records of a family of engineers-第29章

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as　running。　After　some　dubiety　expressed　on　the　subject；　in　which　the　ardent　mind　of　the　landing…master　suggested　many　arguments　in　favour　of　his　being　able　to　convey　the　praams　in　perfect　safety；　it　was　acceded　to。　　In　bad　weather；　and　especially　on　occasions　of　difficulty　like　the　present；　Mr。　Wilson；　who　was　an　extremely　active　seaman；　measuring　about　five　feet　three　inches　in　height；　of　a　robust　habit；　generally　dressed　himself　in　what　he　called　a　MONKEY　JACKET；　made　of　thick　duffle　cloth；　with　a　pair　of　Dutchman's　petticoat　trousers；　reaching　only　to　his　knees；　where　they　were　met　with　a　pair　of　long　water…tight　boots；　with　this　dress；　his　glazed　hat；　and　his　small　brass　speaking　trumpet　in　his　hand；　he　bade　defiance　to　the　weather。　When　he　made　his　appearance　in　this　most　suitable　attire　for　the　service　his　crew　seemed　to　possess　additional　life；　never　failing　to　use　their　utmost　exertions　when　the　captain　put　on　his　STORM　RIGGING。　　They　had　this　morning　commenced　loading　the　praam…boats　at　four　o'clock；　and　proceeded　to　tow　them　into　the　eastern　landing…place；　which　was　accomplished　with　much　dexterity；　though　not　without　the　risk　of　being　thrown；　by　the　force　of　the　sea；　on　certain　projecting　ledges　of　the　rock。　　In　such　a　case　the　loss　even　of　a　single　stone　would　have　greatly　retarded　the　work。　　For　the　greater　safety　in　entering　the　creek　it　was　necessary　to　put　out　several　warps　and　guy…ropes　to　guide　the　boats　into　its　narrow　and　intricate　entrance；　and　it　frequently　happened　that　the　sea　made　a　clean　breach　over　the　praams；　which　not　only　washed　their　decks；　but　completely　drenched　the　crew　in　water。

＇Sunday；　17th　June＇

It　was　fortunate；　in　the　present　state　of　the　weather；　that　the　fiftieth　course　was　in　a　sheltered　spot；　within　the　reach　of　the　tackle　of　the　winch…machine　upon　the　bridge；　a　few　stones　were　stowed　upon　the　bridge　itself；　and　the　remainder　upon　the　building；　which　kept　the　artificers　at　work。　　The　stowing　of　the　materials　upon　the　rock　was　the　department　of　Alexander　Brebner；　mason；　who　spared　no　pains　in　attending　to　the　safety　of　the　stones；　and　who；　in　the　present　state　of　the　work；　when　the　stones　were　landed　faster　than　could　be　built；　generally　worked　till　the　water　rose　to　his　middle。　　At　one　o'clock　to…day　the　bell　rung　for　prayers；　and　all　hands　were　collected　into　the　upper　barrack…room　of　the　beacon…house；　when　the　usual　service　was　performed。

The　wind　blew　very　hard　in　the　course　of　last　night　from　N。E。；　and　to…day　the　sea　ran　so　high　that　no　boat　could　approach　the　rock。　　During　the　dinner…hour；　when　the　writer　was　going　to　the　top　of　the　building　as　usual；　but　just　as　he　had　entered　the　door　and　was　about　to　ascend　the　ladder；　a　great　noise　was　heard　overhead；　and　in　an　instant　he　was　soused　in　water　from　a　sea　which　had　most　unexpectedly　come　over　the　walls；　though　now　about　fifty…eight　feet　in　height。　On　making　his　retreat　he　found　himself　completely　whitened　by　the　lime；　which　had　mixed　with　the　water　while　dashing　down　through　the　different　floors；　and；　as　nearly　as　he　could　guess；　a　quantity　equal　to　about　a　hogshead　had　come　over　the　walls；　and　now　streamed　out　at　the　door。　　After　having　shifted　himself；　he　again　sat　down　in　his　cabin；　the　sea　continuing　to　run　so　high　that　the　builders　did　not　resume　their　operations　on　the　walls　this　afternoon。　　The　incident　just　noticed　did　not　create　more　surprise　in　the　mind　of　the　writer　than　the　sublime　appearance　of　the　waves　as　they　rolled　majestically　over　the　rock。　　This　scene　he　greatly　enjoyed　while　sitting　at　his　cabin　window；　each　wave　approached　the　beacon　like　a　vast　scroll　unfolding；　and　in　passing　discharged　a　quantity　of　air；　which　he　not　only　distinctly　felt；　but　was　even　sufficient　to　lift　the　leaves　of　a　book　which　lay　before　him。　　These　waves　might　be　ten　or　twelve　feet　in　height；　and　about　250　feet　in　length；　their　smaller　end　being　towards　the　north；　where　the　water　was　deep；　and　they　were　opened　or　cut　through　by　the　interposition　of　the　building　and　beacon。　　The　gradual　manner　in　which　the　sea；　upon　these　occasions；　is　observed　to　become　calm　or　to　subside；　is　a　very　remarkable　feature　of　this　phenomenon。　　For　example；　when　a　gale　is　succeeded　by　a　calm；　every　third　or　fourth　wave　forms　one　of　these　great　seas；　which　occur　in　spaces　of　from　three　to　five　minutes；　as　noted　by　the　writer's　watch；　but　in　the　course　of　the　next　tide　they　become　less　frequent；　and　take　off　so　as　to　occur　only　in　ten　or　fifteen　minutes；　and；　singular　enough；　at　the　third　tide　after　such　gales；　the　writer　has　remarked　that　only　one　or　two　of　these　great　waves　appear　in　the　course　of　the　whole　tide。

