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第40章

records of a family of engineers-第40章

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hese occasions; is observed to become calm or to subside; is a very remarkable feature of this phenomenon。  For example; when a gale is succeeded by a calm; every third or fourth wave forms one of these great seas; which occur in spaces of from three to five minutes; as noted by the writer's watch; but in the course of the next tide they become less frequent; and take off so as to occur only in ten or fifteen minutes; and; singular enough; at the third tide after such gales; the writer has remarked that only one or two of these great waves appear in the course of the whole tide。

'Tuesday; 19th June'

The 19th was a very unpleasant and disagreeable day; both for the seamen and artificers; as it rained throughout with little intermission from four a。m。 till eleven p。m。; accompanied with thunder and lightning; during which period the work nevertheless continued unremittingly; and the builders laid the fifty…first and fifty…second courses。  This state of weather was no less severe upon the mortar…makers; who required to temper or prepare the mortar of a thicker or thinner consistency; in some measure; according to the state of the weather。  From the elevated position of the building; the mortar gallery on the beacon was now much lower; and the lime…buckets were made to traverse upon a rope distended between it and the building。  On occasions like the present; however; there was often a difference of opinion between the builders and the mortar…makers。  John Watt; who had the principal charge of the mortar; was a most active worker; but; being somewhat of an irascible temper; the builders occasionally amused themselves at his expense; for while he was eagerly at work with his large iron…shod pestle in the mortar…tub; they often sent down contradictory orders; some crying; ‘Make it a little stiffer; or thicker; John;' while others called out to make it ‘thinner;' to which he generally returned very speedy and sharp replies; so that these conversations at times were rather amusing。

During wet weather the situation of the artificers on the top of the building was extremely disagreeable; for although their work did not require great exertion; yet; as each man had his particular part to perform; either in working the crane or in laying the stones; it required the closest application and attention; not only on the part of Mr。 Peter Logan; the foreman; who was constantly on the walls; but also of the chief workmen。  Robert Selkirk; the principal builder; for example; had every stone to lay in its place。  David Cumming; a mason; had the charge of working the tackle of the balance…weight; and James Scott; also a mason; took charge of the purchase with which the stones were laid; while the pointing the joints of the walls with cement was intrusted to William Reid and William Kennedy; who stood upon a scaffold suspended over the walls in rather a frightful manner。  The least act of carelessness or inattention on the part of any of these men might have been fatal; not only to themselves; but also to the surrounding workmen; especially if any accident had happened to the crane itself; while the material damage or loss of a single stone would have put an entire stop to the operations until another could have been brought from Arbroath。  The artificers; having wrought seven and a half hours of extra time to…day; had 3s。 9d。 of extra pay; while the foremen had 7s。 6d。 over and above their stated pay and board。  Although; therefore; the work was both hazardous and fatiguing; yet; the encouragement being considerable; they were always very cheerful; and perfectly reconciled to the confinement and other disadvantages of the place。

During fine weather; and while the nights were short; the duty on board of the floating light was literally nothing but a waiting on; and therefore one of her boats; with a crew of five men; daily attended the rock; but always returned to the vessel at night。  The carpenter; however; was one of those who was left on board of the ship; as he also acted in the capacity of assistant lightkeeper; being; besides; a person who was apt to feel discontent and to be averse to changing his quarters; especially to work with the millwrights and joiners at the rock; who often; for hours together; wrought knee…deep; and not unfrequently up to the middle; in water。 Mr。 Watt having about this time made a requisition for another hand; the carpenter was ordered to attend the rock in the floating light's boat。  This he did with great reluctance; and found so much fault that he soon got into discredit with his messmates。  On this occasion he left the Lighthouse service; and went as a sailor in a vessel bound for America … a step which; it is believed; he soon regretted; as; in the course of things; he would; in all probability; have accompanied Mr。 John Reid; the principal lightkeeper of the floating light; to the Bell Rock Lighthouse as his principal assistant。  The writer had a wish to be of service to this man; as he was one of those who came off to the floating light in the month of September 1807; while she was riding at single anchor after the severe gale of the 7th; at a time when it was hardly possible to make up this vessel's crew; but the crossness of his manner prevented his reaping the benefit of such intentions。

'Friday; 22nd June'

The building operations had for some time proceeded more slowly; from the higher parts of the lighthouse requiring much longer time than an equal tonnage of the lower courses。  The duty of the landing…master's crew had; upon the whole; been easy of late; for though the work was occasionally irregular; yet the stones being lighter; they were more speedily lifted from the hold of the stone vessel to the deck of the praam… boat; and again to the waggons on the railway; after which they came properly under the charge of the foreman builder。 It is; however; a strange; though not an uncommon; feature in the human character; that; when people have least to complain of; they are most apt to become dissatisfied; as was now the case with the seamen employed in the Bell Rock service about their rations of beer。  Indeed; ever since the carpenter of the floating light; formerly noticed; had been brought to the rock; expressions of discontent had been manifested upon various occasions。  This being represented to the writer; he sent for Captain Wilson; the landing…master; and Mr。 Taylor; commander of the tender; with whom he talked over the subject。 They stated that they considered the daily allowance of the seamen in every respect ample; and that; the work being now much lighter than formerly; they had no just ground for complaint; Mr。 Taylor adding that; if those who now complained ‘were even to be fed upon soft bread and turkeys; they would not think themselves right。'  At twelve noon the work of the landing…master's crew was completed for the day; but at four o'clock; while the rock was under water; those on the beacon were surprised by the arrival of a boat from the tender without any signal having been made from the beacon。  It brought the following note to the writer from the landing… master's crew:…


‘SIR JOSEPH BANKS TENDER。

‘SIR; … We are informed by our masters that our allowance is to be as before; and it is not sufficient to serve us; for we have been at work since four o'clock this morning; and we have come on board to dinner; and there is no beer for us before tomorrow morning; to which a sufficient answer is required before we go from the beacon; and we are; Sir; your most obedient servants。'


On reading this; the writer returned a verbal message; intimating that an answer would be sent on board of the tender; at the same time ordering the boat instantly to quit the beacon。  He then addressed the following note to the landing…master:…


‘BEACON…HOUSE; 22ND JUNE 1810; FIVE O'CLOCK P。M。

‘SIR; … I have just now received a letter purporting to be from the landing…master's crew and seamen on board of the SIR JOSEPH BANKS; though without either date or signature; in answer to which I enclose a statement of the daily allowance of provisions for the seamen in this service; which you will post up in the ship's galley; and at seven o'clock this evening I will come on board to inquire int

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