records of a family of engineers-第27部分

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he　whole　a　very　curious　and　fanciful　appearance。

In　the　course　of　this　tide　it　was　observed　that　a　heavy　swell　was　setting　in　from　the　eastward；　and　the　appearance　of　the　sky　indicated　a　change　of　weather；　while　the　wind　was　shifting　about。　　The　barometer　also　had　fallen　from　30　in。　to　29。6。　　It　was；　therefore；　judged　prudent　to　shift　the　vessel　to　the　S。W。　or　more　distant　buoy。　　Her　bowsprit　was　also　soon　afterwards　taken　in；　the　topmasts　struck；　and　everything　made　SNUG；　as　seamen　term　it；　for　a　gale。　　During　the　course　of　the　night　the　wind　increased　and　shifted　to　the　eastward；　when　the　vessel　rolled　very　hard；　and　the　sea　often　broke　over　her　bows　with　great　force。

＇Wednesday；　8th　June＇

Although　the　motion　of　the　tender　was　much　less　than　that　of　the　floating　light　…　at　least；　in　regard　to　the　rolling　motion　…　yet　she　SENDED；　or　pitched；　much。　　Being　also　of　a　very　handsome　build；　and　what　seamen　term　very　CLEAN　AFT；　the　sea　often　struck　the　counter　with　such　force　that　the　writer；　who　possessed　the　aftermost　cabin；　being　unaccustomed　to　this　new　vessel；　could　not　divest　himself　of　uneasiness；　for　when　her　stern　fell　into　the　sea；　it　struck　with　so　much　violence　as　to　be　more　like　the　resistance　of　a　rock　than　the　sea。　　The　water；　at　the　same　time；　often　rushed　with　great　force　up　the　rudder…case；　and；　forcing　up　the　valve　of　the　water…closet；　the　floor　of　his　cabin　was　at　times　laid　under　water。　　The　gale　continued　to　increase；　and　the　vessel　rolled　and　pitched　in　such　a　manner　that　the　hawser　by　which　the　tender　was　made　fast　to　the　buoy　snapped；　and　she　went　adrift。　　In　the　act　of　swinging　round　to　the　wind　she　shipped　a　very　heavy　sea；　which　greatly　alarmed　the　artificers；　who　imagined　that　we　had　got　upon　the　rock；　but　this；　from　the　direction　of　the　wind；　was　impossible。　　The　writer；　however；　sprung　upon　deck；　where　he　found　the　sailors　busily　employed　in　rigging　out　the　bowsprit　and　in　setting　sail。　　From　the　easterly　direction　of　the　wind；　it　was　considered　most　advisable　to　steer　for　the　Firth　of　Forth；　and　there　wait　a　change　of　weather。　　At　two　p。m。　we　accordingly　passed　the　Isle　of　May；　at　six　anchored　in　Leith　Roads；　and　at　eight　the　writer　landed；　when　he　came　in　upon　his　friends；　who　were　not　a　little　surprised　at　his　unexpected　appearance；　which　gave　an　instantaneous　alarm　for　the　safety　of　things　at　the　Bell　Rock。

＇Thursday；　9th　June＇

The　wind　still　continued　to　blow　very　hard　at　E。　by　N。；　and　the　SIR　JOSEPH　BANKS　rode　heavily；　and　even　drifted　with　both　anchors　ahead；　in　Leith　Roads。　　The　artificers　did　not　attempt　to　leave　the　ship　last　night；　but　there　being　upwards　of　fifty　people　on　board；　and　the　decks　greatly　lumbered　with　the　two　large　boats；　they　were　in　a　very　crowded　and　impatient　state　on　board。　　But　to…day　they　got　ashore；　and　amused　themselves　by　walking　about　the　streets　of　Edinburgh；　some　in　very　humble　apparel；　from　having　only　the　worst　of　their　jackets　with　them；　which；　though　quite　suitable　for　their　work；　were　hardly　fit　for　public　inspection；　being　not　only　tattered；　but　greatly　stained　with　the　red　colour　of　the　rock。

＇Friday；　10th　June＇

To…day　the　wind　was　at　S。E。；　with　light　breezes　and　foggy　weather。　　At　six　a。m。　the　writer　again　embarked　for　the　Bell　Rock；　when　the　vessel　immediately　sailed。　　At　eleven　p。m。；　there　being　no　wind；　the　kedge…anchor　was　LET　GO　off　Anstruther；　one　of　the　numerous　towns　on　the　coast　of　Fife；　where　we　waited　the　return　of　the　tide。

＇Saturday；　11th　June＇

At　six　a。m。　the　SIR　JOSEPH　got　under　weigh；　and　at　eleven　was　again　made　fast　to　the　southern　buoy　at　the　Bell　Rock。　Though　it　was　now　late　in　the　tide；　the　writer；　being　anxious　to　ascertain　the　state　of　things　after　the　gale；　landed　with　the　artificers　to　the　number　of　forty…four。　　Everything　was　found　in　an　entire　state；　but；　as　the　tide　was　nearly　gone；　only　half　an　hour's　work　had　been　got　when　the　site　of　the　building　was　overflowed。　　In　the　evening　the　boats　again　landed　at　nine；　and　after　a　good　tide's　work　of　three　hours　with　torchlight；　the　work　was　left　off　at　midnight。　　To　the　distant　shipping　the　appearance　of　things　under　night　on　the　Bell　Rock；　when　the　work　was　going　forward；　must　have　been　very　remarkable；　especially　to　those　who　were　strangers　to　the　operations。　　Mr。　John　Reid；　principal　lightkeeper；　who　also　acted　as　master　of　the　floating　light　during　the　working　months　at　the　rock；　described　the　appearance　of　numerous　lights　situated　so　low　in　the　water；　when　seen　at　the　distance　of　two　or　three　miles；　as　putting　him　in　mind　of　Milton's　description　of　the　fiends　in　the　lower　regions；　adding；　‘for　it　seems　greatly　to　surpass　Will…o'…the…Wisp；　or　any　of　those　earthly　spectres　of　which　we　have　so　often　heard。'

