Thursday, 10th.
To-day 26 stones of the Twentieth course were landed and laid.
Friday, 11th.
Sheer-crane broken by the force of the sea.
The wind was at S.E. on the 11th, and there was so very heavy a swell of sea upon the Rock, that no boat could approach it. Such indeed was the force of its breach, that one of the legs of the cast-iron Sheer-crane at the eastern creek, represented in [Plate XI.], was again broken. It is not a little remarkable, that these bars, which contained about 16 square inches of section, should nevertheless have been snapped, by the force of the sea, on three different occasions. It must, however, be remarked, that these sheers, in their operation, had necessarily a certain action laterally, in effecting the laying of a stone upon the waggon; in heavy seas, therefore, the apparatus was subject to a jerking motion, which proved sufficient to break it; so essential is it, that every thing within the range of the sea should be Dead-fast, as workmen emphatically express it, or as firm and steady as possible.
Saturday, 12th.
Some of the Artificers become alarmed and leave the Beacon.
The gale still continuing from the S.E., the sea broke with great violence both upon the Building and the Beacon. The former being 23 feet in height, the upper part of the crane erected on it having been lifted from course to course as the building advanced, was now about 36 feet above the Rock. From observations made on the rise of the sea by this crane, the artificers were enabled to estimate its height to be about 50 feet above the Rock, while the sprays fell with a most alarming noise upon their cabins. At low-water, in the evening, a signal was made from the Beacon, at the earnest desire of some of the artificers, for the boats to come to the Rock; and although this could not be effected without considerable hazard, it was however accomplished, when twelve of their number, being much afraid, applied to the foreman to be relieved, and went on board of the Tender. But the remaining fourteen continued on the Rock, with Mr Peter Logan, the foreman builder. Although this rule of allowing an option to every man either to remain on the Rock or return to the Tender, was strictly adhered to; yet, as it would have been extremely inconvenient to have had the men parcelled out in this manner, it became necessary to embrace the first opportunity of sending those who had left the Beacon to the workyard, with as little appearance of intention as possible, lest it should hurt their feelings, or prevent others from acting according to their wishes, either in landing on the Rock or remaining on the Beacon.
Sunday, 13th.
Effects of the late gale.