records of a family of engineers-第32章

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er　the　cart　was　attended　in　its　progress　to　the　ship。　　When　the　cart　came　opposite　the　Trinity　House　of　Leith；　the　officer　of　that　corporation　made　his　appearance　dressed　in　his　uniform；　with　his　staff　of　office；　and　when　it　reached　the　harbour；　the　shipping　in　the　different　tiers　where　the　SMEATON　lay　hoisted　their　colours；　manifesting　by　these　trifling　ceremonies　the　interest　with　which　the　progress　of　this　work　was　regarded　by　the　public；　as　ultimately　tending　to　afford　safety　and　protection　to　the　mariner。　　The　wind　had　fortunately　shifted　to　the　S。W。；　and　about　five　o'clock　this　afternoon　the　SMEATON　reached　the　Bell　Rock。

＇Friday；　27th　July＇

The　artificers　had　finished　the　laying　of　the　balcony　course；　excepting　the　centre…stone　of　the　light…room　floor；　which；　like　the　centres　of　the　other　floors；　could　not　be　laid　in　its　place　till　after　the　removal　of　the　foot　and　shaft　of　the　balance…crane。　　During　the　dinner…hour；　when　the　men　were　off　work　the　writer　generally　took　some　exercise　by　walking　round　the　walls　when　the　rock　was　under　water；　but　to…day　his　boundary　was　greatly　enlarged；　for；　instead　of　the　narrow　wall　as　a　path；　he　felt　no　small　degree　of　pleasure　in　walking　round　the　balcony　and　passing　out　and　in　at　the　space　allotted　for　the　light…room　door。　　In　the　labours　of　this　day　both　the　artificers　and　seamen　felt　their　work　to　be　extremely　easy　compared　with　what　it　had　been　for　some　days　past。

＇Sunday；　29th　July＇

Captain　Wilson　and　his　crew　had　made　preparations　for　landing　the　last　stone；　and；　as　may　well　be　supposed；　this　was　a　day　of　great　interest　at　the　Bell　Rock。　　‘That　it　might　lose　none　of　its　honours；'　as　he　expressed　himself；　the　HEDDERWICK　praam…boat；　with　which　the　first　stone　of　the　building　had　been　landed；　was　appointed　also　to　carry　the　last。　　At　seven　o'clock　this　evening　the　seamen　hoisted　three　flags　upon　the　HEDDERWICK；　when　the　colours　of　the　DICKIE　praam…boat；　tender；　SMEATON；　floating　light；　beacon…house；　and　lighthouse　were　also　displayed；　and；　the　weather　being　remarkably　fine；　the　whole　presented　a　very　gay　appearance；　and；　in　connection　with　the　associations　excited；　the　effect　was　very　pleasing。　　The　praam　which　carried　the　stone　was　towed　by　the　seamen　in　gallant　style　to　the　rock；　and；　on　its　arrival；　cheers　were　given　as　a　finale　to　the　landing　department。

＇Monday；　30th　July＇

The　ninetieth　or　last　course　of　the　building　having　been　laid　to…day；　which　brought　the　masonry　to　the　height　of　one　hundred　and　two　feet　six　inches；　the　lintel　of　the　light…room　door；　being　the　finishing…stone　of　the　exterior　walls；　was　laid　with　due　formality　by　the　writer；　who；　at　the　same　time；　pronounced　the　following　benediction：　〃May　the　Great　Architect　of　the　Universe；　under　whose　blessing　this　perilous　work　has　prospered；　preserve　it　as　a　guide　to　the　mariner。〃

＇Friday；　3rd　Aug。＇

At　three　p。m。；　the　necessary　preparations　having　been　made；　the　artificers　commenced　the　completing　of　the　floors　of　the　several　apartments；　and　at　seven　o'clock　the　centre…stone　of　the　light…room　floor　was　laid；　which　may　be　held　as　finishing　the　masonry　of　this　important　national　edifice。　After　going　through　the　usual　ceremonies　observed　by　the　brotherhood　on　occasions　of　this　kind；　the　writer；　addressing　himself　to　the　artificers　and　seamen　who　were　present；　briefly　alluded　to　the　utility　of　the　undertaking　as　a　monument　of　the　wealth　of　British　commerce；　erected　through　the　spirited　measures　of　the　Commissioners　of　the　Northern　Lighthouses　by　means　of　the　able　assistance　of　those　who　now　surrounded　him。　He　then　took　an　opportunity　of　stating　that　toward　those　connected　with　this　arduous　work　he　would　ever　retain　the　most　heartfelt　regard　in　all　their　interests。

