records of a family of engineers-第23章

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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　la