one of the most
+agreeable features of the kindly series--that he was doing his best to
+please, and there is little doubt that he succeeded.  Almost all my
+grandfather's private letters have been destroyed.  This correspondence
+has not only been preserved entire, but stitched up in the same covers
+with the works of the godly women, the Reverend John Campbell, and the
+painful Mrs. Ogle.  I did not think to mention the good dame, but she
+comes in usefully as an example.  Amongst the treasures of the ladies of
+my family, her letters have been honoured with a volume to themselves.  I
+read about a half of them myself; then handed over the task to one of
+stauncher resolution, with orders to communicate any fact that should be
+found to illuminate these pages.  Not one was found; it was her only art
+to communicate by post second-rate sermons at second-hand; and such, I
+take it, was the correspondence in which my grandmother delighted.  If I
+am right, that of Robert Stevenson, with his quaint smack of the
+contemporary 'Sandford and Merton,' his interest in the whole page of
+experience, his perpetual quest, and fine scent of all that seems
+romantic to a boy, his needless pomp of language, his excellent good
+sense, his unfeigned, unstained, unwearied human kindliness, would seem
+to her, in a comparison, dry and trivial and worldly.  And if these
+letters were by an exception cherished and preserved, it would be for one
+or both of two reasons--because they dealt with and were bitter-sweet
+reminders of a time of sorrow; or because she was pleased, perhaps
+touched, by the writer's guileless efforts to seem spiritually-minded.
+
+After this date there were two more births and two more deaths, so that
+the number of the family remained unchanged; in all five children
+survived to reach maturity and to outlive their parents.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II: THE SERVICE OF THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
+
+
+I
+
+
+It were hard to imagine a contrast more sharply defined than that between
+the lives of the men and women of this family: the one so chambered, so
+centred in the affections and the sensibilities; the other so active,
+healthy, and expeditious.  From May to November, Thomas Smith and Robert
+Stevenson were on the mail, in the saddle, or at sea; and my grandfather,
+in particular, seems to have been possessed with a demon of activity in
+travel.  In 1802, by direction of the Northern Lighthouse Board, he had
+visited the coast of England from St. Bees, in Cumberland, and round by
+the Scilly Islands to some place undecipherable by me; in all a distance
+of 2500 miles.  In 1806 I find him starting 'on a tour round the south
+coast of England, from the Humber to the Severn.'  Peace was not long
+declared ere he found means to visit Holland, where he was in time to
+see, in the navy-yard at Helvoetsluys, 'about twenty of Bonaparte's
+_English flotilla_ lying in a state of decay, the object of curiosity to
+Englishmen.'  By 1834 he seems to have been acquainted with the coast of
+France from Dieppe to Bordeaux; and a main part of his duty as Engineer
+to the Board of Northern Lights was one round of dangerous and laborious
+travel.
+
+In 1786, when Thomas Smith first received the appointment, the extended
+and formidable coast of Scotland was lighted at a single point--the Isle
+of May, in the jaws of the Firth of Forth, where, on a tower already a
+hundred and fifty years old, an open coal-fire blazed in an iron
+chauffer.  The whole archipelago, thus nightly plunged in darkness, was
+shunned by sea-going vessels, and the favourite courses were north about
+Shetland and west about St. Kilda.  When the Board met, four new lights
+formed the extent of their intentions--Kinnaird Head, in Aberdeenshire,
+at the eastern elbow of the coast; North Ronaldsay, in Orkney, to keep
+the north and guide ships passing to the south'ard of Shetland; Island
+Glass, on Harris, to mark the inner shore of the Hebrides and illuminate
+the navigation of the Minch; and the Mull of Kintyre.  These works were
+to be attempted against obstacles, material and financial, that might
+have staggered the most bold.  Smith had no ship at his command till
+1791; the roads in those outlandish quarters where his business lay were
+scarce passable when they existed, and the tower on the Mull of Kintyre
+stood eleven months unlighted while the apparatus toiled and foundered by
+the way among rocks and mosses.  Not only had towers to be built and
+apparatus transplanted; the supply of oil must be maintained, and the men
+fed, in the same inaccessible and distant scenes; a whole service, with
+its routine and hierarchy, had to be called out of nothing; and a new
+trade (that of lightkeeper) to be taught, recruited, and organised.  The
+funds of the Board were at the first laughably inadequate.  They embarked
+on their career on a loan of twelve hundred pounds, and their income in
+1789, after relief by a fresh Act of Parliament, amounted to less than
+three hundred.  It must be supposed that the thoughts of Thomas Smith, in
+these early years, were sometimes coloured with despair; and since he
+built and lighted one tower after another, and created and bequeathed to
+his successors the elements of an excellent administration, it may be
+conceded that he was not after all an unfortunate choice for a first
+engineer.
+
+War added fresh complications.  In 1794 Smith came 'very near to be
+taken' by a French squadron.  In 1813 Robert Stevenson was cruising about
+the neighbourhood of Cape Wrath in the immediate fear of Commodore
+Rogers.  The men, and especially the sailors, of the lighthouse service
+must be protected by a medal and ticket from the brutal activity of the
+press-gang.  And the zeal of volunteer patriots was at times
+embarrassing.
+
+    'I set off on foot,' writes my grandfather, 'for Marazion, a town at
+    the head of Mount's Bay, where I was in hopes of getting a boat to
+    freight.  I had just got that length, and was making the necessary
+    inquiry, when a young man, accompanied by several idle-looking
+    fellows, came up to me, and in a hasty tone said, "Sir, in the king's
+    name I seize your person and papers."  To which I replied that I
+    should be glad to see his authority, and know the reason of an
+    address so abrupt.  He told me the want of time prevented his taking
+    regular steps, but that it would be necessary for me to return to
+    Penzance, as I was suspected of being a French spy.  I proposed to
+    submit my papers to the nearest Justice of Peace, who was immediately
+    applied to, and came to the inn where I was.  He seemed to be greatly
+    agitated, and quite at a loss how to proceed.  The complaint
+    preferred against me was "that I had examined the Longships
+    Lighthouse with the most minute attention, and was no less particular
+    in my inquiries at the keepers of the lighthouse regarding the sunk
+    rocks lying off the Land's End, with the sets of the currents and
+    tides along the coast: that I seemed particularly to regret the
+    situation of the rocks called the Seven Stones, and the loss of a
+    beacon which the Trinity Board had caused to be fixed on the Wolf
+    Rock; that I had taken notes of the bearings of several sunk rocks,
+    and a drawing of the lighthouse, and of Cape Cornwall.  Further, that
+    I had refused the honour of Lord Edgecombe's invitation to dinner,
+    offering as an apology that I had some particular business on hand."'
+
+My grandfather produced in answer his credentials and letter of credit;
+but the justice, after perusing them, 'very gravely observed that they
+were "musty bits of paper,"' and proposed to maintain the arrest.  Some
+more enlightened magistrates at Penzance relieved him of suspicion and
+left him at liberty to pursue his journey,--'which I did with so much
+eagerness,' he adds, 'that I gave the two coal lights on the Lizard only
+a very transient look.'
+
+Lighthouse operations in Scotland differed essentially in character from
+those in England.  The English coast is in comparison a habitable, homely
+place, well supplied with towns; the Scottish presents hundreds of miles
+of savage islands and desolate moors.  The Parliamentary committee of
+1834, profoundly ignorant of this distinction, insisted with my
+grandfather that the work at the various stations should be let out on
+contract 'in the neighbourhood,' where sheep and deer, and gulls and
+cormorants, and a few ragged gillies, perhaps crouching in a bee-hive
+house, made up the only neighbours.  In such situations repairs and
+improvements could only be overtaken by collecting (as my grandfather
+expressed it) a few 'lads,' placing them under charge of a foreman, and
+despatching them about the coast as occasion served.  The particular
+danger of these seas increased the difficulty.  The course of the
+lighthouse tender lies amid iron-bound coasts, among tide-races, the
+whirlpools of the Pentland Firth, flocks of islands, flocks of reefs,
+many of them uncharted.  The aid of steam was not yet.  At first in
+random coasting sloop, and afterwards in the cutter belonging to the
+service, the engineer must ply and run amongst these multiplied dangers,
+and sometimes late into the stormy autumn.  For pages together my
+grandfather's diary preserves a record of these rude experiences; of hard
+winds and rough seas; and of 'the try-sail and storm-jib, those old
+friends which I never like to see.'  They do not tempt to quotation, but
+it was the man's element, in which he lived, and delighted to live, and
+some specimen must be presented.  On Friday, September 10th, 1830, the
+_Regent_ lying in Lerwick Bay, we have this entry: 'The gale increases,
+with continued rain.'  On the morrow, Saturday, 11th, the weather
+appeared to moderate, and they put to sea, only to be driven by evening
+into Levenswick.  There they lay, 'rolling much,' with both anchors ahead
+and the square yard on deck, till the morning of Saturday, 18th.
+Saturday and Sunday they were plying to the southward with a 'strong
+breeze and a heavy sea,' and on Sunday evening anchored in Otterswick.
+'Monday, 20th, it blows so fresh that we have no communication with the
+shore.  We see Mr. Rome on the beach, but we cannot communicate with him.
+It blows "mere fire," as the sailors express it.'  And for three days
+more the diary goes on with tales of davits unshipped, high seas, strong
+gales from the southward, and the ship driven to refuge in Kirkwall or
+Deer Sound.  I have many a passage before me to transcribe, in which my
+grandfather draws himself as a man of minute and anxious exactitude about
+details.  It must not be forgotten that these voyages in the tender were
+the particular pleasure and reward of his existence; that he had in him a
+reserve of romance which carried him delightedly over these hardships and
+perils; that to him it was 'great gain' to be eight nights and seven days
+in the savage bay of Levenswick--to read a book in the much agitated
+cabin--to go on deck and hear the gale scream in his ears, and see the
+landscape dark with rain and the ship plunge at her two anchors--and to
+turn in at night and wake again at morning, in his narrow berth, to the
+glamorous and continued voices of the gale.
+
+His perils and escapes were beyond counting.  I shall only refer to two:
+the first, because of the impression made upon himself; the second, from
+the incidental picture it presents of the north islanders.  On the 9th
+October 1794 he took passage from Orkney in the sloop _Elizabeth_ of
+Stromness.  She made a fair passage till within view of Kinnaird Head,
+where, as she was becalmed some three miles in the offing, and wind
+seemed to threaten from the south-east, the captain landed him, to
+continue his journey more expeditiously ashore.  A gale immediately
+followed, and the _Elizabeth_ was driven back to Orkney and lost with all
+hands.  The second escape I have been in the habit of hearing related by
+an eye-witness, my own father, from the earliest days of childhood.  On a
+September night, the _Regent_ lay in the Pentland Firth in a fog and a
+violent and windless swell.  It was still dark, when they were alarmed by
+the sound of breakers, and an anchor was immediately let go.  The peep of
+dawn discovered them swinging in desperate proximity to the Isle of Swona
+{54a} and the surf bursting close under their stern.  There was in this
+place a hamlet of the inhabitants, fisher-folk and wreckers; their huts
+stood close about the head of the beach.  All slept; the doors were
+closed, and there was no smoke, and the anxious watchers on board ship
+seemed to contemplate a village of the dead.  It was thought possible to
+launch a boat and tow the _Regent_ from her place of danger; and with
+this view a signal of distress was made and a gun fired with a red-hot
+poker from the galley.  Its detonation awoke the sleepers.  Door after
+door was opened, and in the grey light of the morning fisher after fisher
+was seen to come forth, yawning and stretching himself, nightcap on head.
+Fisher after fisher, I wrote, and my pen tripped; for it should rather
+stand wrecker after wrecker.  There was no emotion, no animation, it
+scarce seemed any interest; not a hand was raised; but all callously
+awaited the harvest of the sea, and their children stood by their side
+and waited also.  To the end of his life, my father remembered that
+amphitheatre of placid spectators on the beach; and with a special and
+natural animosity, the boys of his own age.  But presently a light air
+sprang up, and filled the sails, and fainted, and filled them again; and
+little by little the _Regent_ fetched way against the swell, and clawed
+off shore into the turbulent firth.
+
+The purpose of these voyages was to effect a landing on open beaches or
+among shelving rocks, not for persons only, but for coals and food, and
+the fragile furniture of light-rooms.  It was often impossible.  In 1831
+I find my grandfather 'hovering for a week' about the Pentland Skerries
+for a chance to land; and it was almost always difficult.  Much knack and
+enterprise were early developed among the seamen of the service; their
+management of boats is to this day a matter of admiration; and I find my
+grandfather in his diary depicting the nature of their excellence in one
+happily descriptive phrase, when he remarks that Captain Soutar had
+landed 'the small stores and nine casks of oil _with all the activity of
+a smuggler_.'  And it was one thing to land, another to get on board
+again.  I have here a passage from the diary, where it seems to have been
+touch-and-go.  'I landed at Tarbetness, on the eastern side of the point,
+in a _mere gale or blast of wind_ from west-south-west, at 2 p.m.  It
+blew so fresh that the captain, in a kind of despair, went off to the
+ship, leaving myself and the steward ashore.  While I was in the
+light-room, I felt it shaking and waving, not with the tremor of the Bell
+Rock, but with the _waving of a tree_!  This the light-keepers seemed to
+be quite familiar to, the principal keeper remarking that "it was very
+pleasant," perhaps meaning interesting or curious.  The captain worked
+the vessel into smooth water with admirable dexterity, and I got on board
+again about 6 p.m. from the other side of the point.'  But not even the
+dexterity of Soutar could prevail always; and my grandfather must at
+times have been left in strange berths and with but rude provision.  I
+may instance the case of my father, who was storm-bound three days upon
+an islet, sleeping in the uncemented and unchimneyed houses of the
+islanders, and subsisting on a diet of nettle-soup and lobsters.
+
+The name of Soutar has twice escaped my pen, and I feel I owe him a
+vignette.  Soutar first attracted notice as mate of a praam at the Bell
+Rock, and rose gradually to be captain of the _Regent_.  He was active,
+admirably skilled in his trade, and a man incapable of fear.  Once, in
+London, he fell among a gang of confidence-men, naturally deceived by his
+rusticity and his prodigious accent.  They plied him with drink--a
+hopeless enterprise, for Soutar could not be made drunk; they proposed
+cards, and Soutar would not play.  At last, one of them, regarding him
+with a formidable countenance, inquired if he were not frightened?  'I'm
+no' very easy fleyed,' replied the captain.  And the rooks withdrew after
+some easier pigeon.  So many perils shared, and the partial familiarity
+of so many voyages, had given this man a stronghold in my grandfather's
+estimation; and there is no doubt but he had the art to court and please
+him with much hypocritical skill.  He usually dined on Sundays in the
+cabin.  He used to come down daily after dinner for a glass of port or
+whisky, often in his full rig of sou'-wester, oilskins, and long boots;
+and I have often heard it described how insinuatingly he carried himself
+on these appearances, artfully combining the extreme of deference with a
+blunt and seamanlike demeanour.  My father and uncles, with the devilish
+penetration of the boy, were far from being deceived; and my father,
+indeed, was favoured with an object-lesson not to be mistaken.  He had
+crept one rainy night into an apple-barrel on deck, and from this place
+of ambush overheard Soutar and a comrade conversing in their oilskins.
+The smooth sycophant of the cabin had wholly disappeared, and the boy
+listened with wonder to a vulgar and truculent ruffian.  Of Soutar, I may
+say _tantum vidi_, having met him in the Leith docks now more than thirty
+years ago, when he abounded in the praises of my grandfather, encouraged
+me (in the most admirable manner) to pursue his footprints, and left
+impressed for ever on my memory the image of his own Bardolphian nose.
+He died not long after.
+
+The engineer was not only exposed to the hazards of the sea; he must
+often ford his way by land to remote and scarce accessible places, beyond
+reach of the mail or the post-chaise, beyond even the tracery of the
+bridle-path, and guided by natives across bog and heather.  Up to 1807 my
+grand-father seems to have travelled much on horseback; but he then gave
+up the idea--'such,' he writes with characteristic emphasis and capital
+letters, 'is the Plague of Baiting.'  He was a good pedestrian; at the
+age of fifty-eight I find him covering seventeen miles over the moors of
+the Mackay country in less than seven hours, and that is not bad
+travelling for a scramble.  The piece of country traversed was already a
+familiar track, being that between Loch Eriboll and Cape Wrath; and I
+think I can scarce do better than reproduce from the diary some traits of
+his first visit.  The tender lay in Loch Eriboll; by five in the morning
+they sat down to breakfast on board; by six they were ashore--my
+grandfather, Mr. Slight an assistant, and Soutar of the jolly nose, and
+had been taken in charge by two young gentlemen of the neighbourhood and
+a pair of gillies.  About noon they reached the Kyle of Durness and
+passed the ferry.  By half-past three they were at Cape Wrath--not yet
+known by the emphatic abbreviation of 'The Cape'--and beheld upon all
+sides of them unfrequented shores, an expanse of desert moor, and the
+high-piled Western Ocean.  The site of the tower was chosen.  Perhaps it
+is by inheritance of blood, but I know few things more inspiriting than
+this location of a lighthouse in a designated space of heather and air,
+through which the sea-birds are still flying.  By 9 p.m. the return
+journey had brought them again to the shores of the Kyle.  The night was
+dirty, and as the sea was high and the ferry-boat small, Soutar and Mr.
+Stevenson were left on the far side, while the rest of the party embarked
+and were received into the darkness.  They made, in fact, a safe though
+an alarming passage; but the ferryman refused to repeat the adventure;
+and my grand-father and the captain long paced the beach, impatient for
+their turn to pass, and tormented with rising anxiety as to the fate of
+their companions.  At length they sought the shelter of a shepherd's
+house.  'We had miserable up-putting,' the diary continues, 'and on both
+sides of the ferry much anxiety of mind.  Our beds were clean straw, and
+but for the circumstance of the boat, I should have slept as soundly as
+ever I did after a walk through moss and mire of sixteen hours.'
+
+To go round the lights, even to-day, is to visit past centuries.  The
+tide of tourists that flows yearly in Scotland, vulgarising all where it
+approaches, is still defined by certain barriers.  It will be long ere
+there is a hotel at Sumburgh or a hydropathic at Cape Wrath; it will be
+long ere any _char-a-banc_, laden with tourists, shall drive up to Barra
+Head or Monach, the Island of the Monks.  They are farther from London
+than St. Petersburg, and except for the towers, sounding and shining all
+night with fog-bells and the radiance of the light-room, glittering by
+day with the trivial brightness of white paint, these island and moorland
+stations seem inaccessible to the civilisation of to-day, and even to the
+end of my grandfather's career the isolation was far greater.  There ran
+no post at all in the Long Island; from the light-house on Barra Head a
+boat must be sent for letters as far as Tobermory, between sixty and
+seventy miles of open sea; and the posts of Shetland, which had surprised
+Sir Walter Scott in 1814, were still unimproved in 1833, when my
+grandfather reported on the subject.  The group contained at the time a
+population of 30,000 souls, and enjoyed a trade which had increased in
+twenty years seven-fold, to between three and four thousand tons.  Yet
+the mails were despatched and received by chance coasting vessels at the
+rate of a penny a letter; six and eight weeks often elapsed between
+opportunities, and when a mail was to be made up, sometimes at a moment's
+notice, the bellman was sent hastily through the streets of Lerwick.
+Between Shetland and Orkney, only seventy miles apart, there was 'no
+trade communication whatever.'
+
+Such was the state of affairs, only sixty years ago, with the three
+largest clusters of the Scottish Archipelago; and forty-seven years
+earlier, when Thomas Smith began his rounds, or forty-two, when Robert
+Stevenson became conjoined with him in these excursions, the barbarism
+was deep, the people sunk in superstition, the circumstances of their
+life perhaps unique in history.  Lerwick and Kirkwall, like Guam or the
+Bay of Islands, were but barbarous ports where whalers called to take up
+and to return experienced seamen.  On the outlying islands the clergy
+lived isolated, thinking other thoughts, dwelling in a different country
+from their parishioners, like missionaries in the South Seas.  My
+grandfather's unrivalled treasury of anecdote was never written down; it
+embellished his talk while he yet was, and died with him when he died;
+and such as have been preserved relate principally to the islands of
+Ronaldsay and Sanday, two of the Orkney group.  These bordered on one of
+the water-highways of civilisation; a great fleet passed annually in
+their view, and of the shipwrecks of the world they were the scene and
+cause of a proportion wholly incommensurable to their size.  In one year,
+1798, my grandfather found the remains of no fewer than five vessels on
+the isle of Sanday, which is scarcely twelve miles long.
+
+    'Hardly a year passed,' he writes, 'without instances of this kind;
+    for, owing to the projecting points of this strangely formed island,
+    the lowness and whiteness of its eastern shores, and the wonderful
+    manner in which the scanty patches of land are intersected with lakes
+    and pools of water, it becomes, even in daylight, a deception, and
+    has often been fatally mistaken for an open sea.  It had even become
+    proverbial with some of the inhabitants to observe that "if wrecks
+    were to happen, they might as well be sent to the poor isle of Sanday
+    as anywhere else."  On this and the neighbouring islands the
+    inhabitants had certainly had their share of wrecked goods, for the
+    eye is presented with these melancholy remains in almost every form.
+    For example, although quarries are to be met with generally in these
+    islands, and the stones are very suitable for building dykes
+    (_Anglice_, walls), yet instances occur of the land being enclosed,
+    even to a considerable extent, with ship-timbers.  The author has
+    actually seen a park (_Anglice_, meadow) paled round chiefly with
+    cedar-wood and mahogany from the wreck of a Honduras-built ship; and
+    in one island, after the wreck of a ship laden with wine, the
+    inhabitants have been known to take claret to their barley-meal
+    porridge.  On complaining to one of the pilots of the badness of his
+    boat's sails, he replied to the author with some degree of
+    pleasantry, "Had it been His will that you came na' here wi' your
+    lights, we might 'a' had better sails to our boats, and more o' other
+    things."  It may further be mentioned that when some of Lord Dundas's
+    farms are to be let in these islands a competition takes place for
+    the lease, and it is _bona fide_ understood that a much higher rent
+    is paid than the lands would otherwise give were it not for the
+    chance of making considerably by the agency and advantages attending
+    shipwrecks on the shores of the respective farms.'
+
+The people of North Ronaldsay still spoke Norse, or, rather, mixed it
+with their English.  The walls of their huts were built to a great
+thickness of rounded stones from the sea-beach; the roof flagged, loaded
+with earth, and perforated by a single hole for the escape of smoke.  The
+grass grew beautifully green on the flat house-top, where the family
+would assemble with their dogs and cats, as on a pastoral lawn; there
+were no windows, and in my grandfather's expression, 'there was really no
+demonstration of a house unless it were the diminutive door.'  He once
+landed on Ronaldsay with two friends.  The inhabitants crowded and
+pressed so much upon the strangers that the bailiff, or resident factor
+of the island, blew with his ox-horn, calling out to the natives to stand
+off and let the gentlemen come forward to the laird; upon which one of
+the islanders, as spokesman, called out, "God ha'e us, man! thou needsna
+mak' sic a noise.  It's no' every day we ha'e _three hatted men_ on our
+isle."'  When the Surveyor of Taxes came (for the first time, perhaps) to
+Sanday, and began in the King's name to complain of the unconscionable
+swarms of dogs, and to menace the inhabitants with taxation, it chanced
+that my grandfather and his friend, Dr. Patrick Neill, were received by
+an old lady in a Ronaldsay hut.  Her hut, which was similar to the model
+described, stood on a Ness, or point of land jutting into the sea.  They
+were made welcome in the firelit cellar, placed 'in _casey_ or
+straw-worked chairs, after the Norwegian fashion, with arms, and a canopy
+overhead,' and given milk in a wooden dish.  These hospitalities attended
+to, the old lady turned at once to Dr. Neill, whom she took for the
+Surveyor of Taxes.  'Sir,' said she, 'gin ye'll tell the King that I
+canna keep the Ness free o' the Bangers (sheep) without twa hun's, and
+twa guid hun's too, he'll pass me threa the tax on dugs.'
+
+This familiar confidence, these traits of engaging simplicity, are
+characters of a secluded people.  Mankind--and, above all,
+islanders--come very swiftly to a bearing, and find very readily, upon
+one convention or another, a tolerable corporate life.  The danger is to
+those from without, who have not grown up from childhood in the islands,
+but appear suddenly in that narrow horizon, life-sized apparitions.  For
+these no bond of humanity exists, no feeling of kinship is awakened by
+their peril; they will assist at a shipwreck, like the fisher-folk of
+Lunga, as spectators, and when the fatal scene is over, and the beach
+strewn with dead bodies, they will fence their fields with mahogany, and,
+after a decent grace, sup claret to their porridge.  It is not
+wickedness: it is scarce evil; it is only, in its highest power, the
+sense of isolation and the wise disinterestedness of feeble and poor
+races.  Think how many viking ships had sailed by these islands in the
+past, how many vikings had landed, and raised turmoil, and broken up the
+barrows of the dead, and carried off the wines of the living; and blame
+them, if you are able, for that belief (which may be called one of the
+parables of the devil's gospel) that a man rescued from the sea will
+prove the bane of his deliverer.  It might be thought that my
+grandfather, coming there unknown, and upon an employment so hateful to
+the inhabitants, must have run the hazard of his life.  But this were to
+misunderstand.  He came franked by the laird and the clergyman; he was
+the King's officer; the work was 'opened with prayer by the Rev. Walter
+Trail, minister of the parish'; God and the King had decided it, and the
+people of these pious islands bowed their heads.  There landed, indeed,
+in North Ronaldsay, during the last decade of the eighteenth century, a
+traveller whose life seems really to have been imperilled.  A very little
+man of a swarthy complexion, he came ashore, exhausted and unshaved, from
+a long boat passage, and lay down to sleep in the home of the parish
+schoolmaster.  But he had been seen landing.  The inhabitants had
+identified him for a Pict, as, by some singular confusion of name, they
+called the dark and dwarfish aboriginal people of the land.  Immediately
+the obscure ferment of a race-hatred, grown into a superstition, began to
+work in their bosoms, and they crowded about the house and the room-door
+with fearful whisperings.  For some time the schoolmaster held them at
+bay, and at last despatched a messenger to call my grand-father.  He
+came: he found the islanders beside themselves at this unwelcome
+resurrection of the dead and the detested; he was shown, as adminicular
+of testimony, the traveller's uncouth and thick-soled boots; he argued,
+and finding argument unavailing, consented to enter the room and examine
+with his own eyes the sleeping Pict.  One glance was sufficient: the man
+was now a missionary, but he had been before that an Edinburgh shopkeeper
+with whom my grandfather had dealt.  He came forth again with this
+report, and the folk of the island, wholly relieved, dispersed to their
+own houses.  They were timid as sheep and ignorant as limpets; that was
+all.  But the Lord deliver us from the tender mercies of a frightened
+flock!
+
+I will give two more instances of their superstition.  When Sir Walter
+Scott visited the Stones of Stennis, my grandfather put in his pocket a
+hundred-foot line, which he unfortunately lost.
+
+    'Some years afterwards,' he writes, 'one of my assistants on a visit
+    to the Stones of Stennis took shelter from a storm in a cottage close
+    by the lake; and seeing a box-measuring-line in the bole or sole of
+    the cottage window, he asked the woman where she got this well-known
+    professional appendage.  She said: "O sir, ane of the bairns fand it
+    lang syne at the Stanes; and when drawing it out we took fright, and
+    thinking it had belanged to the fairies, we threw it into the bole,
+    and it has layen there ever since."'
+
+This is for the one; the last shall be a sketch by the master hand of
+Scott himself:
+
+    'At the village of Stromness, on the Orkney main island, called
+    Pomona, lived, in 1814, an aged dame called Bessie Millie, who helped
+    out her subsistence by selling favourable winds to mariners.  He was
+    a venturous master of a vessel who left the roadstead of Stromness
+    without paying his offering to propitiate Bessie Millie!  Her fee was
+    extremely moderate, being exactly sixpence, for which she boiled her
+    kettle and gave the bark the advantage of her prayers, for she
+    disclaimed all unlawful acts.  The wind thus petitioned for was sure,
+    she said, to arrive, though occasionally the mariners had to wait
+    some time for it.  The woman's dwelling and appearance were not
+    unbecoming her pretensions.  Her house, which was on the brow of the
+    steep hill on which Stromness is founded, was only accessible by a
+    series of dirty and precipitous lanes, and for exposure might have
+    been the abode of Eolus himself, in whose commodities the inhabitant
+    dealt.  She herself was, as she told us, nearly one hundred years
+    old, withered and dried up like a mummy.  A clay-coloured kerchief,
+    folded round her neck, corresponded in colour to her corpse-like
+    complexion.  Two light blue eyes that gleamed with a lustre like that
+    of insanity, an utterance of astonishing rapidity, a nose and chin
+    that almost met together, and a ghastly expression of cunning, gave
+    her the effect of Hecate.  Such was Bessie Millie, to whom the
+    mariners paid a sort of tribute with a feeling between jest and
+    earnest.'
+
+
+
+II
+
+
+From about the beginning of the century up to 1807 Robert Stevenson was
+in partnership with Thomas Smith.  In the last-named year the partnership
+was dissolved; Thomas Smith returning to his business, and my grandfather
+becoming sole engineer to the Board of Northern Lights.
