records of a family of engineers-第15章

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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　t