Books: Records of a Family of Engineers

R >> Robert Louis Stevenson >> Records of a Family of Engineers

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Having now so considerable a party of workmen and sailors on the
rock, it may be proper here to notice how their labours were
directed. Preparations having been made last month for the
erection of a second forge upon the beacon, the smiths commenced
their operations both upon the lower and higher platforms. They
were employed in sharpening the picks and irons for the masons, and
in making bats and other apparatus of various descriptions
connected with the fitting of the railways. The landing-master's
crew were occupied in assisting the millwrights in laying the
railways to hand. Sailors, of all other descriptions of men, are
the most accommodating in the use of their hands. They worked
freely with the boring-irons, and assisted in all the operations of
the railways, acting by turns as boatmen, seamen, and artificers.
We had no such character on the Bell Rock as the common labourer.
All the operations of this department were cheerfully undertaken by
the seamen, who, both on the rock and on shipboard, were the
inseparable companions of every work connected with the erection of
the Bell Rock Lighthouse. It will naturally be supposed that about
twenty-five masons, occupied with their picks in executing and
preparing the foundation of the lighthouse, in the course of a tide
of about three hours, would make a considerable impression upon an
area even of forty-two feet in diameter. But in proportion as the
foundation was deepened, the rock was found to be much more hard
and difficult to work, while the baling and pumping of water became
much more troublesome. A joiner was kept almost constantly
employed in fitting the picks to their handles, which, as well as
the points to the irons, were very frequently broken.

The Bell Rock this morning presented by far the most busy and
active appearance it had exhibited since the erection of the
principal beams of the beacon. The surface of the rock was crowded
with men, the two forges flaming, the one above the other, upon the
beacon, while the anvils thundered with the rebounding noise of
their wooden supports, and formed a curious contrast with the
occasional clamour of the surges. The wind was westerly, and the
weather being extremely agreeable, as soon after breakfast as the
tide had sufficiently overflowed the rock to float the boats over
it, the smiths, with a number of the artificers, returned to the
beacon, carrying their fishing-tackle along with them. In the
course of the forenoon, the beacon exhibited a still more
extraordinary appearance than the rock had done in the morning.
The sea being smooth, it seemed to be afloat upon the water, with a
number of men supporting themselves in all the variety of attitude
and position: while, from the upper part of this wooden house, the
volumes of smoke which ascended from the forges gave the 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 sea broke in
upon us and overflowed the foundation-pit, when the boats returned
to the tender.

[Thursday, 7th July]

The landing-master's bell rung this morning about four o'clock, and
at half-past five, the foundation being cleared, the work commenced
on the site of the building. But from the moment of landing, the
squad of joiners and millwrights was at work upon the higher parts
of the rock in laying the railways, while the anvils of the smith
resounded on the beacon, and such columns of smoke ascended from
the forges that they were often mistaken by strangers at a distance
for a ship on fire. After continuing three hours at work the
foundation of the building was again overflowed, and the boats
returned to the ship at half-past eight o'clock. the masons and
pickmen had, at this period, a pretty long day on board of the
tender, but the smiths and joiners were kept constantly at work
upon the beacon, the stability and great conveniency of which had
now been so fully shown that no doubt remained as to the propriety
of fitting it up as a barrack. The workmen were accordingly
employed, during the period of high-water, in making preparations
for this purpose.

The foundation-pit now assumed the appearance of a great platform,
and the late tides had been so favourable that it became apparent
that the first course, consisting of a few irregular and detached
stones for making up certain inequalities in the interior parts of
the site of the building, might be laid in the course of the
present spring-tides. Having been enabled to-day to get the
dimensions of the foundation, or first stone, accurately taken, a
mould was made of its figure, when the writer left the rock, after
the tide's work of this morning, in a fast rowing-boat for
Arbroath; and, upon landing, two men were immediately set to work
upon one of the blocks from Mylnefield quarry, which was prepared
in the course of the following day, as the stone-cutters relieved
each other, and worked both night and day, so that it was sent off
in one of the stone-lighters without delay.

[Saturday, 9th July]

The site of the foundation-stone was very difficult to work, from
its depth in the rock; but being now nearly prepared, it formed a
very agreeable kind of pastime at high-water for all hands to land
the stone itself upon the rock. The landing-master's crew and
artificers accordingly entered with great spirit into this
operation. The stone was placed upon the deck of the Hedderwick
praam-boat, which had just been brought from Leith, and was
decorated with colours for the occasion. Flags were also displayed
from the shipping in the offing, and upon the beacon. Here the
writer took his station with the greater part of the artificers,
who supported themselves in every possible position while the boats
towed the praam from her moorings and brought her immediately over
the site of the building, where her grappling anchors were let go.
The stone was then lifted off the deck by a tackle hooked into a
Lewis bat inserted into it, when it was gently lowered into the
water and grounded on the site of the building, amidst the cheering
acclamations of about sixty persons.