+
+I must try, by excerpts from his diary and correspondence, to convey to
+the reader some idea of the ardency and thoroughness with which he threw
+himself into the largest and least of his multifarious engagements in
+this service.  But first I must say a word or two upon the life of
+lightkeepers, and the temptations to which they are more particularly
+exposed.  The lightkeeper occupies a position apart among men.  In
+sea-towers the complement has always been three since the deplorable
+business in the Eddystone, when one keeper died, and the survivor,
+signalling in vain for relief, was compelled to live for days with the
+dead body.  These usually pass their time by the pleasant human expedient
+of quarrelling; and sometimes, I am assured, not one of the three is on
+speaking terms with any other.  On shore stations, which on the Scottish
+coast are sometimes hardly less isolated, the usual number is two, a
+principal and an assistant.  The principal is dissatisfied with the
+assistant, or perhaps the assistant keeps pigeons, and the principal
+wants the water from the roof.  Their wives and families are with them,
+living cheek by jowl.  The children quarrel; Jockie hits Jimsie in the
+eye, and the mothers make haste to mingle in the dissension.  Perhaps
+there is trouble about a broken dish; perhaps Mrs. Assistant is more
+highly born than Mrs. Principal and gives herself airs; and the men are
+drawn in and the servants presently follow.  'Church privileges have been
+denied the keeper's and the assistant's servants,' I read in one case,
+and the eminently Scots periphrasis means neither more nor less than
+excommunication, 'on account of the discordant and quarrelsome state of
+the families.  The cause, when inquired into, proves to be
+_tittle_-_tattle_ on both sides.'  The tender comes round; the foremen
+and artificers go from station to station; the gossip flies through the
+whole system of the service, and the stories, disfigured and exaggerated,
+return to their own birthplace with the returning tender.  The English
+Board was apparently shocked by the picture of these dissensions.  'When
+the Trinity House can,' I find my grandfather writing at Beachy Head, in
+1834, 'they do not appoint two keepers, they disagree so ill.  A man who
+has a family is assisted by his family; and in this way, to my experience
+and present observation, the business is very much neglected.  One keeper
+is, in my view, a bad system.  This day's visit to an English lighthouse
+convinces me of this, as the lightkeeper was walking on a staff with the
+gout, and the business performed by one of his daughters, a girl of
+thirteen or fourteen years of age.'  This man received a hundred a year!
+It shows a different reading of human nature, perhaps typical of Scotland
+and England, that I find in my grandfather's diary the following pregnant
+entry: '_The lightkeepers_, _agreeing ill_, _keep one another to their
+duty_.'  But the Scottish system was not alone founded on this cynical
+opinion.  The dignity and the comfort of the northern lightkeeper were
+both attended to.  He had a uniform to 'raise him in his own estimation,
+and in that of his neighbour, which is of consequence to a person of
+trust.  The keepers,' my grandfather goes on, in another place, 'are
+attended to in all the detail of accommodation in the best style as
+shipmasters; and this is believed to have a sensible effect upon their
+conduct, and to regulate their general habits as members of society.'  He
+notes, with the same dip of ink, that 'the brasses were not clean, and
+the persons of the keepers not _trig'_; and thus we find him writing to a
+culprit: 'I have to complain that you are not cleanly in your person, and
+that your manner of speech is ungentle, and rather inclines to rudeness.
+You must therefore take a different view of your duties as a
+lightkeeper.'  A high ideal for the service appears in these expressions,
+and will be more amply illustrated further on.  But even the Scottish
+lightkeeper was frail.  During the unbroken solitude of the winter
+months, when inspection is scarce possible, it must seem a vain toil to
+polish the brass hand-rail of the stair, or to keep an unrewarded vigil
+in the light-room; and the keepers are habitually tempted to the
+beginnings of sloth, and must unremittingly resist.  He who temporises
+with his conscience is already lost.  I must tell here an anecdote that
+illustrates the difficulties of inspection.  In the days of my uncle
+David and my father there was a station which they regarded with
+jealousy.  The two engineers compared notes and were agreed.  The tower
+was always clean, but seemed always to bear traces of a hasty cleansing,
+as though the keepers had been suddenly forewarned.  On inquiry, it
+proved that such was the case, and that a wandering fiddler was the
+unfailing harbinger of the engineer.  At last my father was storm-stayed
+one Sunday in a port at the other side of the island.  The visit was
+quite overdue, and as he walked across upon the Monday morning he
+promised himself that he should at last take the keepers unprepared.
+They were both waiting for him in uniform at the gate; the fiddler had
+been there on Saturday!
+
+My grandfather, as will appear from the following extracts, was much a
+martinet, and had a habit of expressing himself on paper with an almost
+startling emphasis.  Personally, with his powerful voice, sanguine
+countenance, and eccentric and original locutions, he was well qualified
+to inspire a salutary terror in the service.
+
+    'I find that the keepers have, by some means or another, got into the
+    way of cleaning too much with rotten-stone and oil.  I take the
+    principal keeper to _task_ on this subject, and make him bring a
+    clean towel and clean one of the brazen frames, which leaves the
+    towel in an odious state.  This towel I put up in a sheet of paper,
+    seal, and take with me to confront Mr. Murdoch, who has just left the
+    station.'  'This letter'--a stern enumeration of complaints--'to lie
+    a week on the light-room book-place, and to be put in the Inspector's
+    hands when he comes round.'  'It is the most painful thing that can
+    occur for me to have a correspondence of this kind with any of the
+    keepers; and when I come to the Lighthouse, instead of having the
+    satisfaction to meet them with approbation, it is distressing when
+    one is obliged to put on a most angry countenance and demeanour; but
+    from such culpable negligence as you have shown there is no avoiding
+    it.  I hold it as a fixed maxim that, when a man or a family put on a
+    slovenly appearance in their houses, stairs, and lanterns, I always
+    find their reflectors, burners, windows, and light in general, ill
+    attended to; and, therefore, I must insist on cleanliness
+    throughout.'  'I find you very deficient in the duty of the high
+    tower.  You thus place your appointment as Principal Keeper in
+    jeopardy; and I think it necessary, as an old servant of the Board,
+    to put you upon your guard once for all at this time.  I call upon
+    you to recollect what was formerly and is now said to you.  The state
+    of the backs of the reflectors at the high tower was disgraceful, as
+    I pointed out to you on the spot.  They were as if spitten upon, and
+    greasy finger-marks upon the back straps.  I demand an explanation of
+    this state of things.'  'The cause of the Commissioners dismissing
+    you is expressed in the minute; and it must be a matter of regret to
+    you that you have been so much engaged in smuggling, and also that
+    the Reports relative to the cleanliness of the Lighthouse, upon being
+    referred to, rather added to their unfavourable opinion.'  'I do not
+    go into the dwelling-house, but severely chide the lightkeepers for
+    the disagreement that seems to subsist among them.'  'The families of
+    the two lightkeepers here agree very ill.  I have effected a
+    reconciliation for the present.'  'Things are in a very _humdrum_
+    state here.  There is no painting, and in and out of doors no taste
+    or tidiness displayed.  Robert's wife _greets_ and M'Gregor's scolds;
+    and Robert is so down-hearted that he says he is unfit for duty.  I
+    told him that if he was to mind wives' quarrels, and to take them up,
+    the only way was for him and M'Gregor to go down to the point like
+    Sir G. Grant and Lord Somerset.'  'I cannot say that I have
+    experienced a more unpleasant meeting than that of the lighthouse
+    folks this morning, or ever saw a stronger example of unfeeling
+    barbarity than the conduct which the ---s exhibited.  These two
+    cold-hearted persons, not contented with having driven the daughter
+    of the poor nervous woman from her father's house, _both_ kept
+    _pouncing_ at her, lest she should forget her great misfortune.
+    Write me of their conduct.  Do not make any communication of the
+    state of these families at Kinnaird Head, as this would be like
+    _Tale-bearing_.'
+
+There is the great word out.  Tales and Tale-bearing, always with the
+emphatic capitals, run continually in his correspondence.  I will give
+but two instances:--
+
+    'Write to David [one of the lightkeepers] and caution him to be more
+    prudent how he expresses himself.  Let him attend his duty to the
+    Lighthouse and his family concerns, and give less heed to
+    Tale-bearers.'  'I have not your last letter at hand to quote its
+    date; but, if I recollect, it contains some kind of tales, which
+    nonsense I wish you would lay aside, and notice only the concerns of
+    your family and the important charge committed to you.'
+
+Apparently, however, my grandfather was not himself inaccessible to the
+Tale-bearer, as the following indicates:
+
+    'In walking along with Mr. --- , I explain to him that I should be
+    under the necessity of looking more closely into the business here
+    from his conduct at Buddonness, which had given an instance of
+    weakness in the Moral principle which had staggered my opinion of
+    him.  His answer was, "That will be with regard to the lass?"  I told
+    him I was to enter no farther with him upon the subject.'  'Mr.
+    Miller appears to be master and man.  I am sorry about this foolish
+    fellow.  Had I known his train, I should not, as I did, have rather
+    forced him into the service.  Upon finding the windows in the state
+    they were, I turned upon Mr. Watt, and especially upon Mr. Stewart.
+    The latter did not appear for a length of time to have visited the
+    light-room.  On asking the cause--did Mr. Watt and him (_sic_)
+    disagree; he said no; but he had got very bad usage from the
+    assistant, "who was a very obstreperous man."  I could not bring Mr.
+    Watt to put in language his objections to Miller; all I could get was
+    that, he being your friend, and saying he was unwell, he did not like
+    to complain or to push the man; that the man seemed to have no liking
+    to anything like work; that he was unruly; that, being an educated
+    man, he despised them.  I was, however, determined to have out of
+    these _unwilling_ witnesses the language alluded to.  I fixed upon
+    Mr. Stewart as chief; he hedged.  My curiosity increased, and I
+    urged.  Then he said, "What would I think, just exactly, of Mr. Watt
+    being called an Old B-?"  You may judge of my surprise.  There was
+    not another word uttered.  This was quite enough, as coming from a
+    person I should have calculated upon quite different behaviour from.
+    It spoke a volume of the man's mind and want of principle.'  'Object
+    to the keeper keeping a Bull-Terrier dog of ferocious appearance.  It
+    is dangerous, as we land at all times of the night.'  'Have only to
+    complain of the storehouse floor being spotted with oil.  Give orders
+    for this being instantly rectified, so that on my return to-morrow I
+    may see things in good order.'  'The furniture of both houses wants
+    much rubbing.  Mrs. ---'s carpets are absurd beyond anything I have
+    seen.  I want her to turn the fenders up with the bottom to the
+    fireplace: the carpets, when not likely to be in use, folded up and
+    laid as a hearthrug partly under the fender.'
+
+My grandfather was king in the service to his finger-tips.  All should go
+in his way, from the principal lightkeeper's coat to the assistant's
+fender, from the gravel in the garden-walks to the bad smell in the
+kitchen, or the oil-spots on the store-room floor.  It might be thought
+there was nothing more calculated to awake men's resentment, and yet his
+rule was not more thorough than it was beneficent.  His thought for the
+keepers was continual, and it did not end with their lives.  He tried to
+manage their successions; he thought no pains too great to arrange
+between a widow and a son who had succeeded his father; he was often
+harassed and perplexed by tales of hardship; and I find him writing,
+almost in despair, of their improvident habits and the destitution that
+awaited their families upon a death.  'The house being completely
+furnished, they come into possession without necessaries, and they go out
+NAKED.  The insurance seems to have failed, and what next is to be
+tried?'  While they lived he wrote behind their backs to arrange for the
+education of their children, or to get them other situations if they
+seemed unsuitable for the Northern Lights.  When he was at a lighthouse
+on a Sunday he held prayers and heard the children read.  When a keeper
+was sick, he lent him his horse and sent him mutton and brandy from the
+ship.  'The assistant's wife having been this morning confined, there was
+sent ashore a bottle of sherry and a few rusks--a practice which I have
+always observed in this service,' he writes.  They dwelt, many of them,
+in uninhabited isles or desert forelands, totally cut off from shops.
+Many of them were, besides, fallen into a rustic dishabitude of life, so
+that even when they visited a city they could scarce be trusted with
+their own affairs, as (for example) he who carried home to his children,
+thinking they were oranges, a bag of lemons.  And my grandfather seems to
+have acted, at least in his early years, as a kind of gratuitous agent
+for the service.  Thus I find him writing to a keeper in 1806, when his
+mind was already preoccupied with arrangements for the Bell Rock: 'I am
+much afraid I stand very unfavourably with you as a man of promise, as I
+was to send several things of which I believe I have more than once got
+the memorandum.  All I can say is that in this respect you are not
+singular.  This makes me no better; but really I have been driven about
+beyond all example in my past experience, and have been essentially
+obliged to neglect my own urgent affairs.'  No servant of the Northern
+Lights came to Edinburgh but he was entertained at Baxter's Place to
+breakfast.  There, at his own table, my grandfather sat down delightedly
+with his broad-spoken, homespun officers.  His whole relation to the
+service was, in fact, patriarchal; and I believe I may say that
+throughout its ranks he was adored.  I have spoken with many who knew
+him; I was his grandson, and their words may have very well been words of
+flattery; but there was one thing that could not be affected, and that
+was the look and light that came into their faces at the name of Robert
+Stevenson.
+
+In the early part of the century the foreman builder was a young man of
+the name of George Peebles, a native of Anstruther.  My grandfather had
+placed in him a very high degree of confidence, and he was already
+designated to be foreman at the Bell Rock, when, on Christmas-day 1806,
+on his way home from Orkney, he was lost in the schooner _Traveller_.
+The tale of the loss of the _Traveller_ is almost a replica of that of
+the _Elizabeth_ of Stromness; like the _Elizabeth_ she came as far as
+Kinnaird Head, was then surprised by a storm, driven back to Orkney, and
+bilged and sank on the island of Flotta.  It seems it was about the dusk
+of the day when the ship struck, and many of the crew and passengers were
+drowned.  About the same hour, my grandfather was in his office at the
+writing-table; and the room beginning to darken, he laid down his pen and
+fell asleep.  In a dream he saw the door open and George Peebles come in,
+'reeling to and fro, and staggering like a drunken man,' with water
+streaming from his head and body to the floor.  There it gathered into a
+wave which, sweeping forward, submerged my grandfather.  Well, no matter
+how deep; versions vary; and at last he awoke, and behold it was a dream!
+But it may be conceived how profoundly the impression was written even on
+the mind of a man averse from such ideas, when the news came of the wreck
+on Flotta and the death of George.
+
+George's vouchers and accounts had perished with himself; and it appeared
+he was in debt to the Commissioners.  But my grandfather wrote to Orkney
+twice, collected evidence of his disbursements, and proved him to be
+seventy pounds ahead.  With this sum, he applied to George's brothers,
+and had it apportioned between their mother and themselves.  He
+approached the Board and got an annuity of 5 pounds bestowed on the widow
+Peebles; and we find him writing her a long letter of explanation and
+advice, and pressing on her the duty of making a will.  That he should
+thus act executor was no singular instance.  But besides this we are able
+to assist at some of the stages of a rather touching experiment; no less
+than an attempt to secure Charles Peebles heir to George's favour.  He is
+despatched, under the character of 'a fine young man'; recommended to
+gentlemen for 'advice, as he's a stranger in your place, and indeed to
+this kind of charge, this being his first outset as Foreman'; and for a
+long while after, the letter-book, in the midst of that thrilling first
+year of the Bell Rock, is encumbered with pages of instruction and
+encouragement.  The nature of a bill, and the precautions that are to be
+observed about discounting it, are expounded at length and with
+clearness.  'You are not, I hope, neglecting, Charles, to work the
+harbour at spring-tides; and see that you pay the greatest attention to
+get the well so as to supply the keeper with water, for he is a very
+helpless fellow, and so unfond of hard work that I fear he could do ill
+to keep himself in water by going to the other side for it.'--'With
+regard to spirits, Charles, I see very little occasion for it.'  These
+abrupt apostrophes sound to me like the voice of an awakened conscience;
+but they would seem to have reverberated in vain in the ears of Charles.
+There was trouble in Pladda, his scene of operations; his men ran away
+from him, there was at least a talk of calling in the Sheriff.  'I fear,'
+writes my grandfather, 'you have been too indulgent, and I am sorry to
+add that men do not answer to be too well treated, a circumstance which I
+have experienced, and which you will learn as you go on in business.'  I
+wonder, was not Charles Peebles himself a case in point?  Either death,
+at least, or disappointment and discharge, must have ended his service in
+the Northern Lights; and in later correspondence I look in vain for any
+mention of his name--Charles, I mean, not Peebles: for as late as 1839 my
+grandfather is patiently writing to another of the family: 'I am sorry
+you took the trouble of applying to me about your son, as it lies quite
+out of my way to forward his views in the line of his profession as a
+Draper.'
+
+
+
+III
+
+
+A professional life of Robert Stevenson has been already given to the
+world by his son David, and to that I would refer those interested in
+such matters.  But my own design, which is to represent the man, would be
+very ill carried out if I suffered myself or my reader to forget that he
+was, first of all and last of all, an engineer.  His chief claim to the
+style of a mechanical inventor is on account of the Jib or Balance Crane
+of the Bell Rock, which are beautiful contrivances.  But the great merit
+of this engineer was not in the field of engines.  He was above all
+things a projector of works in the face of nature, and a modifier of
+nature itself.  A road to be made, a tower to be built, a harbour to be
+constructed, a river to be trained and guided in its channel--these were
+the problems with which his mind was continually occupied; and for these
+and similar ends he travelled the world for more than half a century,
+like an artist, note-book in hand.
+
+He once stood and looked on at the emptying of a certain oil-tube; he did
+so watch in hand, and accurately timed the operation; and in so doing
+offered the perfect type of his profession.  The fact acquired might
+never be of use: it was acquired: another link in the world's huge chain
+of processes was brought down to figures and placed at the service of the
+engineer.  'The very term mensuration sounds _engineer-like_,' I find him
+writing; and in truth what the engineer most properly deals with is that
+which can be measured, weighed, and numbered.  The time of any operation
+in hours and minutes, its cost in pounds, shillings, and pence, the
+strain upon a given point in foot-pounds--these are his conquests, with
+which he must continually furnish his mind, and which, after he has
+acquired them, he must continually apply and exercise.  They must be not
+only entries in note-books, to be hurriedly consulted; in the actor's
+phrase, he must be _stale_ in them; in a word of my grandfather's, they
+must be 'fixed in the mind like the ten fingers and ten toes.'
+
+These are the certainties of the engineer; so far he finds a solid
+footing and clear views.  But the province of formulas and constants is
+restricted.  Even the mechanical engineer comes at last to an end of his
+figures, and must stand up, a practical man, face to face with the
+discrepancies of nature and the hiatuses of theory.  After the machine is
+finished, and the steam turned on, the next is to drive it; and
+experience and an exquisite sympathy must teach him where a weight should
+be applied or a nut loosened.  With the civil engineer, more properly so
+called (if anything can be proper with this awkward coinage), the
+obligation starts with the beginning.  He is always the practical man.
+The rains, the winds and the waves, the complexity and the fitfulness of
+nature, are always before him.  He has to deal with the unpredictable,
+with those forces (in Smeaton's phrase) that 'are subject to no
+calculation'; and still he must predict, still calculate them, at his
+peril.  His work is not yet in being, and he must foresee its influence:
+how it shall deflect the tide, exaggerate the waves, dam back the
+rain-water, or attract the thunderbolt.  He visits a piece of sea-board;
+and from the inclination and soil of the beach, from the weeds and
+shell-fish, from the configuration of the coast and the depth of
+soundings outside, he must deduce what magnitude of waves is to be looked
+for.  He visits a river, its summer water babbling on shallows; and he
+must not only read, in a thousand indications, the measure of winter
+freshets, but be able to predict the violence of occasional great floods.
+Nay, and more; he must not only consider that which is, but that which
+may be.  Thus I find my grandfather writing, in a report on the North Esk
+Bridge: 'A less waterway might have sufficed, but the _valleys may come
+to be meliorated by drainage_.'  One field drained after another through
+all that confluence of vales, and we come to a time when they shall
+precipitate by so much a more copious and transient flood, as the gush of
+the flowing drain-pipe is superior to the leakage of a peat.
+
+It is plain there is here but a restricted use for formulas.  In this
+sort of practice, the engineer has need of some transcendental sense.
+Smeaton, the pioneer, bade him obey his 'feelings'; my father, that
+'power of estimating obscure forces which supplies a coefficient of its
+own to every rule.'  The rules must be everywhere indeed; but they must
+everywhere be modified by this transcendental coefficient, everywhere
+bent to the impression of the trained eye and the _feelings_ of the
+engineer.  A sentiment of physical laws and of the scale of nature, which
+shall have been strong in the beginning and progressively fortified by
+observation, must be his guide in the last recourse.  I had the most
+opportunity to observe my father.  He would pass hours on the beach,
+brooding over the waves, counting them, noting their least deflection,
+noting when they broke.  On Tweedside, or by Lyne or Manor, we have spent
+together whole afternoons; to me, at the time, extremely wearisome; to
+him, as I am now sorry to think, bitterly mortifying.  The river was to
+me a pretty and various spectacle; I could not see--I could not be made
+to see--it otherwise.  To my father it was a chequer-board of lively
+forces, which he traced from pool to shallow with minute appreciation and
+enduring interest.  'That bank was being under-cut,' he might say.  'Why?
+Suppose you were to put a groin out here, would not the _filum fluminis_
+be cast abruptly off across the channel? and where would it impinge upon
+the other shore? and what would be the result?  Or suppose you were to
+blast that boulder, what would happen?  Follow it--use the eyes God has
+given you--can you not see that a great deal of land would be reclaimed
+upon this side?'  It was to me like school in holidays; but to him, until
+I had worn him out with my invincible triviality, a delight.  Thus he
+pored over the engineer's voluminous handy-book of nature; thus must,
+too, have pored my grand-father and uncles.
+
+But it is of the essence of this knowledge, or this knack of mind, to be
+largely incommunicable.  'It cannot be imparted to another,' says my
+father.  The verbal casting-net is thrown in vain over these evanescent,
+inferential relations. Hence the insignificance of much engineering
+literature.  So far as the science can be reduced to formulas or
+diagrams, the book is to the point; so far as the art depends on intimate
+study of the ways of nature, the author's words will too often be found
+vapid.  This fact--that engineering looks one way, and literature
+another--was what my grand-father overlooked.  All his life long, his pen
+was in his hand, piling up a treasury of knowledge, preparing himself
+against all possible contingencies.  Scarce anything fell under his
+notice but he perceived in it some relation to his work, and chronicled
+it in the pages of his journal in his always lucid, but sometimes inexact
+and wordy, style.  The Travelling Diary (so he called it) was kept in
+fascicles of ruled paper, which were at last bound up, rudely indexed,
+and put by for future reference.  Such volumes as have reached me contain
+a surprising medley: the whole details of his employment in the Northern
+Lights and his general practice; the whole biography of an enthusiastic
+engineer.  Much of it is useful and curious; much merely otiose; and much
+can only be described as an attempt to impart that which cannot be
+imparted in words.  Of such are his repeated and heroic descriptions of
+reefs; monuments of misdirected literary energy, which leave upon the
+mind of the reader no effect but that of a multiplicity of words and the
+suggested vignette of a lusty old gentleman scrambling among tangle.  It
+is to be remembered that he came to engineering while yet it was in the
+egg and without a library, and that he saw the bounds of that profession
+widen daily.  He saw iron ships, steamers, and the locomotive engine,
+introduced.  He lived to travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh in the inside
+of a forenoon, and to remember that he himself had 'often been twelve
+hours upon the journey, and his grand-father (Lillie) two days'!  The
+profession was still but in its second generation, and had already broken
+down the barriers of time and space.  Who should set a limit to its
+future encroachments?  And hence, with a kind of sanguine pedantry, he
+pursued his design of 'keeping up with the day' and posting himself and
+his family on every mortal subject.  Of this unpractical idealism we
+shall meet with many instances; there was not a trade, and scarce an
+accomplishment, but he thought it should form part of the outfit of an
+engineer; and not content with keeping an encyclopaedic diary himself, he
+would fain have set all his sons to work continuing and extending it.
+They were more happily inspired.  My father's engineering pocket-book was
+not a bulky volume; with its store of pregnant notes and vital formulas,
+it served him through life, and was not yet filled when he came to die.
+As for Robert Stevenson and the Travelling Diary, I should be ungrateful
+to complain, for it has supplied me with many lively traits for this and
+subsequent chapters; but I must still remember much of the period of my
+study there as a sojourn in the Valley of the Shadow.
+
+The duty of the engineer is twofold--to design the work, and to see the
+work done.  We have seen already something of the vociferous thoroughness
+of the man, upon the cleaning of lamps and the polishing of reflectors.
+In building, in road-making, in the construction of bridges, in every
+detail and byway of his employments, he pursued the same ideal.
+Perfection (with a capital P and violently under-scored) was his design.
+A crack for a penknife, the waste of 'six-and-thirty shillings,' 'the
+loss of a day or a tide,' in each of these he saw and was revolted by the
+finger of the sloven; and to spirits intense as his, and immersed in
+vital undertakings, the slovenly is the dishonest, and wasted time is
+instantly translated into lives endangered.  On this consistent idealism
+there is but one thing that now and then trenches with a touch of
+incongruity, and that is his love of the picturesque.  As when he laid
+out a road on Hogarth's line of beauty; bade a foreman be careful, in
+quarrying, not 'to disfigure the island'; or regretted in a report that
+'the great stone, called the _Devil in the Hole_, was blasted or broken
+down to make road-metal, and for other purposes of the work.'
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III: THE BUILDING OF THE BELL ROCK
+
+
+Off the mouths of the Tay and the Forth, thirteen miles from Fifeness,
+eleven from Arbroath, and fourteen from the Red Head of Angus, lies the
+Inchcape or Bell Rock.  It extends to a length of about fourteen hundred
+feet, but the part of it discovered at low water to not more than four
+hundred and twenty-seven.  At a little more than half-flood in fine
+weather the seamless ocean joins over the reef, and at high-water springs
+it is buried sixteen feet.  As the tide goes down, the higher reaches of
+the rock are seen to be clothed by _Conferva rupestris_ as by a sward of
+grass; upon the more exposed edges, where the currents are most swift and
+the breach of the sea heaviest, Baderlock or Henware flourishes; and the
+great Tangle grows at the depth of several fathoms with luxuriance.
+Before man arrived, and introduced into the silence of the sea the smoke
+and clangour of a blacksmith's shop, it was a favourite resting-place of
+seals.  The crab and lobster haunt in the crevices; and limpets, mussels,
+and the white buckie abound.
+
+According to a tradition, a bell had been once hung upon this rock by an
+abbot of Arbroath, {91a} 'and being taken down by a sea-pirate, a year
+thereafter he perished upon the same rock, with ship and goods, in the
+righteous judgment of God.'  From the days of the abbot and the
+sea-pirate no man had set foot upon the Inchcape, save fishers from the
+neighbouring coast, or perhaps--for a moment, before the surges swallowed
+them--the unfortunate victims of shipwreck.  The fishers approached the
+rock with an extreme timidity; but their harvest appears to have been
+great, and the adventure no more perilous than lucrative.  In 1800, on
+the occasion of my grandfather's first landing, and during the two or
+three hours which the ebb-tide and the smooth water allowed them to pass
+upon its shelves, his crew collected upwards of two hundredweight of old
+metal: pieces of a kedge anchor and a cabin stove, crowbars, a hinge and
+lock of a door, a ship's marking-iron, a piece of a ship's caboose, a
+soldier's bayonet, a cannon ball, several pieces of money, a shoe-buckle,
+and the like.  Such were the spoils of the Bell Rock.
+
+From 1794 onward, the mind of my grandfather had been exercised with the
+idea of a light upon this formidable danger.  To build a tower on a sea
+rock, eleven miles from shore, and barely uncovered at low water of
+neaps, appeared a fascinating enterprise.  It was something yet
+unattempted, unessayed; and even now, after it has been lighted for more
+than eighty years, it is still an exploit that has never been repeated.
+{92a}  My grandfather was, besides, but a young man, of an experience
+comparatively restricted, and a reputation confined to Scotland; and when
+he prepared his first models, and exhibited them in Merchants' Hall, he
+can hardly be acquitted of audacity.  John Clerk of Eldin stood his
+friend from the beginning, kept the key of the model room, to which he
+carried 'eminent strangers,' and found words of counsel and encouragement
+beyond price.  'Mr. Clerk had been personally known to Smeaton, and used
+occasionally to speak of him to me,' says my grandfather; and again: 'I
+felt regret that I had not the opportunity of a greater range of practice
+to fit me for such an undertaking; but I was fortified by an expression
+of my friend Mr. Clerk in one of our conversations. "This work," said he,
+"is unique, and can be little forwarded by experience of ordinary masonic
+operations.  In this case Smeaton's 'Narrative' must be the text-book,
+and energy and perseverance the pratique."'
+
+A Bill for the work was introduced into Parliament and lost in the Lords
+in 1802-3.  John Rennie was afterwards, at my grandfather's suggestion,
+called in council, with the style of chief engineer.  The precise meaning
+attached to these words by any of the parties appears irrecoverable.
+Chief engineer should have full authority, full responsibility, and a
+proper share of the emoluments; and there were none of these for Rennie.
+I find in an appendix a paper which resumes the controversy on this
+subject; and it will be enough to say here that Rennie did not design the
+Bell Rock, that he did not execute it, and that he was not paid for it.
+{94a}  From so much of the correspondence as has come down to me, the
+acquaintance of this man, eleven years his senior, and already famous,
+appears to have been both useful and agreeable to Robert Stevenson.  It
+is amusing to find my grandfather seeking high and low for a brace of
+pistols which his colleague had lost by the way between Aberdeen and
+Edinburgh; and writing to Messrs. Dollond, 'I have not thought it
+necessary to trouble Mr. Rennie with this order, but _I beg you will see
+to get two minutes of him as he passes your door_'--a proposal calculated
+rather from the latitude of Edinburgh than from London, even in 1807.  It
+is pretty, too, to observe with what affectionate regard Smeaton was held
+in mind by his immediate successors.  'Poor old fellow,' writes Rennie to
+Stevenson, 'I hope he will now and then take a peep at us, and inspire
+you with fortitude and courage to brave all difficulties and dangers to
+accomplish a work which will, if successful, immortalise you in the
+annals of fame.'  The style might be bettered, but the sentiment is
+charming.
+
+Smeaton was, indeed, the patron saint of the Bell Rock.  Undeterred by
+the sinister fate of Winstanley, he had tackled and solved the problem of
+the Eddystone; but his solution had not been in all respects perfect.  It
+remained for my grand-father to outdo him in daring, by applying to a
+tidal rock those principles which had been already justified by the
+success of the Eddystone, and to perfect the model by more than one
+exemplary departure.  Smeaton had adopted in his floors the principle of
+the arch; each therefore exercised an outward thrust upon the walls,
+which must be met and combated by embedded chains.  My grandfather's
+flooring-stones, on the other hand, were flat, made part of the outer
+wall, and were keyed and dovetailed into a central stone, so as to bind
+the work together and be positive elements of strength.  In 1703
+Winstanley still thought it possible to erect his strange pagoda, with
+its open gallery, its florid scrolls and candlesticks: like a rich man's
+folly for an ornamental water in a park.  Smeaton followed; then
+Stevenson in his turn corrected such flaws as were left in Smeaton's
+design; and with his improvements, it is not too much to say the model
+was made perfect.  Smeaton and Stevenson had between them evolved and
+finished the sea-tower.  No subsequent builder has departed in anything
+essential from the principles of their design.  It remains, and it seems
+to us as though it must remain for ever, an ideal attained.  Every stone
+in the building, it may interest the reader to know, my grandfather had
+himself cut out in the model; and the manner in which the courses were
+fitted, joggled, trenailed, wedged, and the bond broken, is intricate as
+a puzzle and beautiful by ingenuity.
