records of a family of engineers-第26章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


eaving　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　work