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.