1812, November.
Remarkable shock of the sea.
On Saturday the 14th of November, a very severe storm took place, accompanied with a heavy sea from the S.E. A letter from the Light-house stated, that, “at high-water in the evening, a tremendous sea struck the house, the effect of which was the most alarming that had been experienced perhaps since it was erected. The locks upon the doors were heard to rattle; and what makes this the more singular is, that not another sea of consequence struck the house during the whole tide.” Upon further inquiry into this matter, the writer found that the artificers, and two of the light-keepers were then in the kitchen; upon the shock taking place, the whole sprung up to the balcony, imagining for the moment that some vessel must have got upon the Rock, and that the report heard was the discharge of a gun, so sudden and sharp was the sensation which it occasioned. But they soon found that their alarm was occasioned by the sea alone.
Professor Robison’s opinion on this subject.
The writer has often thought of this surprising effect of the force of the sea; and he finds it difficult to assign a cause for the motion of the doors in so low a position of the building as the kitchen; otherwise than by supposing a disturbance in the equilibrium of the air, by the sudden displacement of the column of water, which, upon these occasions, rises upon the building. The tremor felt in leaning against the walls in the upper apartments, when it blows fresh, or when the house is struck by a sea, or by a boat coming suddenly against it, may be compared to that which is perceptible in a common house, upon the slamming of particular doors, or when a carriage makes a rattling noise in passing along the streets; but it is attended with no real danger. In confirmation of this, it may be mentioned, that when the late Professor Robison of Edinburgh visited the Edystone Light-house, something having forcibly struck the building, he was sensible of a vibratory motion in one of the rooms in which he was then sitting. But, instead of producing any alarm in the mind of the Professor, he assured his friends, that it was to him the strongest proof of the unity and connection of the fabric in all its parts. This anecdote the writer is desirous of preserving, as it was communicated to him by this eminent person.
View of the Sea, from which the Frontispiece is delineated.
1812, December.
The writer being in Forfarshire at this time, was desirous of seeing the effects of the sea upon the Light-house, after the Beacon had been removed. He accordingly embraced the opportunity of sailing from Arbroath with the Tender, in a pretty hard gale from north-east, at 4 o’clock in the morning of the 9th of December, and, at 7, got close to the Rock. The Light-house now appeared in one of its most interesting aspects, standing proudly among the waves, while the sea around it was in the wildest state of agitation. The Light-keepers did not seem to be in motion; but the scene was by no means still, as the noise and dashing of the waves were unceasing. The seas rose in the most surprising manner to the height of the kitchen windows, or about 70 feet above the Rock; and after expending their force in a perpendicular direction, successively fell in great quantities round the base of the Light-house, while considerable portions of the spray were seen adhering as it were to the building, and guttering down its sides in the state of froth as white as snow. Some of the great waves burst, and were expended upon the Rock before they reached the building; while others struck the base, and, embracing the walls, met on the western side of the house, where they dashed together, and produced a most surprising quantity of foam. Upon this view of the breaking of the seas at the Light-house, the frontispiece for this work has been delineated.
The Sea overruns the Rock at low-water.
Though there was no possibility of effecting a landing to-day, yet the vessel lay off-and-on till low-water, that the writer might also then see the state of the waves upon the Railways. He found that they still continued to make a constant run over them; and that no one could have stood upon any part of the rock, even for the space of one minute, without having been thrown down and carried away by their force. After lying-to till 10 o’clock, the Tender bore away for the Firth of Forth, leaving the inhabitants of the Rock surrounded, and even enveloped by the sea in its utmost fury, yet in a state of comparative comfort, and enjoying feelings of the most perfect security.