[Sunday, 10th July]

At eleven o'clock the foundation-stone was laid to hand. It was of
a square form, containing about twenty cubic feet, and had the
figures, or date, of 1808 simply cut upon it with a chisel. A
derrick, or spar of timber, having been erected at the edge of the
hole and guyed with ropes, the stone was then hooked to the tackle
and lowered into its place, when the writer, attended by his
assistants--Mr. Peter Logan, Mr. Francis Watt, and Mr. James
Wilson,--applied the square, the level, and the mallet, and
pronounced the following benediction: 'May the great Architect of
the Universe complete and bless this building,' on which three
hearty cheers were given, and success to the future operations was
drunk with the greatest enthusiasm.

[Tuesday, 26th July]

The wind being at S.E. this evening, we had a pretty heavy swell of
sea upon the rock, and some difficulty attended our getting off in
safety, as the boats got aground in the creek and were in danger of
being upset. Upon extinguishing the torchlights, about twelve in
number, the darkness of the night seemed quite horrible; the water
being also much charged with the phosphorescent appearance which is
familiar to every one on shipboard, the waves, as they dashed upon
the rock, were in some degree like so much liquid flame. The
scene, upon the whole, was truly awful!

[Wednesday, 27th July]

In leaving the rock this evening everything, after the torches were
extinguished, had the same dismal appearance as last night, but so
perfectly acquainted were the landing-master and his crew with the
position of things at the rock, that comparatively little
inconveniency was experienced on these occasions when the weather
was moderate; such is the effect of habit, even in the most
unpleasant situations. If, for example, it had been proposed to a
person accustomed to a city life, at once to take up his quarters
off a sunken reef and land upon it in boats at all hours of the
night, the proposition must have appeared quite impracticable and
extravagant; but this practice coming progressively upon the
artificers, it was ultimately undertaken with the greatest
alacrity. Notwithstanding this, however, it must be acknowledged
that it was not till after much labour and peril, and many an
anxious hour, that the writer is enabled to state that the site of
the Bell Rock Lighthouse is fully prepared for the first entire
course of the building.

[Friday, 12th Aug.]

The artificers landed this morning at half-past ten, and after an
hour and a half's work eight stones were laid, which completed the
first entire course of the building, consisting of 123 blocks, the
last of which was laid with three hearty cheers.

[Saturday, 10th Sept.]

Landed at nine a.m., and by a quarter-past twelve noon twenty-three
stones had been laid. The works being now somewhat elevated by the
lower courses, we got quit of the very serious inconvenience of
pumping water to clear the foundation-pit. This gave much facility
to the operations, and was noticed with expressions of as much
happiness by the artificers as the seamen had shown when relieved
of the continual trouble of carrying the smith's bellows off the
rock prior to the erection of the beacon.

[Wednesday, 21st Sept.]

Mr. Thomas Macurich, mate of the Smeaton, and James Scott, one of
the crew, a young man about eighteen years of age, immediately went
into their boat to make fast a hawser to the ring in the top of the
floating buoy of the moorings, and were forthwith to proceed to
land their cargo, so much wanted, at the rock. The tides at this
period were very strong, and the mooring-chain, when sweeping the
ground, had caught hold of a rock or piece of wreck by which the
chain was so shortened that when the tide flowed the buoy got
almost under water, and little more than the ring appeared at the
surface. When Macurich and Scott were in the act of making the
hawser fast to the ring, the chain got suddenly disentangled at the
bottom, and this large buoy, measuring about seven feet in height
and three feet in diameter at the middle, tapering to both ends,
being what seamen term a Nun-buoy, vaulted or sprung up with such
force that it upset the boat, which instantly filled with water.
Mr. Macurich, with much exertion, succeeded in getting hold of the
boat's gunwale, still above the surface of the water, and by this
means was saved; but the young man Scott was unfortunately drowned.
He had in all probability been struck about the head by the ring of
the buoy, for although surrounded with the oars and the thwarts of
the boat which floated near him, yet he seemed entirely to want the
power of availing himself of such assistance, and appeared to be
quite insensible, while Pool, the master of the Smeaton, called
loudly to him; and before assistance could be got from the tender,
he was carried away by the strength of the current and disappeared.

