February.
Friday, 1st.
The Light is exhibited.
The day long wished for, on which the mariner was to see a light exhibited on the Bell Rock, at length arrived. Captain Wilson, as usual, hoisted the Float’s lanterns to the topmast on the evening of the 1st of February; but the moment that the light appeared on the Rock, the crew, giving three cheers, lowered them, and finally extinguished the lights. The Yacht had sailed on the 31st of January, for the purpose of taking this ship in tow for Leith, as being no longer necessary here; but in the course of that night, it came to blow so excessively hard from E.SE., that she was obliged to bear away for the Firth of Forth, leaving the Floating-light at her moorings.
Friday, 8th.
A Storm occurs when the House is lighted.
On the 9th, the Yacht returned, and, although a very heavy sea then ran upon the Rock, a landing was effected with a boat-load of coals, water, and fresh provisions. Mr Forrest states in his letter at this time, that every thing on the 1st of February, had been found to answer to his entire satisfaction. He, however, mentions, that the wind blew excessively hard during the three first days after the house was lighted, and that the sprays had risen to the height of 80 feet upon the building. He adds, that, in the course of this gale, all hands had kept watch without intermission for twenty-four hours, with the storm-window-frames at hand, in case of accident, as the plates of glass on the windward side of the light-room had shaken loose, and, by the continued violence of the wind, the putty had been “wrought quite thin, and was softened like mortar.” These plates of glass, measuring each 32½ inches by 26¼ inches, were so fitted with brass-guards that they could not possibly be blown out, in an entire state, but were in some danger of being broken, by pressing upon the window-sashes while the putty was thus softened. Mr Taylor, who upon this occasion commanded the Yacht, had considerable difficulty in approaching the Light-house, and observes, “There being now no attending-boat to accompany our landings at the Rock, I find we must not run such risks as formerly, as, in the event of an accident happening to us singly, no assistance can be got. To-day, one of those heavy rolling seas struck the boat, and pitched her upon one of the ledges, but she was got afloat again before the next breach of the sea reached her, and was afterwards carried like a shot out of the creek.”
Tuesday, 12th.
Floating-light puts into Anstruther.