Arrangements at landing at an early hour on the Rock.
At 3 o’clock in the morning, the ship’s bell was rung as the signal for landing at the Rock. These artificers, to which this had been the first trip, found their quarters rather confined in the ship, and some of them being sickly, were glad of an opportunity of landing, and came almost immediately upon deck, notwithstanding the earliness of the hour at which the tide happened. But those who were more accustomed to the business, calculated their time, knowing that sufficient warning was always given, especially at hours so early. When the landing was to be made before breakfast, it was customary to give each of the artificers and seamen a dram and a biscuit, and coffee was prepared by the steward for the cabins. Exactly at 4 o’clock, the whole party landed from three boats, including one of those belonging to the Floating-light, with a part of that ship’s crew, which always attended the works in moderate weather. The landing-master’s boat called the Seaman, but more commonly the Life-boat, took the lead. The next boat called the Mason, was generally, steered by the writer; while the Floating-light’s boat Pharos, was under the management of the boatswain of that ship.
How the Artificers are employed.
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, where forges had been erected. 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 mill-wrights 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 ship-board, were the inseparable companions of every work connected with the erection of the Bell Rock Light-house. It will naturally be supposed, that about twenty-five masons, occupied with their picks in executing and preparing the foundation of the light-house, 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 of the irons, were very frequently broken. At 8 o’clock, the water overflowed the site of the building, and the boats left the rock with all hands for breakfast. Several of the artificers would willingly have remained upon the beacon to avoid the rolling motion and sickness incident to the ship; yet, being all wetted, and those especially who were employed in excavating the site of the light-house and railways, being completely bespattered with the chips and particles elicited from the Rock, the whole party embarked in the boats; but such as chose were at liberty to return to the beacon with the smiths after breakfast.
Interesting appearance of the Rock.
Excepting at the erection of the principal beams of the beacon, the Bell Rock this morning presented by far the most busy and active appearance it had exhibited since the erection 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 to-day, 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, which had all been put in a state of requisition before they left the shore. 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.
Artificers remain on the rock all day.
The length of the day now afforded two tides with day-light. The boats, therefore, landed the artificers at 5 o’clock P. M., and after three hours’ work, as in the morning, all hands again left it at 8 o’clock, and returned on board of the Tender. Those who had been left upon the beacon, complained of being very tired, with supporting themselves so long in one position without motion, or even a sufficient space to rest their feet upon.
From the excellence of the weather, and for the greater conveniency of the work, the Tender had been made fast to one of the Stone-lighter’s floating buoys, to be nearer to the Rock than her own moorings, which were placed at such a distance as might enable her, in casting off, to clear the Rock on any tack. But, 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 to 29.60. It was therefore judged prudent to shift the vessel to the SW. or more distant buoy. Her bowsprit was also soon afterwards taken in, the top-masts struck, and every thing 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.