records of a family of engineers-第27章

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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　workmen　spent　their　time。　　They　always　went　from　Arbroath　to　their　arduous　task　cheering　and　they　generally　returned　in　the　same　hearty　state。　　While　at　the　rock；　between　the　tides；　they　amused　themselves　in　reading；　fishing；　music；　playing　cards；　draughts；　etc。；　or　in　sporting　with　one　another。　　In　the　workyard　at　Arbroath　the　young　men　were　almost；　without　exception；　employed　in　the　evening　at　school；　in　writing　and　arithmetic；　and　not　a　few　were　learning　architectural　drawing；　for　which　they　had　every　convenience　and　facility；　and　were；　in　a　very　obliging　manner；　assisted　in　their　studies　by　Mr。　David　Logan；　clerk　of　the　works。　　It　therefore　affords　the　most　pleasing　reflections　to　look　back　upon　the　pursuits　of　about　sixty　individuals　who　for　years　conducted　themselves；　on　all　occasions；　in　a　sober　and　rational　manner。



IV　…　OPERATIONS　OF　1810



＇Thursday；　10th　May＇

The　wind　had　shifted　to…day　to　W。N。W。；　when　the　writer；　with　considerable　difficulty；　was　enabled　to　land　upon　the　rock　for　the　first　time　this　season；　at　ten　a。m。　　Upon　examining　the　state　of　the　building；　and　apparatus　in　general；　he　had　the　satisfaction　to　find　everything　in　good　order。　　The　mortar　in　all　the　joints　was　perfectly　entire。　　The　building；　now　thirty　feet　in　height；　was　thickly　coated　with　FUCI　to　the　height　of　about　fifteen　feet；　calculating　from　the　rock：　on　the　eastern　side；　indeed；　the　growth　of　seaweed　was　observable　to　the　full　height　of　thirty　feet；　and　even　on　the　top　or　upper　bed　of　the　last…laid　course；　especially　towards　the　eastern　side；　it　had　germinated；　so　as　to　render　walking　upon　it　somewhat　difficult。

The　beacon…house　was　in　a　perfectly　sound　state；　and　apparently　just　as　it　had　been　left　in　the　month　of　November。　But　the　tides　being　neap；　the　lower　parts；　particularly　where　the　beams　rested　on　the　rock；　could　not　now　be　seen。　　The　floor　of　the　mortar　gallery　having　been　already　laid　down　by　Mr。　Watt　and　his　men　on　a　former　visit；　was　merely　soaked　with　the　sprays；　but　the　joisting…beams　which　supported　it　had；　in　the　course　of　the　winter；　been　covered　with　a　fine　downy　conferva　produced　by　the　range　of　the　sea。　　They　were　also　a　good　deal　whitened　with　the　mute　of　the　cormorant　and　other　sea…fowls；　which　had　roosted　upon　the　beacon　in　winter。　　Upon　ascending　to　the　apartments；　it　was　found　that　the　motion　of　the　sea　had　thrown　open　the　door　of　the　cook…house：　this　was　only　shut　with　a　single　latch；　that　in　case　of　shipwreck　at　the　Bell　Rock　the　mariner　might　find　ready　access　to　the　shelter　of　this　forlorn　habitation；　where　a　supply　of　provisions　was　kept；　and　being　within　two　miles　and　a　half　of　the　floating　light；　a　signal　could　readily　be　observed；　when　a　boat　might　be　sent　to　his　relief　as　the　weather　permitted。　　An　arrangement　for　this　purpose　formed　one　of　the　instructions　on　board　of　the　floating　light；　but　happily　no　instance　occurred　for　putting　it　in　practice。　　The　hearth　or　fireplace　of　the　cook…house　was　built　of　brick　in　as　secure　a　manner　as　possible；　to　prevent　accident　from　fire；　but　some　of　the　plaster…work　had　shaken　loose；　from　its　damp　state　and　the　tremulous　motion　of　the　beacon　in　stormy　weather。　　The　writer　next　ascended　to　the　floor　which　was　occupied　by　the　cabins　of　himself　and　his　assistants；　which　were　in　tolerably　good　order；　having　only　a　damp　and　musty　smell。　　The　barrack　for　the　artificers；　over　all；　was　next　visited；　it　had　now　a　very　dreary　and　deserted　appearance　when　its　former　thronged　state　was　recollected。　　In　some　parts　the　water　had　come　through　the　boarding；　and　had　discoloured　the　lining　of　green　cloth；　but　it　was；　nevertheless；　in　a　good　habitable　condition。　　While　the　seamen　were　employed　in　landing　a　stock　of　provisions；　a　few　of　the　artificers　set　to　work　with　great　eagerness　to　sweep　and　clean　the　several　apartments。　　The　exterior　of　the　beacon　was；　in　the　meantime；　examined；　and　found　in　perfect　order。　　The　painting；　though　it　had　a　somewhat　blanched　appearance；　adhered　firmly　both　on　the　sides　and　roof；　and　only　two　or　three　panes　of　glass　were　broken　in　the　cupola；　which　had　either　been　blown　out　by　the　force　of　the　wind；　or　perhaps　broken　by　sea…fowl。