+
+In 1806 a second Bill passed both Houses, and the preliminary works were
+at once begun.  The same year the Navy had taken a great harvest of
+prizes in the North Sea, one of which, a Prussian fishing dogger,
+flat-bottomed and rounded at the stem and stern, was purchased to be a
+floating lightship, and re-named the _Pharos_.  By July 1807 she was
+overhauled, rigged for her new purpose, and turned into the lee of the
+Isle of May.  'It was proposed that the whole party should meet in her
+and pass the night; but she rolled from side to side in so extraordinary
+a manner, that even the most seahardy fled.  It was humorously observed
+of this vessel that she was in danger of making a round turn and
+appearing with her keel uppermost; and that she would even turn a
+half-penny if laid upon deck.'  By two o'clock on the morning of the 15th
+July this purgatorial vessel was moored by the Bell Rock.
+
+A sloop of forty tons had been in the meantime built at Leith, and named
+the _Smeaton_; by the 7th of August my grandfather set sail in her--
+
+    'carrying with him Mr. Peter Logan, foreman builder, and five
+    artificers selected from their having been somewhat accustomed to the
+    sea, the writer being aware of the distressing trial which the
+    floating light would necessarily inflict upon landsmen from her
+    rolling motion.  Here he remained till the 10th, and, as the weather
+    was favourable, a landing was effected daily, when the workmen were
+    employed in cutting the large seaweed from the sites of the
+    lighthouse and beacon, which were respectively traced with pickaxes
+    upon the rock.  In the meantime the crew of the _Smeaton_ was
+    employed in laying down the several sets of moorings within about
+    half a mile of the rock for the convenience of vessels.  The
+    artificers, having, fortunately, experienced moderate weather,
+    returned to the workyard of Arbroath with a good report of their
+    treatment afloat; when their comrades ashore began to feel some
+    anxiety to see a place of which they had heard so much, and to change
+    the constant operations with the iron and mallet in the process of
+    hewing for an occasional tide's work on the rock, which they figured
+    to themselves as a state of comparative ease and comfort.'
+
+I am now for many pages to let my grandfather speak for himself, and tell
+in his own words the story of his capital achievement.  The tall quarto
+of 533 pages from which the following narrative has been dug out is
+practically unknown to the general reader, yet good judges have perceived
+its merit, and it has been named (with flattering wit) 'The Romance of
+Stone and Lime' and 'The Robinson Crusoe of Civil Engineering.'  The
+tower was but four years in the building; it took Robert Stevenson, in
+the midst of his many avocations, no less than fourteen to prepare the
+_Account_.  The title-page is a solid piece of literature of upwards of a
+hundred words; the table of contents runs to thirteen pages; and the
+dedication (to that revered monarch, George IV) must have cost him no
+little study and correspondence.  Walter Scott was called in council, and
+offered one miscorrection which still blots the page.  In spite of all
+this pondering and filing, there remain pages not easy to construe, and
+inconsistencies not easy to explain away.  I have sought to make these
+disappear, and to lighten a little the baggage with which my grandfather
+marches; here and there I have rejointed and rearranged a sentence,
+always with his own words, and all with a reverent and faithful hand; and
+I offer here to the reader the true Monument of Robert Stevenson with a
+little of the moss removed from the inscription, and the Portrait of the
+artist with some superfluous canvas cut away.
+
+
+
+I--OPERATIONS OF 1807
+
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 16th Aug.]
+
+Everything being arranged for sailing to the rock on Saturday the 15th,
+the vessel might have proceeded on the Sunday; but understanding that
+this would not be so agreeable to the artificers it was deferred until
+Monday.  Here we cannot help observing that the men allotted for the
+operations at the rock seemed to enter upon the undertaking with a degree
+of consideration which fully marked their opinion as to the hazardous
+nature of the undertaking on which they were about to enter.  They went
+in a body to church on Sunday, and whether it was in the ordinary course,
+or designed for the occasion, the writer is not certain, but the service
+was, in many respects, suitable to their circumstances.
+
+                                                       [Monday, 17th Aug.]
+
+The tide happening to fall late in the evening of Monday the 17th, the
+party, counting twenty-four in number, embarked on board of the _Smeaton_
+about ten o'clock p.m., and sailed from Arbroath with a gentle breeze at
+west.  Our ship's colours having been flying all day in compliment to the
+commencement of the work, the other vessels in the harbour also saluted,
+which made a very gay appearance.  A number of the friends and
+acquaintances of those on board having been thus collected, the piers,
+though at a late hour, were perfectly crowded, and just as the _Smeaton_
+cleared the harbour, all on board united in giving three hearty cheers,
+which were returned by those on shore in such good earnest, that, in the
+still of the evening, the sound must have been heard in all parts of the
+town, re-echoing from the walls and lofty turrets of the venerable Abbey
+of Aberbrothwick.  The writer felt much satisfaction at the manner of
+this parting scene, though he must own that the present rejoicing was, on
+his part, mingled with occasional reflections upon the responsibility of
+his situation, which extended to the safety of all who should be engaged
+in this perilous work.  With such sensations he retired to his cabin; but
+as the artificers were rather inclined to move about the deck than to
+remain in their confined berths below, his repose was transient, and the
+vessel being small every motion was necessarily heard.  Some who were
+musically inclined occasionally sung; but he listened with peculiar
+pleasure to the sailor at the helm, who hummed over Dibdin's
+characteristic air:--
+
+    'They say there's a Providence sits up aloft,
+    To keep watch for the life of poor Jack.'
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 18th Aug.]
+
+The weather had been very gentle all night, and, about four in the
+morning of the 18th, the _Smeaton_ anchored.  Agreeably to an arranged
+plan of operations, all hands were called at five o'clock a.m., just as
+the highest part of the Bell Rock began to show its sable head among the
+light breakers, which occasionally whitened with the foaming sea.  The
+two boats belonging to the floating light attended the _Smeaton_, to
+carry the artificers to the rock, as her boat could only accommodate
+about six or eight sitters.  Every one was more eager than his neighbour
+to leap into the boats and it required a good deal of management on the
+part of the coxswains to get men unaccustomed to a boat to take their
+places for rowing and at the same time trimming her properly.  The
+landing-master and foreman went into one boat, while the writer took
+charge of another, and steered it to and from the rock.  This became the
+more necessary in the early stages of the work, as places could not be
+spared for more than two, or at most three seamen to each boat, who were
+always stationed, one at the bow, to use the boat-hook in fending or
+pushing off, and the other at the aftermost oar, to give the proper time
+in rowing, while the middle oars were double-banked, and rowed by the
+artificers.
+
+As the weather was extremely fine, with light airs of wind from the east,
+we landed without difficulty upon the central part of the rock at
+half-past five, but the water had not yet sufficiently left it for
+commencing the work.  This interval, however, did not pass unoccupied.
+The first and last of all the principal operations at the Bell Rock were
+accompanied by three hearty cheers from all hands, and, on occasions like
+the present, the steward of the ship attended, when each man was regaled
+with a glass of rum.  As the water left the rock about six, some began to
+bore the holes for the great bats or holdfasts, for fixing the beams of
+the Beacon-house, while the smith was fully attended in laying out the
+site of his forge, upon a somewhat sheltered spot of the rock, which also
+recommended itself from the vicinity of a pool of water for tempering his
+irons.  These preliminary steps occupied about an hour, and as nothing
+further could be done during this tide towards fixing the forge, the
+workmen gratified their curiosity by roaming about the rock, which they
+investigated with great eagerness till the tide overflowed it.  Those who
+had been sick picked dulse (_Fucus palmatus_), which they ate with much
+seeming appetite; others were more intent upon collecting limpets for
+bait, to enjoy the amusement of fishing when they returned on board of
+the vessel.  Indeed, none came away empty-handed, as everything found
+upon the Bell Rock was considered valuable, being connected with some
+interesting association.  Several coins, and numerous bits of shipwrecked
+iron, were picked up, of almost every description; and, in particular, a
+marking-iron lettered JAMES--a circumstance of which it was thought
+proper to give notice to the public, as it might lead to the knowledge of
+some unfortunate shipwreck, perhaps unheard of till this simple
+occurrence led to the discovery.  When the rock began to be overflowed,
+the landing-master arranged the crews of the respective boats, appointing
+twelve persons to each.  According to a rule which the writer had laid
+down to himself, he was always the last person who left the rock.
+
+In a short time the Bell Rock was laid completely under water, and the
+weather being extremely fine, the sea was so smooth that its place could
+not be pointed out from the appearance of the surface--a circumstance
+which sufficiently demonstrates the dangerous nature of this rock, even
+during the day, and in the smoothest and calmest state of the sea.
+During the interval between the morning and the evening tides, the
+artificers were variously employed in fishing and reading; others were
+busy in drying and adjusting their wet clothes, and one or two amused
+their companions with the violin and German flute.
+
+About seven in the evening the signal bell for landing on the rock was
+again rung, when every man was at his quarters.  In this service it was
+thought more appropriate to use the bell than to _pipe_ to quarters, as
+the use of this instrument is less known to the mechanic than the sound
+of the bell.  The landing, as in the morning, was at the eastern harbour.
+During this tide the seaweed was pretty well cleared from the site of the
+operations, and also from the tracks leading to the different
+landing-places; for walking upon the rugged surface of the Bell Rock,
+when covered with seaweed, was found to be extremely difficult and even
+dangerous.  Every hand that could possibly be occupied now employed in
+assisting the smith to fit up the apparatus for his forge.  At 9 p.m. the
+boats returned to the tender, after other two hours' work, in the same
+order as formerly--perhaps as much gratified with the success that
+attended the work of this day as with any other in the whole course of
+the operations.  Although it could not he said that the fatigues of this
+day had been great, yet all on board retired early to rest.  The sea
+being calm, and no movement on deck, it was pretty generally remarked in
+the morning that the bell awakened the greater number on board from their
+first sleep; and though this observation was not altogether applicable to
+the writer himself, yet he was not a little pleased to find that thirty
+people could all at once become so reconciled to a night's quarters
+within a few hundred paces of the Bell Rock.
+
+                                                    [Wednesday, 19th Aug.]
+
+Being extremely anxious at this time to get forward with fixing the
+smith's forge, on which the progress of the work at present depended, the
+writer requested that he might be called at daybreak to learn the
+landing-master's opinion of the weather from the appearance of the rising
+sun, a criterion by which experienced seamen can generally judge pretty
+accurately of the state of the weather for the following day.  About five
+o'clock, on coming upon deck, the sun's upper limb or disc had just begun
+to appear as if rising from the ocean, and in less than a minute he was
+seen in the fullest splendour; but after a short interval he was
+enveloped in a soft cloudy sky, which was considered emblematical of fine
+weather.  His rays had not yet sufficiently dispelled the clouds which
+hid the land from view, and the Bell Rock being still overflowed, the
+whole was one expanse of water.  This scene in itself was highly
+gratifying; and, when the morning bell was tolled, we were gratified with
+the happy forebodings of good weather and the expectation of having both
+a morning and an evening tide's work on the rock.
+
+The boat which the writer steered happened to be the last which
+approached the rock at this tide; and, in standing up in the stern, while
+at some distance, to see how the leading boat entered the creek, he was
+astonished to observe something in the form of a human figure, in a
+reclining posture, upon one of the ledges of the rock.  He immediately
+steered the boat through a narrow entrance to the eastern harbour, with a
+thousand unpleasant sensations in his mind.  He thought a vessel or boat
+must have been wrecked upon the rock during the night; and it seemed
+probable that the rock might be strewed with dead bodies, a spectacle
+which could not fail to deter the artificers from returning so freely to
+their work.  In the midst of these reveries the boat took the ground at
+an improper landing-place; but, without waiting to push her off, he leapt
+upon the rock, and making his way hastily to the spot which had privately
+given him alarm, he had the satisfaction to ascertain that he had only
+been deceived by the peculiar situation and aspect of the smith's anvil
+and block, which very completely represented the appearance of a lifeless
+body upon the rock.  The writer carefully suppressed his feelings, the
+simple mention of which might have had a bad effect upon the artificers,
+and his haste passed for an anxiety to examine the apparatus of the
+smith's forge, left in an unfinished state at evening tide.
+
+In the course of this morning's work two or three apparently distant
+peals of thunder were heard, and the atmosphere suddenly became thick and
+foggy.  But as the _Smeaton_, our present tender, was moored at no great
+distance from the rock, the crew on board continued blowing with a horn,
+and occasionally fired a musket, so that the boats got to the ship
+without difficulty.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 20th Aug.]
+
+The wind this morning inclined from the north-east, and the sky had a
+heavy and cloudy appearance, but the sea was smooth, though there was an
+undulating motion on, the surface, which indicated easterly winds, and
+occasioned a slight surf upon the rock.  But the boats found no
+difficulty in landing at the western creek at half-past seven, and, after
+a good tide's work, left it again about a quarter from eleven.  In the
+evening the artificers landed at half-past seven, and continued till
+half-past eight, having completed the fixing of the smith's forge, his
+vice, and a wooden board or bench, which were also batted to a ledge of
+the rock, to the great joy of all, under a salute of three hearty cheers.
+From an oversight on the part of the smith, who had neglected to bring
+his tinder-box and matches from the vessel, the work was prevented from
+being continued for at least an hour longer.
+
+The smith's shop was, of course, in _open space_: the large bellows were
+carried to and from the rock every tide, for the serviceable condition of
+which, together with the tinder-box, fuel, and embers of the former fire,
+the smith was held responsible.  Those who have been placed in situations
+to feel the inconveniency and want of this useful artisan, will be able
+to appreciate his value in a case like the present.  It often happened,
+to our annoyance and disappointment, in the early state of the work, when
+the smith was in the middle of a _favourite heat_ in making some useful
+article, or in sharpening the tools, after the flood-tide had obliged the
+pickmen to strike work, a sea would come rolling over the rocks, dash out
+the fire, and endanger his indispensable implement, the bellows.  If the
+sea was smooth, while the smith often stood at work knee-deep in water,
+the tide rose by imperceptible degrees, first cooling the exterior of the
+fireplace, or hearth, and then quietly blackening and extinguishing the
+fire from below.  The writer has frequently been amused at the perplexing
+anxiety of the blacksmith when coaxing his fire and endeavouring to avert
+the effects of the rising tide.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 21st Aug.]
+
+Everything connected with the forge being now completed, the artificers
+found no want of sharp tools, and the work went forward with great
+alacrity and spirit.  It was also alleged that the rock had a more
+habitable appearance from the volumes of smoke which ascended from the
+smith's shop and the busy noise of his anvil, the operations of the
+masons, the movements of the boats, and shipping at a distance--all
+contributed to give life and activity to the scene.  This noise and
+traffic had, however, the effect of almost completely banishing the herd
+of seals which had hitherto frequented the rock as a resting-place during
+the period of low water.  The rock seemed to be peculiarly adapted to
+their habits, for, excepting two or three days at neap-tides, a part of
+it always dries at low water--at least, during the summer season--and as
+there was good fishing-ground in the neighbourhood, without a human being
+to disturb or molest them, it had become a very favourite residence of
+these amphibious animals, the writer having occasionally counted from
+fifty to sixty playing about the rock at a time.  But when they came to
+be disturbed every tide, and their seclusion was broken in upon by the
+kindling of great fires, together with the beating of hammers and picks
+during low water, after hovering about for a time, they changed their
+place, and seldom more than one or two were to be seen about the rock
+upon the more detached outlayers which dry partially, whence they seemed
+to look with that sort of curiosity which is observable in these animals
+when following a boat.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 22nd Aug.]
+
+Hitherto the artificers had remained on board the _Smeaton_, which was
+made fast to one of the mooring buoys at a distance only of about a
+quarter of a mile from the rock, and, of course, a very great conveniency
+to the work.  Being so near, the seamen could never be mistaken as to the
+progress of the tide, or state of the sea upon the rock, nor could the
+boats be much at a loss to pull on board of the vessel during fog, or
+even in very rough weather; as she could be cast loose from her moorings
+at pleasure, and brought to the lee side of the rock.  But the _Smeaton_
+being only about forty register tons, her accommodations were extremely
+limited.  It may, therefore, be easily imagined that an addition of
+twenty-four persons to her own crew must have rendered the situation of
+those on board rather uncomfortable.  The only place for the men's
+hammocks on board being in the hold, they were unavoidably much crowded:
+and if the weather had required the hatches to be fastened down, so great
+a number of men could not possibly have been accommodated.  To add to
+this evil, the _co-boose_ or cooking-place being upon deck, it would not
+have been possible to have cooked for so large a company in the event of
+bad weather.
+
+The stock of water was now getting short, and some necessaries being also
+wanted for the floating light, the _Smeaton_ was despatched for Arbroath;
+and the writer, with the artificers at the same time shifted their
+quarters from her to the floating light.
+
+Although the rock barely made its appearance at this period of the tides
+till eight o'clock, yet, having now a full mile to row from the floating
+light to the rock, instead of about a quarter of a mile from the moorings
+of the _Smeaton_, it was necessary to be earlier astir, and to form
+different arrangements; breakfast was accordingly served up at seven
+o'clock this morning.  From the excessive motion of the floating light,
+the writer had looked forward rather with anxiety to the removal of the
+workmen to this ship.  Some among them, who had been congratulating
+themselves upon having become sea-hardy while on board the _Smeaton_, had
+a complete relapse upon returning to the floating light.  This was the
+case with the writer.  From the spacious and convenient berthage of the
+floating light, the exchange to the artificers was, in this respect, much
+for the better.  The boats were also commodious, measuring sixteen feet
+in length on the keel, so that, in fine weather, their complement of
+sitters was sixteen persons for each, with which, however, they were
+rather crowded, but she could not stow two boats of larger dimensions.
+When there was what is called a breeze of wind, and a swell in the sea,
+the proper number for each boat could not, with propriety, be rated at
+more than twelve persons.
+
+When the tide-bell rung the boats were hoisted out, and two active seamen
+were employed to keep them from receiving damage alongside.  The floating
+light being very buoyant, was so quick in her motions that when those who
+were about to step from her gunwale into a boat, placed themselves upon a
+cleat or step on the ship's side, with the man or rail ropes in their
+hands, they had often to wait for some time till a favourable opportunity
+occurred for stepping into the boat.  While in this situation, with the
+vessel rolling from side to side, watching the proper time for letting go
+the man-ropes, it required the greatest dexterity and presence of mind to
+leap into the boats.  One who was rather awkward would often wait a
+considerable period in this position: at one time his side of the ship
+would be so depressed that he would touch the boat to which he belonged,
+while the next sea would elevate him so much that he would see his
+comrades in the boat on the opposite side of the ship, his friends in the
+one boat calling to him to 'Jump,' while those in the boat on the other
+side, as he came again and again into their view, would jocosely say,
+'Are you there yet?  You seem to enjoy a swing.'  In this situation it
+was common to see a person upon each side of the ship for a length of
+time, waiting to quit his hold.
+
+On leaving the rock to-day a trial of seamanship was proposed amongst the
+rowers, for by this time the artificers had become tolerably expert in
+this exercise.  By inadvertency some of the oars provided had been made
+of fir instead of ash, and although a considerable stock had been laid
+in, the workmen, being at first awkward in the art, were constantly
+breaking their oars; indeed it was no uncommon thing to see the broken
+blades of a pair of oars floating astern, in the course of a passage from
+the rock to the vessel.  The men, upon the whole, had but little work to
+perform in the course of a day; for though they exerted themselves
+extremely hard while on the rock, yet, in the early state of the
+operations, this could not be continued for more than three or four hours
+at a time, and as their rations were large--consisting of one pound and a
+half of beef, one pound of ship biscuit, eight ounces oatmeal, two ounces
+barley, two ounces butter, three quarts of small beer, with vegetables
+and salt--they got into excellent spirits when free of sea-sickness.  The
+rowing of the boats against each other became a favourite amusement,
+which was rather a fortunate circumstance, as it must have been attended
+with much inconvenience had it been found necessary to employ a
+sufficient number of sailors for this purpose.  The writer, therefore,
+encouraged the spirit of emulation, and the speed of their respective
+boats became a favourite topic.  Premiums for boat-races were instituted,
+which were contended for with great eagerness, and the respective crews
+kept their stations in the boats with as much precision as they kept
+their beds on board of the ship.  With these and other pastimes, when the
+weather was favourable, the time passed away among the inmates of the
+forecastle and waist of the ship.  The writer looks back with interest
+upon the hours of solitude which he spent in this lonely ship with his
+small library.
+
+This being the first Saturday that the artificers were afloat, all hands
+were served with a glass of rum and water at night, to drink the sailors'
+favourite toast of 'Wives and Sweethearts.'  It was customary, upon these
+occasions, for the seamen and artificers to collect in the galley, when
+the musical instruments were put in requisition: for, according to
+invariable practice, every man must play a tune, sing a song, or tell a
+story.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 23rd Aug.]
+
+Having, on the previous evening, arranged matters with the landing-master
+as to the business of the day, the signal was rung for all hands at
+half-past seven this morning.  In the early state of the spring-tides the
+artificers went to the rock before breakfast, but as the tides fell later
+in the day, it became necessary to take this meal before leaving the
+ship.  At eight o'clock all hands were assembled on the quarter-deck for
+prayers, a solemnity which was gone through in as orderly a manner as
+circumstances would admit.  When the weather permitted, the flags of the
+ship were hung up as an awning or screen, forming the quarter-deck into a
+distinct compartment; the pendant was also hoisted at the mainmast, and a
+large ensign flag was displayed over the stern; and lastly, the ship's
+companion, or top of the staircase, was covered with the _flag proper_ of
+the Lighthouse Service, on which the Bible was laid.  A particular toll
+of the bell called all hands to the quarter-deck, when the writer read a
+chapter of the Bible, and, the whole ship's company being uncovered, he
+also read the impressive prayer composed by the Reverend Dr. Brunton, one
+of the ministers of Edinburgh.
+
+Upon concluding this service, which was attended with becoming reverence
+and attention, all on board retired to their respective berths to
+breakfast, and, at half-past nine, the bell again rung for the artificers
+to take their stations in their respective boats.  Some demur having been
+evinced on board about the propriety of working on Sunday, which had
+hitherto been touched upon as delicately as possible, all hands being
+called aft, the writer, from the quarter-deck, stated generally the
+nature of the service, expressing his hopes that every man would feel
+himself called upon to consider the erection of a lighthouse on the Bell
+Rock, in every point of view, as a work of necessity and mercy.  He knew
+that scruples had existed with some, and these had, indeed, been fairly
+and candidly urged before leaving the shore; but it was expected that,
+after having seen the critical nature of the rock, and the necessity of
+the measure, every man would now be satisfied of the propriety of
+embracing all opportunities of landing on the rock when the state of the
+weather would permit.  The writer further took them to witness that it
+did not proceed from want of respect for the appointments and established
+forms of religion that he had himself adopted the resolution of attending
+the Bell Rock works on the Sunday; but, as he hoped, from a conviction
+that it was his bounden duty, on the strictest principles of morality.
+At the same time it was intimated that, if any were of a different
+opinion, they should be perfectly at liberty to hold their sentiments
+without the imputation of contumacy or disobedience; the only difference
+would be in regard to the pay.
+
+Upon stating this much, he stepped into his boat, requesting all who were
+so disposed to follow him.  The sailors, from their habits, found no
+scruple on this subject, and all of the artificers, though a little
+tardy, also embarked, excepting four of the masons, who, from the
+beginning, mentioned that they would decline working on Sundays.  It may
+here be noticed that throughout the whole of the operations it was
+observable that the men wrought, if possible, with more keenness upon the
+Sundays than at other times from an impression that they were engaged in
+a work of imperious necessity, which required every possible exertion.
+On returning to the floating light, after finishing the tide's work, the
+boats were received by the part of the ship's crew left on board with the
+usual attention of handing ropes to the boats and helping the artificers
+on board; but the four masons who had absented themselves from the work
+did not appear upon deck.
+
+                                                       [Monday, 24th Aug.]
+
+The boats left the floating light at a quarter-past nine o'clock this
+morning, and the work began at three-quarters past nine; but as the
+neap-tides were approaching the working time at the rock became gradually
+shorter, and it was now with difficulty that two and a half hours' work
+could be got.  But so keenly had the workmen entered into the spirit of
+the beacon-house operations, that they continued to bore the holes in the
+rock till some of them were knee-deep in water.
+
+The operations at this time were entirely directed to the erection of the
+beacon, in which every man felt an equal interest, as at this critical
+period the slightest casualty to any of the boats at the rock might have
+been fatal to himself individually, while it was perhaps peculiar to the
+writer more immediately to feel for the safety of the whole.  Each log or
+upright beam of the beacon was to be fixed to the rock by two strong and
+massive bats or stanchions of iron.  These bats, for the fixture of the
+principal and diagonal beams and bracing chains, required fifty-four
+holes, each measuring two inches in diameter and eighteen inches in
+depth.  There had already been so considerable a progress made in boring
+and excavating the holes that the writer's hopes of getting the beacon
+erected this year began to be more and more confirmed, although it was
+now advancing towards what was considered the latter end of the proper
+working season at the Bell Rock.  The foreman joiner, Mr. Francis Watt,
+was accordingly appointed to attend at the rock to-day, when the
+necessary levels were taken for the step or seat of each particular beam
+of the beacon, that they might be cut to their respective lengths, to
+suit the inequalities of the rock; several of the stanchions were also
+tried into their places, and other necessary observations made, to
+prevent mistakes on the application of the apparatus, and to facilitate
+the operations when the beams came to be set up, which would require to
+be done in the course of a single tide.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 25th Aug.]
+
+We had now experienced an almost unvaried tract of light airs of easterly
+wind, with clear weather in the fore-part of the day and fog in the
+evenings.  To-day, however, it sensibly changed; when the wind came to
+the south-west, and blew a fresh breeze.  At nine a.m. the bell rung, and
+the boats were hoisted out, and though the artificers were now pretty
+well accustomed to tripping up and down the sides of the floating light,
+yet it required more seamanship this morning than usual.  It therefore
+afforded some merriment to those who had got fairly seated in their
+respective boats to see the difficulties which attended their companions,
+and the hesitating manner in which they quitted hold of the man-ropes in
+leaving the ship.  The passage to the rock was tedious, and the boats did
+not reach it till half-past ten.
+
+It being now the period of neap-tides, the water only partially left the
+rock, and some of the men who were boring on the lower ledges of the site
+of the beacon stood knee-deep in water.  The situation of the smith
+to-day was particularly disagreeable, but his services were at all times
+indispensable.  As the tide did not leave the site of the forge, he stood
+in the water, and as there was some roughness on the surface it was with
+considerable difficulty that, with the assistance of the sailors, he was
+enabled to preserve alive his fire; and, while his feet were immersed in
+water, his face was not only scorched but continually exposed to volumes
+of smoke, accompanied with sparks from the fire, which were occasionally
+set up owing to the strength and direction of the wind.
+
+                                                    [Wednesday, 26th Aug.]
+
+The wind had shifted this morning to N.N.W., with rain, and was blowing
+what sailors call a fresh breeze.  To speak, perhaps, somewhat more
+intelligibly to the general reader, the wind was such that a fishing-boat
+could just carry full sail.  But as it was of importance, specially in
+the outset of the business, to keep up the spirit of enterprise for
+landing on all practicable occasions, the writer, after consulting with
+the landing-master, ordered the bell to be rung for embarking, and at
+half-past eleven the boats reached the rock, and left it again at a
+quarter-past twelve, without, however, being able to do much work, as the
+smith could not be set to work from the smallness of the ebb and the
+strong breach of sea, which lashed with great force among the bars of the
+forge.
+
+Just as we were about to leave the rock the wind shifted to the S.W.,
+and, from a fresh gale, it became what seamen term a hard gale, or such
+as would have required the fisherman to take in two or three reefs in his
+sail.  It is a curious fact that the respective tides of ebb and flood
+are apparent upon the shore about an hour and a half sooner than at the
+distance of three or four miles in the offing.  But what seems chiefly
+interesting here is that the tides around this small sunken rock should
+follow exactly the same laws as on the extensive shores of the mainland.
+When the boats left the Bell Rock to-day it was overflowed by the
+flood-tide, but the floating light did not swing round to the flood-tide
+for more than an hour afterwards.  Under this disadvantage the boats had
+to struggle with the ebb-tide and a hard gale of wind, so that it was
+with the greatest difficulty that they reached the floating light.  Had
+this gale happened in spring-tides when the current was strong we must
+have been driven to sea in a very helpless condition.
+
+The boat which the writer steered was considerably behind the other, one
+of the masons having unluckily broken his oar.  Our prospect of getting
+on board, of course, became doubtful, and our situation was rather
+perilous, as the boat shipped so much sea that it occupied two of the
+artificers to bale and clear her of water.  When the oar gave way we were
+about half a mile from the ship, but, being fortunately to windward, we
+got into the wake of the floating light, at about 250 fathoms astern,
+just as the landing-master's boat reached the vessel.  He immediately
+streamed or floated a life-buoy astern, with a line which was always in
+readiness, and by means of this useful implement the boat was towed
+alongside of the floating light, where, from her rolling motion, it
+required no small management to get safely on board, as the men were much
+worn out with their exertions in pulling from the rock.  On the present
+occasion the crews of both boats were completely drenched with spray, and
+those who sat upon the bottom of the boats to bale them were sometimes
+pretty deep in the water before it could be cleared out.  After getting
+on board, all hands were allowed an extra dram, and, having shifted and
+got a warm and comfortable dinner, the affair, it is believed, was little
+more thought of.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 27th Aug.]
