records of a family of engineers-第16章
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saw iron ships； steamers； and the locomotive engine； introduced。 He lived to travel from Glasgow to Edinburgh in the inside of a forenoon； and to remember that he himself had ‘often been twelve hours upon the journey； and his grand…father （Lillie） two days'！ The profession was still but in its second generation； and had already broken down the barriers of time and space。 Who should set a limit to its future encroachments？ And hence； with a kind of sanguine pedantry； he pursued his design of ‘keeping up with the day' and posting himself and his family on every mortal subject。 Of this unpractical idealism we shall meet with many instances； there was not a trade； and scarce an accomplishment； but he thought it should form part of the outfit of an engineer； and not content with keeping an encyclopaedic diary himself； he would fain have set all his sons to work continuing and extending it。 They were more happily inspired。 My father's engineering pocket…book was not a bulky volume； with its store of pregnant notes and vital formulas； it served him through life； and was not yet filled when he came to die。 As for Robert Stevenson and the Travelling Diary； I should be ungrateful to complain； for it has supplied me with many lively traits for this and subsequent chapters； but I must still remember much of the period of my study there as a sojourn in the Valley of the Shadow。
The duty of the engineer is twofold … to design the work； and to see the work done。 We have seen already something of the vociferous thoroughness of the man； upon the cleaning of lamps and the polishing of reflectors。 In building； in road… making； in the construction of bridges； in every detail and byway of his employments； he pursued the same ideal。 Perfection （with a capital P and violently under…scored） was his design。 A crack for a penknife； the waste of ‘six…and… thirty shillings；' ‘the loss of a day or a tide；' in each of these he saw and was revolted by the finger of the sloven； and to spirits intense as his； and immersed in vital undertakings； the slovenly is the dishonest； and wasted time is instantly translated into lives endangered。 On this consistent idealism there is but one thing that now and then trenches with a touch of incongruity； and that is his love of the picturesque。 As when he laid out a road on Hogarth's line of beauty； bade a foreman be careful； in quarrying； not ‘to disfigure the island'； or regretted in a report that ‘the great stone； called the DEVIL IN THE HOLE； was blasted or broken down to make road…metal； and for other purposes of the work。'
CHAPTER III THE BUILDING OF THE BELL ROCK
OFF the mouths of the Tay and the Forth； thirteen miles from Fifeness； eleven from Arbroath； and fourteen from the Red Head of Angus； lies the Inchcape or Bell Rock。 It extends to a length of about fourteen hundred feet； but the part of it discovered at low water to not more than four hundred and twenty…seven。 At a little more than half…flood in fine weather the seamless ocean joins over the reef； and at high… water springs it is buried sixteen feet。 As the tide goes down； the higher reaches of the rock are seen to be clothed by CONFERVA RUPESTRIS as by a sward of grass； upon the more exposed edges； where the currents are most swift and the breach of the sea heaviest； Baderlock or Henware flourishes； and the great Tangle grows at the depth of several fathoms with luxuriance。 Before man arrived； and introduced into the silence of the sea the smoke and clangour of a blacksmith's shop； it was a favourite resting…place of seals。 The crab and lobster haunt in the crevices； and limpets； mussels； and the white buckie abound。
According to a tradition； a bell had been once hung upon this rock by an abbot of Arbroath； （1） ‘and being taken down by a sea…pirate； a year thereafter he perished upon the same rock； with ship and goods； in the righteous judgment of God。' From the days of the abbot and the sea…pirate no man had set foot upon the Inchcape； save fishers from the neighbouring coast； or perhaps … for a moment； before the surges swallowed them … the unfortunate victims of shipwreck。 The fishers approached the rock with an extreme timidity； but their harvest appears to have been great； and the adventure no more perilous than lucrative。 In 1800； on the occasion of my grandfather's first landing； and during the two or three hours which the ebb…tide and the smooth water allowed them to pass upon its shelves； his crew collected upwards of two hundredweight of old metal： pieces of a kedge anchor and a cabin stove； crowbars； a hinge and lock of a door； a ship's marking…iron； a piece of a ship's caboose； a soldier's bayonet； a cannon ball； several pieces of money； a shoe… buckle； and the like。 Such were the spoils of the Bell Rock。
（1） This is； of course； the tradition commemorated by Southey in his ballad of ‘The Inchcape Bell。' Whether true or not； it points to the fact that from the infancy of Scottish navigation； the seafaring mind had been fully alive to the perils of this reef。 Repeated attempts had been made to mark the place with beacons； but all efforts were unavailing （one such beacon having been carried away within eight days of its erection） until Robert Stevenson conceived and carried out the idea of the stone tower。 But the number of vessels actually lost upon the reef was as nothing to those that were cast away in fruitless efforts to avoid it。 Placed right in the fairway of two navigations； and one of these the entrance to the only harbour of refuge between the Downs and the Moray Firth； it breathed abroad along the whole coast an atmosphere of terror and perplexity； and no ship sailed that part of the North Sea at night； but what the ears of those on board would be strained to catch the roaring of the seas on the Bell Rock。
From 1794 onward； the mind of my grandfather had been exercised with the idea of a light upon this formidable danger。 To build a tower on a sea rock； eleven miles from shore； and barely uncovered at low water of neaps； appeared a fascinating enterprise。 It was something yet unattempted； unessayed； and even now； after it has been lighted for more than eighty years； it is still an exploit that has never been repeated。 （1） My grandfather was； besides； but a young man； of an experience comparatively restricted； and a reputation confined to Scotland； and when he prepared his first models； and exhibited them in Merchants' Hall； he can hardly be acquitted of audacity。 John Clerk of Eldin stood his friend from the beginning； kept the key of the model room； to which he carried ‘eminent strangers；' and found words of counsel and encouragement beyond price。 ‘Mr。 Clerk had been personally known to Smeaton； and used occasionally to speak of him to me；' says my grandfather； and again： ‘I felt regret that I had not the opportunity of a greater range of practice to fit me for such an undertaking； but I was fortified by an expression of my friend Mr。 Clerk in one of our conversations。 〃This work；〃 said he； 〃is unique； and can be little forwarded by experience of ordinary masonic operations。 In this case Smeaton's ‘Narrative' must be the text…book； and energy and perseverance the pratique。〃 '
（1） The particular event which concentrated Mr。 Stevenson's attention on the problem of the Bell Rock was the memorable gale of December 1799； when； among many other vessels； H。M。S。 YORK； a seventy…four…gun ship； went down with all hands on board。 Shortly after this disaster Mr。 Stevenson made a careful survey； and prepared his models for a stone tower； the idea of which was at first received with pretty general scepticism； Smeaton's Eddystone tower could not be cited as affording a parallel； for there the rock is not submerged even at high…water； while the problem of the Bell Rock was to build a tower of masonry on a sunken reef far distant from land； covered at every tide to a depth of twelve feet or more； and having thirty…two fathoms' depth of water within a mile of its eastern edge。
A Bill for the work was introduced into Parliament and lost in the Lords in 1802…3。 John Rennie was afterwards； at my grandfather's suggestion； called in council； with the style of chief engineer。 The precise meaning atta
