workmen became much more cautious, and on some occasions their
timidity was rather troublesome. It fortunately happened,

however, that along with the writer's assistants and the
sailors there were also some of the artificers themselves who

felt no such scruples, and in this way these difficulties were
the more easily surmounted. In matters where life is in

danger it becomes necessary to treat even unfounded prejudices
with tenderness, as an accident, under certain circumstances,

would not only have been particularly painful to those giving
directions, but have proved highly detrimental to the work,

especially in the early stages of its advancement.
At four o'clock fifty-eight persons landed; but the tides

being extremelylanguid, the water only left the higher parts
of the rock, and no work could be done at the site of the

building. A third forge was, however, put in operation during
a short time, for the greater conveniency of sharpening the

picks and irons, and for purposes connected with the
preparations for fixing the railways on the rock. The weather

towards the evening became thick and foggy, and there was
hardly a breath of wind to ruffle the surface of the water.

Had it not, therefore, been for the noise from the anvils of
the smiths who had been left on the beacon throughout the day,

which afforded a guide for the boats, a landing could not have
been attempted this evening, especially with such a company of

artificers. This circumstance confirmed the writer's opinion
with regard to the propriety of connecting large bells to be

rung with machinery in the lighthouse, to be tolled day and
night during the continuance of foggy weather.

[Thursday, 23rd June]
The boats landed this evening, when the artificers had

again two hours' work. The weather still continuing very
thick and foggy, more difficulty was experienced in getting on

board of the vessels to-night than had occurred on any
previous occasion, owing to a light breeze of wind which

carried the sound of the bell, and the other signals made on
board of the vessels, away from the rock. Having fortunately

made out the position of the sloop SMEATON at the N.E. buoy -
to which we were much assisted by the barking of the ship's

dog, - we parted with the SMEATON'S boat, when the boats of
the tender took a fresh departure for that vessel, which lay

about half a mile to the south-westward. Yet such is the very
deceiving state of the tides, that, although there was a small

binnacle and compass in the landing-master's boat, we had,
nevertheless, passed the SIR JOSEPH a good way, when,

fortunately, one of the sailors catched the sound of a
blowing-horn. The only fire-arms on board were a pair of

swivels of one-inch calibre; but it is quite surprising how
much the sound is lost in foggy weather, as the report was

heard but at a very short distance. The sound from the
explosion of gunpowder is so instantaneous that the effect of

the small guns was not so good as either the blowing of a horn
or the tolling of a bell, which afforded a more constant and

steady direction for the pilot.
[Wednesday, 6th July]

Landed on the rock with the three boats belonging to the
tender at five p.m., and began immediately to bale the water

out of the foundation-pit with a number of buckets, while the
pumps were also kept in action with relays of artificers and

seamen. The work commenced upon the higher parts of the
foundation as the water left them, but it was now pretty

generally reduced to a level. About twenty men could be
conveniently employed at each pump, and it is quite

astonishing in how short a time so great a body of water could
be drawn off. The water in the foundation-pit at this time

measured about two feet in depth, on an area of forty-two feet
in diameter, and yet it was drawn off in the course of about

half an hour. After this the artificers commenced with their
picks and continued at work for two hours and a half, some of

the sailors being at the same time busily employed in clearing
the foundation of chips and in conveying the irons to and from

the smiths on the beacon, where they were sharped. At eight
o'clock the sea broke in upon us and overflowed the

foundation-pit, when the boats returned to the tender.
[Thursday, 7th July]

The landing-master's bell rung this morning about four
o'clock, and at half-past five, the foundation being cleared,

the work commenced on the site of the building. But from the
moment of landing, the squad of joiners and millwrights was at

work upon the higher parts of the rock in laying the railways,
while the anvils of the smith resounded on the beacon, and

such columns of smoke ascended from the forges that they were
often mistaken by strangers at a distance for a ship on fire.

After continuing three hours at work the foundation of the
building was again overflowed, and the boats returned to the

ship at half-past eight o'clock. the masons and pickmen had,
at this period, a pretty long day on board of the tender, but

the smiths and joiners were kept constantly at work upon the
beacon, the stability and great conveniency of which had now

been so fully shown that no doubt remained as to the propriety
of fitting it up as a barrack. The workmen were accordingly

employed, during the period of high-water, in making
preparations for this purpose.

The foundation-pit now assumed the appearance of a great
platform, and the late tides had been so favourable that it

became apparent that the first course, consisting of a few
irregular and detached stones for making up certain

inequalities in the interior parts of the site of the
building, might be laid in the course of the present spring-

tides. Having been enabled to-day to get the dimensions of
the foundation, or first stone, accurately taken, a mould was

made of its figure, when the writer left the rock, after the
tide's work of this morning, in a fast rowing-boat for

Arbroath; and, upon landing, two men were immediately set to
work upon one of the blocks from Mylnefield quarry, which was

prepared in the course of the following day, as the stone-
cutters relieved each other, and worked both night and day, so

that it was sent off in one of the stone-lighters without
delay.

[Saturday, 9th July]
The site of the foundation-stone was very difficult to

work, from its depth in the rock; but being now nearly
prepared, it formed a very agreeable kind of pastime at high-

water for all hands to land the stone itself upon the rock.
The landing-master's crew and artificers accordingly entered

with great spirit into this operation. The stone was placed
upon the deck of the HEDDERWICK praam-boat, which had just

been brought from Leith, and was decorated with colours for
the occasion. Flags were also displayed from the shipping in

the offing, and upon the beacon. Here the writer took his
station with the greater part of the artificers, who supported

themselves in every possible position while the boats towed
the praam from her moorings and brought her immediately over

the site of the building, where her grappling anchors were let
go. The stone was then lifted off the deck by a tacklehooked