+
+The tides were now in that state which sailors term the dead of the neap,
+and it was not expected that any part of the rock would be seen above
+water to-day; at any rate, it was obvious, from the experience of
+yesterday, that no work could be done upon it, and therefore the
+artificers were not required to land.  The wind was at west, with light
+breezes, and fine clear weather; and as it was an object with the writer
+to know the actual state of the Bell Rock at neap-tides, he got one of
+the boats manned, and, being accompanied by the landing-master, went to
+it at a quarter-past twelve.  The parts of the rock that appeared above
+water being very trifling, were covered by every wave, so that no landing
+was made.  Upon trying the depth of water with a boathook, particularly
+on the sites of the lighthouse and beacon, on the former, at low water,
+the depth was found to be three feet, and on the central parts of the
+latter it was ascertained to be two feet eight inches.  Having made these
+remarks, the boat returned to the ship at two p.m., and the weather being
+good, the artificers were found amusing themselves with fishing.  The
+_Smeaton_ came from Arbroath this afternoon, and made fast to her
+moorings, having brought letters and newspapers, with parcels of clean
+linen, etc., for the workmen, who were also made happy by the arrival of
+three of their comrades from the workyard ashore.  From these men they
+not only received all the news of the workyard, but seemed themselves to
+enjoy great pleasure in communicating whatever they considered to be
+interesting with regard to the rock.  Some also got letters from their
+friends at a distance, the postage of which for the men afloat was always
+free, so that they corresponded the more readily.
+
+The site of the building having already been carefully traced out with
+the pick-axe, the artificers this day commenced the excavation of the
+rock for the foundation or first course of the lighthouse.  Four men only
+were employed at this work, while twelve continued at the site of the
+beacon-house, at which every possible opportunity was embraced, till this
+essential art of the operations should be completed.
+
+                                                    [Wednesday, 2nd Sept.]
+
+The floating light's bell rung this morning at half-past four o'clock, as
+a signal for the boats to be got ready, and the landing took place at
+half-past five.  In passing the _Smeaton_ at her moorings near the rock,
+her boat followed with eight additional artificers who had come from
+Arbroath with her at last trip, but there being no room for them in the
+floating light's boats, they had continued on board.  The weather did not
+look very promising in the morning, the wind blowing pretty fresh from
+W.S.W.: and had it not been that the writer calculated upon having a
+vessel so much at command, in all probability he would not have ventured
+to land.  The _Smeaton_ rode at what sailors call a _salvagee_, with a
+cross-head made fast to the floating buoy.  This kind of attachment was
+found to be more convenient than the mode of passing the hawser through
+the ring of the buoy when the vessel was to be made fast.  She had then
+only to be steered very close to the buoy, when the salvagee was laid
+hold of with a boat-hook, and the _bite_ of the hawser thrown over the
+cross-head.  But the salvagee, by this method, was always left at the
+buoy, and was, of course, more liable to chafe and wear than a hawser
+passed through the ring, which could be wattled with canvas, and shifted
+at pleasure.  The salvagee and cross method is, however, much practised;
+but the experience of this morning showed it to be very unsuitable for
+vessels riding in an exposed situation for any length of time.
+
+Soon after the artificers landed they commenced work; but the wind coming
+to blow hard, the _Smeaton's_ boat and crew, who had brought their
+complement of eight men to the rock, went off to examine her riding
+ropes, and see that they were in proper order.  The boat had no sooner
+reached the vessel than she went adrift, carrying the boat along with
+her.  By the time that she was got round to make a tack towards the rock,
+she had drifted at least three miles to leeward, with the praam-boat
+astern; and, having both the wind and a tide against her, the writer
+perceived, with no little anxiety, that she could not possibly return to
+the rock till long after its being overflowed; for, owing to the anomaly
+of the tides formerly noticed, the Bell Rock is completely under water
+when the ebb abates to the offing.
+
+In this perilous predicament, indeed, he found himself placed between
+hope and despair--but certainly the latter was by much the most
+predominant feeling of his mind--situate upon a sunken rock in the middle
+of the ocean, which, in the progress of the flood-tide, was to be laid
+under water to the depth of at least twelve feet in a stormy sea.  There
+were this morning thirty-two persons in all upon the rock, with only two
+boats, whose complement, even in good weather, did not exceed twenty-four
+sitters; but to row to the floating light with so much wind, and in so
+heavy a sea, a complement of eight men for each boat was as much as
+could, with propriety, be attempted, so that, in this way, about one-half
+of our number was unprovided for.  Under these circumstances, had the
+writer ventured to despatch one of the boats in expectation of either
+working the _Smeaton_ sooner up towards the rock, or in hopes of getting
+her boat brought to our assistance, this must have given an immediate
+alarm to the artificers, each of whom would have insisted upon taking to
+his own boat, and leaving the eight artificers belonging to the _Smeaton_
+to their chance.  Of course a scuffle might have ensued, and it is hard
+to say, in the ardour of men contending for life, where it might have
+ended.  It has even been hinted to the writer that a party of the
+_pickmen_ were determined to keep exclusively to their own boat against
+all hazards.
+
+The unfortunate circumstance of the _Smeaton_ and her boat having drifted
+was, for a considerable time, only known to the writer and to the
+landing-master, who removed to the farther point of the rock, where he
+kept his eye steadily upon the progress of the vessel.  While the
+artificers were at work, chiefly in sitting or kneeling postures,
+excavating the rock, or boring with the jumpers, and while their numerous
+hammers, with the sound of the smith's anvil, continued, the situation of
+things did not appear so awful.  In this state of suspense, with almost
+certain destruction at hand, the water began to rise upon those who were
+at work on the lower parts of the sites of the beacon and lighthouse.
+From the run of sea upon the rock, the forge fire was also sooner
+extinguished this morning than usual, and the volumes of smoke having
+ceased, objects in every direction became visible from all parts of the
+rock.  After having had about three 'hours' work, the men began, pretty
+generally, to make towards their respective boats for their jackets and
+stockings, when, to their astonishment, instead of three, they found only
+two boats, the third being adrift with the _Smeaton_.  Not a word was
+uttered by any one, but all appeared to be silently calculating their
+numbers, and looking to each other with evident marks of perplexity
+depicted in their countenances.  The landing-master, conceiving that
+blame might be attached to him for allowing the boat to leave the rock,
+still kept at a distance.  At this critical moment the author was
+standing upon an elevated part of Smith's Ledge, where he endeavoured to
+mark the progress of the _Smeaton_, not a little surprised that her crew
+did not cut the praam adrift, which greatly retarded her way, and amazed
+that some effort was not making to bring at least the boat, and attempt
+our relief.  The workmen looked steadfastly upon the writer, and turned
+occasionally towards the vessel, still far to leeward. {122a}  All this
+passed in the most perfect silence, and the melancholy solemnity of the
+group made an impression never to be effaced from his mind.
+
+The writer had all along been considering of various schemes--providing
+the men could be kept under command--which might be put in practice for
+the general safety, in hopes that the _Smeaton_ might be able to pick up
+the boats to leeward, when they were obliged to leave the rock.  He was,
+accordingly, about to address the artificers on the perilous nature of
+their circumstances, and to propose that all hands should unstrip their
+upper clothing when the higher parts of the rock were laid under water;
+that the seamen should remove every unnecessary weight and encumbrance
+from the boats; that a specified number of men should go into each boat,
+and that the remainder should hang by the gunwales, while the boats were
+to be rowed gently towards the _Smeaton_, as the course to the _Pharos_,
+or floating light, lay rather to windward of the rock.  But when he
+attempted to speak his mouth was so parched that his tongue refused
+utterance, and he now learned by experience that the saliva is as
+necessary as the tongue itself for speech.  He turned to one of the pools
+on the rock and lapped a little water, which produced immediate relief.
+But what was his happiness, when on rising from this unpleasant beverage,
+some one called out, 'A boat! a boat!' and, on looking around, at no
+great distance, a large boat was seen through the haze making towards the
+rock.  This at once enlivened and rejoiced every heart.  The timeous
+visitor proved to be James Spink, the Bell Rock pilot, who had come
+express from Arbroath with letters.  Spink had for some time seen the
+_Smeaton_, and had even supposed, from the state of the weather, that all
+hands were on board of her till he approached more nearly and observed
+people upon the rock; but not supposing that the assistance of his boat
+was necessary to carry the artificers off the rock, he anchored on the
+lee-side and began to fish, waiting, as usual, till the letters were sent
+for, as the pilot-boat was too large and unwieldy for approaching the
+rock when there was any roughness or run of the sea at the entrance of
+the landing creeks.
+
+Upon this fortunate change of circumstances, sixteen of the artificers
+were sent, at two trips, in one of the boats, with instructions for Spink
+to proceed with them to the floating light.  This being accomplished, the
+remaining sixteen followed in the two boats belonging to the service of
+the rock.  Every one felt the most perfect happiness at leaving the Bell
+Rock this morning, though a very hard and even dangerous passage to the
+floating light still awaited us, as the wind by this time had increased
+to a pretty hard gale, accompanied with a considerable swell of sea.
+Every one was as completely drenched in water as if he had been dragged
+astern of the boats.  The writer, in particular, being at the helm,
+found, on getting on board, that his face and ears were completely coated
+with a thin film of salt from the sea spray, which broke constantly over
+the bows of the boat.  After much baling of water and severe work at the
+oars, the three boats reached the floating light, where some new
+difficulties occurred in getting on board in safety, owing partly to the
+exhausted state of the men, and partly to the violent rolling of the
+vessel.
+
+As the tide flowed, it was expected that the _Smeaton_ would have got to
+windward; but, seeing that all was safe, after tacking for several hours
+and making little progress, she bore away for Arbroath, with the
+praam-boat.  As there was now too much wind for the pilot-boat to return
+to Arbroath, she was made fast astern of the floating light, and the crew
+remained on board till next day, when the weather moderated.  There can
+be very little doubt that the appearance of James Spink with his boat on
+this critical occasion was the means of preventing the loss of lives at
+the rock this morning.  When these circumstances, some years afterwards,
+came to the knowledge of the Board, a small pension was ordered to our
+faithful pilot, then in his seventieth year; and he still continues to
+wear the uniform clothes and badge of the Lighthouse service.  Spink is a
+remarkably strong man, whose _tout ensemble_ is highly characteristic of
+a North-country fisherman.  He usually dresses in a _pe-jacket_, cut
+after a particular fashion, and wears a large, flat, blue bonnet.  A
+striking likeness of Spink in his pilot-dress, with the badge or insignia
+on his left arm which is characteristic of the boatmen in the service of
+the Northern Lights, has been taken by Howe, and is in the writer's
+possession.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 3rd Sept.]
+
+The bell rung this morning at five o'clock, but the writer must
+acknowledge, from the circumstances of yesterday, that its sound was
+extremely unwelcome.  This appears also to have been the feelings of the
+artificers, for when they came to be mustered, out of twenty-six, only
+eight, besides the foreman and seamen, appeared upon deck to accompany
+the writer to the rock.  Such are the baneful effects of anything like
+misfortune or accident connected with a work of this description.  The
+use of argument to persuade the men to embark in cases of this kind would
+have been out of place, as it is not only discomfort, or even the risk of
+the loss of a limb, but life itself that becomes the question.  The
+boats, notwithstanding the thinness of our ranks, left the vessel at
+half-past five.  The rough weather of yesterday having proved but a
+summer's gale, the wind came to-day in gentle breezes; yet, the
+atmosphere being cloudy, it a not a very favourable appearance.  The
+boats reached the rock at six a.m., and the eight artificers who landed
+were employed in clearing out the bat-holes for the beacon-house, and had
+a very prosperous tide of four hours' work, being the longest yet
+experienced by half an hour.
+
+The boats left the rock again at ten o'clock, and the weather having
+cleared up as we drew near the vessel, the eighteen artificers who had
+remained on board were observed upon deck, but as the boats approached
+they sought their way below, being quite ashamed of their conduct.  This
+was the only instance of refusal to go to the rock which occurred during
+the whole progress of the work, excepting that of the four men who
+declined working upon Sunday, a case which the writer did not conceive to
+be at all analogous to the present.  It may here be mentioned, much to
+the credit of these four men, that they stood foremost in embarking for
+the rock this morning.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 5th Sept.]
+
+It was fortunate that a landing was not attempted this evening, for at
+eight o'clock the wind shifted to E.S.E., and at ten it had become a hard
+gale, when fifty fathoms of the floating light's hempen cable were veered
+out.  The gale still increasing, the ship rolled and laboured
+excessively, and at midnight eighty fathoms of cable were veered out;
+while the sea continued to strike the vessel with a degree of force which
+had not before been experienced.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 6th Sept.]
+
+During the last night there was little rest on board of the _Pharos_, and
+daylight, though anxiously wished for, brought no relief, as the gale
+continued with unabated violence.  The sea struck so hard upon the
+vessel's bows that it rose in great quantities, or in 'green seas,' as
+the sailors termed it, which were carried by the wind as far aft as the
+quarter-deck, and not infrequently over the stern of the ship altogether.
+It fell occasionally so heavily on the skylight of the writer's cabin,
+though so far aft as to be within five feet of the helm, that the glass
+was broken to pieces before the dead-light could be got into its place,
+so that the water poured down in great quantities.  In shutting out the
+water, the admission of light was prevented, and in the morning all
+continued in the most comfortless state of darkness.  About ten o'clock
+a.m. the wind shifted to N.E., and blew, if possible, harder than before,
+and it was accompanied by a much heavier swell of sea.  In the course of
+the gale, the part of the cable in the hause-hole had been so often
+shifted that nearly the whole length of one of her hempen cables, of 120
+fathoms, had been veered out, besides the chain-moorings.  The cable, for
+its preservation, was also carefully served or wattled with pieces of
+canvas round the windlass, and with leather well greased in the
+hause-hole.  In this state things remained during the whole day, every
+sea which struck the vessel--and the seas followed each other in close
+succession--causing her to shake, and all on board occasionally to
+tremble.  At each of these strokes of the sea the rolling and pitching of
+the vessel ceased for a time, and her motion was felt as if she had
+either broke adrift before the wind or were in the act of sinking; but,
+when another sea came, she ranged up against it with great force, and
+this became the regular intimation of our being still riding at anchor.
+
+About eleven o'clock, the writer with some difficulty got out of bed,
+but, in attempting to dress, he was thrown twice upon the floor at the
+opposite end of the cabin.  In an undressed state he made shift to get
+about half-way up the companion-stairs, with an intention to observe the
+state of the sea and of the ship upon deck; but he no sooner looked over
+the companion than a heavy sea struck the vessel, which fell on the
+quarter-deck, and rushed downstairs in the officers' cabin in so
+considerable a quantity that it was found necessary to lift one of the
+scuttles in the floor, to let the water into the limbers of the ship, as
+it dashed from side to side in such a manner as to run into the lower
+tier of beds.  Having been foiled in this attempt, and being completely
+wetted, he again got below and went to bed.  In this state of the weather
+the seamen had to move about the necessary or indispensable duties of the
+ship with the most cautious use both of hands and feet, while it required
+all the art of the landsman to keep within the precincts of his bed.  The
+writer even found himself so much tossed about that it became necessary,
+in some measure, to shut himself in bed, in order to avoid being thrown
+upon the floor.  Indeed, such was the motion of the ship that it seemed
+wholly impracticable to remain in any other than a lying posture.  On
+deck the most stormy aspect presented itself, while below all was wet and
+comfortless.
+
+ About two o'clock p.m. a great alarm was given throughout the ship from
+the effects of a very heavy sea which struck her, and almost filled the
+waist, pouring down into the berths below, through every chink and
+crevice of the hatches and skylights.  From the motion of the vessel
+being thus suddenly deadened or checked, and from the flowing in of the
+water above, it is believed there was not an individual on board who did
+not think, at the moment, that the vessel had foundered, and was in the
+act of sinking.  The writer could withstand this no longer, and as soon
+as she again began to range to the sea he determined to make another
+effort to get upon deck.  In the first instance, however, he groped his
+way in darkness from his own cabin through the berths of the officers,
+where all was quietness.  He next entered the galley and other
+compartments occupied by the artificers.  Here also all was shut up in
+darkness, the fire having been drowned out in the early part of the gale.
+Several of the artificers were employed in prayer, repeating psalms and
+other devotional exercises in a full tone of voice; others protesting
+that, if they should fortunately get once more on shore, no one should
+ever see them afloat again.  With the assistance of the landing-master,
+the writer made his way, holding on step by step, among the numerous
+impediments which lay in the way.  Such was the creaking noise of the
+bulk-heads or partitions, the dashing of the water, and the whistling
+noise of the winds, that it was hardly possible to break in upon such a
+confusion of sounds.  In one or two instances, anxious and repeated
+inquiries were made by the artificers as to the state of things upon
+deck, to which the captain made the usual answer, that it could not blow
+long in this way, and that we must soon have better weather.  The next
+berth in succession, moving forward in the ship, was that allotted for
+the seamen.  Here the scene was considerably different.  Having reached
+the middle of this darksome berth without its inmates being aware of any
+intrusion, the writer had the consolation of remarking that, although
+they talked of bad weather and the cross accidents of the sea, yet the
+conversation was carried on in that sort of tone and manner which bespoke
+an ease and composure of mind highly creditable to them and pleasing to
+him.  The writer immediately accosted the seamen about the state of the
+ship.  To these inquiries they replied that the vessel being light, and
+having but little hold of the water, no top-rigging, with excellent
+ground-tackle, and everything being fresh and new, they felt perfect
+confidence in their situation.
+
+It being impossible to open any of the hatches in the fore part of the
+ship in communicating with the deck, the watch was changed by passing
+through the several berths to the companion-stair leading to the
+quarter-deck.  The writer, therefore, made the best of his way aft, and,
+on a second attempt to look out, he succeeded, and saw indeed an
+astonishing sight.  The sea or waves appeared to be ten or fifteen feet
+in height of unbroken water, and every approaching billow seemed as if it
+would overwhelm our vessel, but she continued to rise upon the waves and
+to fall between the seas in a very wonderful manner.  It seemed to be
+only those seas which caught her in the act of rising which struck her
+with so much violence and threw such quantities of water aft.  On deck
+there was only one solitary individual looking out, to give the alarm in
+the event of the ship breaking from her moorings.  The seaman on watch
+continued only two hours; he who kept watch at this time was a tall,
+slender man of a black complexion; he had no greatcoat nor over-all of
+any kind, but was simply dressed in his ordinary jacket and trousers; his
+hat was tied under his chin with a napkin, and he stood aft the foremast,
+to which he had lashed himself with a gasket or small rope round his
+waist, to prevent his falling upon deck or being washed overboard.  When
+the writer looked up, he appeared to smile, which afforded a further
+symptom of the confidence of the crew in their ship.  This person on
+watch was as completely wetted as if he had been drawn through the sea,
+which was given as a reason for his not putting on a greatcoat, that he
+might wet as few of his clothes as possible, and have a dry shift when he
+went below.  Upon deck everything that was movable was out of sight,
+having either been stowed below, previous to the gale, or been washed
+overboard.  Some trifling parts of the quarter boards were damaged by the
+breach of the sea; and one of the boats upon deck was about one-third
+full of water, the oyle-hole or drain having been accidently stopped up,
+and part of her gunwale had received considerable injury.  These
+observations were hastily made, and not without occasionally shutting the
+companion, to avoid being wetted by the successive seas which broke over
+the bows and fell upon different parts of the deck according to the
+impetus with which the waves struck the vessel.  By this time it was
+about three o'clock in the afternoon, and the gale, which had now
+continued with unabated force for twenty-seven hours, had not the least
+appearance of going off.
+
+In the dismal prospect of undergoing another night like the last, and
+being in imminent hazard of parting from our cable, the writer thought it
+necessary to advise with the master and officers of the ship as to the
+probable event of the vessel's drifting from her moorings.  They
+severally gave it as their opinion that we had now every chance of riding
+out the gale, which, in all probability, could not continue with the same
+fury many hours longer; and that even if she should part from her anchor,
+the storm-sails had been laid to hand, and could be bent in a very short
+time.  They further stated that from the direction of the wind being
+N.E., she would sail up the Firth of Forth to Leith Roads.  But if this
+should appear doubtful, after passing the Island and Light of May, it
+might be advisable at once to steer for Tyningham Sands, on the western
+side of Dunbar, and there run the vessel ashore.  If this should happen
+at the time of high-water, or during the ebbing of the tide, they were of
+opinion, from the flatness and strength of the floating light, that no
+danger would attend her taking the ground, even with a very heavy sea.
+The writer, seeing the confidence which these gentlemen possessed with
+regard to the situation of things, found himself as much relieved with
+this conversation as he had previously been with the seeming indifference
+of the forecastle men, and the smile of the watch upon deck, though
+literally lashed to the foremast.  From this time he felt himself almost
+perfectly at ease; at any rate, he was entirely resigned to the ultimate
+result.
+
+About six o'clock in the evening the ship's company was heard moving upon
+deck, which on the present occasion was rather the cause of alarm.  The
+writer accordingly rang his bell to know what was the matter, when he was
+informed by the steward that the weather looked considerably better, and
+that the men upon deck were endeavouring to ship the smoke-funnel of the
+galley that the people might get some meat.  This was a more favourable
+account than had been anticipated.  During the last twenty-one hours he
+himself had not only had nothing to eat, but he had almost never passed a
+thought on the subject.  Upon the mention of a change of weather, he sent
+the steward to learn how the artificers felt, and on his return he stated
+that they now seemed to be all very happy, since the cook had begun to
+light the galley-fire and make preparations for the suet-pudding of
+Sunday, which was the only dish to be attempted for the mess, from the
+ease with which it could both be cooked and served up.
+
+The principal change felt upon the ship as the wind abated was her
+increased rolling motion, but the pitching was much diminished, and now
+hardly any sea came farther aft than the foremast: but she rolled so
+extremely hard as frequently to dip and take in water over the gunwales
+and rails in the waist.  By nine o'clock all hands had been refreshed by
+the exertions of the cook and steward, and were happy in the prospect of
+the worst of the gale being over.  The usual complement of men was also
+now set on watch, and more quietness was experienced throughout the ship.
+Although the previous night had been a very restless one, it had not the
+effect of inducing repose in the writer's berth on the succeeding night;
+for having been so much tossed about in bed during the last thirty hours,
+he found no easy spot to turn to, and his body was all sore to the touch,
+which ill accorded with the unyielding materials with which his bed-place
+was surrounded.
+
+                                                       [Monday, 7th Sept.]
+
+This morning, about eight o'clock, the writer was agreeably surprised to
+see the scuttle of his cabin sky-light removed, and the bright rays of
+the sun admitted.  Although the ship continued to roll excessively, and
+the sea was still running very high, yet the ordinary business on board
+seemed to be going forward on deck.  It was impossible to steady a
+telescope, so as to look minutely at the progress of the waves and trace
+their breach upon the Bell Rock; but the height to which the
+cross-running waves rose in sprays when they met each other was truly
+grand, and the continued roar and noise of the sea was very perceptible
+to the ear.  To estimate the height of the sprays at forty or fifty feet
+would surely be within the mark.  Those of the workmen who were not much
+afflicted with sea-sickness, came upon deck, and the wetness below being
+dried up, the cabins were again brought into a habitable state.  Every
+one seemed to meet as if after a long absence, congratulating his
+neighbour upon the return of good weather.  Little could be said as to
+the comfort of the vessel, but after riding out such a gale, no one felt
+the least doubt or hesitation as to the safety and good condition of her
+moorings.  The master and mate were extremely anxious, however, to heave
+in the hempen cable, and see the state of the clinch or iron ring of the
+chain-cable.  But the vessel rolled at such a rate that the seamen could
+not possibly keep their feet at the windlass nor work the hand-spikes,
+though it had been several times attempted since the gale took off.
+
+About twelve noon, however, the vessel's motion was observed to be
+considerably less, and the sailors were enabled to walk upon deck with
+some degree of freedom.  But, to the astonishment of every one, it was
+soon discovered that the floating light was adrift!  The windlass was
+instantly manned, and the men soon gave out that there was no strain upon
+the cable.  The mizzen sail, which was bent for the occasional purpose of
+making the vessel ride more easily to the tide, was immediately set, and
+the other sails were also hoisted in a short time, when, in no small
+consternation, we bore away about one mile to the south-westward of the
+former station, and there let go the best bower anchor and cable in
+twenty fathoms water, to ride until the swell of the sea should fall,
+when it might be practicable to grapple for the moorings, and find a
+better anchorage for the ship.
+
+                                                     [Tuesday, 15th Sept.]
+
+This morning, at five a.m., the bell rung as a signal for landing upon
+the rock, a sound which, after a lapse of ten days, it is believed was
+welcomed by every one on board.  There being a heavy breach of sea at the
+eastern creek, we landed, though not without difficulty, on the western
+side, every one seeming more eager than another to get upon the rock; and
+never did hungry men sit down to a hearty meal with more appetite than
+the artificers began to pick the dulse from the rocks.  This marine plant
+had the effect of reviving the sickly, and seemed to be no less relished
+by those who were more hardy.
+
+While the water was ebbing, and the men were roaming in quest of their
+favourite morsel, the writer was examining the effects of the storm upon
+the forge and loose apparatus left upon the rock.  Six large blocks of
+granite which had been landed, by way of experiment, on the 1st instant,
+were now removed from their places and, by the force of the sea, thrown
+over a rising ledge into a hole at the distance of twelve or fifteen
+paces from the place on which they had been landed.  This was a pretty
+good evidence both of the violence of the storm and the agitation of the
+sea upon the rock.  The safety of the smith's forge was always an object
+of essential regard.  The ash-pan of the hearth or fireplace, with its
+weighty cast-iron back, had been washed from their places of supposed
+security; the chains of attachment had been broken, and these ponderous
+articles were found at a very considerable distance in a hole on the
+western side of the rock; while the tools and picks of the Aberdeen
+masons were scattered about in every direction.  It is, however,
+remarkable that not a single article was ultimately lost.
+
+This being the night on which the floating light was advertised to be
+lighted, it was accordingly exhibited, to the great joy of every one.
+
+                                                   [Wednesday, 16th Sept.]
+
+The writer was made happy to-day by the return of the Lighthouse yacht
+from a voyage to the Northern Lighthouses.  Having immediately removed on
+board of this fine vessel of eighty-one tons register, the artificers
+gladly followed; for, though they found themselves more pinched for
+accommodation on board of the yacht, and still more so in the _Smeaton_,
+yet they greatly preferred either of these to the _Pharos_, or floating
+light, on account of her rolling motion, though in all respects fitted up
+for their conveniency.
+
+The writer called them to the quarter-deck and informed them that, having
+been one mouth afloat, in terms of their agreement they were now at
+liberty to return to the workyard at Arbroath if they preferred this to
+continuing at the Bell Rock.  But they replied that, in the prospect of
+soon getting the beacon erected upon the rock, and having made a change
+from the floating light, they were now perfectly reconciled to their
+situation, and would remain afloat till the end of the working season.
+
+                                                    [Thursday, 17th Sept.]
+
+The wind was at N.E. this morning, and though they were only light airs,
+yet there was a pretty heavy swell coming ashore upon the rock.  The
+boats landed at half-past seven o'clock a.m., at the creek on the
+southern side of the rock, marked Port Hamilton.  But as one of the boats
+was in the act of entering this creek, the seaman at the bow-oar, who had
+just entered the service, having inadvertently expressed some fear from a
+heavy sea which came rolling towards the boat, and one of the artificers
+having at the same time looked round and missed a stroke with his oar,
+such a preponderance was thus given to the rowers upon the opposite side
+that when the wave struck the boat it threw her upon a ledge of shelving
+rocks, where the water left her, and she having _kanted_ to seaward, the
+next wave completely filled her with water.  After making considerable
+efforts the boat was again got afloat in the proper track of the creek,
+so that we landed without any other accident than a complete ducking.
+There being no possibility of getting a shift of clothes, the artificers
+began with all speed to work, so as to bring themselves into heat, while
+the writer and his assistants kept as much as possible in motion.  Having
+remained more than an hour upon the rock, the boats left it at half-past
+nine; and, after getting on board, the writer recommended to the
+artificers, as the best mode of getting into a state of comfort, to strip
+off their wet clothes and go to bed for an hour or two.  No further
+inconveniency was felt, and no one seemed to complain of the affection
+called 'catching cold.'
+
+                                                      [Friday, 18th Sept.]
+
+An important occurrence connected with the operations of this season was
+the arrival of the _Smeaton_ at four p.m., having in tow the six
+principal beams of the beacon-house, together with all the stanchions and
+other work on board for fixing it on the rock.  The mooring of the
+floating light was a great point gained, but in the erection of the
+beacon at this late period of the season new difficulties presented
+themselves.  The success of such an undertaking at any season was
+precarious, because a single day of bad weather occurring before the
+necessary fixtures could be made might sweep the whole apparatus from the
+rock.  Notwithstanding these difficulties, the writer had determined to
+make the trial, although he could almost have wished, upon looking at the
+state of the clouds and the direction of the wind, that the apparatus for
+the beacon had been still in the workyard.
+
+                                                    [Saturday, 19th Sept.]
+
+The main beams of the beacon were made up in two separate rafts, fixed
+with bars and bolts of iron.  One of these rafts, not being immediately
+wanted, was left astern of the floating light, and the other was kept in
+tow by the _Smeaton_, at the buoy nearest to the rock.  The Lighthouse
+yacht rode at another buoy with all hands on board that could possibly be
+spared out of the floating light.  The party of artificers and seamen
+which landed on the rock counted altogether forty in number.  At
+half-past eight o'clock a derrick, or mast of thirty feet in height, was
+erected and properly supported with guy-ropes, for suspending the block
+for raising the first principal beam of the beacon; and a winch machine
+was also bolted down to the rock for working the purchase-tackle.
+
+Upon raising the derrick, all hands on the rock spontaneously gave three
+hearty cheers, as a favourable omen of our future exertions in pointing
+out more permanently the position of the rock.  Even to this single spar
+of timber, could it be preserved, a drowning man might lay hold.  When
+the _Smeaton_ drifted on the 2nd of this month such a spar would have
+been sufficient to save us till she could have come to our relief.
+
+                                                      [Sunday, 20th Sept.]
