Though the temporary railways originally fitted up for the building operations had been thoroughly repaired, they were often found much in disorder, and required a still stronger mode of construction. In the course of this summer, therefore, part of the western-reach of the new or permanent Railway was fitted up, which was named Hope’s Wharf; Lord President Hope having landed upon it in the month of August, from the Latona Frigate.
1816.
Pharos Tender built.
The sloop Smeaton having been originally constructed as a stone-lighter, was not well adapted for sailing, or doing the duty of a Tender. A vessel, of 51 tons register, properly fitted for this service, was therefore built at Leith by Mr Morton, and launched in the summer of 1816, under the appropriate name of The Pharos. Besides her stern-boat, this vessel carries another upon deck, measuring 15 feet in length of keel; she is also sheathed with copper, and laid out with a fore and after cabin.
The Light-house is Painted.
Owing to the sprays of the sea, the colour of the upper part of the Light-house had become much changed, and had acquired a dark olive hue, while, on the western side, the granite courses below were of a whitish-grey; so that the building had now a party-coloured appearance. To remedy this, and especially to prevent the sandstone from imbibing moisture, it was, in the summer of 1816, painted in oil colour, of a greyish tint. The whole of the interior of the house being of polished masonry, was at the same time painted white; while the walls and roof of the library were decorated with pannelled work, in a very tasteful manner. Mr Macdonald of Arbroath the painter, having remained a considerable period in the Light-house, had several opportunities of observing the effects of the sea upon the Rock, and made some striking sketches of its appearance upon the building in storms, which have afforded useful hints to the artist who furnished the draught from which the frontispiece to this work is taken.
1818.
Fuci disappear from the Rock.
On visiting the Light-house in the summer of 1818, the writer was struck with the naked appearance of the Rock, the fuci having in a great measure disappeared. On examination he found that they had been cut off by vast numbers of a species of limpet, curiously striated with blue lines, (the Patella pellucida of naturalists). Among various other changes incidental to the plants and animals on the Rock, the barnacle was found to be fully more prevalent than formerly, and covered all the higher parts, like a greyish coloured scurf. One good effect connected with the disappearance of the sea-weed, was a more complete exposure of several large holes or inequalities in the Rock. Some of those, on the north-eastern side of the Light-house, being of a large size, varying from two to four feet in depth, the writer considered necessary to have filled with ruble-building, which, in an imbedded state, when executed with pozzolano-mortar, had been found to withstand the utmost force of the sea.