The young man Scott was a great favourite in the service, having
had something uncommonly mild and complaisant in his manner; and
his loss was therefore universally regretted. The circumstances of
his case were also peculiarly distressing to his mother, as her
husband, who was a seaman, had for three years past been confined
to a French prison, and the deceased was the chief support of the
family. In order in some measure to make up the loss to the poor
woman for the monthly aliment regularly allowed her by her late
son, it was suggested that a younger boy, a brother of the
deceased, might be taken into the service. This appeared to be
rather a delicate proposition, but it was left to the landing-
master to arrange according to circumstances; such was the
resignation, and at the same time the spirit, of the poor woman,
that she readily accepted the proposal, and in a few days the
younger Scott was actually afloat in the place of his brother. On
representing this distressing case to the Board, the Commissioners
were pleased to grant an annuity of 5 pounds to Scott's mother.

The Smeaton, not having been made fast to the buoy, had, with the
ebb-tide, drifted to leeward a considerable way eastward of the
rock, and could not, till the return of the flood-tide, be worked
up to her moorings, so that the present tide was lost,
notwithstanding all exertions which had been made both ashore and
afloat with this cargo. The artificers landed at six a.m.; but, as
no materials could be got upon the rock this morning, they were
employed in boring trenail holes and in various other operations,
and after four hours' work they returned on board the tender. When
the Smeaton got up to her moorings, the landing-master's crew
immediately began to unload her. There being too much wind for
towing the praams in the usual way, they were warped to the rock in
the most laborious manner by their windlasses, with successive
grapplings and hawsers laid out for this purpose. At six p.m. the
artificers landed, and continued at work till half-past ten, when
the remaining seventeen stones were laid which completed the third
entire course, or fourth of the lighthouse, with which the building
operations were closed for the season.

III--OPERATIONS OF 1809

[Wednesday, 24th May]

The last night was the first that the writer, had passed in his old
quarters on board of the floating light for about twelve months,
when the weather was so fine and the sea so smooth that even here
he felt but little or no motion, excepting at the turn of the tide,
when the vessel gets into what the seamen term the TROUGH OF THE
SEA. At six a.m. Mr. Watt, who conducted the operations of the
railways and beacon-house, had landed with nine artificers. At
half-past one p.m. Mr. Peter Logan had also landed with fifteen
masons, and immediately proceeded to set up the crane. The sheer-
crane or apparatus for lifting the stones out of the praam-boats at
the eastern creek had been already erected, and the railways now
formed about two-thirds of an entire circle round the building:
some progress had likewise been made with the reach towards the
western landing-place. The floors being laid, the beacon now
assumed the appearance of a habitation. The Smeaton was at her
moorings, with the Fernie praam-boat astern, for which she was
laying down moorings, and the tender being also at her station, the
Bell Rock had again put on its former busy aspect.

[Wednesday, 31st May]

The landing-master's bell, often no very favourite sound, rung at
six this morning; but on this occasion, it is believed, it was
gladly received by all on board, as the welcome signal of the
return of better weather. The masons laid thirteen stones to-day,
which the seamen had landed, together with other building
materials. During these twenty-four hours the wind was from the
south, blowing fresh breezes, accompanied with showers of snow. In
the morning the snow showers were so thick that it was with
difficulty the landing-master, who always steered the leading boat,
could make his way to the rock through the drift. But at the Bell
Rock neither snow nor rain, nor fog nor wind, retarded the progress
of the work, if unaccompanied by a heavy swell or breach of the
sea.

The weather during the months of April and May had been uncommonly
boisterous, and so cold that the thermometer seldom exceeded 40
degrees, while the barometer was generally about 29.50. We had not
only hail and sleet, but the snow on the last day of May lay on the
decks and rigging of the ship to the depth of about three inches;
and, although now entering upon the month of June, the length of
the day was the chief indication of summer. Yet such is the effect
of habit, and such was the expertness of the landing-master's crew,
that, even in this description of weather, seldom a tide's work was
lost. Such was the ardour and zeal of the heads of the several
departments at the rock, including Mr. Peter Logan, foreman
builder, Mr. Francis Watt, foreman millwright, and Captain Wilson,
landing-master, that it was on no occasion necessary to address
them, excepting in the way of precaution or restraint. Under these
circumstances, however, the writer not unfrequently felt
considerable anxiety, of which this day's experience will afford an
example.

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