records of a family of engineers-第11节
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le of the land。 Immediately the obscure ferment of a race…hatred； grown into a superstition； began to work in their bosoms； and they crowded about the house and the room…door with fearful whisperings。 For some time the schoolmaster held them at bay； and at last despatched a messenger to call my grand…father。 He came： he found the islanders beside themselves at this unwelcome resurrection of the dead and the detested； he was shown； as adminicular of testimony； the traveller's uncouth and thick…soled boots； he argued； and finding argument unavailing； consented to enter the room and examine with his own eyes the sleeping Pict。 One glance was sufficient： the man was now a missionary； but he had been before that an Edinburgh shopkeeper with whom my grandfather had dealt。 He came forth again with this report； and the folk of the island； wholly relieved； dispersed to their own houses。 They were timid as sheep and ignorant as limpets； that was all。 But the Lord deliver us from the tender mercies of a frightened flock！
I will give two more instances of their superstition。 When Sir Walter Scott visited the Stones of Stennis； my grandfather put in his pocket a hundred…foot line； which he unfortunately lost。
‘Some years afterwards；' he writes； ‘one of my assistants on a visit to the Stones of Stennis took shelter from a storm in a cottage close by the lake； and seeing a box…measuring… line in the bole or sole of the cottage window； he asked the woman where she got this well…known professional appendage。 She said： 〃O sir； ane of the bairns fand it lang syne at the Stanes； and when drawing it out we took fright； and thinking it had belanged to the fairies； we threw it into the bole； and it has layen there ever since。〃 '
This is for the one； the last shall be a sketch by the master hand of Scott himself：
‘At the village of Stromness； on the Orkney main island； called Pomona； lived； in 1814； an aged dame called Bessie Millie； who helped out her subsistence by selling favourable winds to mariners。 He was a venturous master of a vessel who left the roadstead of Stromness without paying his offering to propitiate Bessie Millie！ Her fee was extremely moderate； being exactly sixpence； for which she boiled her kettle and gave the bark the advantage of her prayers； for she disclaimed all unlawful acts。 The wind thus petitioned for was sure； she said； to arrive； though occasionally the mariners had to wait some time for it。 The woman's dwelling and appearance were not unbecoming her pretensions。 Her house； which was on the brow of the steep hill on which Stromness is founded； was only accessible by a series of dirty and precipitous lanes； and for exposure might have been the abode of Eolus himself； in whose commodities the inhabitant dealt。 She herself was； as she told us； nearly one hundred years old； withered and dried up like a mummy。 A clay…coloured kerchief； folded round her neck； corresponded in colour to her corpse…like complexion。 Two light blue eyes that gleamed with a lustre like that of insanity； an utterance of astonishing rapidity； a nose and chin that almost met together； and a ghastly expression of cunning； gave her the effect of Hecate。 Such was Bessie Millie； to whom the mariners paid a sort of tribute with a feeling between jest and earnest。'
II
From about the beginning of the century up to 1807 Robert Stevenson was in partnership with Thomas Smith。 In the last… named year the partnership was dissolved； Thomas Smith returning to his business； and my grandfather becoming sole engineer to the Board of Northern Lights。
I must try； by excerpts from his diary and correspondence； to convey to the reader some idea of the ardency and thoroughness with which he threw himself into the largest and least of his multifarious engagements in this service。 But first I must say a word or two upon the life of lightkeepers； and the temptations to which they are more particularly exposed。 The lightkeeper occupies a position apart among men。 In sea…towers the complement has always been three since the deplorable business in the Eddystone； when one keeper died； and the survivor； signalling in vain for relief； was compelled to live for days with the dead body。 These usually pass their time by the pleasant human expedient of quarrelling； and sometimes； I am assured； not one of the three is on speaking terms with any other。 On shore stations； which on the Scottish coast are sometimes hardly less isolated； the usual number is two； a principal and an assistant。 