＇Tuesday；　19th　June＇

The　19th　was　a　very　unpleasant　and　disagreeable　day；　both　for　the　seamen　and　artificers；　as　it　rained　throughout　with　little　intermission　from　four　a。m。　till　eleven　p。m。；　accompanied　with　thunder　and　lightning；　during　which　period　the　work　nevertheless　continued　unremittingly；　and　the　builders　laid　the　fifty…first　and　fifty…second　courses。　　This　state　of　weather　was　no　less　severe　upon　the　mortar…makers；　who　required　to　temper　or　prepare　the　mortar　of　a　thicker　or　thinner　consistency；　in　some　measure；　according　to　the　state　of　the　weather。　　From　the　elevated　position　of　the　building；　the　mortar　gallery　on　the　beacon　was　now　much　lower；　and　the　lime…buckets　were　made　to　traverse　upon　a　rope　distended　between　it　and　the　building。　　On　occasions　like　the　present；　however；　there　was　often　a　difference　of　opinion　between　the　builders　and　the　mortar…makers。　　John　Watt；　who　had　the　principal　charge　of　the　mortar；　was　a　most　active　worker；　but；　being　somewhat　of　an　irascible　temper；　the　builders　occasionally　amused　themselves　at　his　expense；　for　while　he　was　eagerly　at　work　with　his　large　iron…shod　pestle　in　the　mortar…tub；　they　often　sent　down　contradictory　orders；　some　crying；　‘Make　it　a　little　stiffer；　or　thicker；　John；'　while　others　called　out　to　make　it　‘thinner；'　to　which　he　generally　returned　very　speedy　and　sharp　replies；　so　that　these　conversations　at　times　were　rather　amusing。

During　wet　weather　the　situation　of　the　artificers　on　the　top　of　the　building　was　extremely　disagreeable；　for　although　their　work　did　not　require　great　exertion；　yet；　as　each　man　had　his　particular　part　to　perform；　either　in　working　the　crane　or　in　laying　the　stones；　it　required　the　closest　application　and　attention；　not　only　on　the　part　of　Mr。　Peter　Logan；　the　foreman；　who　was　constantly　on　the　walls；　but　also　of　the　chief　workmen。　　Robert　Selkirk；　the　principal　builder；　for　example；　had　every　stone　to　lay　in　its　place。　　David　Cumming；　a　mason；　had　the　charge　of　working　the　tackle　of　the　balance…weight；　and　James　Scott；　also　a　mason；　took　charge　of　the　purchase　with　which　the　stones　were　laid；　while　the　pointing　the　joints　of　the　walls　with　cement　was　intrusted　to　William　Reid　and　William　Kennedy；　who　stood　upon　a　scaffold　suspended　over　the　walls　in　rather　a　frightful　manner。　　The　least　act　of　carelessness　or　inattention　on　the　part　of　any　of　these　men　might　have　been　fatal；　not　only　to　themselves；　but　also　to　the　surrounding　workmen；　especially　if　any　accident　had　happened　to　the　crane　itself；　while　the　material　damage　or　loss　of　a　single　stone　would　have　put　an　entire　stop　to　the　operations　until　another　could　have　been　brought　from　Arbroath。　　The　artificers；　having　wrought　seven　and　a　half　hours　of　extra　time　to…day；　had　3s。　9d。　of　extra　pay；　while　the　foremen　had　7s。　6d。　over　and　above　their　stated　pay　and　board。　　Although；　therefore；　the　work　was　both　hazardous　and　fatiguing；　yet；　the　encouragement　being　considerable；　they　were　always　very　cheerful；　and　perfectly　reconciled　to　the　confinement　and　other　disadvantages　of　the　place。