＇Saturday；　4th　Aug。＇

When　the　bell　was　rung　as　usual　on　the　beacon　this　morning；　every　one　seemed　as　if　he　were　at　a　loss　what　to　make　of　himself。　　At　this　period　the　artificers　at　the　rock　consisted　of　eighteen　masons；　two　joiners；　one　millwright；　one　smith；　and　one　mortar…maker；　besides　Messrs。　Peter　Logan　and　Francis　Watt；　foremen；　counting　in　all　twenty…five；　and　matters　were　arranged　for　proceeding　to　Arbroath　this　afternoon　with　all　hands。　　The　SIR　JOSEPH　BANKS　tender　had　by　this　time　been　afloat；　with　little　intermission；　for　six　months；　during　greater　part　of　which　the　artificers　had　been　almost　constantly　off　at　the　rock；　and　were　now　much　in　want　of　necessaries　of　almost　every　description。　　Not　a　few　had　lost　different　articles　of　clothing；　which　had　dropped　into　the　sea　from　the　beacon　and　building。　　Some　wanted　jackets；　others；　from　want　of　hats；　wore　nightcaps；　each　was；　in　fact；　more　or　less　curtailed　in　his　wardrobe；　and　it　must　be　confessed　that　at　best　the　party　were　but　in　a　very　tattered　condition。　　This　morning　was　occupied　in　removing　the　artificers　and　their　bedding　on　board　of　the　tender；　and　although　their　personal　luggage　was　easily　shifted；　the　boats　had；　nevertheless；　many　articles　to　remove　from　the　beacon…　house；　and　were　consequently　employed　in　this　service　till　eleven　a。m。　　All　hands　being　collected　and　just　ready　to　embark；　as　the　water　had　nearly　overflowed　the　rock；　the　writer；　in　taking　leave；　after　alluding　to　the　harmony　which　had　ever　marked　the　conduct　of　those　employed　on　the　Bell　Rock；　took　occasion　to　compliment　the　great　zeal；　attention；　and　abilities　of　Mr。　Peter　Logan　and　Mr。　Francis　Watt；　foremen；　Captain　James　Wilson；　landing…master；　and　Captain　David　Taylor；　commander　of　the　tender；　who；　in　their　several　departments；　had　so　faithfully　discharged　the　duties　assigned　to　them；　often　under　circumstances　the　most　difficult　and　trying。　　The　health　of　these　gentlemen　was　drunk　with　much　warmth　of　feeling　by　the　artificers　and　seamen；　who　severally　expressed　the　satisfaction　they　had　experienced　in　acting　under　them；　after　which　the　whole　party　left　the　rock。

In　sailing　past　the　floating　light　mutual　compliments　were　made　by　a　display　of　flags　between　that　vessel　and　the　tender；　and　at　five　p。m。　the　latter　vessel　entered　the　harbour　of　Arbroath；　where　the　party　were　heartily　welcomed　by　a　numerous　company　of　spectators；　who　had　collected　to　see　the　artificers　arrive　after　so　long　an　absence　from　the　port。　　In　the　evening　the　writer　invited　the　foremen　and　captains　of　the　service；　together　with　Mr。　David　Logan；　clerk　of　works　at　Arbroath；　and　Mr。　Lachlan　Kennedy；　engineer's　clerk　and　book…　keeper；　and　some　of　their　friends；　to　the　principal　inn；　where　the　evening　was　spent　very　happily；　and　after　‘His　Majesty's　Health'　and　‘The　Commissioners　of　the　Northern　Lighthouses'　had　been　given；　‘Stability　to　the　Bell　Rock　Lighthouse'　was　hailed　as　a　standing　toast　in　the　Lighthouse　service。

＇Sunday；　5th　Aug。＇

The　author　has　formerly　noticed　the　uniformly　decent　and　orderly　deportment　of　the　artificers　who　were　employed　at　the　Bell　Rock　Lighthouse；　and　to…day；　it　is　believed；　they　very　generally　attended　church；　no　doubt　with　grateful　hearts　for　the　narrow　escapes　from　personal　danger　which　all　of　them　had　more　or　less　experienced　during　their　residence　at　the　rock。

＇Tuesday；　14th　Aug。＇

The　SMEATON　sailed　to…day　at　one　p。m。；　having　on　board　sixteen　artificers；　with　Mr。　Peter　Logan；　together　with　a　supply　of　provisions　and　necessaries；　who　left　the　harbour　pleased　and　happy　to　find　themselves　once　more　afloat　in　the　Bell　Rock　service。　　At　seven　o'clock　the　tender　was　made　fast　to　her　moorings；　when　the　artificers　landed　on　the　rock　and　took　possession　of　their　old　quarters　in　the　beacon…house；　with　feelings　very　different　from　those　of　1807；　when　the　works　commenced。

