An Account of the Bell Rock Light-House / Including the Details of the Erection and Peculiar Structure of That Edifice; to Which Is Prefixed a Historical View of the Institution and Progress of the Northern Light-Houses

by Robert Stevenson

Saturday, 24th.

57 Stones laid.

Cooking commenced on the Beacon.

Mr Peter Logan, the foreman builder, and his squad, twenty-one in number, landed this morning at 3 o’clock, and continued at work four hours and a quarter, and, after laying 17 stones, returned to the Tender. At 6 A. M., Mr Francis Watt, and his squad of twelve men, landed, and proceeded with their respective operations at the Beacon and Railways, and were left on the Rock during the whole day, without the necessity of having any communication with the Tender, the kitchen of the Beacon-house being now fitted up. It was to-day also, that Peter Fortune,—a most obliging and well known character in the Light-house service,—was removed from the Tender to the Beacon, as cook and steward, with a stock of provisions as ample as his limited store-room would admit. At 2 P. M. the building-artificers again landed, and continued at work till a quarter past 8, when 40 of the stones, formerly landed, were now laid, making no fewer than 57 blocks which had been built to-day in the course of both tides. The weather being extremely fine, with light airs of wind from the S.E., the landing-master’s crew discharged the Patriot into the praam-boats, which were then towed to their moorings, as the stones could not at this time be received at the Rock.

Situation of the Mortar-makers and smiths.

When as many stones were built as comprised this day’s work, the demand for mortar was proportionally encreased, and the task of the mortar-makers on these occasions was both laborious and severe. This operation was chiefly performed by John Watt,—a strong active quarrier by profession,—who was a perfect character in his way, and extremely zealous in his department. While the operations of the mortar-makers continued, the forge upon their gallery was not generally in use; but, as the working-hours of the builders extended with the height of the building, the forge could not be so long wanted, and then a sad confusion often ensued upon the circumscribed floor of the mortar-gallery, as the operations of Watt and his assistants trenched greatly upon those of the smiths. The casks with the ingredients for the mortar, consisting of pozzolano, lime, and sand, were laid to hand by the sailors. These materials were lifted in spadefulls, and thrown into the cast-iron mortar tubs, represented in [Plate X.] Fig. 12., where they were beat with an iron-shod pestle, to a consistency suitable to the respective purposes of the work. Under these circumstances, the boundary of the smiths was much circumscribed, and they were personally annoyed, especially in blowy weather, with the dust of the lime in its powdered state. The mortar-makers, on the other hand, were often not a little distressed with the heat of the fire and the sparks elicited on the anvil, and not unaptly complained that they were placed between the “Devil and the Deep-sea.”

Sunday, 25th.

27 stones laid.

Rope-ladder distended.

The work being now about 10 feet in height, admitted of a Rope-ladder being distended between the Beacon and the Building, as represented in [Plate IX.] By this “Jacob’s-Ladder,” as the seamen termed it, a communication was kept up with the Beacon, while the Rock was considerably under water. One end of it being furnished with tackle-blocks, was fixed to the beams of the Beacon, at the level of the mortar-gallery, while the further end was connected with the Upper-course of the building by means of two Lewis-bats, which were lifted from course to course as the work advanced. In the same manner, a rope furnished with a travelling-pulley, was distended, for the purpose of transporting the mortar-buckets, and other light articles, between the Beacon and the building, which also proved a great conveniency to the work. At this period the rope-ladder, and tackle for the mortar, had a descent from the Beacon to the building; by and by they were on a level; and, towards the end of the season, when the solid part had attained its full height, the ascent was from the mortar-gallery to the building; as will be understood by examining the second year’s work, as shewn in the Plate above alluded to, and when viewed in connection with the progress of the work. The building-artificers were accordingly enabled to land this morning at 3 A. M., and to continue at work five hours and a quarter, when 27 stones were laid of the Seventh course. The praam-boats were brought from their moorings, where they lay loaded with 43 stones, besides a supply of pozzolano, lime, sand, cement, trenails, and wedges. The Smeaton having made a trip ashore for a supply of the castings for the western Reach of the Railway, she discharged 15 tons of cast-iron work, and returned to Arbroath for a cargo of stones. At 12 noon, all hands, fifty-seven in number, being collected upon the deck of the Tender, prayers were read as usual. At three quarters past 2 o’clock P. M., the building-artificers again landed, and had five hours’ and three quarters’ work, at boring, trenailing, wedging, and grouting the stones laid during the two previous tides, which completed the Seventh course of the building.