The force of habit exemplified in landing at night on the Bell Rock.
In leaving the Rock this evening, every thing, 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 Light-house is fully prepared for the First entire course of the building.
Thursday, 28th.
First cargo of an entire course landed.
The sloop Smeaton had accordingly loaded the first cargo of cut stone at Arbroath for the Light-house, consisting of twenty blocks of the First entire course, and had last night come to her moorings; and this morning the praam-boats were employed in landing her cargo upon the Rock. From the want of a complete line of Railway from any of the landing-places to the site of the building, this operation could only be effected at high-water, when the stones were let down, one after another, upon the unincumbered area of the foundation of the Light-house, by means of a slip-rope passed through the Lewis-bat of each stone. This, as before noticed, was by no means a very desirable mode of landing the materials, and was indeed, one that could rarely be resorted to, except in the finest weather. The artificers having landed at 9 A. M., the foundation was cleared of water by 10, when the masons made preparations for commencing the building operations. Having had two hours’ and three quarters’ work, they left the Rock, after laying the blocks of stone which had been landed, in a compact and regular manner upon the site of the building.
Friday, 29th.
The wind was at east to-day, with a gentle breeze. At 10 A. M. the workmen landed, but the tides becoming neap, it was two hours and a half before the foundation could be cleared of water, and at a quarter from 2 P. M. it was again overflowed, having only had an hour and a quarter’s work with the morning tide, when the twelve remaining blocks of the Smeaton’s cargo were laid to hand, and ready for being built with mortar. In the present state of the tides, it was not judged necessary to land this evening.
The Smeaton makes a second trip for a cargo in 20 hours.
The Smeaton having been unloaded yesterday forenoon, she was again dispatched to Arbroath for another cargo of the First course, which she got on board that same night by 12 o’clock, and had returned to her moorings at the Bell Rock this morning; Captain Pool, with his usual activity, having only been absent from the Rock about twenty hours. In the mean time, the writer visited the operations of the work-yard, to ascertain more fully what prospect there was of having a supply of prepared stones for continuing the works of this season, to the extent of three or four courses of the Light-house. Some arrangement also was necessary for the removal of Cranes and other articles of machinery for the use of the building operations.