+
+The wind this morning was variable, but the weather continued extremely
+favourable for the operations throughout the whole day.  At six a.m. the
+boats were in motion, and the raft, consisting of four of the six
+principal beams of the beacon-house, each measuring about sixteen inches
+square, and fifty feet in length, was towed to the rock, where it was
+anchored, that it might ground upon it as the water ebbed.  The sailors
+and artificers, including all hands, to-day counted no fewer than
+fifty-two, being perhaps the greatest number of persons ever collected
+upon the Bell Rock.  It was early in the tide when the boats reached the
+rock, and the men worked a considerable time up to their middle in water,
+every one being more eager than his neighbour to be useful.  Even the
+four artificers who had hitherto declined working on Sunday were to-day
+most zealous in their exertions.  They had indeed become so convinced of
+the precarious nature and necessity of the work that they never
+afterwards absented themselves from the rock on Sunday when a landing was
+practicable.
+
+Having made fast a piece of very good new line, at about two-thirds from
+the lower end of one of the beams, the purchase-tackle of the derrick was
+hooked into the turns of the line, and it was speedily raised by the
+number of men on the rock and the power of the winch tackle.  When this
+log was lifted to a sufficient height, its foot, or lower end, was
+_stepped_ into the spot which had been previously prepared for it.  Two
+of the great iron stanchions were then set in their respective holes on
+each side of the beam, when a rope was passed round them and the beam, to
+prevent it from slipping till it could be more permanently fixed.  The
+derrick, or upright spar used for carrying the tackle to raise the first
+beam, was placed in such a position as to become useful for supporting
+the upper end of it, which now became, in its turn, the prop of the
+tackle for raising the second beam.  The whole difficulty of this
+operation was in the raising and propping of the first beam, which became
+a convenient derrick for raising the second, these again a pair of shears
+for lifting the third, and the shears a triangle for raising the fourth.
+Having thus got four of the six principal beams set on end, it required a
+considerable degree of trouble to get their upper ends to fit.  Here they
+formed the apex of a cone, and were all together mortised into a large
+piece of beechwood, and secured, for the present, with ropes, in a
+temporary manner.  During the short period of one tide all that could
+further be done for their security was to put a single screw-bolt through
+the great kneed bats or stanchions on each side of the beams, and screw
+the nut home.
+
+In this manner these four principal beams were erected, and left in a
+pretty secure state.  The men had commenced while there was about two or
+three feet of water upon the side of the beacon, and as the sea was
+smooth they continued the work equally long during flood-tide.  Two of
+the boats being left at the rock to take off the joiners, who were busily
+employed on the upper parts till two o'clock p.m., this tide's work may
+be said to have continued for about seven hours, which was the longest
+that had hitherto been got upon the rock by at least three hours.
+
+When the first boats left the rock with the artificers employed on the
+lower part of the work during the flood-tide, the beacon had quite a
+novel appearance.  The beams erected formed a common base of about
+thirty-three feet, meeting at the top, which was about forty-five feet
+above the rock, and here half a dozen of the artificers were still at
+work.  After clearing the rock the boats made a stop, when three hearty
+cheers were given, which were returned with equal goodwill by those upon
+the beacon, from the personal interest which every one felt in the
+prosperity of this work, so intimately connected with his safety.
+
+All hands having returned to their respective ships, they got a shift of
+dry clothes and some refreshment.  Being Sunday, they were afterwards
+convened by signal on board of the Lighthouse yacht, when prayers were
+read; for every heart upon this occasion felt gladness, and every mind
+was disposed to be thankful for the happy and successful termination of
+the operations of this day.
+
+                                                      [Monday, 21st Sept.]
+
+The remaining two principal beams were erected in the course of this
+tide, which, with the assistance of those set up yesterday, was found to
+be a very simple operation.
+
+The six principal beams of the beacon were thus secured, at least in a
+temporary manner, in the course of two tides, or in the short space of
+about eleven hours and a half.  Such is the progress that may be made
+when active hands and willing minds set properly to work in operations of
+this kind.
+
+                                                     [Tuesday 22nd, Sept.]
+
+Having now got the weighty part of this work over, and being thereby
+relieved of the difficulty both of landing and victualling such a number
+of men, the _Smeaton_ could now be spared, and she was accordingly
+despatched to Arbroath for a supply of water and provisions, and carried
+with her six of the artificers who could best be spared.
+
+                                                   [Wednesday, 23rd Sept.]
+
+In going out of the eastern harbour, the boat which the writer steered
+shipped a sea, that filled her about one-third with water.  She had also
+been hid for a short time, by the waves breaking upon the rock, from the
+sight of the crew of the preceding boat, who were much alarmed for our
+safety, imagining for a time that she had gone down.
+
+The _Smeaton_ returned from Arbroath this afternoon, but there was so
+much sea that she could not be made fast to her moorings, and the vessel
+was obliged to return to Arbroath without being able either to deliver
+the provisions or take the artificers on board.  The Lighthouse yacht was
+also soon obliged to follow her example, as the sea was breaking heavily
+over her bows.  After getting two reefs in the mainsail, and the third or
+storm-jib set, the wind being S.W., she bent to windward, though blowing
+a hard gale, and got into St. Andrews Bay, where we passed the night
+under the lee of Fifeness.
+
+                                                    [Thursday, 24th Sept.]
+
+At two o'clock this morning we were in St. Andrews Bay, standing off and
+on shore, with strong gales of wind at S.W.; at seven we were off the
+entrance of the Tay; at eight stood towards the rock, and at ten passed
+to leeward of it, but could not attempt a landing.  The beacon, however,
+appeared to remain in good order, and by six p.m. the vessel had again
+beaten up to St. Andrews Bay, and got into somewhat smoother water for
+the night.
+
+                                                      [Friday, 25th Sept.]
+
+At seven o'clock bore away for the Bell Rock, but finding a heavy sea
+running on it were unable to land.  The writer, however, had the
+satisfaction to observe, with his telescope, that everything about the
+beacon appeared entire: and although the sea had a most frightful
+appearance, yet it was the opinion of every one that, since the erection
+of the beacon, the Bell Rock was divested of many of its terrors, and had
+it been possible to have got the boats hoisted out and manned, it might
+have even been found practicable to land.  At six it blew so hard that it
+was found necessary to strike the topmast and take in a third reef of the
+mainsail, and under this low canvas we soon reached St. Andrews Bay, and
+got again under the lee of the land for the night.  The artificers, being
+sea-hardy, were quite reconciled to their quarters on board of the
+Lighthouse yacht; but it is believed that hardly any consideration would
+have induced them again to take up their abode in the floating light.
+
+                                                    [Saturday, 26th Sept.]
+
+At daylight the yacht steered towards the Bell Rock, and at eight a.m.
+made fast to her moorings; at ten, all hands, to the amount of thirty,
+landed, when the writer had the happiness to find that the beacon had
+withstood the violence of the gale and the heavy breach of sea,
+everything being found in the same state in which it had been left on the
+21st.  The artificers were now enabled to work upon the rock throughout
+the whole day, both at low and high water, but it required the strictest
+attention to the state of the weather, in case of their being overtaken
+with a gale, which might prevent the possibility of getting them off the
+rock.
+
+Two somewhat memorable circumstances in the annals of the Bell Rock
+attended the operations of this day: one was the removal of Mr. James
+Dove, the foreman smith, with his apparatus, from the rock to the upper
+part of the beacon, where the forge was now erected on a temporary
+platform, laid on the cross beams or upper framing.  The other was the
+artificers having dined for the first time upon the rock, their dinner
+being cooked on board of the yacht, and sent to them by one of the boats.
+But what afforded the greatest happiness and relief was the removal of
+the large bellows, which had all along been a source of much trouble and
+perplexity, by their hampering and incommoding the boat which carried the
+smiths and their apparatus.
+
+                                                      [Saturday, 3rd Oct.]
+
+The wind being west to-day, the weather was very favourable for
+operations at the rock, and during the morning and evening tides, with
+the aid of torchlight, the masons had seven hours' work upon the site of
+the building.  The smiths and joiners, who landed at half-past six a.m.,
+did not leave the rock till a quarter-past eleven p.m., having been at
+work, with little intermission, for sixteen hours and three-quarters.
+When the water left the rock, they were employed at the lower parts of
+the beacon, and as the tide rose or fell, they shifted the place of their
+operations.  From these exertions, the fixing and securing of the beacon
+made rapid advancement, as the men were now landed in the morning and
+remained throughout the day.  But, as a sudden change of weather might
+have prevented their being taken off at the proper time of tide, a
+quantity of bread and water was always kept on the beacon.
+
+During this period of working at the beacon all the day, and often a
+great part of the night, the writer was much on board of the tender; but,
+while the masons could work on the rock, and frequently also while it was
+covered by the tide, he remained on the beacon; especially during the
+night, as he made a point of being on the rock to the latest hour, and
+was generally the last person who stepped into the boat.  He had laid
+this down as part of his plan of procedure; and in this way had acquired,
+in the course of the first season, a pretty complete knowledge and
+experience of what could actually be done at the Bell Rock, under all
+circumstances of the weather.  By this means also his assistants, and the
+artificers and mariners, got into a systematic habit of proceeding at the
+commencement of the work, which, it is believed, continued throughout the
+whole of the operations.
+
+                                                        [Sunday, 4th Oct.]
+
+The external part of the beacon was now finished, with its supports and
+bracing-chains, and whatever else was considered necessary for its
+stability in so far as the season would permit; and although much was
+still wanting to complete this fabric, yet it was in such a state that it
+could be left without much fear of the consequences of a storm.  The
+painting of the upper part was nearly finished this afternoon; and the
+_Smeaton_ had brought off a quantity of brushwood and other articles, for
+the purpose of heating or charring the lower part of the principal beams,
+before being laid over with successive coats of boiling pitch, to the
+height of from eight to twelve feet, or as high as the rise of
+spring-tides.  A small flagstaff having also been erected to-day, a flag
+was displayed for the first time from the beacon, by which its
+perspective effect was greatly improved.  On this, as on all like
+occasions at the Bell Rock, three hearty cheers were given; and the
+steward served out a dram of rum to all hands, while the Lighthouse
+yacht, _Smeaton_, and floating light, hoisted their colours in compliment
+to the erection.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 5th Oct.]
+
+In the afternoon, and just as the tide's work was over, Mr. John Rennie,
+engineer, accompanied by his son Mr. George, on their way to the harbour
+works of Fraserburgh, in Aberdeenshire, paid a visit to the Bell Rock, in
+a boat from Arbroath.  It being then too late in the tide for landing,
+they remained on board of the Lighthouse yacht all night, when the
+writer, who had now been secluded from society for several weeks, enjoyed
+much of Mr. Rennie's interesting conversation, both on general topics,
+and professionally upon the progress of the Bell Rock works, on which he
+was consulted as chief engineer.
+
+                                                       [Tuesday, 6th Oct.]
+
+The artificers landed this morning at nine, after which one of the boats
+returned to the ship for the writer and Messrs. Rennie, who, upon
+landing, were saluted with a display of the colours from the beacon and
+by three cheers from the workmen.  Everything was now in a prepared state
+for leaving the rock, and giving up the works afloat for this season,
+excepting some small articles, which would still occupy the smiths and
+joiners for a few days longer.  They accordingly shifted on board of the
+_Smeaton_, while the yacht left the rock for Arbroath, with Messrs.
+Rennie, the writer, and the remainder of the artificers.  But, before
+taking leave, the steward served out a farewell glass, when three hearty
+cheers were given, and an earnest wish expressed that everything, in the
+spring of 1808, might be found in the same state of good order as it was
+now about to be left.
+
+
+
+II--OPERATIONS OF 1808
+
+
+                                                       [Monday, 29th Feb.]
+
+The writer sailed from Arbroath at one a.m. in the Lighthouse yacht.  At
+seven the floating light was hailed, and all on board found to be well.
+The crew were observed to have a very healthy-like appearance, and looked
+better than at the close of the works upon the rock.  They seemed only to
+regret one thing, which was the secession of their cook, Thomas
+Elliot--not on account of his professional skill, but for his facetious
+and curious manner.  Elliot had something peculiar in his history, and
+was reported by his comrades to have seen better days.  He was, however,
+happy with his situation on board of the floating light, and, having a
+taste for music, dancing, and acting plays, he contributed much to the
+amusement of the ship's company in their dreary abode during the winter
+months.  He had also recommended himself to their notice as a good
+shipkeeper, for as it did not answer Elliot to go often ashore, he had
+always given up his turn of leave to his neighbours.  At his own desire
+he was at length paid off, when he had a considerable balance of wages to
+receive, which he said would be sufficient to carry him to the West
+Indies, and he accordingly took leave of the Lighthouse service.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 1st March]
+
+At daybreak the Lighthouse yacht, attended by a boat from the floating
+light, again stood towards the Bell Rock.  The weather felt extremely
+cold this morning, the thermometer being at 34 degrees, with the wind at
+east, accompanied by occasional showers of snow, and the marine barometer
+indicated 29.80.  At half-past seven the sea ran with such force upon the
+rock that it seemed doubtful if a landing could be effected.  At
+half-past eight, when it was fairly above water, the writer took his
+place in the floating light's boat with the artificers, while the yacht's
+boat followed, according to the general rule of having two boats afloat
+in landing expeditions of this kind, that, in case of accident to one
+boat, the other might assist.  In several unsuccessful attempts the boats
+were beat back by the breach of the sea upon the rock.  On the eastern
+side it separated into two distinct waves, which came with a sweep round
+to the western side, where they met; and at the instance of their
+confluence the water rose in spray to a considerable height.  Watching
+what the sailors term a _smooth_, we caught a favourable opportunity, and
+in a very dexterous manner the boats were rowed between the two seas, and
+made a favourable landing at the western creek.
+
+At the latter end of last season, as was formerly noticed, the beacon was
+painted white, and from the bleaching of the weather and the sprays of
+the sea the upper parts were kept clean; but within the range of the tide
+the principal beams were observed to be thickly coated with a green
+stuff, the _conferva_ of botanists.  Notwithstanding the intrusion of
+these works, which had formerly banished the numerous seals that played
+about the rock, they were now seen in great numbers, having been in an
+almost undisturbed state for six months.  It had now also, for the first
+time, got some inhabitants of the feathered tribe: in particular the
+scarth or cormorant, and the large herring-gull, had made the beacon a
+resting-place, from its vicinity to their fishing-grounds.  About a dozen
+of these birds had rested upon the cross-beams, which, in some places,
+were coated with their dung; and their flight, as the boats approached,
+was a very unlooked-for indication of life and habitation on the Bell
+Rock, conveying the momentary idea of the conversion of this fatal rock,
+from being a terror to the mariner, into a residence of man and a
+safeguard to shipping.
+
+Upon narrowly examining the great iron stanchions with which the beams
+were fixed to the rock, the writer had the satisfaction of finding that
+there was not the least appearance of working or shifting at any of the
+joints or places of connection; and, excepting the loosening of the
+bracing-chains, everything was found in the same entire state in which it
+had been left in the month of October.  This, in the estimation of the
+writer, was a matter of no small importance to the future success of the
+work.  He from that moment saw the practicability and propriety of
+fitting up the beacon, not only as a place of refuge in case of accident
+to the boats in landing, but as a residence for the artificers during the
+working months.
+
+While upon the top of the beacon the writer was reminded by the
+landing-master that the sea was running high, and that it would be
+necessary to set off while the rock afforded anything like shelter to the
+boats, which by this time had been made fast by a long line to the
+beacon, and rode with much agitation, each requiring two men with
+boat-hooks to keep them from striking each other, or from ranging up
+against the beacon.  But even under these circumstances the greatest
+confidence was felt by every one, from the security afforded by this
+temporary erection.  For, supposing the wind had suddenly increased to a
+gale, and that it had been found unadvisable to go into the boats; or,
+supposing they had drifted or sprung a leak from striking upon the rocks;
+in any of these possible and not at all improbable cases, those who might
+thus have been left upon the rock had now something to lay hold of, and,
+though occupying this dreary habitation of the sea-gull and the
+cormorant, affording only bread and water, yet _life_, would be
+preserved, and the mind would still be supported by the hope of being
+ultimately relieved.
+
+                                                     [Wednesday, 25th May]
+
+On the 25th of May the writer embarked at Arbroath, on board of the _Sir
+Joseph Banks_, for the Bell Rock, accompanied by Mr. Logan senior,
+foreman builder, with twelve masons and two smiths, together with
+thirteen seamen, including the master, mate, and steward.
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 26th May]
+
+Mr. James Wilson, now commander of the _Pharos_, floating light, and
+landing-master, in the room of Mr. Sinclair, who had left the service,
+came into the writer's cabin this morning at six o'clock, and intimated
+that there was a good appearance of landing on the rock.  Everything
+being arranged, both boats proceeded in company, and at eight a.m. they
+reached the rock.  The lighthouse colours were immediately hoisted upon
+the flagstaff of the beacon, a compliment which was duly returned by the
+tender and floating light, when three hearty cheers were given, and a
+glass of rum was served out to all hands to drink success to the
+operations of 1808.
+
+                                                        [Friday, 27th May]
+
+This morning the wind was at east, blowing a fresh gale, the weather
+being hazy, with a considerable breach of sea setting in upon the rock.
+The morning bell was therefore rung, in some doubt as to the
+practicability of making a landing.  After allowing the rock to get fully
+up, or to be sufficiently left by the tide, that the boats might have
+some shelter from the range of the sea, they proceeded at 8 a.m., and
+upon the whole made a pretty good landing; and after two hours and
+three-quarters' work returned to the ship in safety.
+
+In the afternoon the wind considerably increased, and, as a pretty heavy
+sea was still running, the tender rode very hard, when Mr. Taylor, the
+commander, found it necessary to take in the bowsprit, and strike the
+fore and main topmasts, that she might ride more easily.  After
+consulting about the state of the weather, it was resolved to leave the
+artificers on board this evening, and carry only the smiths to the rock,
+as the sharpening of the irons was rather behind, from their being so
+much broken and blunted by the hard and tough nature of the rock, which
+became much more compact and hard as the depth of excavation was
+increased.  Besides avoiding the risk of encumbering the boats with a
+number of men who had not yet got the full command of the oar in a breach
+of sea, the writer had another motive for leaving them behind.  He wanted
+to examine the site of the building without interruption, and to take the
+comparative levels of the different inequalities of its area; and as it
+would have been painful to have seen men standing idle upon the Bell
+Rock, where all moved with activity, it was judged better to leave them
+on board.  The boats landed at half-past seven p.m., and the
+landing-master, with the seamen, was employed during this tide in cutting
+the seaweeds from the several paths leading to the landing-places, to
+render walking more safe, for, from the slippery state of the surface of
+the rock, many severe tumbles had taken place.  In the meantime the
+writer took the necessary levels, and having carefully examined the site
+of the building and considered all its parts, it still appeared to be
+necessary to excavate to the average depth of fourteen inches over the
+whole area of the foundation.
+
+                                                      [Saturday, 28th May]
+
+The wind still continued from the eastward with a heavy swell; and to-day
+it was accompanied with foggy weather and occasional showers of rain.
+Notwithstanding this, such was the confidence which the erection of the
+beacon had inspired that the boats landed the artificers on the rock
+under very unpromising circumstances, at half-past eight, and they
+continued at work till half-past eleven, being a period of three hours,
+which was considered a great tide's work in the present low state of the
+foundation.  Three of the masons on board were so afflicted with
+sea-sickness that they had not been able to take any food for almost
+three days, and they were literally assisted into the boats this morning
+by their companions.  It was, however, not a little surprising to see how
+speedily these men revived upon landing on the rock and eating a little
+dulse.  Two of them afterwards assisted the sailors in collecting the
+chips of stone and carrying them out of the way of the pickmen; but the
+third complained of a pain in his head, and was still unable to do
+anything.  Instead of returning to the tender with the boats, these three
+men remained on the beacon all day, and had their victuals sent to them
+along with the smiths'.  From Mr. Dove, the foreman smith, they had much
+sympathy, for he preferred remaining on the beacon at all hazards, to be
+himself relieved from the malady of sea-sickness.  The wind continuing
+high, with a heavy sea, and the tide falling late, it was not judged
+proper to land the artificers this evening, but in the twilight the boats
+were sent to fetch the people on board who had been left on the rock.
+
+                                                        [Sunday, 29th May]
+
+The wind was from the S.W. to-day, and the signal-bell rung, as usual,
+about an hour before the period for landing on the rock.  The writer was
+rather surprised, however, to hear the landing-master repeatedly call,
+'All hands for the rock!' and, coming on deck, he was disappointed to
+find the seamen only in the boats.  Upon inquiry, it appeared that some
+misunderstanding had taken place about the wages of the artificers for
+Sundays.  They had preferred wages for seven days statedly to the former
+mode of allowing a day for each tide's work on Sunday, as they did not
+like the appearance of working for double or even treble wages on Sunday,
+and would rather have it understood that their work on that day arose
+more from the urgency of the case than with a view to emolument.  This
+having been judged creditable to their religious feelings, and readily
+adjusted to their wish, the boats proceeded to the rock, and the work
+commenced at nine a.m.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 30th May]
+
+Mr. Francis Watt commenced, with five joiners, to fit up a temporary
+platform upon the beacon, about twenty-five feet above the highest part
+of the rock.  This platform was to be used as the site of the smith's
+forge, after the beacon should be fitted up as a barrack; and here also
+the mortar was to be mixed and prepared for the building, and it was
+accordingly termed the Mortar Gallery.
+
+The landing-master's crew completed the discharging from the _Smeaton_ of
+her cargo of the cast-iron rails and timber.  It must not here be omitted
+to notice that the _Smeaton_ took in ballast from the Bell Rock,
+consisting of the shivers or chips of stone produced by the workmen in
+preparing the site of the building, which were now accumulating in great
+quantities on the rock.  These the boats loaded, after discharging the
+iron.  The object in carrying off these chips, besides ballasting the
+vessel, was to get them permanently out of the way, as they were apt to
+shift about from place to place with every gale of wind; and it often
+required a considerable time to clear the foundation a second time of
+this rubbish.  The circumstance of ballasting a ship at the Bell Rock
+afforded great entertainment, especially to the sailors; and it was
+perhaps with truth remarked that the _Smeaton_ was the first vessel that
+had ever taken on board ballast at the Bell Rock.  Mr. Pool, the
+commander of this vessel, afterwards acquainted the writer that, when the
+ballast was landed upon the quay at Leith, many persons carried away
+specimens of it, as part of a cargo from the Bell Rock; when he added,
+that such was the interest excited, from the number of specimens carried
+away, that some of his friends suggested that he should have sent the
+whole to the Cross of Edinburgh, where each piece might have sold for a
+penny.
+
+                                                       [Tuesday, 31st May]
+
+In the evening the boats went to the rock, and brought the joiners and
+smiths, and their sickly companions, on board of the tender.  These also
+brought with them two baskets full of fish, which they had caught at
+high-water from the beacon, reporting, at the same time, to their
+comrades, that the fish were swimming in such numbers over the rock at
+high-water that it was completely hid from their sight, and nothing seen
+but the movement of thousands of fish.  They were almost exclusively of
+the species called the podlie, or young coal-fish.  This discovery, made
+for the first time to-day by the workmen, was considered fortunate, as an
+additional circumstance likely to produce an inclination among the
+artificers to take up their residence in the beacon, when it came to be
+fitted up as a barrack.
+
+                                                       [Tuesday, 7th June]
+
+At three o'clock in the morning the ship's bell was rung as the signal
+for landing at the rock.  When the landing was to be made before
+breakfast, it was customary to give each of the artificers and seamen a
+dram and a biscuit, and coffee was prepared by the steward for the
+cabins.  Exactly at four o'clock the whole party landed from three boats,
+including one of those belonging to the floating light, with a part of
+that ship's crew, which always attended the works in moderate weather.
+The landing-master's boat, called the _Seaman_, but more commonly called
+the _Lifeboat_, took the lead.  The next boat, called the _Mason_, was
+generally steered by the writer; while the floating light's boat,
+_Pharos_, was under the management of the boatswain of that ship.
+
+Having now so considerable a party of workmen and sailors on the rock, it
+may be proper here to notice how their labours were directed.
+Preparations having been made last month for the erection of a second
+forge upon the beacon, the smiths commenced their operations both upon
+the lower and higher platforms.  They were employed in sharpening the
+picks and irons for the masons, and in making bats and other apparatus of
+various descriptions connected with the fitting of the railways.  The
+landing-master's crew were occupied in assisting the millwrights in
+laying the railways to hand.  Sailors, of all other descriptions of men,
+are the most accommodating in the use of their hands.  They worked freely
+with the boring-irons, and assisted in all the operations of the
+railways, acting by turns as boatmen, seamen, and artificers.  We had no
+such character on the Bell Rock as the common labourer.  All the
+operations of this department were cheerfully undertaken by the seamen,
+who, both on the rock and on shipboard, were the inseparable companions
+of every work connected with the erection of the Bell Rock Lighthouse.
+It will naturally be supposed that about twenty-five masons, occupied
+with their picks in executing and preparing the foundation of the
+lighthouse, in the course of a tide of about three hours, would make a
+considerable impression upon an area even of forty-two feet in diameter.
+But in proportion as the foundation was deepened, the rock was found to
+be much more hard and difficult to work, while the baling and pumping of
+water became much more troublesome.  A joiner was kept almost constantly
+employed in fitting the picks to their handles, which, as well as the
+points to the irons, were very frequently broken.
+
+The Bell Rock this morning presented by far the most busy and active
+appearance it had exhibited since the erection of the principal beams of
+the beacon.  The surface of the rock was crowded with men, the two forges
+flaming, the one above the other, upon the beacon, while the anvils
+thundered with the rebounding noise of their wooden supports, and formed
+a curious contrast with the occasional clamour of the surges.  The wind
+was westerly, and the weather being extremely agreeable, as soon after
+breakfast as the tide had sufficiently overflowed the rock to float the
+boats over it, the smiths, with a number of the artificers, returned to
+the beacon, carrying their fishing-tackle along with them.  In the course
+of the forenoon, the beacon exhibited a still more extraordinary
+appearance than the rock had done in the morning.  The sea being smooth,
+it seemed to be afloat upon the water, with a number of men supporting
+themselves in all the variety of attitude and position: while, from the
+upper part of this wooden house, the volumes of smoke which ascended from
+the forges gave the whole a very curious and fanciful appearance.
+
+In the course of this tide it was observed that a heavy swell was setting
+in from the eastward, and the appearance of the sky indicated a change of
+weather, while the wind was shifting about.  The barometer also had
+fallen from 30 in. to 29.6.  It was, therefore, judged prudent to shift
+the vessel to the S.W. or more distant buoy.  Her bowsprit was also soon
+afterwards taken in, the topmasts struck, and everything made _snug_, as
+seamen term it, for a gale.  During the course of the night the wind
+increased and shifted to the eastward, when the vessel rolled very hard,
+and the sea often broke over her bows with great force.
+
+                                                     [Wednesday, 8th June]
+
+Although the motion of the tender was much less than that of the floating
+light--at least, in regard to the rolling motion--yet she _sended_, or
+pitched, much.  Being also of a very handsome build, and what seamen term
+very _clean aft_, the sea often struck the counter with such force that
+the writer, who possessed the aftermost cabin, being unaccustomed to this
+new vessel, could not divest himself of uneasiness; for when her stern
+fell into the sea, it struck with so much violence as to be more like the
+resistance of a rock than the sea.  The water, at the same time, often
+rushed with great force up the rudder-case, and, forcing up the valve of
+the water-closet, the floor of his cabin was at times laid under water.
+The gale continued to increase, and the vessel rolled and pitched in such
+a manner that the hawser by which the tender was made fast to the buoy
+snapped, and she went adrift.  In the act of swinging round to the wind
+she shipped a very heavy sea, which greatly alarmed the artificers, who
+imagined that we had got upon the rock; but this, from the direction of
+the wind, was impossible.  The writer, however, sprung upon deck, where
+he found the sailors busily employed in rigging out the bowsprit and in
+setting sail.  From the easterly direction of the wind, it was considered
+most advisable to steer for the Firth of Forth, and there wait a change
+of weather.  At two p.m. we accordingly passed the Isle of May, at six
+anchored in Leith Roads, and at eight the writer landed, when he came in
+upon his friends, who were not a little surprised at his unexpected
+appearance, which gave an instantaneous alarm for the safety of things at
+the Bell Rock.
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 9th June]
+
+The wind still continued to blow very hard at E. by N., and the _Sir
+Joseph Banks_ rode heavily, and even drifted with both anchors ahead, in
+Leith Roads.  The artificers did not attempt to leave the ship last
+night; but there being upwards of fifty people on board, and the decks
+greatly lumbered with the two large boats, they were in a very crowded
+and impatient state on board.  But to-day they got ashore, and amused
+themselves by walking about the streets of Edinburgh, some in very humble
+apparel, from having only the worst of their jackets with them, which,
+though quite suitable for their work, were hardly fit for public
+inspection, being not only tattered, but greatly stained with the red
+colour of the rock.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 10th June]
+
+To-day the wind was at S.E., with light breezes and foggy weather.  At
+six a.m. the writer again embarked for the Bell Rock, when the vessel
+immediately sailed.  At eleven p.m., there being no wind, the
+kedge-anchor was _let go_ off Anstruther, one of the numerous towns on
+the coast of Fife, where we waited the return of the tide.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 11th June]
+
+At six a.m. the _Sir Joseph_ got under weigh, and at eleven was again
+made fast to the southern buoy at the Bell Rock.  Though it was now late
+in the tide, the writer, being anxious to ascertain the state of things
+after the gale, landed with the artificers to the number of forty-four.
+Everything was found in an entire state; but, as the tide was nearly
+gone, only half an hour's work had been got when the site of the building
+was overflowed.  In the evening the boats again landed at nine, and after
+a good tide's work of three hours with torchlight, the work was left off
+at midnight.  To the distant shipping the appearance of things under
+night on the Bell Rock, when the work was going forward, must have been
+very remarkable, especially to those who were strangers to the
+operations.  Mr. John Reid, principal lightkeeper, who also acted as
+master of the floating light during the working months at the rock,
+described the appearance of numerous lights situated so low in the water,
+when seen at the distance of two or three miles, as putting him in mind
+of Milton's description of the fiends in the lower regions, adding, 'for
+it seems greatly to surpass Will-o'-the-Wisp, or any of those earthly
+spectres of which we have so often heard.'