Having　on　this　occasion　continued　upon　the　building　and　beacon　a　considerable　time　after　the　tide　had　begun　to　flow；　the　artificers　were　occupied　in　removing　the　forge　from　the　top　of　the　building；　to　which　the　gangway　or　wooden　bridge　gave　great　facility；　and；　although　it　stretched　or　had　a　span　of　forty…two　feet；　its　construction　was　extremely　simple；　while　the　road…way　was　perfectly　firm　and　steady。　　In　returning　from　this　visit　to　the　rock　every　one　was　pretty　well　soused　in　spray　before　reaching　the　tender　at　two　o'clock　p。m。；　where　things　awaited　the　landing　party　in　as　comfortable　a　way　as　such　a　situation　would　admit。

＇Friday；　11th　May＇

The　wind　was　still　easterly；　accompanied　with　rather　a　heavy　swell　of　sea　for　the　operations　in　hand。　　A　landing　was；　however；　made　this　morning；　when　the　artificers　were　immediately　employed　in　scraping　the　seaweed　off　the　upper　course　of　the　building；　in　order　to　apply　the　moulds　of　the　first　course　of　the　staircase；　that　the　joggle…holes　might　be　marked　off　in　the　upper　course　of　the　solid。　　This　was　also　necessary　previously　to　the　writer's　fixing　the　position　of　the　entrance　door；　which　was　regulated　chiefly　by　the　appearance　of　the　growth　of　the　seaweed　on　the　building；　indicating　the　direction　of　the　heaviest　seas；　on　the　opposite　side　of　which　the　door　was　placed。　　The　landing…master's　crew　succeeded　in　towing　into　the　creek　on　the　western　side　of　the　rock　the　praam…boat　with　the　balance…crane；　which　had　now　been　on　board　of　the　praam　for　five　days。　　The　several　pieces　of　this　machine；　having　been　conveyed　along　the　railways　upon　the　waggons　to　a　position　immediately　under　the　bridge；　were　elevated　to　its　level；　or　thirty　feet　above　the　rock；　in　the　following　manner。　　A　chain…tackle　was　suspended　over　a　pulley　from　the　cross…beam　connecting　the　tops　of　the　kingposts　of　the　bridge；　which　was　worked　by　a　winch…machine　with　wheel；　pinion；　and　barrel；　round　which　last　the　chain　was　wound。　This　apparatus　was　placed　on　the　beacon　side　of　the　bridge；　at　the　distance　of　about　twelve　feet　from　the　cross…beam　and　pulley　in　the　middle　of　the　bridge。　　Immediately　under　the　cross…beam　a　hatch　was　formed　in　the　roadway　of　the　bridge；　measuring　seven　feet　in　length　and　five　feet　in　breadth；　made　to　shut　with　folding　boards　like　a　double　door；　through　which　stones　and　other　articles　were　raised；　the　folding　doors　were　then　let　down；　and　the　stone　or　load　was　gently　lowered　upon　a　waggon　which　was　wheeled　on　railway　trucks　towards　the　lighthouse。　　In　this　manner　the　several　castings　of　the　balance…crane　were　got　up　to　the　top　of　the　solid　of　the　building。

The　several　apartments　of　the　beacon…house　having　been　cleaned　out　and　supplied　with　bedding；　a　sufficient　stock　of　provisions　was　put　into　the　store；　when　Peter　Fortune；　formerly　noticed；　lighted　his　fire　in　the　beacon　for　the　first　time　this　season。　　Sixteen　artificers　at　the　same　time　mounted　to　their　barrack…room；　and　all　the　foremen　of　the　works　also　took　possession　of　their　cabin；　all　heartily　rejoiced　at　getting　rid　of　the　trouble　of　boating　and　the　sickly　motion　of　the　tender。

