Monday, 19th.
12 Stones are laid. The western track of Railway much wanted.
The artificers landed this morning, and continued at work for three hours, when 7 stones were laid. The wind being at S.E. there was a very heavy swell of sea in the eastern creek; and not having as yet been able to lay the Railway-track to the western creek, the stones were obliged to be landed on the eastern side of the Rock, which was often attended with great disadvantage to the work. For it was only in the very finest weather that materials could be dropped or lowered upon the Rock at high-water; an operation which was further attended with great inconveniency, from the sparse manner in which it was found necessary to drop them from the praam, to prevent their being injured. The fear also of a storm overtaking the work while the stones were in this situation, was none of the least sources of uneasiness which attended this practice: for, though the sea might not carry them entirely off the Rock, they might nevertheless be so damaged, as to render them unfit for the work, and the loss of a single stone could not be replaced without returning to the work-yard, and having recourse to the mould from which it was cut.
One of the beams cannot be got out of the eastern creek.
As the landing-master’s crew were in the act of towing one of the praam-boats into the eastern creek this morning, an unlucky sea struck her, and carried her upon the same ledge of the Rock, which, on the 11th of last month, had almost proved fatal to the Floating-light’s boat. By the active exertions of the crew, however, the praam on the present occasion was got off without sustaining much damage, her bottom being only slightly rubbed; and the cargo, consisting of 7 blocks of stone, with cement, &c. was landed in safety. The boats returned to the Rock at 6 P. M., and left it again at 9, after having had three hours’ work, and laid 5 stones, being all the materials that could be got this tide, owing to the rough state of the weather; for it was not till after three successive attempts had been made, that Mr Wilson succeeded in getting the praam into the creek this evening, the wind being at S.E., and still continuing to blow fresh with a heavy swell of sea, insomuch, that it was found impracticable to get her out again after unloading; and she, therefore, remained till the tide had flowed sufficiently to float her over the lower parts of the Rock to the westward.
Tuesday, 20th.
15 Stones are laid. The weather continues to be very boisterous.
The artificers landed this morning at 6 o’clock, and left the Rock again at a quarter past 10, having had four hours’ and a quarter’s work, when seven stones were laid. In the evening, the artificers landed at 6, and continued at work till 10, having had a tide of four hours, in which time eight stones were laid. Owing to the surf of sea upon the Rock to-day, it was with the utmost difficulty that the heavy blocks could either be got out of the Smeaton into the praams, or conveyed in safety to the Rock. It was only by the experience now acquired, and the activity of the landing-master’s crew, that any thing was done to the building during the whole of these spring-tides. Indeed the Smeaton was forced to leave her moorings, and return to Arbroath, before the whole of her last cargo could be delivered. In this state of the weather, the workmen could not be regularly employed in building; but there was so much to do with each course, in boring trenail holes, and laying railways during the time of low-water, that the artificers were always fully employed, when it was possible to land. During the period of high-water, the mill-wrights and joiners were occupied in framing the upper part of the Beacon-house.
Wednesday, 21st.