records of a family of engineers-第17部分

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est。　　The　sea　being　calm；　and　no　movement　on　deck；　it　was　pretty　generally　remarked　in　the　morning　that　the　bell　awakened　the　greater　number　on　board　from　their　first　sleep；　and　though　this　observation　was　not　altogether　applicable　to　the　writer　himself；　yet　he　was　not　a　little　pleased　to　find　that　thirty　people　could　all　at　once　become　so　reconciled　to　a　night's　quarters　within　a　few　hundred　paces　of　the　Bell　Rock。

＇Wednesday；　19th　Aug。＇

Being　extremely　anxious　at　this　time　to　get　forward　with　fixing　the　smith's　forge；　on　which　the　progress　of　the　work　at　present　depended；　the　writer　requested　that　he　might　be　called　at　daybreak　to　learn　the　landing…master's　opinion　of　the　weather　from　the　appearance　of　the　rising　sun；　a　criterion　by　which　experienced　seamen　can　generally　judge　pretty　accurately　of　the　state　of　the　weather　for　the　following　day。　　About　five　o'clock；　on　coming　upon　deck；　the　sun's　upper　limb　or　disc　had　just　begun　to　appear　as　if　rising　from　the　ocean；　and　in　less　than　a　minute　he　was　seen　in　the　fullest　splendour；　but　after　a　short　interval　he　was　enveloped　in　a　soft　cloudy　sky；　which　was　considered　emblematical　of　fine　weather。　　His　rays　had　not　yet　sufficiently　dispelled　the　clouds　which　hid　the　land　from　view；　and　the　Bell　Rock　being　still　overflowed；　the　whole　was　one　expanse　of　water。　　This　scene　in　itself　was　highly　gratifying；　and；　when　the　morning　bell　was　tolled；　we　were　gratified　with　the　happy　forebodings　of　good　weather　and　the　expectation　of　having　both　a　morning　and　an　evening　tide's　work　on　the　rock。

The　boat　which　the　writer　steered　happened　to　be　the　last　which　approached　the　rock　at　this　tide；　and；　in　standing　up　in　the　stern；　while　at　some　distance；　to　see　how　the　leading　boat　entered　the　creek；　he　was　astonished　to　observe　something　in　the　form　of　a　human　figure；　in　a　reclining　posture；　upon　one　of　the　ledges　of　the　rock。　　He　immediately　steered　the　boat　through　a　narrow　entrance　to　the　eastern　harbour；　with　a　thousand　unpleasant　sensations　in　his　mind。　　He　thought　a　vessel　or　boat　must　have　been　wrecked　upon　the　rock　during　the　night；　and　it　seemed　probable　that　the　rock　might　be　strewed　with　dead　bodies；　a　spectacle　which　could　not　fail　to　deter　the　artificers　from　returning　so　freely　to　their　work。　　In　the　midst　of　these　reveries　the　boat　took　the　ground　at　an　improper　landing…place；　but；　without　waiting　to　push　her　off；　he　leapt　upon　the　rock；　and　making　his　way　hastily　to　the　spot　which　had　privately　given　him　alarm；　he　had　the　satisfaction　to　ascertain　that　he　had　only　been　deceived　by　the　peculiar　situation　and　aspect　of　the　smith's　anvil　and　block；　which　very　completely　represented　the　appearance　of　a　lifeless　body　upon　the　rock。　　The　writer　carefully　suppressed　his　feelings；　the　simple　mention　of　which　might　have　had　a　bad　effect　upon　the　artificers；　and　his　haste　passed　for　an　anxiety　to　examine　the　apparatus　of　the　smith's　forge；　left　in　an　unfinished　state　at　evening　tide。

In　the　course　of　this　morning's　work　two　or　three　apparently　distant　peals　of　thunder　were　heard；　and　the　atmosphere　suddenly　became　thick　and　foggy。　　But　as　the　SMEATON；　our　present　tender；　was　moored　at　no　great　distance　from　the　rock；　the　crew　on　board　continued　blowing　with　a　horn；　and　occasionally　fired　a　musket；　so　that　the　boats　got　to　the　ship　without　difficulty。

＇Thursday；　20th　Aug。＇

The　wind　this　morning　inclined　from　the　north…east；　and　the　sky　had　a　heavy　and　cloudy　appearance；　but　the　sea　was　smooth；　though　there　was　an　undulating　motion　on；　the　surface；　which　indicated　easterly　winds；　and　occasioned　a　slight　surf　upon　the　rock。　　But　the　boats　found　no　difficulty　in　landing　at　the　western　creek　at　half…past　seven；　and；　after　a　good　tide's　work；　left　it　again　about　a　quarter　from　eleven。　　In　the　evening　the　artificers　landed　at　half…past　seven；　and　continued　till　half…past　eight；　having　completed　the　fixing　of　the　smith's　forge；　his　vice；　and　a　wooden　board　or　bench；　which　were　also　batted　to　a　ledge　of　the　rock；　to　the　great　joy　of　all；　under　a　salute　of　three　hearty　cheers。　　From　an　oversight　on　the　part　of　the　smith；　who　had　neglected　to　bring　his　tinder…box　and　matches　from　the　vessel；　the　work　was　prevented　from　being　continued　for　at　least　an　hour　longer。