During　fine　weather；　and　while　the　nights　were　short；　the　duty　on　board　of　the　floating　light　was　literally　nothing　but　a　waiting　on；　and　therefore　one　of　her　boats；　with　a　crew　of　five　men；　daily　attended　the　rock；　but　always　returned　to　the　vessel　at　night。　　The　carpenter；　however；　was　one　of　those　who　was　left　on　board　of　the　ship；　as　he　also　acted　in　the　capacity　of　assistant　lightkeeper；　being；　besides；　a　person　who　was　apt　to　feel　discontent　and　to　be　averse　to　changing　his　quarters；　especially　to　work　with　the　millwrights　and　joiners　at　the　rock；　who　often；　for　hours　together；　wrought　knee…deep；　and　not　unfrequently　up　to　the　middle；　in　water。　Mr。　Watt　having　about　this　time　made　a　requisition　for　another　hand；　the　carpenter　was　ordered　to　attend　the　rock　in　the　floating　light's　boat。　　This　he　did　with　great　reluctance；　and　found　so　much　fault　that　he　soon　got　into　discredit　with　his　messmates。　　On　this　occasion　he　left　the　Lighthouse　service；　and　went　as　a　sailor　in　a　vessel　bound　for　America　…　a　step　which；　it　is　believed；　he　soon　regretted；　as；　in　the　course　of　things；　he　would；　in　all　probability；　have　accompanied　Mr。　John　Reid；　the　principal　lightkeeper　of　the　floating　light；　to　the　Bell　Rock　Lighthouse　as　his　principal　assistant。　　The　writer　had　a　wish　to　be　of　service　to　this　man；　as　he　was　one　of　those　who　came　off　to　the　floating　light　in　the　month　of　September　1807；　while　she　was　riding　at　single　anchor　after　the　severe　gale　of　the　7th；　at　a　time　when　it　was　hardly　possible　to　make　up　this　vessel's　crew；　but　the　crossness　of　his　manner　prevented　his　reaping　the　benefit　of　such　intentions。

＇Friday；　22nd　June＇

The　building　operations　had　for　some　time　proceeded　more　slowly；　from　the　higher　parts　of　the　lighthouse　requiring　much　longer　time　than　an　equal　tonnage　of　the　lower　courses。　　The　duty　of　the　landing…master's　crew　had；　upon　the　whole；　been　easy　of　late；　for　though　the　work　was　occasionally　irregular；　yet　the　stones　being　lighter；　they　were　more　speedily　lifted　from　the　hold　of　the　stone　vessel　to　the　deck　of　the　praam…　boat；　and　again　to　the　waggons　on　the　railway；　after　which　they　came　properly　under　the　charge　of　the　foreman　builder。　It　is；　however；　a　strange；　though　not　an　uncommon；　feature　in　the　human　character；　that；　when　people　have　least　to　complain　of；　they　are　most　apt　to　become　dissatisfied；　as　was　now　the　case　with　the　seamen　employed　in　the　Bell　Rock　service　about　their　rations　of　beer。　　Indeed；　ever　since　the　carpenter　of　the　floating　light；　formerly　noticed；　had　been　brought　to　the　rock；　expressions　of　discontent　had　been　manifested　upon　various　occasions。　　This　being　represented　to　the　writer；　he　sent　for　Captain　Wilson；　the　landing…master；　and　Mr。　Taylor；　commander　of　the　tender；　with　whom　he　talked　over　the　subject。　They　stated　that　they　considered　the　daily　allowance　of　the　seamen　in　every　respect　ample；　and　that；　the　work　being　now　much　lighter　than　formerly；　they　had　no　just　ground　for　complaint；　Mr。　Taylor　adding　that；　if　those　who　now　complained　‘were　even　to　be　fed　upon　soft　bread　and　turkeys；　they　would　not　think　themselves　right。'　　At　twelve　noon　the　work　of　the　landing…master's　crew　was　completed　for　the　day；　but　at　four　o'clock；　while　the　rock　was　under　water；　those　on　the　beacon　were　surprised　by　the　arrival　of　a　boat　from　the　tender　without　any　signal　having　been　made　from　the　beacon。　　It　brought　the　following　note　to　the　writer　from　the　landing…　master's　crew：…


‘SIR　JOSEPH　BANKS　TENDER。

‘SIR；　…　We　are　informed　by　our　masters　that　our　allowance　is　to　be