Wednesday, 24th.
Floating light’s moorings examined.
The last night was the first that the writer had passed in his old quarters on board of the Floating-light for about twelve months, when the weather was so fine, and the sea so smooth, that even here he felt but little or no motion, excepting at the turn of the tide, when the vessel gets into what the seamen term the trough of the sea. At 5 A. M., all hands were called to man the windlass for heaving up the moorings, consisting of a cast-iron mushroom anchor, weighing 17 cwt., and forty fathoms of chain, made from bars of iron one and a half inch square, and a hempen cable of 120 fathoms, measuring 16 inches in circumference. At 6, the crew began to lay the part of this cable upon deck that had been in the hold, and afterwards to heave up that which was in the water: the whole was found in a serviceable condition, excepting where the operation of worming and rounding had been used to defend the part which was most liable to be chafed on the ground. This operation consists in warping a small rope of about two and a half inches in circumference, round between the strands or hollows in the cable, so as to give the whole a more uniform surface. This small rope, however, was found in several places, to cut yarns of the cable, and appeared to be attended with very bad consequences. The master and mate therefore concurred in opinion, that the worming should be discontinued in future, as the small rope stretched more than the cable, and chafed it. There was also a small rope wound round the cable in a circular form, which, being laid with parcelling, or strips of canvas, was a good defence to it.
Wednesday, 24th.
State of the Floating-light’s Moorings.
At 8 A. M., the best bower-anchor and cable were in readiness to be let go, to hold the ship while the mushroom-anchor was lifted. The crew then began to heave up the mooring-chain, which had now been in the water upwards of two years. The first 10 fathoms of the chain were distinctly observed to have suffered by the action of the marine acid. The links had a grooved-like appearance, perhaps, from the softer parts of the iron being wasted, in the lengthway of the link, and those parts which were more hard were observed in a raised form like threads; but at the weldings or joinings of the links, where the iron was more consolidated, from having received additional beating, it had not suffered oxidation in the slightest degree. The next 10 fathoms of the chain had also a slight appearance of waste. It may be remarked, that the half of the chain next to the hempen cable, was generally suspended between the ship and the ground, in moderate weather, and was therefore more exposed to waste from the current of the tides than the half next to the anchor. On heaving up this last part, which lay chiefly on the ground, it was found to be almost as free of rust, some trifling spots excepted, as when it was first laid down: in general, the hammer marks, and even somewhat of the bluish appearance peculiar to the surface of forged iron, were perceptible. The mushroom-anchor had not sustained the slightest change, and, although the ground was rather soft, did not appear to have been imbedded in the mud; so that the ship had rode chiefly by the weight of the chain. On narrowly examining it, when laid upon deck, two of the links were observed to be insufficient, the rust having exposed the faulty parts to view. These defective links were accordingly broken out or removed, and the sound ones connected by means of shackles, kept on board for this purpose. At noon, after seven hours of hard labour, the examination of the moorings was completed, and the writer left the Floating-light, accompanied by the landing-master, to attend the work on the Rock at low-water.
State of the works at the Rock.
At 6 A. M. Mr Watt, who conducted the operations of the Railways and Beacon-house, had landed with nine artificers. At half-past 1 P. M., Mr Peter Logan had also landed with fifteen masons, and immediately proceeded to set up the crane, which still lay lashed to the building. The sheer-crane or apparatus for lifting the stones out of the praam-boats at the eastern creek had been already erected, and the Railways now formed about two-thirds of an entire circle round the building: some progress had likewise been made with the Reach towards the western landing-place. The external framing of the cabins of the Beacon was in the state described in the second year’s work, and partly represented in [Plate IX.] The floors being also laid, the Beacon now assumed the appearance of a habitation. The Smeaton was at her moorings, with the Fernie Praam-boat astern, for which she was laying down moorings, and the Tender being also at her station, the Bell Rock had again put on its former busy aspect. At 11 A. M., the Hedderwick praam was loaded with 11 stones, which were safely landed upon the Rock: and at 2 P. M. the Fernie was loaded with 16 stones, and towed to her moorings, to wait the proper time of tide for getting to the Rock. The Smeaton being discharged, she sailed for Arbroath at 5 P. M.
Plants and Animals on the building.
The wind was from the east, with light airs, and there was hardly any ruffle or motion on the surface of the water. The masons were chiefly employed during this tide in clearing the upper course of the building from sea-weed, of which, since the month of September, it had acquired a thick coating. The weed consisted chiefly of Fucus digitatus, which, on the new wall, had attained the length of about 18 inches, with a proportional thickness of stalk and breadth of frond, during the preceding eight or nine months. The barnacle was also pretty numerous, and a good many white buckies and small mussels had attached themselves to several parts of the building. The masons left the Rock this evening at 6 o’clock, having had four hours and a half’s work; but the joiners and smiths continued till 10 P. M., and had therefore been 16 hours on the Rock to-day.