＇Monday；　13th　June＇

From　the　difficulties　attending　the　landing　on　the　rock；　owing　to　the　breach　of　sea　which　had　for　days　past　been　around　it；　the　artificers　showed　some　backwardness　at　getting　into　the　boats　this　morning；　but　after　a　little　explanation　this　was　got　over。　　It　was　always　observable　that　for　some　time　after　anything　like　danger　had　occurred　at　the　rock；　the　workmen　became　much　more　cautious；　and　on　some　occasions　their　timidity　was　rather　troublesome。　　It　fortunately　happened；　however；　that　along　with　the　writer's　assistants　and　the　sailors　there　were　also　some　of　the　artificers　themselves　who　felt　no　such　scruples；　and　in　this　way　these　difficulties　were　the　more　easily　surmounted。　　In　matters　where　life　is　in　danger　it　becomes　necessary　to　treat　even　unfounded　prejudices　with　tenderness；　as　an　accident；　under　certain　circumstances；　would　not　only　have　been　particularly　painful　to　those　giving　directions；　but　have　proved　highly　detrimental　to　the　work；　especially　in　the　early　stages　of　its　advancement。

At　four　o'clock　fifty…eight　persons　landed；　but　the　tides　being　extremely　languid；　the　water　only　left　the　higher　parts　of　the　rock；　and　no　work　could　be　done　at　the　site　of　the　building。　　A　third　forge　was；　however；　put　in　operation　during　a　short　time；　for　the　greater　conveniency　of　sharpening　the　picks　and　irons；　and　for　purposes　connected　with　the　preparations　for　fixing　the　railways　on　the　rock。　　The　weather　towards　the　evening　became　thick　and　foggy；　and　there　was　hardly　a　breath　of　wind　to　ruffle　the　surface　of　the　water。　Had　it　not；　therefore；　been　for　the　noise　from　the　anvils　of　the　smiths　who　had　been　left　on　the　beacon　throughout　the　day；　which　afforded　a　guide　for　the　boats；　a　landing　could　not　have　been　attempted　this　evening；　especially　with　such　a　company　of　artificers。　　This　circumstance　confirmed　the　writer's　opinion　with　regard　to　the　propriety　of　connecting　large　bells　to　be　rung　with　machinery　in　the　lighthouse；　to　be　tolled　day　and　night　during　the　continuance　of　foggy　weather。

＇Thursday；　23rd　June＇

The　boats　landed　this　evening；　when　the　artificers　had　again　two　hours'　work。　　The　weather　still　continuing　very　thick　and　foggy；　more　difficulty　was　experienced　in　getting　on　board　of　the　vessels　to…night　than　had　occurred　on　any　previous　occasion；　owing　to　a　light　breeze　of　wind　which　carried　the　sound　of　the　bell；　and　the　other　signals　made　on　board　of　the　vessels；　away　from　the　rock。　　Having　fortunately　made　out　the　position　of　the　sloop　SMEATON　at　the　N。E。　buoy　…　to　which　we　were　much　assisted　by　the　barking　of　the　ship's　dog；　…　we　parted　with　the　SMEATON'S　boat；　when　the　boats　of　the　tender　took　a　fresh　departure　for　that　vessel；　which　lay　about　half　a　mile　to　the　south…westward。　　Yet　such　is　the　very　deceiving　state　of　the　tides；　that；　although　there　was　a　small　binnacle　and　compass　in　the　landing…master's　boat；　we　had；　nevertheless；　passed　the　SIR　JOSEPH　a　good　way；　when；　fortunately；　one　of　the　sailors　catched　the　sound　of　a　blowing…horn。　　The　only　fire…arms　on　board　were　a　pair　of　swivels　of　one…inch　calibre；　but　it　is　quite　surprising　how　much　the　sound　is　lost　in　foggy　weather；　as　the　report　was　heard　but　at　a　very　short　distance。　　The　sound　from　the　explosion　of　gunpowder　is　so　instantaneous　that　the　effect　of　the　small　guns　was　not　so　good　as　either　the　blowing　of　a　horn　or　the　tolling　of　a　bell；　which　afforded　a　more　constant　and　steady　direction　for　the　pilot。

＇Wednesday；　6th　July＇

Landed　on　the　rock　with　the　three　boats　belonging　to　the　tender　at　five　p。m。；　and　began　immediately　to　bale　the　water　out　of　the　foundation…pit　with　a　number　of　buckets；　while　the　pumps　were　also　kept　in　action　with　relays　of　artificers　and　seamen。　　The　work　commenced　upon　the　higher　parts　of　the　foundation　as　the　water　left　them；　but　it　was　now　pretty　generally　reduced　to　a　level。　　About　twenty　men　could　be　conveniently　employed　at　each　pump；　and　it　is　quite　astonishing　in　how　short　a　time　so　great　a　body　of　water　could　be　drawn　off。　　The　water　in　the　foundation…pit　at　this　time　measured　about　two　feet　in　depth；　on　an　area　of　forty…two　feet　in　diameter；　and　yet　it　was　drawn　off　in　the　course　of　about　half　an　hour。　　After　this　the　artificers　commenced　with　their　picks　and　continued　at　work　for　two　hours　and　a　half；　some　of　the　sailors　being　at　the　same　time　busily　employed　in　clearing　the　foundation　of　chips　and　in　conveying　the　irons　to　and　from　the　smiths　on　the　beacon；　where　they　were　sharped。　　At　eight　o'clock　the　s