+
+                                                       [Monday, 13th June]
+
+From the difficulties attending the landing on the rock, owing to the
+breach of sea which had for days past been around it, the artificers
+showed some backwardness at getting into the boats this morning; but
+after a little explanation this was got over.  It was always observable
+that for some time after anything like danger had occurred at the rock,
+the workmen became much more cautious, and on some occasions their
+timidity was rather troublesome.  It fortunately happened, however, that
+along with the writer's assistants and the sailors there were also some
+of the artificers themselves who felt no such scruples, and in this way
+these difficulties were the more easily surmounted.  In matters where
+life is in danger it becomes necessary to treat even unfounded prejudices
+with tenderness, as an accident, under certain circumstances, would not
+only have been particularly painful to those giving directions, but have
+proved highly detrimental to the work, especially in the early stages of
+its advancement.
+
+At four o'clock fifty-eight persons landed; but the tides being extremely
+languid, the water only left the higher parts of the rock, and no work
+could be done at the site of the building.  A third forge was, however,
+put in operation during a short time, for the greater conveniency of
+sharpening the picks and irons, and for purposes connected with the
+preparations for fixing the railways on the rock.  The weather towards
+the evening became thick and foggy, and there was hardly a breath of wind
+to ruffle the surface of the water.  Had it not, therefore, been for the
+noise from the anvils of the smiths who had been left on the beacon
+throughout the day, which afforded a guide for the boats, a landing could
+not have been attempted this evening, especially with such a company of
+artificers.  This circumstance confirmed the writer's opinion with regard
+to the propriety of connecting large bells to be rung with machinery in
+the lighthouse, to be tolled day and night during the continuance of
+foggy weather.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 23rd June]
+
+The boats landed this evening, when the artificers had again two hours'
+work.  The weather still continuing very thick and foggy, more difficulty
+was experienced in getting on board of the vessels to-night than had
+occurred on any previous occasion, owing to a light breeze of wind which
+carried the sound of the bell, and the other signals made on board of the
+vessels, away from the rock.  Having fortunately made out the position of
+the sloop _Smeaton_ at the N.E. buoy--to which we were much assisted by
+the barking of the ship's dog,--we parted with the _Smeaton's_ boat, when
+the boats of the tender took a fresh departure for that vessel, which lay
+about half a mile to the south-westward.  Yet such is the very deceiving
+state of the tides, that, although there was a small binnacle and compass
+in the landing-master's boat, we had, nevertheless, passed the _Sir
+Joseph_ a good way, when, fortunately, one of the sailors catched the
+sound of a blowing-horn.  The only fire-arms on board were a pair of
+swivels of one-inch calibre; but it is quite surprising how much the
+sound is lost in foggy weather, as the report was heard but at a very
+short distance.  The sound from the explosion of gunpowder is so
+instantaneous that the effect of the small guns was not so good as either
+the blowing of a horn or the tolling of a bell, which afforded a more
+constant and steady direction for the pilot.
+
+                                                     [Wednesday, 6th July]
+
+Landed on the rock with the three boats belonging to the tender at five
+p.m., and began immediately to bale the water out of the foundation-pit
+with a number of buckets, while the pumps were also kept in action with
+relays of artificers and seamen.  The work commenced upon the higher
+parts of the foundation as the water left them, but it was now pretty
+generally reduced to a level.  About twenty men could be conveniently
+employed at each pump, and it is quite astonishing in how short a time so
+great a body of water could be drawn off.  The water in the
+foundation-pit at this time measured about two feet in depth, on an area
+of forty-two feet in diameter, and yet it was drawn off in the course of
+about half an hour.  After this the artificers commenced with their picks
+and continued at work for two hours and a half, some of the sailors being
+at the same time busily employed in clearing the foundation of chips and
+in conveying the irons to and from the smiths on the beacon, where they
+were sharped.  At eight o'clock the sea broke in upon us and overflowed
+the foundation-pit, when the boats returned to the tender.
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 7th July]
+
+The landing-master's bell rung this morning about four o'clock, and at
+half-past five, the foundation being cleared, the work commenced on the
+site of the building.  But from the moment of landing, the squad of
+joiners and millwrights was at work upon the higher parts of the rock in
+laying the railways, while the anvils of the smith resounded on the
+beacon, and such columns of smoke ascended from the forges that they were
+often mistaken by strangers at a distance for a ship on fire.  After
+continuing three hours at work the foundation of the building was again
+overflowed, and the boats returned to the ship at half-past eight
+o'clock. the masons and pickmen had, at this period, a pretty long day on
+board of the tender, but the smiths and joiners were kept constantly at
+work upon the beacon, the stability and great conveniency of which had
+now been so fully shown that no doubt remained as to the propriety of
+fitting it up as a barrack.  The workmen were accordingly employed,
+during the period of high-water, in making preparations for this purpose.
+
+The foundation-pit now assumed the appearance of a great platform, and
+the late tides had been so favourable that it became apparent that the
+first course, consisting of a few irregular and detached stones for
+making up certain inequalities in the interior parts of the site of the
+building, might be laid in the course of the present spring-tides.
+Having been enabled to-day to get the dimensions of the foundation, or
+first stone, accurately taken, a mould was made of its figure, when the
+writer left the rock, after the tide's work of this morning, in a fast
+rowing-boat for Arbroath; and, upon landing, two men were immediately set
+to work upon one of the blocks from Mylnefield quarry, which was prepared
+in the course of the following day, as the stone-cutters relieved each
+other, and worked both night and day, so that it was sent off in one of
+the stone-lighters without delay.
+
+                                                      [Saturday, 9th July]
+
+The site of the foundation-stone was very difficult to work, from its
+depth in the rock; but being now nearly prepared, it formed a very
+agreeable kind of pastime at high-water for all hands to land the stone
+itself upon the rock.  The landing-master's crew and artificers
+accordingly entered with great spirit into this operation.  The stone was
+placed upon the deck of the _Hedderwick_ praam-boat, which had just been
+brought from Leith, and was decorated with colours for the occasion.
+Flags were also displayed from the shipping in the offing, and upon the
+beacon.  Here the writer took his station with the greater part of the
+artificers, who supported themselves in every possible position while the
+boats towed the praam from her moorings and brought her immediately over
+the site of the building, where her grappling anchors were let go.  The
+stone was then lifted off the deck by a tackle hooked into a Lewis bat
+inserted into it, when it was gently lowered into the water and grounded
+on the site of the building, amidst the cheering acclamations of about
+sixty persons.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 10th July]
+
+At eleven o'clock the foundation-stone was laid to hand.  It was of a
+square form, containing about twenty cubic feet, and had the figures, or
+date, of 1808 simply cut upon it with a chisel.  A derrick, or spar of
+timber, having been erected at the edge of the hole and guyed with ropes,
+the stone was then hooked to the tackle and lowered into its place, when
+the writer, attended by his assistants--Mr. Peter Logan, Mr. Francis
+Watt, and Mr. James Wilson,--applied the square, the level, and the
+mallet, and pronounced the following benediction: 'May the great
+Architect of the Universe complete and bless this building,' on which
+three hearty cheers were given, and success to the future operations was
+drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 26th July]
+
+The wind being at S.E. this evening, we had a pretty heavy swell of sea
+upon the rock, and some difficulty attended our getting off in safety, as
+the boats got aground in the creek and were in danger of being upset.
+Upon extinguishing the torchlights, about twelve in number, the darkness
+of the night seemed quite horrible; the water being also much charged
+with the phosphorescent appearance which is familiar to every one on
+shipboard, the waves, as they dashed upon the rock, were in some degree
+like so much liquid flame.  The scene, upon the whole, was truly awful!
+
+                                                    [Wednesday, 27th July]
+
+In leaving the rock this evening everything, after the torches were
+extinguished, had the same dismal appearance as last night, but so
+perfectly acquainted were the landing-master and his crew with the
+position of things at the rock, that comparatively little inconveniency
+was experienced on these occasions when the weather was moderate; such is
+the effect of habit, even in the most unpleasant situations.  If, for
+example, it had been proposed to a person accustomed to a city life, at
+once to take up his quarters off a sunken reef and land upon it in boats
+at all hours of the night, the proposition must have appeared quite
+impracticable and extravagant; but this practice coming progressively
+upon the artificers, it was ultimately undertaken with the greatest
+alacrity.  Notwithstanding this, however, it must be acknowledged that it
+was not till after much labour and peril, and many an anxious hour, that
+the writer is enabled to state that the site of the Bell Rock Lighthouse
+is fully prepared for the first entire course of the building.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 12th Aug.]
+
+The artificers landed this morning at half-past ten, and after an hour
+and a half's work eight stones were laid, which completed the first
+entire course of the building, consisting of 123 blocks, the last of
+which was laid with three hearty cheers.
+
+                                                    [Saturday, 10th Sept.]
+
+Landed at nine a.m., and by a quarter-past twelve noon twenty-three
+stones had been laid.  The works being now somewhat elevated by the lower
+courses, we got quit of the very serious inconvenience of pumping water
+to clear the foundation-pit.  This gave much facility to the operations,
+and was noticed with expressions of as much happiness by the artificers
+as the seamen had shown when relieved of the continual trouble of
+carrying the smith's bellows off the rock prior to the erection of the
+beacon.
+
+                                                   [Wednesday, 21st Sept.]
+
+Mr. Thomas Macurich, mate of the _Smeaton_, and James Scott, one of the
+crew, a young man about eighteen years of age, immediately went into
+their boat to make fast a hawser to the ring in the top of the floating
+buoy of the moorings, and were forthwith to proceed to land their cargo,
+so much wanted, at the rock.  The tides at this period were very strong,
+and the mooring-chain, when sweeping the ground, had caught hold of a
+rock or piece of wreck by which the chain was so shortened that when the
+tide flowed the buoy got almost under water, and little more than the
+ring appeared at the surface.  When Macurich and Scott were in the act of
+making the hawser fast to the ring, the chain got suddenly disentangled
+at the bottom, and this large buoy, measuring about seven feet in height
+and three feet in diameter at the middle, tapering to both ends, being
+what seamen term a _Nun-buoy_, vaulted or sprung up with such force that
+it upset the boat, which instantly filled with water.  Mr. Macurich, with
+much exertion, succeeded in getting hold of the boat's gunwale, still
+above the surface of the water, and by this means was saved; but the
+young man Scott was unfortunately drowned.  He had in all probability
+been struck about the head by the ring of the buoy, for although
+surrounded with the oars and the thwarts of the boat which floated near
+him, yet he seemed entirely to want the power of availing himself of such
+assistance, and appeared to be quite insensible, while Pool, the master
+of the _Smeaton_, called loudly to him; and before assistance could be
+got from the tender, he was carried away by the strength of the current
+and disappeared.
+
+The young man Scott was a great favourite in the service, having had
+something uncommonly mild and complaisant in his manner; and his loss was
+therefore universally regretted.  The circumstances of his case were also
+peculiarly distressing to his mother, as her husband, who was a seaman,
+had for three years past been confined to a French prison, and the
+deceased was the chief support of the family.  In order in some measure
+to make up the loss to the poor woman for the monthly aliment regularly
+allowed her by her late son, it was suggested that a younger boy, a
+brother of the deceased, might be taken into the service.  This appeared
+to be rather a delicate proposition, but it was left to the
+landing-master to arrange according to circumstances; such was the
+resignation, and at the same time the spirit, of the poor woman, that she
+readily accepted the proposal, and in a few days the younger Scott was
+actually afloat in the place of his brother.  On representing this
+distressing case to the Board, the Commissioners were pleased to grant an
+annuity of 5 pounds to Scott's mother.
+
+The _Smeaton_, not having been made fast to the buoy, had, with the
+ebb-tide, drifted to leeward a considerable way eastward of the rock, and
+could not, till the return of the flood-tide, be worked up to her
+moorings, so that the present tide was lost, notwithstanding all
+exertions which had been made both ashore and afloat with this cargo.
+The artificers landed at six a.m.; but, as no materials could be got upon
+the rock this morning, they were employed in boring trenail holes and in
+various other operations, and after four hours' work they returned on
+board the tender.  When the _Smeaton_ got up to her moorings, the
+landing-master's crew immediately began to unload her.  There being too
+much wind for towing the praams in the usual way, they were warped to the
+rock in the most laborious manner by their windlasses, with successive
+grapplings and hawsers laid out for this purpose.  At six p.m. the
+artificers landed, and continued at work till half-past ten, when the
+remaining seventeen stones were laid which completed the third entire
+course, or fourth of the lighthouse, with which the building operations
+were closed for the season.
+
+
+
+III--OPERATIONS OF 1809
+
+
+                                                     [Wednesday, 24th May]
+
+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 six a.m. Mr.
+Watt, who conducted the operations of the railways and beacon-house, had
+landed with nine artificers.  At half-past one p.m. Mr. Peter Logan had
+also landed with fifteen masons, and immediately proceeded to set up the
+crane.  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 floors being 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.
+
+                                                     [Wednesday, 31st May]
+
+The landing-master's bell, often no very favourite sound, rung at six
+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.  The masons laid thirteen 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.
+
+The weather during the months of April and May had been uncommonly
+boisterous, and so cold that the thermometer seldom exceeded 40 degrees,
+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 millwright, and Captain
+Wilson, landing-master, that it was on no occasion necessary to address
+them, excepting in the way of precaution or restraint.  Under these
+circumstances, however, the writer not unfrequently felt considerable
+anxiety, of which this day's experience will afford an example.
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 1st June]
+
+This morning, at a quarter-past eight, the artificers were landed as
+usual, and, after three hours and three-quarters' work, five 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 those 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
+the 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 bolt-sprits, and 'made
+all snug' for a gale.  At four 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.'
+
+On board of the tender the writer's chief concern was about the eleven
+men left upon the beacon.  Directions were accordingly given that
+everything 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 seven 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.
+
+At this time the cabins of the beacon were only partially covered, and
+had neither been provided with bedding nor a proper fireplace, 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 creaking of the bulkheads 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 permit.  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.
+
+                                                        [Friday, 2nd June]
+
+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 six
+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 nine 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 thirty
+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 eleven a.m. with the artificers, who had got
+off with considerable difficulty, and who were heartily welcomed by all
+on board.
+
+Upon inquiry 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 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
+movable 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-faured_ {171a} _twist_ when the sea broke upon it
+at high-water, but that they were not very apprehensive of danger.'  On
+inquiring 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.
+
+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 show the effects of such a happy turn of
+mind, even under the most distressing and ill-fated circumstances.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 17th June]
+
+At eight 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 twelve 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 mortar gallery.  Here James Glen's
+versatile powers were again at work in cheering up those who seemed to be
+alarmed, and in securing everything 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.
+
+The wind still continuing to blow fresh from the N.W., at five p.m. the
+writer caused a signal to be made from the tender for the _Smeaton and
+Patriot_ to 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 anything giving way, she could hardly have escaped being
+stranded upon it.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 18th June]
+
+The weather having moderated to-day, the wind shifted to the westward.
+At a quarter-past nine 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.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 24th June]
+
+Mr. Peter Logan, the foreman builder, and his squad, twenty-one in
+number, landed this morning at three o'clock, and continued at work four
+hours and a quarter, and after laying seventeen stones returned to the
+tender.  At six 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 Lighthouse
+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.
+
+When as many stones were built as comprised this day's work, the demand
+for mortar was proportionally increased, 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 the 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.  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.'
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 25th June]
+
+The work being now about ten feet in height, admitted of a rope-ladder
+being distended {174a} between the beacon and the building.  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.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 30th June]
+
+The artificers landed on the rock this morning at a quarter-past six, 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
+thirty-five feet above the rock, it became much more unmanageable.  While
+the beam was 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 got a
+preponderancy to one side, and 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 movable 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 despatched 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
+coxswain to apply to Mr. Kennedy at the workyard 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.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 3rd July]
+
+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 further in building the house.
+
+                                                      [Saturday, 8th July]
+
+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, Lighthouse 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.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 16th July]
+
+Besides laying, boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting thirty-two
+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 further 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.
+
+Although the building artificers generally remained on the rock
+throughout the day, and the millwrights, 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 tile joiner-work was completely
+finished, and his own cabin, and that for the foreman, 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.
+
+                                                    [Wednesday, 19th July]
+
+The whole of the artificers, twenty-three 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 Scots cook, he had acted both as groom and
+house-servant; he had been a soldier, a sutler, 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 _factotum_ 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.
+
+In the present important state of the building, when it had just attained
+the height of sixteen 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 workyard,
+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. Ramsey, 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 meantime, 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.
+
+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 Lighthouses, 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.
+
+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
+Custom-house officer was always placed on board of the _Smeaton_ and
+_Patriot_ while they were afloat, till the embargo was especially removed
+from the lighthouse 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.
+
+                                                       [Tuesday, 1st Aug.]
+
+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 seventy-eight blocks of stone were landed, of which
+forty were built, which completed the fourteenth and part of the
+fifteenth courses.  The number of workmen now resident in the
+beacon-house was augmented to twenty-four, 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 forty-six.  A cabin had been laid out for the
+writer on the beacon, 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.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 11th Aug.]
+
+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.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 12th Aug.]
+
+The gale still continuing from the S.E., the sea broke with great
+violence both upon the building and the beacon.  The former being
+twenty-three 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 thirty-six 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 fifty 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 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.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 15th Aug.]
+
+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.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 19th Aug.]
+
+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 fourteen miles.  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 sixteen hours.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 20th Aug.]
+
+The weather being very favourable to-day, fifty-three stones were landed,
+and the builders were not a little gratified in having built the
+twenty-second course, consisting of fifty-one stones, being the first
+course which had been completed in one day.  This, as a matter of course,
+produced three hearty cheers.  At twelve 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.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 25th Aug.]
+
+To-day the artificers laid forty-five 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 thirty-one feet six inches above the rock or site of the
+foundation-stone, and about seventeen feet above high-water of
+spring-tides.  Being a particular crisis in the progress of the
+lighthouse, the landing and laying of the last stone for the season was
+observed with the usual ceremonies.
+
+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 seven to nine feet above the general surface
+of the ocean.  The Bell Rock Lighthouse may therefore now be considered
+at from eight to ten feet above the height 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 fifty 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,
+
+                                                    [Wednesday, 30th Aug.]
+
+The whole of the artificers left the rock at mid-day, when the tender
+made sail for Arbroath, which she reached about six p.m.  The vessel
+being decorated with colours, and having fired a salute of three guns on
+approaching the harbour, the workyard 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.
+
+In reflecting upon the state of the 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, draughts, etc., or in sporting with one another.  In the workyard
+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 the works.  It therefore affords the most pleasing
+reflections to look back upon the pursuits of about sixty individuals who
+for years conducted themselves, on all occasions, in a sober and rational
+manner.
+
+
+
+IV--OPERATIONS OF 1810
+
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 10th May]
+
+The wind had shifted to-day to W.N.W., when the writer, with considerable
+difficulty, was enabled to land upon the rock for the first time this
+season, at ten a.m.  Upon examining the state of the building, and
+apparatus in general, he had the satisfaction to find everything in good
+order.  The mortar in all the joints was perfectly entire.  The building,
+now thirty feet in height, was thickly coated with _fuci_ to the height
+of about fifteen feet, calculating from the rock: on the eastern side,
+indeed, the growth of seaweed was observable to the full height of thirty
+feet, and even on the top or upper bed of the last-laid course,
+especially towards the eastern side, it had germinated, so as to render
+walking upon it somewhat difficult.
+
+The beacon-house was in a perfectly sound state, and apparently just as
+it had been left in the month of November.  But the tides being neap, the
+lower parts, particularly where the beams rested on the rock, could not
+now be seen.  The floor of the mortar gallery having been already laid
+down by Mr. Watt and his men on a former visit, was merely soaked with
+the sprays; but the joisting-beams which supported it had, in the course
+of the winter, been covered with a fine downy conferva produced by the
+range of the sea.  They were also a good deal whitened with the mute of
+the cormorant and other sea-fowls, which had roosted upon the beacon in
+winter.  Upon ascending to the apartments, it was found that the motion
+of the sea had thrown open the door of the cook-house: this was only shut
+with a single latch, that in case of shipwreck at the Bell Rock the
+mariner might find ready access to the shelter of this forlorn
+habitation, where a supply of provisions was kept; and being within two
+miles and a half of the floating light, a signal could readily be
+observed, when a boat might be sent to his relief as the weather
+permitted.  An arrangement for this purpose formed one of the
+instructions on board of the floating light, but happily no instance
+occurred for putting it in practice.  The hearth or fireplace of the
+cook-house was built of brick in as secure a manner as possible, to
+prevent accident from fire; but some of the plaster-work had shaken
+loose, from its damp state and the tremulous motion of the beacon in
+stormy weather.  The writer next ascended to the floor which was occupied
+by the cabins of himself and his assistants, which were in tolerably good
+order, having only a damp and musty smell.  The barrack for the
+artificers, over all, was next visited; it had now a very dreary and
+deserted appearance when its former thronged state was recollected.  In
+some parts the water had come through the boarding, and had discoloured
+the lining of green cloth, but it was, nevertheless, in a good habitable
+condition.  While the seamen were employed in landing a stock of
+provisions, a few of the artificers set to work with great eagerness to
+sweep and clean the several apartments.  The exterior of the beacon was,
+in the meantime, examined, and found in perfect order.  The painting,
+though it had a somewhat blanched appearance, adhered firmly both on the
+sides and roof, and only two or three panes of glass were broken in the
+cupola, which had either been blown out by the force of the wind, or
+perhaps broken by sea-fowl.
+
+Having on this occasion continued upon the building and beacon a
+considerable time after the tide had begun to flow, the artificers were
+occupied in removing the forge from the top of the building, to which the
+gangway or wooden bridge gave great facility; and, although it stretched
+or had a span of forty-two feet, its construction was extremely simple,
+while the road-way was perfectly firm and steady.  In returning from this
+visit to the rock every one was pretty well soused in spray before
+reaching the tender at two o'clock p.m., where things awaited the landing
+party in as comfortable a way as such a situation would admit.
+
+                                                        [Friday, 11th May]
+
+The wind was still easterly, accompanied with rather a heavy swell of sea
+for the operations in hand.  A landing was, however, made this morning,
+when the artificers were immediately employed in scraping the seaweed off
+the upper course of the building, in order to apply the moulds of the
+first course of the staircase, that the joggle-holes might be marked off
+in the upper course of the solid.  This was also necessary previously to
+the writer's fixing the position of the entrance door, which was
+regulated chiefly by the appearance of the growth of the seaweed on the
+building, indicating the direction of the heaviest seas, on the opposite
+side of which the door was placed.  The landing-master's crew succeeded
+in towing into the creek on the western side of the rock the praam-boat
+with the balance-crane, which had now been on board of the praam for five
+days.  The several pieces of this machine, having been conveyed along the
+railways upon the waggons to a position immediately under the bridge,
+were elevated to its level, or thirty feet above the rock, in the
+following manner.  A chain-tackle was suspended over a pulley from the
+cross-beam connecting the tops of the kingposts of the bridge, which was
+worked by a winch-machine with wheel, pinion, and barrel, round which
+last the chain was wound.  This apparatus was placed on the beacon side
+of the bridge, at the distance of about twelve feet from the cross-beam
+and pulley in the middle of the bridge.  Immediately under the cross-beam
+a hatch was formed in the roadway of the bridge, measuring seven feet in
+length and five feet in breadth, made to shut with folding boards like a
+double door, through which stones and other articles were raised; the
+folding doors were then let down, and the stone or load was gently
+lowered upon a waggon which was wheeled on railway trucks towards the
+lighthouse.  In this manner the several castings of the balance-crane
+were got up to the top of the solid of the building.
+
+The several apartments of the beacon-house having been cleaned out and
+supplied with bedding, a sufficient stock of provisions was put into the
+store, when Peter Fortune, formerly noticed, lighted his fire in the
+beacon for the first time this season.  Sixteen artificers at the same
+time mounted to their barrack-room, and all the foremen of the works also
+took possession of their cabin, all heartily rejoiced at getting rid of
+the trouble of boating and the sickly motion of the tender.
+
+                                                      [Saturday, 12th May]
+
+The wind was at E.N.E., blowing so fresh, and accompanied with so much
+sea, that no stones could be landed to-day.  The people on the rock,
+however, were busily employed in screwing together the balance-crane,
+cutting out the joggle-holes in the upper course, and preparing all
+things for commencing the building operations.
+
+                                                        [Sunday, 13th May]
+
+The weather still continues boisterous, although the barometer has all
+the while stood at about 30 inches.  Towards evening the wind blew so
+fresh at E. by S. that the boats both of the _Smeaton_ and tender were
+obliged to be hoisted in, and it was feared that the _Smeaton_ would have
+to slip her moorings.  The people on the rock were seen busily employed,
+and had the balance-crane apparently ready for use, but no communication
+could be had with them to-day.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 14th May]
+
+The wind continued to blow so fresh, and the _Smeaton_ rode so heavily
+with her cargo, that at noon a signal was made for her getting under
+weigh, when she stood towards Arbroath; and on board of the tender we are
+still without any communication with the people on the rock, where the
+sea was seen breaking over the top of the building in great sprays, and
+raging with much agitation among the beams of the beacon.
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 17th May]
+
+The wind, in the course of the day, had shifted from north to west; the
+sea being also considerably less, a boat landed on the rock at six p.m.,
+for the first time since the 11th, with the provisions and water brought
+off by the _Patriot_.  The inhabitants of the beacon were all well, but
+tired above measure for want of employment, as the balance-crane and
+apparatus was all in readiness.  Under these circumstances they felt no
+less desirous of the return of good weather than those afloat, who were
+continually tossed with the agitation of the sea.  The writer, in
+particular, felt himself almost as much fatigued and worn-out as he had
+been at any period since the commencement of the work.  The very backward
+state of the weather at so advanced a period of the season unavoidably
+created some alarm, lest he should be overtaken with bad weather at a
+late period of the season, with the building operations in an unfinished
+state.  These apprehensions were, no doubt, rather increased by the
+inconveniences of his situation afloat, as the tender rolled and pitched
+excessively at times.  This being also his first off-set for the season,
+every bone of his body felt sore with preserving a sitting posture while
+he endeavoured to pass away the time in reading; as for writing, it was
+wholly impracticable.  He had several times entertained thoughts of
+leaving the station for a few days and going into Arbroath with the
+tender till the weather should improve; but as the artificers had been
+landed on the rock he was averse to this at the commencement of the
+season, knowing also that he would be equally uneasy in every situation
+till the first cargo was landed: and he therefore resolved to continue at
+his post until this should be effected.
+
+                                                        [Friday, 18th May]
+
+The wind being now N.W., the sea was considerably run down, and this
+morning at five o'clock the landing-master's crew, thirteen in number,
+left the tender; and having now no detention with the landing of
+artificers, they proceeded to unmoor the _Hedderwick_ praam-boat, and
+towed her alongside of the _Smeaton_: and in the course of the day
+twenty-three blocks of stone, three casks of pozzolano, three of sand,
+three of lime, and one of Roman cement, together with three bundles of
+trenails and three of wedges, were all landed on the rock and raised the
+top of the building by means of the tackle suspended from the cross-beam
+on the middle of the bridge.  The stones were then moved along the bridge
+on the waggon to the building within reach of the balance-crane, with
+which they were laid in their respective places on the building.  The
+masons immediately thereafter proceeded to bore the trenail-holes into
+the course below, and otherwise to complete the one in hand.  When the
+first stone was to be suspended by the balance-crane, the bell on the
+beacon was rung, and all the artificers and seamen were collected on the
+building.  Three hearty cheers were given while it was lowered into its
+place, and the steward served round a glass of rum, when success was
+drunk to the further progress of the building.
+
+                                                        [Sunday, 20th May]
+
+The wind was southerly to-day, but there was much less sea than
+yesterday, and the landing-master's crew were enabled to discharge and
+land twenty-three pieces of stone and other articles for the work.  The
+artificers had completed the laying of the twenty-seventh or first course
+of the staircase this morning, and in the evening they finished the
+boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting it with mortar.  At twelve
+o'clock noon the beacon-house bell was rung, and all hands were collected
+on the top of the building, where prayers were read for the first time on
+the lighthouse, which forcibly struck every one, and had, upon the whole,
+a very impressive effect.
+
+From the hazardous situation of the beacon-house with regard to fire,
+being composed wholly of timber, there was no small risk from accident:
+and on this account one of the most steady of the artificers was
+appointed to see that the fire of the cooking-house, and the lights in
+general, were carefully extinguished at stated hours.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 4th June]
+
+This being the birthday of our much-revered Sovereign King George III,
+now in the fiftieth year of his reign, the shipping of the Lighthouse
+service were this morning decorated with colours according to the taste
+of their respective captains.  Flags were also hoisted upon the
+beacon-house and balance-crane on the top of the building.  At twelve
+noon a salute was fired from the tender, when the King's health was
+drunk, with all the honours, both on the rock and on board of the
+shipping.
+
+                                                       [Tuesday, 5th June]
+
+As the lighthouse advanced in height, the cubical contents of the stones
+were less, but they had to be raised to a greater height; and the walls,
+being thinner, were less commodious for the necessary machinery and the
+artificers employed, which considerably retarded the work.  Inconvenience
+was also occasionally experienced from the men dropping their coats,
+hats, mallets, and other tools, at high-water, which were carried away by
+the tide; and the danger to the people themselves was now greatly
+increased.  Had any of them fallen from the beacon or building at
+high-water, while the landing-master's crew were generally engaged with
+the craft at a distance, it must have rendered the accident doubly
+painful to those on the rock, who at this time had no boat, and
+consequently no means of rendering immediate and prompt assistance.  In
+such cases it would have been too late to have got a boat by signal from
+the tender.  A small boat, which could be lowered at pleasure, was
+therefore suspended by a pair of davits projected from the cook-house,
+the keel being about thirty feet from the rock.  This boat, with its
+tackle was put under the charge of James Glen, of whose exertions on the
+beacon mention has already been made, and who, having in early life been
+a seaman, was also very expert in the management of a boat.  A life-buoy
+was likewise suspended from the bridge, to which a coil of line two
+hundred fathoms in length was attached, which could be let out to a
+person falling into the water, or to the people in the boat, should they
+not be able to work her with the oars.
+
+                                                       [Tuesday, 7th June]
+
+To-day twelve stones were landed on the rock, being the remainder of the
+_Patriot's_ cargo; and the artificers built the thirty-ninth course,
+consisting of fourteen stones.  The Bell Rock works had now a very busy
+appearance, as the lighthouse was daily getting more into form.  Besides
+the artificers and their cook, the writer and his servant were also
+lodged on the beacon, counting in all twenty-nine; and at low-water the
+landing-master's crew, consisting of from twelve to fifteen seamen, were
+employed in transporting the building materials, working the landing
+apparatus on the rock, and dragging the stone waggons along the railways.