The　barometer　for　some　days　past　had　been　falling　from　29。90；　and　to…day　it　was　29。50；　with　the　wind　at　N。E。；　which；　in　the　course　of　this　day；　increased　to　a　strong　gale　accompanied　with　a　sea　which　broke　with　great　violence　upon　the　rock。　　At　twelve　noon　the　tender　rode　very　heavily　at　her　moorings；　when　her　chain　broke　at　about　ten　fathoms　from　the　ships　bows。　The　kedge…anchor　was　immediately　let　go；　to　hold　her　till　the　floating　buoy　and　broken　chain　should　be　got　on　board。　　But　while　this　was　in　operation　the　hawser　of　the　kedge　was　chafed　through　on　the　rocky　bottom　and　parted；　when　the　vessel　was　again　adrift。　　Most　fortunately；　however；　she　cast　off　with　her　head　from　the　rock；　and　narrowly　cleared　it；　when　she　sailed　up　the　Firth　of　Forth　to　wait　the　return　of　better　weather。　　The　artificers　were　thus　left　upon　the　rock　with　so　heavy　a　sea　running　that　it　was　ascertained　to　have　risen　to　a　height　of　eighty　feet　on　the　building。　　Under　such　perilous　circumstances　it　would　be　difficult　to　describe　the　feelings　of　those　who；　at　this　time；　were　cooped　up　in　the　beacon　in　so　forlorn　a　situation；　with　the　sea　not　only　raging　under　them；　but　occasionally　falling　from　a　great　height　upon　the　roof　of　their　temporary　lodging；　without　even　the　attending　vessel　in　view　to　afford　the　least　gleam　of　hope　in　the　event　of　any　accident。　　It　is　true　that　they　now　had　the　masonry　of　the　lighthouse　to　resort　to；　which；　no　doubt；　lessened　the　actual　danger　of　their　situation；　but　the　building　was　still　without　a　roof；　and　the　deadlights；　or　storm…shutters；　not　being　yet　fitted；　the　windows　of　the　lower　story　were　stove　in　and　broken；　and　at　high…water　the　sea　ran　in　considerable　quantities　out　at　the　entrance　door。

＇Thursday；　16th　Aug。＇

The　gale　continues　with　unabated　violence　to…day；　and　the　sprays　rise　to　a　still　greater　height；　having　been　carried　over　the　masonry　of　the　building；　or　about　ninety　feet　above　the　level　of　the　sea。　　At　four　o'clock　this　morning　it　was　breaking　into　the　cook's　berth；　when　he　rang　the　alarm…bell；　and　all　hands　turned　out　to　attend　to　their　personal　safety。　The　floor　of　the　smith's；　or　mortar　gallery；　was　now　completely　burst　up　by　the　force　of　the　sea；　when　the　whole　of　the　deals　and　the　remaining　articles　upon　the　floor　were　swept　away；　such　as　the　cast…iron　mortar…tubs；　the　iron　hearth　of　the　forge；　the　smith's　bellows；　and　even　his　anvil　were　thrown　down　upon　the　rock。　　Before　the　tide　rose　to　its　full　height　to…day　some　of　the　artificers　passed　along　the　bridge　into　the　lighthouse；　to　observe　the　effects　of　the　sea　upon　it；　and　they　reported　that　they　had　felt　a　slight　tremulous　motion　in　the　building　when　great　seas　struck　it　in　a　certain　direction；　about　high…water　mark。　　On　this　occasion　the　sprays　were　again　observed　to　wet　the　balcony；　and　even　to　come　over　the　parapet　wall　into　the　interior　of　the　light…room。

＇Thursday；　23rd　Aug。＇

The　wind　being　at　W。S。W。；　and　the　weather　more　moderate；　both　the　tender　and　the　SMEATON　got　to　their　moorings　on　the　23rd；　when　all　hands　were　employed　in　transporting　the　sash…　frames　from　on　board　of　the　SMEATON　to　the　rock。　　In　the　act　of　setting　up　one　of　these　frames　upon　the　bridge；　it　was　unguardedly　suffered　to　lose　its　balance；　and　in　saving　it　from　damage　Captain　Wilson　met　with　a　severe　bruise　in　the　groin；　on　the　seat　of　a　gun…shot　wound　received　in　the　early　part　of　his　life。　　This　accident　laid　him　aside　for　several　days。

＇Monday；　27th　Aug。＇

The　sash…frames　of　the　light…room；　eight　in　number；　and　weighing　each　254　pounds；　having　been　got　safely　up　to　the　top　of　the　building；　were　ranged　on　the　balcony　in　the　order　in　which　they　were　numbered　for　their　pla