records of a family of engineers-第16章

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e　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。　（1）　　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。

（1）　‘Nothing　was　said；　but　I　was　LOOKED　OUT　OF　COUNTENANCE；'　he　says　in　a　letter。

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；