[Monday, 7th Sept.]
This morning, about eight o'clock, the writer was

agreeably surprised to see the scuttle of his cabin sky-light
removed, and the bright rays of the sun admitted. Although

the ship continued to roll excessively, and the sea was still
running very high, yet the ordinary business on board seemed

to be going forward on deck. It was impossible to steady a
telescope, so as to look minutely at the progress of the waves

and trace their breach upon the Bell Rock; but the height to
which the cross-running waves rose in sprays when they met

each other was truly grand, and the continued roar and noise
of the sea was very perceptible to the ear. To estimate the

height of the sprays at forty or fifty feet would surely be
within the mark. Those of the workmen who were not much

afflicted with sea-sickness, came upon deck, and the wetness
below being dried up, the cabins were again brought into a

habitable state. Every one seemed to meet as if after a long
absence, congratulating his neighbour upon the return of good

weather. Little could be said as to the comfort of the
vessel, but after riding out such a gale, no one felt the

least doubt or hesitation as to the safety and good condition
of her moorings. The master and mate were extremely anxious,

however, to heave in the hempen cable, and see the state of
the clinch or iron ring of the chain-cable. But the vessel

rolled at such a rate that the seamen could not possibly keep
their feet at the windlass nor work the hand-spikes, though it

had been several times attempted since the gale took off.
About twelve noon, however, the vessel's motion was

observed to be considerably less, and the sailors were enabled
to walk upon deck with some degree of freedom. But, to the

astonishment of every one, it was soon discovered that the
floating light was adrift! The windlass was instantly" target="_blank" title="ad.立即，立刻">instantly manned,

and the men soon gave out that there was no strain upon the
cable. The mizzen sail, which was bent for the occasional

purpose of making the vessel ride more easily to the tide, was
immediately set, and the other sails were also hoisted in a

short time, when, in no small consternation, we bore away
about one mile to the south-westward of the former station,

and there let go the best bower anchor and cable in twenty
fathoms water, to ride until the swell of the sea should fall,

when it might be practicable to grapple for the moorings, and
find a better anchorage for the ship.

[Tuesday, 15th Sept.]
This morning, at five a.m., the bell rung as a signal for

landing upon the rock, a sound which, after a lapse of ten
days, it is believed was welcomed by every one on board.

There being a heavy breach of sea at the eastern creek, we
landed, though not without difficulty, on the western side,

every one seeming more eager than another to get upon the
rock; and never did hungry men sit down to a hearty meal with

more appetite than the artificers began to pick the dulse from
the rocks. This marine plant had the effect of reviving the

sickly, and seemed to be no less relished by those who were
more hardy.

While the water was ebbing, and the men were roaming in
quest of their favourite morsel, the writer was examining the

effects of the storm upon the forge and loose apparatus left
upon the rock. Six large blocks of granite which had been

landed, by way of experiment, on the 1st instant, were now
removed from their places and, by the force of the sea, thrown

over a rising ledge into a hole at the distance of twelve or
fifteen paces from the place on which they had been landed.

This was a pretty good evidence both of the violence of the
storm and the agitation of the sea upon the rock. The safety

of the smith's forge was always an object of essential regard.
The ash-pan of the hearth or fireplace, with its weighty cast-

iron back, had been washed from their places of supposed
security; the chains of attachment had been broken, and these

ponderous articles were found at a very considerable distance
in a hole on the western side of the rock; while the tools and

picks of the Aberdeen masons were scattered about in every
direction. It is, however, remarkable that not a single

article was ultimately lost.
This being the night on which the floating light was

advertised to be lighted, it was accordingly exhibited, to the
great joy of every one.

[Wednesday, 16th Sept.]
The writer was made happy to-day by the return of the

Lighthouse yacht from a voyage to the Northern Lighthouses.
Having immediately removed on board of this fine vessel of

eighty-one tons register, the artificers gladly followed; for,
though they found themselves more pinched for accommodation on

board of the yacht, and still more so in the SMEATON, yet they
greatly preferred either of these to the PHAROS, or floating

light, on account of her rolling motion, though in all
respects fitted up for their conveniency.

The writer called them to the quarter-deck and informed
them that, having been one mouth afloat, in terms of their

agreement they were now at liberty to return to the workyard
at Arbroath if they preferred this to continuing at the Bell

Rock. But they replied that, in the prospect of soon getting
the beacon erected upon the rock, and having made a change

from the floating light, they were now perfectly reconciled to
their situation, and would remain afloat till the end of the

working season.
[Thursday, 17th Sept.]

The wind was at N.E. this morning, and though they were
only light airs, yet there was a pretty heavy swell coming

ashore upon the rock. The boats landed at half-past seven
o'clock a.m., at the creek on the southern side of the rock,

marked Port Hamilton. But as one of the boats was in the act
of entering this creek, the seaman at the bow-oar, who had

just entered the service, having inadvertently expressed some
fear from a heavy sea which came rolling towards the boat, and

one of the artificers having at the same time looked round and
missed a stroke with his oar, such a preponderance was thus

given to the rowers upon the opposite side that when the wave
struck the boat it threw her upon a ledge of shelving rocks,

where the water left her, and she having KANTED to seaward,
the next wave completely filled her with water. After making

considerable efforts the boat was again got afloat in the
proper track of the creek, so that we landed without any other

accident than a complete ducking. There being no possibility
of getting a shift of clothes, the artificers began with all

speed to work, so as to bring themselves into heat, while the
writer and his assistants kept as much as possible in motion.

Having remained more than an hour upon the rock, the boats
left it at half-past nine; and, after getting on board, the

writer recommended to the artificers, as the best mode of
getting into a state of comfort, to strip off their wet

clothes and go to bed for an hour or two. No further
inconveniency was felt, and no one seemed to complain of the

affection called `catching cold.'
[Friday, 18th Sept.]

An important occurrence connected with the operations of
this season was the arrival of the SMEATON at four p.m.,