Chapter V: Progress of the Works in the Year 1809 (4)

The complement of artificers which had been employed at the Rock, and lodged in the Beacon-house, from the period of completing the building operations in the month of August, till November, was twenty-four, who, as before noticed, were chiefly employed in fixing additional supports to the Beacon, and in extending and completing the Railways leading to the western creek. The works therefore, were only continued during the period of spring-tides; and in neap-tides the artificers returned to the work-yard. The plate-iron-forge, anvil, and other weighty articles, had been removed from the Beacon, and set up in a centrical position on the top of the building, where the smiths had been for some time at work: the rope-ladder of communication, which had been found so useful this season, was taken down, and every thing arranged in the most compact and orderly manner for the winter. In the course of these latter operations, the Tender had been twice obliged to slip her moorings, and leave the artificers upon the Beacon. At one of these times, she proceeded for Leith Roads, when Mr Watt stated that very bad weather had been experienced on the Beacon, and that, on several occasions, considerable alarm was felt, more particularly when the Tender was driven off her station, the artificers conceiving themselves in a more forlorn and helpless situation while she was out of view. Having made the necessary arrangements for the Rock being visited during the winter months, the writer left the works on the 8th November.

[Sidenote: Wednesday, 22d.]

[Sidenote: The prop of the crane is demolished.]

The Tender sailed to-day at 2 P. M., and next morning at 8, Mr Watt and five artificers were landed from two boats, and remained on the Rock till 11, when they had great difficulty in returning to the vessel, as the wind blew fresh from the N.E. The boats were no sooner hoisted on board, than, instead of sailing for Arbroath, the Tender was obliged to steer for Leith Roads, where she lay till the 29th: she then again made sail for Arbroath; but, from the severity of the weather, was put past her port, and went into Montrose. When the artificers landed, at this time, they found that the prop of the lower building-crane had been demolished during the late gales, and that the stones were scattered about the Rock in every direction, having done considerable damage to the contiguous Railways.

[Sidenote: 1809, December.]

[Sidenote: Thursday, 14th.]

[Sidenote: Artificers again visit the Rock. A large buoy has drifted.]

The Tender sailed early in the morning of the 14th December for the Rock, having on board six artificers and twelve seamen, with a supply of provisions for the Floating-light. The artificers landed in the evening, and though the tide did not leave the Railways, every thing appeared to be in the same state as at their former visit. Two of the large stones which had formed the prop of the crane, had been thrown forcibly against the Beacon; but it was impossible, under the present circumstances, to effect their removal. The large buoy placed upon the spare moorings of the Floating-light, had drifted between the night of the 9th and the morning of the 10th December, the wind then blowing hard at S.SW.; and the two spar-beacons, attached to small mushroom anchors, used as a direction to the western creek, had also been washed away during the same gale. But, on the whole, no material damage had been sustained either at the Rock or on board of the Floating-light.

[Sidenote: Saturday, 8th.]

[Sidenote: Artificers visit the Rock. Floating-light has had bad weather.]

At 3 o’clock this morning, the Tender sailed for the Rock, and carried off a mushroom-anchor and chain, which were laid down as spare-moorings for the Floating-light, to be in readiness in case of her accidentally drifting, as the season would not admit of the old moorings being grappled for. On landing the artificers, they found every thing much in the same state as at their former visit, excepting two additional lengths of the Railways, extending to about eight feet, which had been broken by the loose stones of the prop of the crane. The crew of the Floating-light had also experienced some very bad weather, and on several occasions the ship is represented as having laboured much. In particular, on the 15th, with the wind at S.E., when in the act of swinging round to the tide, she was boarded by a heavy sea which unshipped the boats; and found its way below, in such quantity, that it extinguished the fires, and created considerable alarm; but the vessel, being strongly built, and well found in all her materials, sustained no damage.

Having now gone through the journal of the Bell Rock operations for the year 1809, we shall proceed with a narrative of the works for the year 1810, in the course of which the Bell Rock Light-house was completed.