The　smith's　shop　was；　of　course；　in　OPEN　SPACE：　the　large　bellows　were　carried　to　and　from　the　rock　every　tide；　for　the　serviceable　condition　of　which；　together　with　the　tinder…box；　fuel；　and　embers　of　the　former　fire；　the　smith　was　held　responsible。　　Those　who　have　been　placed　in　situations　to　feel　the　inconveniency　and　want　of　this　useful　artisan；　will　be　able　to　appreciate　his　value　in　a　case　like　the　present。　　It　often　happened；　to　our　annoyance　and　disappointment；　in　the　early　state　of　the　work；　when　the　smith　was　in　the　middle　of　a　FAVOURITE　HEAT　in　making　some　useful　article；　or　in　sharpening　the　tools；　after　the　flood…tide　had　obliged　the　pickmen　to　strike　work；　a　sea　would　come　rolling　over　the　rocks；　dash　out　the　fire；　and　endanger　his　indispensable　implement；　the　bellows。　　If　the　sea　was　smooth；　while　the　smith　often　stood　at　work　knee…deep　in　water；　the　tide　rose　by　imperceptible　degrees；　first　cooling　the　exterior　of　the　fireplace；　or　hearth；　and　then　quietly　blackening　and　extinguishing　the　fire　from　below。　　The　writer　has　frequently　been　amused　at　the　perplexing　anxiety　of　the　blacksmith　when　coaxing　his　fire　and　endeavouring　to　avert　the　effects　of　the　rising　tide。

＇Friday；　21st　Aug。＇

Everything　connected　with　the　forge　being　now　completed；　the　artificers　found　no　want　of　sharp　tools；　and　the　work　went　forward　with　great　alacrity　and　spirit。　　It　was　also　alleged　that　the　rock　had　a　more　habitable　appearance　from　the　volumes　of　smoke　which　ascended　from　the　smith's　shop　and　the　busy　noise　of　his　anvil；　the　operations　of　the　masons；　the　movements　of　the　boats；　and　shipping　at　a　distance　…　all　contributed　to　give　life　and　activity　to　the　scene。　　This　noise　and　traffic　had；　however；　the　effect　of　almost　completely　banishing　the　herd　of　seals　which　had　hitherto　frequented　the　rock　as　a　resting…place　during　the　period　of　low　water。　　The　rock　seemed　to　be　peculiarly　adapted　to　their　habits；　for；　excepting　two　or　three　days　at　neap…tides；　a　part　of　it　always　dries　at　low　water　…　at　least；　during　the　summer　season　…　and　as　there　was　good　fishing…ground　in　the　neighbourhood；　without　a　human　being　to　disturb　or　molest　them；　it　had　become　a　very　favourite　residence　of　these　amphibious　animals；　the　writer　having　occasionally　counted　from　fifty　to　sixty　playing　about　the　rock　at　a　time。　　But　when　they　came　to　be　disturbed　every　tide；　and　their　seclusion　was　broken　in　upon　by　the　kindling　of　great　fires；　together　with　the　beating　of　hammers　and　picks　during　low　water；　after　hovering　about　for　a　time；　they　changed　their　place；　and　seldom　more　than　one　or　two　were　to　be　seen　about　the　rock　upon　the　more　detached　outlayers　which　dry　partially；　whence　they　seemed　to　look　with　that　sort　of　curiosity　which　is　observable　in　these　animals　when　following　a　boat。

＇Saturday；　22nd　Aug。＇

Hitherto　the　artificers　had　remained　on　board　the　SMEATON；　which　was　made　fast　to　one　of　the　mooring　buoys　at　a　distance　only　of　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　rock；　and；　of　course；　a　very　great　conveniency　to　the　work。　　Being　so　near；　the　seamen　could　never　be　mistaken　as　to　the　progress　of　the　tide；　or　state　of　the　sea　upon　the　rock；　nor　could　the　boats　be　much　at　a　loss　to　pull　on　board　of　the　vessel　during　fog；　or　even　in　very　rough　weather；　as　she　could　be　cast　loose　from　her　moorings　at　pleasure；　and　brought　to　the　lee　side　of　the　rock。　　But　the　SMEATON　being　only　about　forty　register　tons；　her　accommodations　were　extremely　limited。　　It　may；　therefore；　be　easily　imagined　that　an　addition　of　twenty…four　persons　to　her　own　crew　must　have　rendered　the　situation　of　those　on　board　rather　uncomfortable。　　The　only　place　for　the　men's　hammocks　on　board　being　in　the　hold；　they　were　unavoidably　much　crowded：　and　if　the　weather　had　required　the　hatches　to　be　fastened　down；　so　great　a　number　of　men　could　not　possibly　have　been　accommodated。　　To　add　to　this　evil；　the　CO…BOOSE　or　cooking…place　being　upon　deck；　it　would　not　have　been　possible　to　have　cooked　for　so　large　a　company　in　the　event　of　bad　weather。

The　stock　of　water　was　now　getting　short；　and　some　necessaries　being　also　wanted　for　the　floating　light；　the　SMEATON　was　despatched　for　Arbroath；　and　the　writer；　with　the　artificers　at　the　same　time　shifted　their　quarters　from　her　to　the　floating　light。

Although　the　rock　barely　made　its　appearance　at　this　period　of　the　tides　till　eight　o'clock；　yet；　having　now　a　full　mile　to　row　from　the　floating　light　to　the　rock；　instead　of　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　moorings　of　the　SMEATON；　it　was　necessary　to　be　earlier　astir；　and　to　form　different　arrangements；　breakfast　was　accordingly　served　up　at　seven　o'clock　this　morning。　　From　the　excessive　motion　of　the　floating　light；　the　writer　had　looked　forward　rather　with　anxiety　to　the　removal　of　the　workmen　to　this　ship。　　Some　among　them；　who　had　been　congratulating　themselves　upon　having　become　sea…hardy　while　on　board　the　SMEATON；　had　a　complete　relapse　upon　returning　to　the　floating　light。　　This　w