＇Saturday；　12th　May＇

The　wind　was　at　E。N。E。；　blowing　so　fresh；　and　accompanied　with　so　much　sea；　that　no　stones　could　be　landed　to…day。　　The　people　on　the　rock；　however；　were　busily　employed　in　screwing　together　the　balance…crane；　cutting　out　the　joggle…holes　in　the　upper　course；　and　preparing　all　things　for　commencing　the　building　operations。

＇Sunday；　13th　May＇

The　weather　still　continues　boisterous；　although　the　barometer　has　all　the　while　stood　at　about　30　inches。　　Towards　evening　the　wind　blew　so　fresh　at　E。　by　S。　that　the　boats　both　of　the　SMEATON　and　tender　were　obliged　to　be　hoisted　in；　and　it　was　feared　that　the　SMEATON　would　have　to　slip　her　moorings。　　The　people　on　the　rock　were　seen　busily　employed；　and　had　the　balance…crane　apparently　ready　for　use；　but　no　communication　could　be　had　with　them　to…day。

＇Monday；　14th　May＇

The　wind　continued　to　blow　so　fresh；　and　the　SMEATON　rode　so　heavily　with　her　cargo；　that　at　noon　a　signal　was　made　for　her　getting　under　weigh；　when　she　stood　towards　Arbroath；　and　on　board　of　the　tender　we　are　still　without　any　communication　with　the　people　on　the　rock；　where　the　sea　was　seen　breaking　over　the　top　of　the　building　in　great　sprays；　and　raging　with　much　agitation　among　the　beams　of　the　beacon。

＇Thursday；　17th　May＇

The　wind；　in　the　course　of　the　day；　had　shifted　from　north　to　west；　the　sea　being　also　considerably　less；　a　boat　landed　on　the　rock　at　six　p。m。；　for　the　first　time　since　the　11th；　with　the　provisions　and　water　brought　off　by　the　PATRIOT。　　The　inhabitants　of　the　beacon　were　all　well；　but　tired　above　measure　for　want　of　employment；　as　the　balance…　crane　and　apparatus　was　all　in　readiness。　　Under　these　circumstances　they　felt　no　less　desirous　of　the　return　of　good　weather　than　those　afloat；　who　were　continually　tossed　with　the　agitation　of　the　sea。　　The　writer；　in　particular；　felt　himself　almost　as　much　fatigued　and　worn…out　as　he　had　been　at　any　period　since　the　commencement　of　the　work。　　The　very　backward　state　of　the　weather　at　so　advanced　a　period　of　the　season　unavoidably　created　some　alarm；　lest　he　should　be　overtaken　with　bad　weather　at　a　late　period　of　the　season；　with　the　building　operations　in　an　unfinished　state。　　These　apprehensions　were；　no　doubt；　rather　increased　by　the　inconveniences　of　his　situation　afloat；　as　the　tender　rolled　and　pitched　excessively　at　times。　　This　being　also　his　first　off…set　for　the　season；　every　bone　of　his　body　felt　sore　with　preserving　a　sitting　posture　while　he　endeavoured　to　pass　away　the　time　in　reading；　as　for　writing；　it　was　wholly　impracticable。　　He　had　several　times　entertained　thoughts　of　leaving　the　station　for　a　few　days　and　going　into　Arbroath　with　the　tender　till　the　weather　should　improve；　but　as　the　artificers　had　been　landed　on　the　rock　he　was　averse　to　this　at　the　commencement　of　the　season；　knowing　also　that　he　would　be　equally　uneasy　in　every　situation　till　the　first　cargo　was　landed：　and　he　therefore　resolved　to　continue　at　his　post　until　this　should　be　effected。

＇Friday；　18th　May＇

The　wind　being　now　N。W。；　the　sea　was　considerably　run　down；　and　this　morning　at　five　o'clock　the　landing…master's　crew；　thirteen　in　number；　left　the　tender；　and　having　now　no　detention　with　the　landing　of　artificers；　they　proceeded　to　unmoor　the　HEDDERWICK　praam…boat；　and　towed　her　alongside　of　the　SMEATON：　and　in　the　course　of　the　day　twenty…three　blocks　of　stone；　three　casks　of　pozzolano；　three　of　sand；　three　of　lime；　and　one　of　Roman　cement；　together　with　three　bundles　of　trenails　and　three　of　wedges；　were　all　landed　on　the　rock　and　raised　the　top　of　the　building　by　means　of　the　tackle　suspended　from　the　cross…beam　on　the　middle　of　the　bridge。　The　stones　were　then　moved　along　the　bridge　on　the　waggon　to　the　building　within　reach　of　the　balance…crane；