The principal is dissatisfied with the assistant； or perhaps the assistant keeps pigeons； and the principal wants the water from the roof。 Their wives and families are with them； living cheek by jowl。 The children quarrel； Jockie hits Jimsie in the eye； and the mothers make haste to mingle in the dissension。 Perhaps there is trouble about a broken dish； perhaps Mrs。 Assistant is more highly born than Mrs。 Principal and gives herself airs； and the men are drawn in and the servants presently follow。 ‘Church privileges have been denied the keeper's and the assistant's servants；' I read in one case； and the eminently Scots periphrasis means neither more nor less than excommunication； ‘on account of the discordant and quarrelsome state of the families。 The cause； when inquired into； proves to be TITTLE…TATTLE on both sides。' The tender comes round； the foremen and artificers go from station to station； the gossip flies through the whole system of the service； and the stories； disfigured and exaggerated； return to their own birthplace with the returning tender。 The English Board was apparently shocked by the picture of these dissensions。 ‘When the Trinity House can；' I find my grandfather writing at Beachy Head； in 1834； ‘they do not appoint two keepers； they disagree so ill。 A man who has a family is assisted by his family； and in this way； to my experience and present observation； the business is very much neglected。 One keeper is； in my view； a bad system。 This day's visit to an English lighthouse convinces me of this； as the lightkeeper was walking on a staff with the gout； and the business performed by one of his daughters； a girl of thirteen or fourteen years of age。' This man received a hundred a year！ It shows a different reading of human nature； perhaps typical of Scotland and England； that I find in my grandfather's diary the following pregnant entry： ‘THE LIGHTKEEPERS； AGREEING ILL； KEEP ONE ANOTHER TO THEIR DUTY。' But the Scottish system was not alone founded on this cynical opinion。 The dignity and the comfort of the northern lightkeeper were both attended to。 He had a uniform to ‘raise him in his own estimation； and in that of his neighbour； which is of consequence to a person of trust。 The keepers；' my grandfather goes on； in another place； ‘are attended to in all the detail of accommodation in the best style as shipmasters； and this is believed to have a sensible effect upon their conduct； and to regulate their general habits as members of society。' He notes； with the same dip of ink； that ‘the brasses were not clean； and the persons of the keepers not TRIG'； and thus we find him writing to a culprit： ‘I have to complain that you are not cleanly in your person； and that your manner of speech is ungentle； and rather inclines to rudeness。 You must therefore take a different view of your duties as a lightkeeper。' A high ideal for the service appears in these expressions； and will be more amply illustrated further on。 But even the Scottish lightkeeper was frail。 During the unbroken solitude of the winter months； when inspection is scarce possible； it must seem a vain toil to polish the brass hand…rail of the stair； or to keep an unrewarded vigil in the light…room； and the keepers are habitually tempted to the beginnings of sloth； and must unremittingly resist。 He who temporises with his conscience is already lost。 I must tell here an anecdote that illustrates the difficulties of inspection。 In the days of my uncle David and my father there was a station which they regarded with jealousy。 The two engineers compared notes and were agreed。 The tower was always clean； but seemed always to bear traces of a hasty cleansing； as though the keepers had been suddenly forewarned。 On inquiry； it proved that such was the case； and that a wandering fiddler was the unfailing harbinger of the engineer。 At last my father was storm…stayed one Sunday in a port at the other side of the island。 The visit was quite overdue； and as he walked across upon the Monday morning he promised himself that he should at last take the keepers unprepared。 They were both waiting for him in uniform at the gate； the fiddler had been there on Saturday！
My grandfather； as will appear from the following extracts； was much a martinet； and had a habit of expressing himself on paper with an almost startling emphasis。 Personally； with his powerful voice； sanguine countenance； and eccentric and original locutions； he was well qualified to inspire a salutary terror in the service。
‘I find that the keepers have； by some means or another； got into the way of cleaning too much with rotten…stone and oil。 I take the principal keeper to TASK on this subject； and make him bring a
