Thursday, 11th.
11 Stones laid.
The boats landed the artificers to-day at 9 A. M., and in about three quarters of an hour the site of the building was cleared of water, when eleven stones were laid in the course of an hour and three quarters. There being a considerable swell in the sea to-day from south-east, the praams could not land any materials upon the Rock at high-water, and nothing could be done in this way at low-water, as the Railways were not yet in a working condition.
A party of Gentlemen narrowly escape being drowned.
During the morning-tide, while the work was in progress, a very serious accident was like to have happened to a party of gentlemen from Leith, who came to see the operations at the Rock. They attempted to land in a very small boat belonging to their yacht; but, as a considerable swell of sea set round it in all directions, after several attempts, they found this to be impracticable. The writer then hailed the gentlemen, and advised them to return, and remain on board of their vessel, until the state of the tide would enable him to send a proper boat for them. In the mean time, however, a boat from the Floating-light, pretty deeply laden, with lime, cement and sand, approached, when the strangers, with a view to avoid giving trouble, took their passage in her to the Rock. The accession of three passengers to a boat, already in a lumbered state, put her completely out of trim, and, as it unluckily happened, the man who steered her was not in the habit of attending the Rock, and was not sufficiently aware of the run of the sea at the entrance of the eastern creek. Instead, therefore, of keeping close to the small rock called “John Gray,” the situation of which will be seen in [Plate VI.], he gave it a wide birth, as the sailors term it; a heavy sea having struck the boat, drove her to leeward, and the oars getting entangled among the rocks and sea-weed, she became unmanageable, and was thrown on a ledge by another heavy swell, which instantly leaving her, she kanted seaward upon her gunwale, when the people, and part of the cargo, were thrown into the sea. Before she righted, or any assistance could be rendered by those on the Rock, another sea came which filled her and scattered the passengers, eight in number, in all directions. Some clung to the boat, others to the sea-weed, and two or three having got hold of oars and loose thwarts, which floated about, were carried out of the creek, to a considerable distance from the spot where the accident happened. By the very prompt and active assistance of Mr James Wilson, the landing-master, and his crew, the whole were, however, speedily got out of the water, excepting a Mr Strachan, one of the strangers, who had clung to the sea-weed upon a small insulated rock, bearing his name, in [Plate VI.], to which it was impossible at this time of tide to approach, without the assistance of a boat. Mr Wilson, with a dexterity peculiar to himself, made towards this spot, where Mr Strachan, with great resolution and perseverance, still kept his hold, although every returning sea laid him completely under water, and even hid him from the view of the spectators on the Rock. In this situation he must have remained for ten or twelve minutes. When the boat reached the insulated rock, the most difficult part was still to perform, as it required the greatest nicety of management to guide her in a rolling sea, so as to prevent her from being carried forcibly against Mr Strachan, who was in danger of being struck with the stem of the boat, to which he lay completely exposed. Notwithstanding the breach of the sea, however, and the narrowness of the passage, the boat was conducted at the proper moment close to Mr Strachan, without either touching him or the insulated rock to which he clung, till he was lifted into the boat. Mr Strachan was of course much exhausted, from having been so completely overrun by the sea, and having had but a very short space for breathing between the returning waves.
The gentlemen thus extricated in safety from the most imminent peril, were immediately removed on board of their own vessel, no doubt very thankful for the narrow escape they had made, and with grateful recollections of the exertions made by Captain Wilson and his crew. With regard to the people belonging to the Light-house service, none of them were materially injured beyond the disagreeable ducking which they experienced; but the boat was almost completely wrecked: her cargo was also injured, and partly lost.
Friday, 12th.
First entire course completed.
The artificers landed this morning at half-past 10, 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. Immediately after this tide the Tender left the Rock for Arbroath, with all hands on board; and having a fine breeze at south, she got into the harbour at half-past 6 P. M., to wait the return of the spring-tides.
Artificers are welcomed into Arbroath Harbour.