+
+                                                        [Friday, 8th June]
+
+In the course of this day the weather varied much.  In the morning it was
+calm, in the middle part of the day there were light airs of wind from
+the south, and in the evening fresh breezes from the east.  The barometer
+in the writer's cabin in the beacon-house oscillated from 30 inches to
+30.42, and the weather was extremely pleasant.  This, in any situation,
+forms one of the chief comforts of life; but, as may easily be conceived,
+it was doubly so to people stuck, as it were, upon a pinnacle in the
+middle of the ocean.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 10th June]
+
+One of the praam-boats had been brought to the rock with eleven stones,
+notwithstanding the perplexity which attended the getting of those
+formerly landed taken up to the building.  Mr. Peter Logan, the foreman
+builder, interposed, and prevented this cargo from being delivered; but
+the landing-master's crew were exceedingly averse to this arrangement,
+from an idea that "ill luck" would in future attend the praam, her cargo,
+and those who navigated her, from thus reversing her voyage.  It may be
+noticed that this was the first instance of a praam-boat having been sent
+from the Bell Rock with any part of her cargo on board, and was
+considered so uncommon an occurrence that it became a topic of
+conversation among the seamen and artificers.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 12th June]
+
+To-day the stones formerly sent from the rock were safely landed,
+notwithstanding the augury of the seamen in consequence of their being
+sent away two days before.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 14th June]
+
+To-day twenty-seven stones and eleven joggle-pieces were landed, part of
+which consisted of the forty-seventh course, forming the storeroom floor.
+The builders were at work this morning by four o'clock, in the hopes of
+being able to accomplish the laying of the eighteen stones of this
+course.  But at eight o'clock in the evening they had still two to lay,
+and as the stones of this course were very unwieldy, being six feet in
+length, they required much precaution and care both in lifting and laying
+them.  It was only on the writer's suggestion to Mr. Logan that the
+artificers were induced to leave off, as they had intended to complete
+this floor before going to bed.  The two remaining stones were, however,
+laid in their places without mortar when the bell on the beacon was rung,
+and, all hands being collected on the top of the building, three hearty
+cheers were given on covering the first apartment.  The steward then
+served out a dram to each, when the whole retired to their barrack much
+fatigued, but with the anticipation of the most perfect repose even in
+the "hurricane-house," amidst the dashing seas on the Bell Rock.
+
+While the workmen were at breakfast and dinner it was the writer's usual
+practice to spend his time on the walls of the building, which,
+notwithstanding the narrowness of the track, nevertheless formed his
+principal walk when the rock was under water.  But this afternoon he had
+his writing-desk set upon the storeroom floor, when he wrote to Mrs.
+Stevenson--certainly the first letter dated from the Bell Rock
+_Lighthouse_--giving a detail of the fortunate progress of the work with
+an assurance that the lighthouse would soon be completed at the rate at
+which it now proceeded; and, the _Patriot_ having sailed for Arbroath in
+the evening, he felt no small degree of pleasure in despatching this
+communication to his family.
+
+The weather still continuing favourable for the operations at the rock,
+the work proceeded with much energy, through the exertions both of the
+seamen and artificers.  For the more speedy and effectual working of the
+several tackles in raising the materials as the building advanced in
+height, and there being a great extent of railway to attend to, which
+required constant repairs, two additional millwrights were added to the
+complement on the rock, which, including the writer, now counted
+thirty-one in all.  So crowded was the men's barrack that the beds were
+ranged five tier in height, allowing only about one foot eight inches for
+each bed.  The artificers commenced this morning at five o'clock, and, in
+the course of the day, they laid the forty-eighth and forty-ninth
+courses, consisting each of sixteen blocks.  From the favourable state of
+the weather, and the regular manner in which the work now proceeded, the
+artificers had generally from four to seven extra hours' work, which,
+including their stated wages of 3s. 4d., yielded them from 5s. 4d. to
+about 6s. 10d. per day besides their board; even the postage of their
+letters was paid while they were at the Bell Rock.  In these advantages
+the foremen also shared, having about double the pay and amount of
+premiums of the artificers.  The seamen being less out of their element
+in the Bell Rock operations than the landsmen, their premiums consisted
+in a slump sum payable at the end of the season, which extended from
+three to ten guineas.
+
+As the laying of the floors was somewhat tedious, the landing-master and
+his crew had got considerably beforehand with the building artificers in
+bringing materials faster to the rock than they could be built.  The
+seamen having, therefore, some spare time, were occasionally employed
+during fine weather in dredging or grappling for the several mushroom
+anchors and mooring-chains which had been lost in the vicinity of the
+Bell Rock during the progress of the work by the breaking loose and
+drifting of the floating buoys.  To encourage their exertions in this
+search, five guineas were offered as a premium for each set they should
+find; and, after much patient application, they succeeded to-day in
+hooking one of these lost anchors with its chain.
+
+It was a general remark at the Bell Rock, as before noticed, that fish
+were never plenty in its neighbourhood excepting in good weather.
+Indeed, the seamen used to speculate about the state of the weather from
+their success in fishing.  When the fish disappeared at the rock, it was
+considered a sure indication that a gale was not far off, as the fish
+seemed to seek shelter in deeper water from the roughness of the sea
+during these changes in the weather.  At this time the rock, at
+high-water, was completely covered with podlies, or the fry of the
+coal-fish, about six or eight inches in length.  The artificers sometimes
+occupied half an hour after breakfast and dinner in catching these little
+fishes, but were more frequently supplied from the boats of the tender.
+
+                                                     [Saturday, 16th June]
+
+The landing-master having this day discharged the _Smeaton_ and loaded
+the _Hedderwick and Dickie_ praam-boats with nineteen stones, they were
+towed to their respective moorings, when Captain Wilson, in consequence
+of the heavy swell of sea, came in his boat to the beacon-house to
+consult with the writer as to the propriety of venturing the loaded
+praam-boats with their cargoes to the rock while so much sea was running.
+After some dubiety expressed on the subject, in which the ardent mind of
+the landing-master suggested many arguments in favour of his being able
+to convey the praams in perfect safety, it was acceded to.  In bad
+weather, and especially on occasions of difficulty like the present, Mr.
+Wilson, who was an extremely active seaman, measuring about five feet
+three inches in height, of a robust habit, generally dressed himself in
+what he called a _monkey jacket_, made of thick duffle cloth, with a pair
+of Dutchman's petticoat trousers, reaching only to his knees, where they
+were met with a pair of long water-tight boots; with this dress, his
+glazed hat, and his small brass speaking trumpet in his hand, he bade
+defiance to the weather.  When he made his appearance in this most
+suitable attire for the service his crew seemed to possess additional
+life, never failing to use their utmost exertions when the captain put on
+his _storm rigging_.  They had this morning commenced loading the
+praam-boats at four o'clock, and proceeded to tow them into the eastern
+landing-place, which was accomplished with much dexterity, though not
+without the risk of being thrown, by the force of the sea, on certain
+projecting ledges of the rock.  In such a case the loss even of a single
+stone would have greatly retarded the work.  For the greater safety in
+entering the creek it was necessary to put out several warps and
+guy-ropes to guide the boats into its narrow and intricate entrance; and
+it frequently happened that the sea made a clean breach over the praams,
+which not only washed their decks, but completely drenched the crew in
+water.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 17th June]
+
+It was fortunate, in the present state of the weather, that the fiftieth
+course was in a sheltered spot, within the reach of the tackle of the
+winch-machine upon the bridge; a few stones were stowed upon the bridge
+itself, and the remainder upon the building, which kept the artificers at
+work.  The stowing of the materials upon the rock was the department of
+Alexander Brebner, mason, who spared no pains in attending to the safety
+of the stones, and who, in the present state of the work, when the stones
+were landed faster than could be built, generally worked till the water
+rose to his middle.  At one o'clock to-day the bell rung for prayers, and
+all hands were collected into the upper barrack-room of the beacon-house,
+when the usual service was performed.
+
+The wind blew very hard in the course of last night from N.E., and to-day
+the sea ran so high that no boat could approach the rock.  During the
+dinner-hour, when the writer was going to the top of the building as
+usual, but just as he had entered the door and was about to ascend the
+ladder, a great noise was heard overhead, and in an instant he was soused
+in water from a sea which had most unexpectedly come over the walls,
+though now about fifty-eight feet in height.  On making his retreat he
+found himself completely whitened by the lime, which had mixed with the
+water while dashing down through the different floors; and, as nearly as
+he could guess, a quantity equal to about a hogshead had come over the
+walls, and now streamed out at the door.  After having shifted himself,
+he again sat down in his cabin, the sea continuing to run so high that
+the builders did not resume their operations on the walls this afternoon.
+The incident just noticed did not create more surprise in the mind of the
+writer than the sublime appearance of the waves as they rolled
+majestically over the rock.  This scene he greatly enjoyed while sitting
+at his cabin window; each wave approached the beacon like a vast scroll
+unfolding; and in passing discharged a quantity of air, which he not only
+distinctly felt, but was even sufficient to lift the leaves of a book
+which lay before him.  These waves might be ten or twelve feet in height,
+and about 250 feet in length, their smaller end being towards the north,
+where the water was deep, and they were opened or cut through by the
+interposition of the building and beacon.  The gradual manner in which
+the sea, upon these occasions, is observed to become calm or to subside,
+is a very remarkable feature of this phenomenon.  For example, when a
+gale is succeeded by a calm, every third or fourth wave forms one of
+these great seas, which occur in spaces of from three to five minutes, as
+noted by the writer's watch; but in the course of the next tide they
+become less frequent, and take off so as to occur only in ten or fifteen
+minutes; and, singular enough, at the third tide after such gales, the
+writer has remarked that only one or two of these great waves appear in
+the course of the whole tide.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 19th June]
+
+The 19th was a very unpleasant and disagreeable day, both for the seamen
+and artificers, as it rained throughout with little intermission from
+four a.m. till eleven p.m., accompanied with thunder and lightning,
+during which period the work nevertheless continued unremittingly, and
+the builders laid the fifty-first and fifty-second courses.  This state
+of weather was no less severe upon the mortar-makers, who required to
+temper or prepare the mortar of a thicker or thinner consistency, in some
+measure, according to the state of the weather.  From the elevated
+position of the building, the mortar gallery on the beacon was now much
+lower, and the lime-buckets were made to traverse upon a rope distended
+between it and the building.  On occasions like the present, however,
+there was often a difference of opinion between the builders and the
+mortar-makers.  John Watt, who had the principal charge of the mortar,
+was a most active worker, but, being somewhat of an irascible temper, the
+builders occasionally amused themselves at his expense; for while he was
+eagerly at work with his large iron-shod pestle in the mortar-tub, they
+often sent down contradictory orders, some crying, 'Make it a little
+stiffer, or thicker, John,' while others called out to make it 'thinner,'
+to which he generally returned very speedy and sharp replies, so that
+these conversations at times were rather amusing.
+
+During wet weather the situation of the artificers on the top of the
+building was extremely disagreeable; for although their work did not
+require great exertion, yet, as each man had his particular part to
+perform, either in working the crane or in laying the stones, it required
+the closest application and attention, not only on the part of Mr. Peter
+Logan, the foreman, who was constantly on the walls, but also of the
+chief workmen.  Robert Selkirk, the principal builder, for example, had
+every stone to lay in its place.  David Cumming, a mason, had the charge
+of working the tackle of the balance-weight, and James Scott, also a
+mason, took charge of the purchase with which the stones were laid; while
+the pointing the joints of the walls with cement was intrusted to William
+Reid and William Kennedy, who stood upon a scaffold suspended over the
+walls in rather a frightful manner.  The least act of carelessness or
+inattention on the part of any of these men might have been fatal, not
+only to themselves, but also to the surrounding workmen, especially if
+any accident had happened to the crane itself, while the material damage
+or loss of a single stone would have put an entire stop to the operations
+until another could have been brought from Arbroath.  The artificers,
+having wrought seven and a half hours of extra time to-day, had 3s. 9d.
+of extra pay, while the foremen had 7s. 6d. over and above their stated
+pay and board.  Although, therefore, the work was both hazardous and
+fatiguing, yet, the encouragement being considerable, they were always
+very cheerful, and perfectly reconciled to the confinement and other
+disadvantages of the place.
+
+During fine weather, and while the nights were short, the duty on board
+of the floating light was literally nothing but a waiting on, and
+therefore one of her boats, with a crew of five men, daily attended the
+rock, but always returned to the vessel at night.  The carpenter,
+however, was one of those who was left on board of the ship, as he also
+acted in the capacity of assistant lightkeeper, being, besides, a person
+who was apt to feel discontent and to be averse to changing his quarters,
+especially to work with the millwrights and joiners at the rock, who
+often, for hours together, wrought knee-deep, and not unfrequently up to
+the middle, in water.  Mr. Watt having about this time made a requisition
+for another hand, the carpenter was ordered to attend the rock in the
+floating light's boat.  This he did with great reluctance, and found so
+much fault that he soon got into discredit with his messmates.  On this
+occasion he left the Lighthouse service, and went as a sailor in a vessel
+bound for America--a step which, it is believed, he soon regretted, as,
+in the course of things, he would, in all probability, have accompanied
+Mr. John Reid, the principal lightkeeper of the floating light, to the
+Bell Rock Lighthouse as his principal assistant.  The writer had a wish
+to be of service to this man, as he was one of those who came off to the
+floating light in the month of September 1807, while she was riding at
+single anchor after the severe gale of the 7th, at a time when it was
+hardly possible to make up this vessel's crew; but the crossness of his
+manner prevented his reaping the benefit of such intentions.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 22nd June]
+
+The building operations had for some time proceeded more slowly, from the
+higher parts of the lighthouse requiring much longer time than an equal
+tonnage of the lower courses.  The duty of the landing-master's crew had,
+upon the whole, been easy of late; for though the work was occasionally
+irregular, yet the stones being lighter, they were more speedily lifted
+from the hold of the stone vessel to the deck of the praam-boat, and
+again to the waggons on the railway, after which they came properly under
+the charge of the foreman builder.  It is, however, a strange, though not
+an uncommon, feature in the human character, that, when people have least
+to complain of, they are most apt to become dissatisfied, as was now the
+case with the seamen employed in the Bell Rock service about their
+rations of beer.  Indeed, ever since the carpenter of the floating light,
+formerly noticed, had been brought to the rock, expressions of discontent
+had been manifested upon various occasions.  This being represented to
+the writer, he sent for Captain Wilson, the landing-master, and Mr.
+Taylor, commander of the tender, with whom he talked over the subject.
+They stated that they considered the daily allowance of the seamen in
+every respect ample, and that, the work being now much lighter than
+formerly, they had no just ground for complaint; Mr. Taylor adding that,
+if those who now complained 'were even to be fed upon soft bread and
+turkeys, they would not think themselves right.'  At twelve noon the work
+of the landing-master's crew was completed for the day; but at four
+o'clock, while the rock was under water, those on the beacon were
+surprised by the arrival of a boat from the tender without any signal
+having been made from the beacon.  It brought the following note to the
+writer from the landing-master's crew:--
+
+                                               '_Sir Joseph Banks Tender_.
+
+    'SIR,--We are informed by our masters that our allowance is to be as
+    before, and it is not sufficient to serve us, for we have been at
+    work since four o'clock this morning, and we have come on board to
+    dinner, and there is no beer for us before to-morrow morning, to
+    which a sufficient answer is required before we go from the beacon;
+    and we are, Sir, your most obedient servants.'
+
+On reading this, the writer returned a verbal message, intimating that an
+answer would be sent on board of the tender, at the same time ordering
+the boat instantly to quit the beacon.  He then addressed the following
+note to the landing-master:--
+
+                                      '_Beacon-house_, 22_nd_ _June_ 1810,
+                                                       _Five o'clock p.m_.
+
+    'SIR,--I have just now received a letter purporting to be from the
+    landing-master's crew and seamen on board of the _Sir Joseph Banks_,
+    though without either date or signature; in answer to which I enclose
+    a statement of the daily allowance of provisions for the seamen in
+    this service, which you will post up in the ship's galley, and at
+    seven o'clock this evening I will come on board to inquire into this
+    unexpected and most unnecessary demand for an additional allowance of
+    beer.  In the enclosed you will not find any alteration from the
+    original statement, fixed in the galley at the beginning of the
+    season.  I have, however, judged this mode of giving your people an
+    answer preferable to that of conversing with them on the beacon. --I
+    am, Sir, your most obedient servant,
+
+                                                         ROBERT STEVENSON.
+
+    'To CAPTAIN WILSON.'
+
+    '_Beacon House_, 22_nd_ _June_ 1810.--Schedule of the daily allowance
+    of provisions to be served out on board of the _Sir Joseph Banks_
+    tender: "1.5 lb. beef; 1 lb. bread; 8 oz. oatmeal; 2 oz. barley; 2
+    oz. butter; 3 quarts beer; vegetables and salt no stated allowance.
+    When the seamen are employed in unloading the _Smeaton_ and
+    _Patriot_, a draught of beer is, as formerly, to be allowed from the
+    stock of these vessels.  Further, in wet and stormy weather, or when
+    the work commences very early in the morning, or continues till a
+    late hour at night, a glass of spirits will also be served out to the
+    crew as heretofore, on the requisition of the landing-master."
+
+                                                        ROBERT STEVENSON.'
+
+On writing this letter and schedule, a signal was made on the beacon for
+the landing-master's boat, which immediately came to the rock, and the
+schedule was afterwards stuck up in the tender's galley.  When sufficient
+time had been allowed to the crew to consider of their conduct, a second
+signal was made for a boat, and at seven o'clock the writer left the Bell
+Rock, after a residence of four successive weeks in the beacon-house.
+The first thing which occupied his attention on board of the tender was
+to look round upon the lighthouse, which he saw, with some degree of
+emotion and surprise, now vying in height with the beacon-house; for
+although he had often viewed it from the extremity of the western railway
+on the rock, yet the scene, upon the whole, seemed far more interesting
+from the tender's moorings at the distance of about half a mile.
+
+The _Smeaton_ having just arrived at her moorings with a cargo, a signal
+was made for Captain Pool to come on board of the tender, that he might
+be at hand to remove from the service any of those who might persist in
+their discontented conduct.  One of the two principal leaders in this
+affair, the master of one of the praam-boats, who had also steered the
+boat which brought the letter to the beacon, was first called upon deck,
+and asked if he had read the statement fixed up in the galley this
+afternoon, and whether he was satisfied with it.  He replied that he had
+read the paper, but was not satisfied, as it held out no alteration in
+the allowance, on which he was immediately ordered into the _Smeaton's_
+boat.  The next man called had but lately entered the service, and, being
+also interrogated as to his resolution, he declared himself to be of the
+same mind with the praam-master, and was also forthwith ordered into the
+boat.  The writer, without calling any more of the seamen, went forward
+to the gangway, where they were collected and listening to what was
+passing upon deck.  He addressed them at the hatchway, and stated that
+two of their companions had just been dismissed the service and sent on
+board of the _Smeaton_ to be conveyed to Arbroath.  He therefore wished
+each man to consider for himself how far it would be proper, by any
+unreasonableness of conduct, to place themselves in a similar situation,
+especially as they were aware that it was optional in him either to
+dismiss them or send them on board a man-of-war.  It might appear that
+much inconveniency would be felt at the rock by a change of hands at this
+critical period, by checking for a time the progress of a building so
+intimately connected with the best interests of navigation; yet this
+would be but of a temporary nature, while the injury to themselves might
+be irreparable.  It was now therefore, required of any man who, in this
+disgraceful manner, chose to leave the service, that he should instantly
+make his appearance on deck while the _Smeaton's_ boat was alongside.
+But those below having expressed themselves satisfied with their
+situation-viz., William Brown, George Gibb, Alexander Scott, John Dick,
+Robert Couper, Alexander Shephard, James Grieve, David Carey, William
+Pearson, Stuart Eaton, Alexander Lawrence, and John Spink--were
+accordingly considered as having returned to their duty.  This
+disposition to mutiny, which had so strongly manifested itself, being now
+happily suppressed, Captain Pool got orders to proceed for Arbroath Bay,
+and land the two men he had on board, and to deliver the following letter
+at the office of the workyard:--
+
+                              '_On board of the Tender off the Bell Rock_,
+                                  22_nd_ _June_ 1810, _eight o'clock p.m._
+
+    'DEAR SIR,--A discontented and mutinous spirit having manifested
+    itself of late among the landing-master's crew, they struck work
+    to-day and demanded an additional allowance of beer, and I have found
+    it necessary to dismiss D---d and M---e, who are now sent on shore
+    with the _Smeaton_.  You will therefore be so good as to pay them
+    their wages, including this day only.  Nothing can be more
+    unreasonable than the conduct of the seamen on this occasion, as the
+    landing-master's crew not only had their allowance on board of the
+    tender, but, in the course of this day, they had drawn no fewer than
+    twenty-four quart pots of beer from the stock of the _Patriot_ while
+    unloading her. --I remain, yours truly,
+
+                                                         ROBERT STEVENSON.
+
+    'To Mr. LACHLAN KENNEDY,
+          Bell Rock Office, Arbroath.'
+
+On despatching this letter to Mr. Kennedy, the writer returned to the
+beacon about nine o'clock, where this afternoon's business had produced
+many conjectures, especially when the _Smeaton_ got under weigh, instead
+of proceeding to land her cargo.  The bell on the beacon being rung, the
+artificers were assembled on the bridge, when the affair was explained to
+them.  He, at the same time, congratulated them upon the first appearance
+of mutiny being happily set at rest by the dismissal of its two principal
+abettors.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 24th June]
+
+At the rock the landing of the materials and the building operations of
+the light-room store went on successfully, and in a way similar to those
+of the provision store.  To-day it blew fresh breezes; but the seamen
+nevertheless landed twenty-eight stones, and the artificers built the
+fifty-eighth and fifty-ninth courses.  The works were visited by Mr.
+Murdoch, junior, from Messrs. Boulton and Watt's works of Soho.  He
+landed just as the bell rung for prayers, after which the writer enjoyed
+much pleasure from his very intelligent conversation; and, having been
+almost the only stranger he had seen for some weeks, he parted with him,
+after a short interview, with much regret.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 28th June]
+
+Last night the wind had shifted to north-east, and, blowing fresh, was
+accompanied with a heavy surf upon the rock.  Towards high-water it had a
+very grand and wonderful appearance.  Waves of considerable magnitude
+rose as high as the solid or level of the entrance-door, which, being
+open to the south-west, was fortunately to the leeward; but on the
+windward side the sprays flew like lightning up the sloping sides of the
+building; and although the walls were now elevated sixty-four feet above
+the rock, and about fifty-two feet from high-water mark, yet the
+artificers were nevertheless wetted, and occasionally interrupted, in
+their operations on the top of the walls.  These appearances were, in a
+great measure, new at the Bell Rock, there having till of late been no
+building to conduct the seas, or object to compare with them.  Although,
+from the description of the Eddystone Lighthouse, the mind was prepared
+for such effects, yet they were not expected to the present extent in the
+summer season; the sea being most awful to-day, whether observed from the
+beacon or the building.  To windward, the sprays fell from the height
+above noticed in the most wonderful cascades, and streamed down the walls
+of the building in froth as white as snow.  To leeward of the lighthouse
+the collision or meeting of the waves produced a pure white kind of
+_drift_; it rose about thirty feet in height, like a fine downy mist,
+which, in its fall, fell upon the face and hands more like a dry powder
+than a liquid substance.  The effect of these seas, as they raged among
+the beams and dashed upon the higher parts of the beacon, produced a
+temporary tremulous motion throughout the whole fabric, which to a
+stranger must have been frightful.
+
+                                                        [Sunday, 1st July]
+
+The writer had now been at the Bell Rock since the latter end of May, or
+about six weeks, during four of which he had been a constant inhabitant
+of the beacon without having been once off the rock.  After witnessing
+the laying of the sixty-seventh or second course of the bedroom
+apartment, he left the rock with the tender and went ashore, as some
+arrangements were to be made for the future conduct of the works at
+Arbroath, which were soon to be brought to a close; the landing-master's
+crew having, in the meantime, shifted on board of the _Patriot_.  In
+leaving the rock, the writer kept his eyes fixed upon the lighthouse,
+which had recently got into the form of a house, having several tiers or
+stories of windows.  Nor was he unmindful of his habitation in the
+beacon--now far overtopped by the masonry,--where he had spent several
+weeks in a kind of active retirement, making practical experiment of the
+fewness of the positive wants of man.  His cabin measured not more than
+four feet three inches in breadth on the floor; and though, from the
+oblique direction of the beams of the beacon, it widened towards the top,
+yet it did not admit of the full extension of his arms when he stood on
+the floor; while its length was little more than sufficient for
+suspending a cot-bed during the night, calculated for being triced up to
+the roof through the day, which left free room for the admission of
+occasional visitants.  His folding table was attached with hinges,
+immediately under the small window of the apartment, and his books,
+barometer, thermometer, portmanteau, and two or three camp-stools, formed
+the bulk of his movables.  His diet being plain, the paraphernalia of the
+table were proportionally simple; though everything had the appearance of
+comfort, and even of neatness, the walls being covered with green cloth
+formed into panels with red tape, and his bed festooned with curtains of
+yellow cotton-stuff.  If, in speculating upon the abstract wants of man
+in such a state of exclusion, one were reduced to a single book, the
+Sacred Volume--whether considered for the striking diversity of its
+story, the morality of its doctrine, or the important truths of its
+gospel--would have proved by far the greatest treasure.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 2nd July]
+
+In walking over the workyard at Arbroath this morning, the writer found
+that the stones of the course immediately under the cornice were all in
+hand, and that a week's work would now finish the whole, while the
+intermediate courses lay ready numbered and marked for shipping to the
+rock.  Among other subjects which had occupied his attention to-day was a
+visit from some of the relations of George Dall, a young man who had been
+impressed near Dundee in the month of February last; a dispute had arisen
+between the magistrates of that burgh and the Regulating Officer as to
+his right of impressing Dall, who was _bona fide_ one of the protected
+seamen in the Bell Rock service.  In the meantime, the poor lad was
+detained, and ultimately committed to the prison of Dundee, to remain
+until the question should be tried before the Court of Session.  His
+friends were naturally very desirous to have him relieved upon bail.
+But, as this was only to be done by the judgment of the Court, all that
+could be said was that his pay and allowances should be continued in the
+same manner as if he had been upon the sick-list.  The circumstances of
+Dall's case were briefly these:--He had gone to see some of his friends
+in the neighbourhood of Dundee, in winter, while the works were
+suspended, having got leave of absence from Mr. Taylor, who commanded the
+Bell Rock tender, and had in his possession one of the Protection Medals.
+Unfortunately, however, for Dall, the Regulating Officer thought proper
+to disregard these documents, as, according to the strict and literal
+interpretation of the Admiralty regulations, a seaman does not stand
+protected unless he is actually on board of his ship, or in a boat
+belonging to her, or has the Admiralty protection in his possession.
+This order of the Board, however, cannot be rigidly followed in practice;
+and therefore, when the matter is satisfactorily stated to the Regulating
+Officer, the impressed man is generally liberated.  But in Dall's case
+this was peremptorily refused, and he was retained at the instance of the
+magistrates.  The writer having brought the matter under the
+consideration of the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses, they
+authorised it to be tried on the part of the Lighthouse Board, as one of
+extreme hardship.  The Court, upon the first hearing, ordered Dall to be
+liberated from prison; and the proceedings never went further.
+
+                                                     [Wednesday, 4th July]
+
+Being now within twelve courses of being ready for building the cornice,
+measures were taken for getting the stones of it and the parapet-wall of
+the light-room brought from Edinburgh, where, as before noticed, they had
+been prepared and were in readiness for shipping.  The honour of
+conveying the upper part of the lighthouse, and of landing the last stone
+of the building on the rock, was considered to belong to Captain Pool of
+the _Smeaton_, who had been longer in the service than the master of the
+_Patriot_.  The _Smeaton_ was, therefore, now partly loaded with old
+iron, consisting of broken railways and other lumber which had been lying
+about the rock.  After landing these at Arbroath, she took on board James
+Craw, with his horse and cart, which could now be spared at the workyard,
+to be employed in carting the stones from Edinburgh to Leith.  Alexander
+Davidson and William Kennedy, two careful masons, were also sent to take
+charge of the loading of the stones at Greenside, and stowing them on
+board of the vessel at Leith.  The writer also went on board, with a view
+to call at the Bell Rock and to take his passage up the Firth of Forth.
+The wind, however, coming to blow very fresh from the eastward, with
+thick and foggy weather, it became necessary to reef the mainsail and set
+the second jib.  When in the act of making a tack towards the tender, the
+sailors who worked the head-sheets were, all of a sudden, alarmed with
+the sound of the smith's hammer and anvil on the beacon, and had just
+time to put the ship about to save her from running ashore on the
+northwestern point of the rock, marked 'James Craw's Horse.'  On looking
+towards the direction from whence the sound came, the building and
+beacon-house were seen, with consternation, while the ship was hailed by
+those on the rock, who were no less confounded at seeing the near
+approach of the _Smeaton_; and, just as the vessel cleared the danger,
+the smith and those in the mortar gallery made signs in token of their
+happiness at our fortunate escape.  From this occurrence the writer had
+an experimental proof of the utility of the large bells which were in
+preparation to be rung by the machinery of the revolving light; for, had
+it not been the sound of the smith's anvil, the _Smeaton_, in all
+probability, would have been wrecked upon the rock.  In case the vessel
+had struck, those on board might have been safe, having now the
+beacon-house, as a place of refuge; but the vessel, which was going at a
+great velocity, must have suffered severely, and it was more than
+probable that the horse would have been drowned, there being no means of
+getting him out of the vessel.  Of this valuable animal and his master we
+shall take an opportunity of saying more in another place.
