18 stones laid.
At a quarter from 7 o’clock this morning the artificers landed, and having had five hours’ and a quarter’s work, eight stones were laid, and the remainder of the tide was occupied in boring and trenailing. In the evening, at half-past 6, they again landed and laid eighteen stones, having had five hours’ and a half’s work. The Patriot arrived from Arbroath with another cargo, consisting of thirty-nine blocks of stone, four casks of pozzolano, four casks of lime, four casks of sand, four bundles of wedges, and four bundles of trenails. There were thirty-six blocks of stone landed to-day on the Rock, with the above materials. The stones, when landed, were laid on the south-west side of the building till those previously built were trenailed; and the lime, &c. were carried up to the mortar-gallery on the Beacon. The three remaining stones of this cargo were left on board of one of the praams at her moorings, and the Patriot thus discharged, again sailed for Arbroath at 9 P. M. to load another cargo.
Friday, 16th.
24 stones laid.
Great exertions used in supplying materials.
This morning, at a quarter past 7, the artificers landed on the Rock, and had an excellent tide’s work, which continued for five hours and a quarter, when 24 stones of the Patriot’s last cargo were laid. Landing again at half-past 8 in the evening, they continued at work an hour and a quarter, when four stones were laid; and at 10 o’clock all hands left the Rock; the joiners, smiths, and such of the masons as were inclined, having been, as usual, left all day on the Beacon, had their victuals sent to them from the Tender. In the present favourable state of the weather, through the exertions of Mr Lachlan Kennedy, in dispatching the vessels, both by night and day, and also by the activity of Captains Pool of the Smeaton, and Macdonald of the Patriot, the work was largely and regularly supplied with building materials. The Smeaton having returned with a cargo from Arbroath, was made fast to her moorings at 11 this morning; but, as the wind blew strongly from the westward, it was found impracticable to land any stones to-day, without the greatest risk of injuring the materials. About mid-day, after the landing-master’s crew had taken the artificers on board of the Tender, they towed the Fernie praam-boat alongside of the Smeaton, and endeavoured to load her, but it was found impracticable; and, after three stones had been laid on the praam’s deck, any further attempt was given up.
Saturday, 17th.
7 stones laid.
Artificers left all night on the Beacon.
At 8 A. M., the artificers and sailors, forty-five in number, landed on the Rock, and, after four hours’ work, seven stones were laid. The remainder of this tide, from the threatening appearance of the weather, was occupied in trenailing, and making all things as secure as possible. At 12 noon, the Rock and Building were again overflowed, when the masons and seamen went on board of the Tender, but Mr Watt, with his squad of ten men, remained on the Beacon throughout the day. As it blew fresh from the N.W. in the evening, it was found impracticable either to land the building-artificers, or to take the artificers off the Beacon, and they were accordingly left there all night, but in circumstances very different from those of the 1st of this month. The house being now in a more complete state, was provided with bedding, and they spent the night pretty well; though they complained of having been much disturbed at the time of high-water, by the shaking and tremulous motion of their house, and by the plashing noise of the sea upon the mortar gallery. Here James Glen’s versatile powers were again at work, in cheering up those who seemed to be alarmed, and in securing every thing as far as possible. On this occasion, he had only to recall to the recollections of some of them the former night which they had spent on the Beacon, the wind and sea being then much higher, and their habitation in a far less comfortable state.