Tender returns to the Rock.
The weather moderated in the course of the last night, and the wind shifted to S.W., when the Tender, which had been for the last two days in the Firth of Forth, stood towards the Rock, and reached it at 7 P. M., but could not come within speech of the inhabitants of the Beacon, though, from signals mutually exchanged, it appeared that all was pretty well. Captain Taylor next spoke the Floating-light, and found no complaint on board. They had, indeed, shipped several heavy seas, yet no damage had been sustained; and during the gale they rode with 60 fathoms of cable veered out. After making these enquiries, he stood towards Arbroath to get the Tender’s rigging refitted, and her moorings repaired, which had suffered in the gale. Knowing also that a new floor, and other articles, were wanting at the Beacon, he meant also to supply some of these; but on approaching Arbroath, there was still too much sea upon the bar of the harbour, and he was obliged to stand off again to sea.
Saturday, 18th.
Smith’s Anvil, Bellows, &c. washed off the Beacon.
The wind shifted to the westward to-day, and the Tender got into Arbroath. In the mean time, Captain Wilson visited the Bell Rock with a well manned boat from the Floating-light, when he had the happiness to find Mr Peter Logan and his people in perfect health, though, in the course of the gale, they had at times been considerably alarmed, while the sea was making inroads upon their habitation. In searching about the Rock in quest of some of the articles which had been washed from the smith’s gallery, it is not a little remarkable, that so ponderous an article as the anvil, weighing 170 lb., should have been found in a hole at the distance of 60 feet from the Beacon, and that the iron pan or hearth of the forge, weighing about 100 lb., was found at the distance of 200 feet from it. Near to this lay one of the cast-iron mortar-tubs; but the smith’s bellows, and many other articles amissing, were never found. Captain Wilson foreseeing that there might be a want of fuel on the Rock from the late disaster, had very properly carried two bags of coal from the Floating-light; and, after landing these, he returned to his ship at 2 P. M.
Thursday, 23d.
Light-room sashes landed. Captain Wilson is hurt by one of them.
Both the Tender and the Smeaton having been forced into Arbroath, were detained there with strong gales of westerly wind, till Monday the 20th, when they sailed for the Rock; the Smeaton, with the sash-frames of the Light-room on board, and the Tender, with a supply of provisions and necessaries for the Floating-light and Beacon-house. The wind being at W.S.W. and the weather more moderate, both vessels got to their moorings on the 23d, when all hands were employed in transporting the sash-frames from on board of the Smeaton to the Rock. In the act of setting up one of these frames upon the bridge, it was unguardedly suffered to lose its balance, and, in saving it from damage, Captain Wilson met with a severe bruise in the groin, on the seat of a gunshot wound received in the early part of his life. This accident laid him aside for several days.
Friday, 24th.
The Smeaton being now discharged, sailed again for other articles still wanted from Edinburgh, belonging to the Light-room frame. The masons at the Rock were busily employed in setting up the stair, and in dressing off and polishing the joints of the interior walls of the Light-house: For, although the stones had all been polished to a smooth surface in the work-yard, in order to give the apartments a cleanly and comfortable appearance, as plastering would have been quite unsuitable for such a situation, yet the walls in many parts required to be retouched, when they came to be examined in a more finished state. James Glen, of whom mention has already been frequently made, was assisted by the smith in refitting the gallery, and the other injured parts of the Beacon-house.