+
+                                                      [Thursday, 5th July]
+
+The weather cleared up in the course of the night, but the wind shifted
+to the N.E. and blew very fresh.  From the force of the wind, being now
+the period of spring-tides, a very heavy swell was experienced at the
+rock.  At two o'clock on the following morning the people on the beacon
+were in a state of great alarm about their safety, as the sea had broke
+up part of the floor of the mortar gallery!, which was thus cleared of
+the lime-casks and other buoyant articles; and, the alarm-bell being
+rung, all hands were called to render what assistance was in their power
+for the safety of themselves and the materials.  At this time some would
+willingly have left the beacon and gone into the building: the sea,
+however, ran so high that there was no passage along the bridge of
+communication, and, when the interior of the lighthouse came to be
+examined in the morning, it appeared that great quantities of water had
+come over the walls--now eighty feet in height--and had run down through
+the several apartments and out at the entrance door.
+
+The upper course of the lighthouse at the workyard of Arbroath was
+completed on the 6th, and the whole of the stones were, therefore, now
+ready for being shipped to the rock.  From the present state of the works
+it was impossible that the two squads of artificers at Arbroath and the
+Bell Rock could meet together at this period; and as in public works of
+this kind, which had continued for a series of years, it is not customary
+to allow the men to separate without what is termed a "finishing-pint,"
+five guineas were for this purpose placed at the disposal of Mr. David
+Logan, clerk of works.  With this sum the stone-cutters at Arbroath had a
+merry meeting in their barrack, collected their sweethearts and friends,
+and concluded their labours with a dance.  It was remarked, however, that
+their happiness on this occasion was not without alloy.  The
+consideration of parting and leaving a steady and regular employment, to
+go in quest of work and mix with other society, after having been
+harmoniously lodged for years together in one large "guildhall or
+barrack," was rather painful.
+
+                                                        [Friday, 6th July]
+
+While the writer was at Edinburgh he was fortunate enough to meet with
+Mrs. Dickson, only daughter of the late celebrated Mr. Smeaton, whose
+works at the Eddystone Lighthouse had been of such essential consequence
+to the operations at the Bell Rock.  Even her own elegant accomplishments
+are identified with her father's work, she having herself made the
+drawing of the vignette on the title-page of the _Narrative of the
+Eddystone Lighthouse_.  Every admirer of the works of that singularly
+eminent man must also feel an obligation to her for the very
+comprehensive and distinct account given of his life, which is attached
+to his reports, published, in three volumes quarto, by the Society of
+Civil Engineers.  Mrs. Dickson, being at this time returning from a tour
+to the Hebrides and Western Highlands of Scotland, had heard of the Bell
+Rock works, and from their similarity to those of the Eddystone was
+strongly impressed with a desire of visiting the spot.  But on inquiring
+for the writer at Edinburgh, and finding from him that the upper part of
+the lighthouse, consisting of nine courses, might be seen in the
+immediate vicinity, and also that one of the vessels which, in compliment
+to her father's memory, had been named the _Smeaton_, might also now be
+seen in Leith, she considered herself extremely fortunate; and having
+first visited the works at Greenside, she afterwards went to Leith to see
+the _Smeaton_, then loading for the Bell Rock.  On stepping on board,
+Mrs. Dickson seemed to be quite overcome with so many concurrent
+circumstances, tending in a peculiar manner to revive and enliven the
+memory of her departed father, and, on leaving the vessel, she would not
+be restrained from presenting the crew with a piece of money.  The
+_Smeaton_ had been named spontaneously, from a sense of the obligation
+which a public work of the description of the Bell Rock owed to the
+labours and abilities of Mr. Smeaton.  The writer certainly never could
+have anticipated the satisfaction which he this day felt in witnessing
+the pleasure it afforded to the only representative of this great man's
+family.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 20th July]
+
+The gale from the N.E. still continued so strong, accompanied with a
+heavy sea, that the _Patriot_ could not approach her moorings; and
+although the tender still kept her station, no landing was made to-day at
+the rock.  At high-water it was remarked that the spray rose to the
+height of about sixty feet upon the building.  The _Smeaton_ now lay in
+Leith loaded, but, the wind and weather being so unfavourable for her
+getting down the Firth, she did not sail till this afternoon.  It may be
+here proper to notice that the loading of the centre of the light-room
+floor, or last principal stone of the building, did not fail, when put on
+board, to excite an interest among those connected with the work.  When
+the stone was laid upon the cart to be conveyed to Leith, the seamen
+fixed an ensign-staff and flag into the circular hole in the centre of
+the stone, and decorated their own hats, and that of James Craw, the Bell
+Rock carter, with ribbons; even his faithful and trusty horse Brassey was
+ornamented with bows and streamers of various colours.  The masons also
+provided themselves with new aprons, and in this manner the cart was
+attended in its progress to the ship.  When the cart came opposite the
+Trinity House of Leith, the officer of that corporation made his
+appearance dressed in his uniform, with his staff of office; and when it
+reached the harbour, the shipping in the different tiers where the
+_Smeaton_ lay hoisted their colours, manifesting by these trifling
+ceremonies the interest with which the progress of this work was regarded
+by the public, as ultimately tending to afford safety and protection to
+the mariner.  The wind had fortunately shifted to the S.W., and about
+five o'clock this afternoon the _Smeaton_ reached the Bell Rock.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 27th July]
+
+The artificers had finished the laying of the balcony course, excepting
+the centre-stone of the light-room floor, which, like the centres of the
+other floors, could not be laid in its place till after the removal of
+the foot and shaft of the balance-crane.  During the dinner-hour, when
+the men were off work the writer generally took some exercise by walking
+round the walls when the rock was under water; but to-day his boundary
+was greatly enlarged, for, instead of the narrow wall as a path, he felt
+no small degree of pleasure in walking round the balcony and passing out
+and in at the space allotted for the light-room door.  In the labours of
+this day both the artificers and seamen felt their work to be extremely
+easy compared with what it had been for some days past.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 29th July]
+
+Captain Wilson and his crew had made preparations for landing the last
+stone, and, as may well be supposed, this was a day of great interest at
+the Bell Rock.  'That it might lose none of its honours,' as he expressed
+himself, the _Hedderwick_ praam-boat, with which the first stone of the
+building had been landed, was appointed also to carry the last.  At seven
+o'clock this evening the seamen hoisted three flags upon the
+_Hedderwick_, when the colours of the _Dickie_ praam-boat, tender,
+_Smeaton_, floating light, beacon-house, and lighthouse were also
+displayed; and, the weather being remarkably fine, the whole presented a
+very gay appearance, and, in connection with the associations excited,
+the effect was very pleasing.  The praam which carried the stone was
+towed by the seamen in gallant style to the rock, and, on its arrival,
+cheers were given as a finale to the landing department.
+
+                                                       [Monday, 30th July]
+
+The ninetieth or last course of the building having been laid to-day,
+which brought the masonry to the height of one hundred and two feet six
+inches, the lintel of the light-room door, being the finishing-stone of
+the exterior walls, was laid with due formality by the writer, who, at
+the same time, pronounced the following benediction: "May the Great
+Architect of the Universe, under whose blessing this perilous work has
+prospered, preserve it as a guide to the mariner."
+
+                                                        [Friday, 3rd Aug.]
+
+At three p.m., the necessary preparations having been made, the
+artificers commenced the completing of the floors of the several
+apartments, and at seven o'clock the centre-stone of the light-room floor
+was laid, which may be held as finishing the masonry of this important
+national edifice.  After going through the usual ceremonies observed by
+the brotherhood on occasions of this kind, the writer, addressing himself
+to the artificers and seamen who were present, briefly alluded to the
+utility of the undertaking as a monument of the wealth of British
+commerce, erected through the spirited measures of the Commissioners of
+the Northern Lighthouses by means of the able assistance of those who now
+surrounded him.  He then took an opportunity of stating that toward those
+connected with this arduous work he would ever retain the most heartfelt
+regard in all their interests.
+
+                                                      [Saturday, 4th Aug.]
+
+When the bell was rung as usual on the beacon this morning, every one
+seemed as if he were at a loss what to make of himself.  At this period
+the artificers at the rock consisted of eighteen masons, two joiners, one
+millwright, one smith, and one mortar-maker, besides Messrs. Peter Logan
+and Francis Watt, foremen, counting in all twenty-five; and matters were
+arranged for proceeding to Arbroath this afternoon with all hands.  The
+_Sir Joseph Banks_ tender had by this time been afloat, with little
+intermission, for six months, during greater part of which the artificers
+had been almost constantly off at the rock, and were now much in want of
+necessaries of almost every description.  Not a few had lost different
+articles of clothing, which had dropped into the sea from the beacon and
+building.  Some wanted jackets; others, from want of hats, wore
+nightcaps; each was, in fact, more or less curtailed in his wardrobe, and
+it must be confessed that at best the party were but in a very tattered
+condition.  This morning was occupied in removing the artificers and
+their bedding on board of the tender; and although their personal luggage
+was easily shifted, the boats had, nevertheless, many articles to remove
+from the beacon-house, and were consequently employed in this service
+till eleven a.m.  All hands being collected and just ready to embark, as
+the water had nearly overflowed the rock, the writer, in taking leave,
+after alluding to the harmony which had ever marked the conduct of those
+employed on the Bell Rock, took occasion to compliment the great zeal,
+attention, and abilities of Mr. Peter Logan and Mr. Francis Watt,
+foremen; Captain James Wilson, landing-master; and Captain David Taylor,
+commander of the tender, who, in their several departments, had so
+faithfully discharged the duties assigned to them, often under
+circumstances the most difficult and trying.  The health of these
+gentlemen was drunk with much warmth of feeling by the artificers and
+seamen, who severally expressed the satisfaction they had experienced in
+acting under them; after which the whole party left the rock.
+
+In sailing past the floating light mutual compliments were made by a
+display of flags between that vessel and the tender; and at five p.m. the
+latter vessel entered the harbour of Arbroath, where the party were
+heartily welcomed by a numerous company of spectators, who had collected
+to see the artificers arrive after so long an absence from the port.  In
+the evening the writer invited the foremen and captains of the service,
+together with Mr. David Logan, clerk of works at Arbroath, and Mr.
+Lachlan Kennedy, engineer's clerk and book-keeper, and some of their
+friends, to the principal inn, where the evening was spent very happily;
+and after 'His Majesty's Health' and 'The Commissioners of the Northern
+Lighthouses' had been given, 'Stability to the Bell Rock Lighthouse' was
+hailed as a standing toast in the Lighthouse service.
+
+                                                        [Sunday, 5th Aug.]
+
+The author has formerly noticed the uniformly decent and orderly
+deportment of the artificers who were employed at the Bell Rock
+Lighthouse, and to-day, it is believed, they very generally attended
+church, no doubt with grateful hearts for the narrow escapes from
+personal danger which all of them had more or less experienced during
+their residence at the rock.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 14th Aug.]
+
+The _Smeaton_ sailed to-day at one p.m., having on board sixteen
+artificers, with Mr. Peter Logan, together with a supply of provisions
+and necessaries, who left the harbour pleased and happy to find
+themselves once more afloat in the Bell Rock service.  At seven o'clock
+the tender was made fast to her moorings, when the artificers landed on
+the rock and took possession of their old quarters in the beacon-house,
+with feelings very different from those of 1807, when the works
+commenced.
+
+The barometer for some days past had been falling from 29.90, and to-day
+it was 29.50, with the wind at N.E., which, in the course of this day,
+increased to a strong gale accompanied with a sea which broke with great
+violence upon the rock.  At twelve noon the tender rode very heavily at
+her moorings, when her chain broke at about ten fathoms from the ships
+bows. The kedge-anchor was immediately let go, to hold her till the
+floating buoy and broken chain should be got on board.  But while this
+was in operation the hawser of the kedge was chafed through on the rocky
+bottom and parted, when the vessel was again adrift.  Most fortunately,
+however, she cast off with her head from the rock, and narrowly cleared
+it, when she sailed up the Firth of Forth to wait the return of better
+weather.  The artificers were thus left upon the rock with so heavy a sea
+running that it was ascertained to have risen to a height of eighty feet
+on the building.  Under such perilous circumstances it would be difficult
+to describe the feelings of those who, at this time, were cooped up in
+the beacon in so forlorn a situation, with the sea not only raging under
+them, but occasionally falling from a great height upon the roof of their
+temporary lodging, without even the attending vessel in view to afford
+the least gleam of hope in the event of any accident.  It is true that
+they now had the masonry of the lighthouse to resort to, which, no doubt,
+lessened the actual danger of their situation; but the building was still
+without a roof, and the deadlights, or storm-shutters, not being yet
+fitted, the windows of the lower story were stove in and broken, and at
+high-water the sea ran in considerable quantities out at the entrance
+door.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 16th Aug.]
+
+The gale continues with unabated violence to-day, and the sprays rise to
+a still greater height, having been carried over the masonry of the
+building, or about ninety feet above the level of the sea.  At four
+o'clock this morning it was breaking into the cook's berth, when he rang
+the alarm-bell, and all hands turned out to attend to their personal
+safety.  The floor of the smith's, or mortar gallery, was now completely
+burst up by the force of the sea, when the whole of the deals and the
+remaining articles upon the floor were swept away, such as the cast-iron
+mortar-tubs, the iron hearth of the forge, the smith's bellows, and even
+his anvil were thrown down upon the rock.  Before the tide rose to its
+full height to-day some of the artificers passed along the bridge into
+the lighthouse, to observe the effects of the sea upon it, and they
+reported that they had felt a slight tremulous motion in the building
+when great seas struck it in a certain direction, about high-water mark.
+On this occasion the sprays were again observed to wet the balcony, and
+even to come over the parapet wall into the interior of the light-room.
+
+                                                     [Thursday, 23rd Aug.]
+
+The wind being at W.S.W., and the weather more moderate, both the tender
+and the _Smeaton_ got to their moorings on the 23rd, when all hands were
+employed in transporting the sash-frames from on board of the _Smeaton_
+to the rock.  In the act of setting up one of these frames upon the
+bridge, it was unguardedly suffered to lose its balance, and in saving it
+from damage Captain Wilson met with a severe bruise in the groin, on the
+seat of a gun-shot wound received in the early part of his life.  This
+accident laid him aside for several days.
+
+                                                       [Monday, 27th Aug.]
+
+The sash-frames of the light-room, eight in number, and weighing each 254
+pounds, having been got safely up to the top of the building, were ranged
+on the balcony in the order in which they were numbered for their places
+on the top of the parapet-wall; and the balance-crane, that useful
+machine having now lifted all the heavier articles, was unscrewed and
+lowered, to use the landing-master's phrase, 'in mournful silence.'
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 2nd Sept.]
+
+The steps of the stair being landed, and all the weightier articles of
+the light-room got up to the balcony, the wooden bridge was now to be
+removed, as it had a very powerful effect upon the beacon when a heavy
+sea struck it, and could not possibly have withstood the storms of a
+winter.  Everything having been cleared from the bridge, and nothing left
+but the two principal beams with their horizontal braces, James Glen, at
+high-water, proceeded with a saw to cut through the beams at the end next
+the beacon, which likewise disengaged their opposite extremity, inserted
+a few inches into the building.  The frame was then gently lowered into
+the water, and floated off to the _Smeaton_ to be towed to Arbroath, to
+be applied as part of the materials in the erection of the lightkeepers'
+houses.  After the removal of the bridge, the aspect of things at the
+rock was much altered.  The beacon-house and building had both a naked
+look to those accustomed to their former appearance; a curious optical
+deception was also remarked, by which the lighthouse seemed to incline
+from the perpendicular towards the beacon.  The horizontal rope-ladder
+before noticed was again stretched to preserve the communication, and the
+artificers were once more obliged to practise the awkward and straddling
+manner of their passage between them during 1809.
+
+At twelve noon the bell rung for prayers, after which the artificers went
+to dinner, when the writer passed along the rope-ladder to the
+lighthouse, and went through the several apartments, which were now
+cleared of lumber.  In the afternoon all hands were summoned to the
+interior of the house, when he had the satisfaction of laying the upper
+step of the stair, or last stone of the building.  This ceremony
+concluded with three cheers, the sound of which had a very loud and
+strange effect within the walls of the lighthouse.  At six o'clock Mr.
+Peter Logan and eleven of the artificers embarked with the writer for
+Arbroath, leaving Mr. James Glen with the special charge of the beacon
+and railways, Mr. Robert Selkirk with the building, with a few artificers
+to fit the temporary windows to render the house habitable.
+
+                                                       [Sunday, 14th Oct.]
+
+On returning from his voyage to the Northern Lighthouses, the writer
+landed at the Bell Rock on Sunday, the 14th of October, and had the
+pleasure to find, from the very favourable state of the weather, that the
+artificers had been enabled to make great progress with the fitting-up of
+the light-room.
+
+                                                       [Friday, 19th Oct.]
+
+The light-room work had proceeded, as usual, to-day under the direction
+of Mr. Dove, assisted in the plumber-work by Mr. John Gibson, and in the
+brazier-work by Mr. Joseph Fraser; while Mr. James Slight, with the
+joiners, were fitting up the storm-shuttters of the windows.  In these
+several departments the artificers were at work till seven o'clock p.m.,
+and it being then dark, Mr. Dove gave orders to drop work in the
+light-room; and all hands proceeded from thence to the beacon-house, when
+Charles Henderson, smith, and Henry Dickson, brazier, left the work
+together.  Being both young men, who had been for several weeks upon the
+rock, they had become familiar, and even playful, on the most difficult
+parts about the beacon and building.  This evening they were trying to
+outrun each other in descending from the light-room, when Henderson led
+the way; but they were in conversation with each other till they came to
+the rope-ladder distended between the entrance-door of the lighthouse and
+the beacon.  Dickson, on reaching the cook-room, was surprised at not
+seeing his companion, and inquired hastily for Henderson.  Upon which the
+cook replied, 'Was he before you upon the rope-ladder?'  Dickson
+answered, 'Yes; and I thought I heard something fall.'  Upon this the
+alarm was given, and links were immediately lighted, with which the
+artificers descended on the legs of the beacon, as near the surface of
+the water as possible, it being then about full tide, and the sea
+breaking to a considerable height upon the building, with the wind at
+S.S.E.  But, after watching till low-water, and searching in every
+direction upon the rock, it appeared that poor Henderson must have
+unfortunately fallen through the rope-ladder, and been washed into the
+deep water.
+
+The deceased had passed along this rope-ladder many hundred times, both
+by day and night, and the operations in which he was employed being
+nearly finished, he was about to leave the rock when this melancholy
+catastrophe took place.  The unfortunate loss of Henderson cast a deep
+gloom upon the minds of all who were at the rock, and it required some
+management on the part of those who had charge to induce the people to
+remain patiently at their work; as the weather now became more
+boisterous, and the nights long, they found their habitation extremely
+cheerless, while the winds were howling about their ears, and the waves
+lashing with fury against the beams of their insulated habitation.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 23rd Oct.]
+
+The wind had shifted in the night to N.W., and blew a fresh gale, while
+the sea broke with violence upon the rock.  It was found impossible to
+land, but the writer, from the boat, hailed Mr. Dove, and directed the
+ball to be immediately fixed.  The necessary preparations were
+accordingly made, while the vessel made short tacks on the southern side
+of the rock, in comparatively smooth water.  At noon Mr. Dove, assisted
+by Mr. James Slight, Mr. Robert Selkirk, Mr. James Glen, and Mr. John
+Gibson, plumber, with considerable difficulty, from the boisterous state
+of the weather, got the gilded ball screwed on, measuring two feet in
+diameter, and forming the principal ventilator at the upper extremity of
+the cupola of the light-room.  At Mr. Hamilton's desire, a salute of
+seven guns was fired on this occasion, and, all hands being called to the
+quarter-deck, 'Stability to the Bell Rock Lighthouse' was not forgotten.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 30th Oct.]
+
+On reaching the rock it was found that a very heavy sea still ran upon
+it; but the writer having been disappointed on two former occasions, and,
+as the erection of the house might now be considered complete, there
+being nothing wanted externally, excepting some of the storm-shutters for
+the defence of the windows, he was the more anxious at this time to
+inspect it.  Two well-manned boats were therefore ordered to be in
+attendance; and, after some difficulty, the wind being at N.N.E., they
+got safely into the western creek, though not without encountering
+plentiful sprays.  It would have been impossible to have attempted a
+landing to-day, under any other circumstances than with boats perfectly
+adapted to the purpose, and with seamen who knew every ledge of the rock,
+and even the length of the sea-weeds at each particular spot, so as to
+dip their oars into the water accordingly, and thereby prevent them from
+getting entangled.  But what was of no less consequence to the safety of
+the party, Captain Wilson, who always steered the boat, had a perfect
+knowledge of the set of the different waves, while the crew never shifted
+their eyes from observing his motions, and the strictest silence was
+preserved by every individual except himself.
+
+On entering the house, the writer had the pleasure to find it in a
+somewhat habitable condition, the lower apartments being closed in with
+temporary windows, and fitted with proper storm-shutters.  The lowest
+apartment at the head of the staircase was occupied with water, fuel, and
+provisions, put up in a temporary way until the house could be furnished
+with proper utensils.  The second, or light-room store, was at present
+much encumbered with various tools and apparatus for the use of the
+workmen.  The kitchen immediately over this had, as yet, been supplied
+only with a common ship's caboose and plate-iron funnel, while the
+necessary cooking utensils had been taken from the beacon.  The bedroom
+was for the present used as the joiners' workshop, and the strangers'
+room, immediately under the light-room, was occupied by the artificers,
+the beds being ranged in tiers, as was done in the barrack of the beacon.
+The light-room, though unprovided with its machinery, being now covered
+over with the cupola, glazed and painted, had a very complete and cleanly
+appearance.  The balcony was only as yet fitted with a temporary rail,
+consisting of a few iron stanchions, connected with ropes; and in this
+state it was necessary to leave it during the winter.
+
+Having gone over the whole of the low-water works on the rock, the
+beacon, and lighthouse, and being satisfied that only the most untoward
+accident in the landing of the machinery could prevent the exhibition of
+the light in the course of the winter, Mr. John Reid, formerly of the
+floating light, was now put in charge of the lighthouse as principal
+keeper; Mr. James Slight had charge of the operations of the artificers,
+while Mr. James Dove and the smiths, having finished the frame of the
+light-room, left the rock for the present.  With these arrangements the
+writer bade adieu to the works for the season.  At eleven a.m. the tide
+was far advanced; and there being now little or no shelter for the boats
+at the rock, they had to be pulled through the breach of sea, which came
+on board in great quantities, and it was with extreme difficulty that
+they could be kept in the proper direction of the landing-creek.  On this
+occasion he may be permitted to look back with gratitude on the many
+escapes made in the course of this arduous undertaking, now brought so
+near to a successful conclusion.
+
+                                                        [Monday, 5th Nov.]
+
+On Monday, the 5th, the yacht again visited the rock, when Mr. Slight and
+the artificers returned with her to the workyard, where a number of
+things were still to prepare connected with the temporary fitting up of
+the accommodation for the lightkeepers.  Mr. John Reid and Peter Fortune
+were now the only inmates of the house.  This was the smallest number of
+persons hitherto left in the lighthouse.  As four lightkeepers were to be
+the complement, it was intended that three should always be at the rock.
+Its present inmates, however, could hardly have been better selected for
+such a situation; Mr. Reid being a person possessed of the strictest
+notions of duty and habits of regularity from long service on board of a
+man-of-war, while Mr. Fortune had one of the most happy and contented
+dispositions imaginable.
+
+                                                      [Tuesday, 13th Nov.]
+
+From Saturday the 10th till Tuesday the 13th, the wind had been from N.E.
+blowing a heavy gale; but to-day, the weather having greatly moderated,
+Captain Taylor, who now commanded the _Smeaton_, sailed at two o'clock
+a.m. for the Bell Rock.  At five the floating light was hailed and found
+to be all well.  Being a fine moonlight morning, the seamen were changed
+from the one ship to the other.  At eight, the _Smeaton_ being off the
+rock, the boats were manned, and taking a supply of water, fuel, and
+other necessaries, landed at the western side, when Mr. Reid and Mr.
+Fortune were found in good health and spirits.
+
+Mr. Reid stated that during the late gales, particularly on Friday, the
+30th, the wind veering from S.E. to N.E., both he and Mr. Fortune
+sensibly felt the house tremble when particular seas struck, about the
+time of high-water; the former observing that it was a tremor of that
+sort which rather tended to convince him that everything about the
+building was sound, and reminded him of the effect produced when a good
+log of timber is struck sharply with a mallet; but, with every confidence
+in the stability of the building, he nevertheless confessed that, in so
+forlorn a situation, they were not insensible to those emotions which, he
+emphatically observed, 'made a man look back upon his former life.'
+
+                                                   [1881 Friday, 1st Feb.]
+
+The day, long wished for, on which the mariner was to see a light
+exhibited on the Bell Rock at length arrived.  Captain Wilson, as usual,
+hoisted the float's lanterns to the topmast on the evening of the 1st of
+February; but the moment that the light appeared on the rock, the crew,
+giving three cheers, lowered them, and finally extinguished the lights.
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+                                * * * * *
+
+         Printed by T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to His Majesty
+                    at the Edinburgh University Press.
+
+
+
+
+Footnotes:
+
+
+{2a}  An error: Stevensons owned at this date the barony of Dolphingston
+in Haddingtonshire, Montgrennan in Ayrshire, and several other lesser
+places.
+
+{3a}  Pitcairn's _Criminal Trials_, at large.--[R. L. S.]
+
+{4a}  Fountainhall's _Decisions_, vol. i. pp. 56, 132, 186, 204,
+368.--[R. L. S.]
+
+{4b}  _Ibid._ pp. 158, 299.--[R. L. S.]
+
+{4c}  Working farmer:  Fr. _laboureur_.
+
+{7a}  This John Stevenson was not the only 'witness' of the name; other
+Stevensons were actually killed during the persecutions, in the Glen of
+Trool, on Pentland, etc.; and it is very possible that the author's own
+ancestor was one of the mounted party embodied by Muir of Caldwell, only
+a day too late for Pentland.
+
+{7b}  Wodrow Society's _Select Biographies_, vol. ii.--[R. L. S.]
+
+{9a}  Though the districts here named are those in which the name of
+Stevenson is most common, it is in point of fact far more wide-spread
+than the text indicates, and occurs from Dumfries and Berwickshire to
+Aberdeen and Orkney.
+
+{12a}  Mr. J. H. Stevenson is satisfied that these speculations as to a
+possible Norse, Highland, or French origin are vain.  All we know about
+the engineer family is that it was sprung from a stock of Westland Whigs
+settled in the latter part of the seventeenth century in the parish of
+Neilston, as mentioned at the beginning of the next chapter.  It may be
+noted that the Ayrshire parish of Stevenston, the lands of which are said
+to have received the name in the twelfth century, lies within thirteen
+miles south-west of this place.  The lands of Stevenson in Lanarkshire
+first mentioned in the next century, in the Ragman Roll, lie within
+twenty miles east.
+
+{54a}  This is only a probable hypothesis; I have tried to identify my
+father's anecdote in my grandfather's diary, and may very well have been
+deceived.--[R. L. S.]
+
+{91a}  This is, of course, the tradition commemorated by Southey in his
+ballad of 'The Inchcape Bell.'  Whether true or not, it points to the
+fact that from the infancy of Scottish navigation, the seafaring mind had
+been fully alive to the perils of this reef.  Repeated attempts had been
+made to mark the place with beacons, but all efforts were unavailing (one
+such beacon having been carried away within eight days of its erection)
+until Robert Stevenson conceived and carried out the idea of the stone
+tower.  But the number of vessels actually lost upon the reef was as
+nothing to those that were cast away in fruitless efforts to avoid it.
+Placed right in the fairway of two navigations, and one of these the
+entrance to the only harbour of refuge between the Downs and the Moray
+Firth, it breathed abroad along the whole coast an atmosphere of terror
+and perplexity; and no ship sailed that part of the North Sea at night,
+but what the ears of those on board would be strained to catch the
+roaring of the seas on the Bell Rock.
+
+{92a}  The particular event which concentrated Mr. Stevenson's attention
+on the problem of the Bell Rock was the memorable gale of December 1799,
+when, among many other vessels, H.M.S. _York_, a seventy-four-gun ship,
+went down with all hands on board.  Shortly after this disaster Mr.
+Stevenson made a careful survey, and prepared his models for a stone
+tower, the idea of which was at first received with pretty general
+scepticism, Smeaton's Eddystone tower could not be cited as affording a
+parallel, for there the rock is not submerged even at high-water, while
+the problem of the Bell Rock was to build a tower of masonry on a sunken
+reef far distant from land, covered at every tide to a depth of twelve
+feet or more, and having thirty-two fathoms' depth of water within a mile
+of its eastern edge.
+
+{94a}  The grounds for the rejection of the Bill by the House of Lords in
+1802-3 had been that the extent of coast over which dues were proposed to
+be levied would be too great.  Before going to Parliament again, the
+Board of Northern Lights, desiring to obtain support and corroboration
+for Mr. Stevenson's views, consulted first Telford, who was unable to
+give the matter his attention, and then (on Stevenson's suggestion)
+Rennie, who concurred in affirming the practicability of a stone tower,
+and supported the Bill when it came again before Parliament in 1806.
+Rennie was afterwards appointed by the Commissioners as advising
+engineer, whom Stevenson might consult in cases of emergency.  It seems
+certain that the title of chief engineer had in this instance no more
+meaning than the above.  Rennie, in point of fact, proposed certain
+modifications in Stevenson's plans, which the latter did not accept;
+nevertheless Rennie continued to take a kindly interest in the work, and
+the two engineers remained in friendly correspondence during its
+progress.  The official view taken by the Board as to the quarter in
+which lay both the merit and the responsibility of the work may be
+gathered from a minute of the Commissioners at their first meeting held
+after Stevenson died; in which they record their regret 'at the death of
+this zealous, faithful, and able officer, _to whom is due the honour of
+conceiving and executing the Bell Rock Lighthouse_.'  The matter is
+briefly summed up in the _Life_ of Robert Stevenson by his son David
+Stevenson (A. & C. Black, 1878), and fully discussed, on the basis of
+official facts and figures, by the same writer in a letter to the _Civil
+Engineers' and Architects' Journal_, 1862.
+
+{122a}  'Nothing was said, but I was _looked out of countenance_,' he
+says in a letter.
+
+{171a}  Ill-formed--ugly.--[R. L. S.]
+
+{174a}  This is an incurable illusion of my grandfather's; he always
+writes 'distended' for 'extended.'--[R. L. S.]
+
+
+
+
+***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS***
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