records of a family of engineers-第41节

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ary　cooking　utensils　had　been　taken　from　the　beacon。　　The　bedroom　was　for　the　present　used　as　the　joiners'　workshop；　and　the　strangers'　room；　immediately　under　the　light…room；　was　occupied　by　the　artificers；　the　beds　being　ranged　in　tiers；　as　was　done　in　the　barrack　of　the　beacon。　　The　light…room；　though　unprovided　with　its　machinery；　being　now　covered　over　with　the　cupola；　glazed　and　painted；　had　a　very　complete　and　cleanly　appearance。　　The　balcony　was　only　as　yet　fitted　with　a　temporary　rail；　consisting　of　a　few　iron　stanchions；　connected　with　ropes；　and　in　this　state　it　was　necessary　to　leave　it　during　the　winter。

Having　gone　over　the　whole　of　the　low…water　works　on　the　rock；　the　beacon；　and　lighthouse；　and　being　satisfied　that　only　the　most　untoward　accident　in　the　landing　of　the　machinery　could　prevent　the　exhibition　of　the　light　in　the　course　of　the　winter；　Mr。　John　Reid；　formerly　of　the　floating　light；　was　now　put　in　charge　of　the　lighthouse　as　principal　keeper；　Mr。　James　Slight　had　charge　of　the　operations　of　the　artificers；　while　Mr。　James　Dove　and　the　smiths；　having　finished　the　frame　of　the　light…room；　left　the　rock　for　the　present。　　With　these　arrangements　the　writer　bade　adieu　to　the　works　for　the　season。　　At　eleven　a。m。　the　tide　was　far　advanced；　and　there　being　now　little　or　no　shelter　for　the　boats　at　the　rock；　they　had　to　be　pulled　through　the　breach　of　sea；　which　came　on　board　in　great　quantities；　and　it　was　with　extreme　difficulty　that　they　could　be　kept　in　the　proper　direction　of　the　landing…creek。　　On　this　occasion　he　may　be　permitted　to　look　back　with　gratitude　on　the　many　escapes　made　in　the　course　of　this　arduous　undertaking；　now　brought　so　near　to　a　successful　conclusion。

＇Monday；　5th　Nov。＇

On　Monday；　the　5th；　the　yacht　again　visited　the　rock；　when　Mr。　Slight　and　the　artificers　returned　with　her　to　the　workyard；　where　a　number　of　things　were　still　to　prepare　connected　with　the　temporary　fitting　up　of　the　accommodation　for　the　lightkeepers。　　Mr。　John　Reid　and　Peter　Fortune　were　now　the　only　inmates　of　the　house。　　This　was　the　smallest　number　of　persons　hitherto　left　in　the　lighthouse。　　As　four　lightkeepers　were　to　be　the　complement；　it　was　intended　that　three　should　always　be　at　the　rock。　　Its　present　inmates；　however；　could　hardly　have　been　better　selected　for　such　a　situation；　Mr。　Reid　being　a　person　possessed　of　the　strictest　notions　of　duty　and　habits　of　regularity　from　long　service　on　board　of　a　man…of…war；　while　Mr。　Fortune　had　one　of　the　most　happy　and　contented　dispositions　imaginable。

＇Tuesday；　13th　Nov。＇

From　Saturday　the　10th　till　Tuesday　the　13th；　the　wind　had　been　from　N。E。　blowing　a　heavy　gale；　but　to…day；　the　weather　having　greatly　moderated；　Captain　Taylor；　who　now　commanded　the　SMEATON；　sailed　at　two　o'clock　a。m。　for　the　Bell　Rock。　　At　five　the　floating　light　was　hailed　and　found　to　be　all　well。　　Being　a　fine　moonlight　morning；　the　seamen　were　changed　from　the　one　ship　to　the　other。　　At　eight；　the　SMEATON　being　off　the　rock；　the　boats　were　manned；　and　taking　a　supply　of　water；　fuel；　and　other　necessaries；　landed　at　the　western　side；　when　Mr。　Reid　and　Mr。　Fortune　were　found　in　good　health　and　spirits。

Mr。　Reid　stated　that　during　the　late　gales；　particularly　on　Friday；　the　30th；　the　wind　veering　from　S。E。　to　N。E。；　both　he　and　Mr。　Fortune　sensibly　felt　the　house　tremble　when　particular　seas　struck；　about　the　time　of　high…water；　the　former　observing　that　it　was　a　tremor　of　that　sort　which　rather　tended　to　convince　him　that　everything　about　the　building　was　sound；　and　reminded　him　of　the　effect　produced　when　a　good　log　of　timber　is　struck　sharply　with　a　mallet；　but；　with　every　confidence　in　the　stability　of　the　building；　he　nevertheless　confessed　that；　in　so　forlorn　a　situation；　they　were　not　insensible　to　those　emotions　which；　he　emphatically　observed；　‘made　a　man　look　back　upon　his　former　life。'

＇1881　Friday；　1st　Feb。＇

The　day；　long　wished　for；　on　which　the　mariner　was　to　see　a　light　exhibited　on　the　Bell　Rock　at　length　arrived。　　Captain　Wilson；　as　usual；　hoisted　the　float's　lanterns　to　the　topmast　on　the　evening　of　the　1st　of　February；　but　the　moment　that　the　light　appeared　on　the　rock；　the　crew；　giving　three　cheers；　lowered　them；　and　finally　extinguished　the　lights。





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