Leith loaded, but, the wind and weather being so unfavourable

for her getting down the Firth, she did not sail till this
afternoon. It may be here proper to notice that the loading

of the centre of the light-room floor, or last principal stone
of the building, did not fail, when put on board, to excite an

interest among those connected with the work. When the stone
was laid upon the cart to be conveyed to Leith, the seamen

fixed an ensign-staff and flag into the circular hole in the
centre of the stone, and decorated their own hats, and that of

James Craw, the Bell Rock carter, with ribbons; even his
faithful and trusty horse Brassey was ornamented with bows and

streamers of various colours. The masons also provided
themselves with new aprons, and in this manner the cart was

attended in its progress to the ship. When the cart came
opposite the Trinity House of Leith, the officer of that

corporation made his appearance dressed in his uniform, with
his staff of office; and when it reached the harbour, the

shipping in the different tiers where the SMEATON lay hoisted
their colours, manifesting by these trifling ceremonies the

interest with which the progress of this work was regarded by
the public, as ultimately tending to afford safety and

protection to the mariner. The wind had fortunately shifted
to the S.W., and about five o'clock this afternoon the SMEATON

reached the Bell Rock.
[Friday, 27th July]

The artificers had finished the laying of the balcony
course, excepting the centre-stone of the light-room floor,

which, like the centres of the other floors, could not be laid
in its place till after the removal of the foot and shaft of

the balance-crane. During the dinner-hour, when the men were
off work the writer generally took some exercise by walking

round the walls when the rock was under water; but to-day his
boundary was greatly enlarged, for, instead of the narrow wall

as a path, he felt no small degree of pleasure in walking
round the balcony and passing out and in at the space allotted

for the light-room door. In the labours of this day both the
artificers and seamen felt their work to be extremely easy

compared with what it had been for some days past.
[Sunday, 29th July]

Captain Wilson and his crew had made preparations for
landing the last stone, and, as may well be supposed, this was

a day of great interest at the Bell Rock. `That it might lose
none of its honours,' as he expressed himself, the HEDDERWICK

praam-boat, with which the first stone of the building had
been landed, was appointed also to carry the last. At seven

o'clock this evening the seamen hoisted three flags upon the
HEDDERWICK, when the colours of the DICKIE praam-boat, tender,

SMEATON, floating light, beacon-house, and lighthouse were
also displayed; and, the weather being remarkably fine, the

whole presented a very gay appearance, and, in connection with
the associations excited, the effect was very pleasing. The

praam which carried the stone was towed by the seamen in
gallant style to the rock, and, on its arrival, cheers were

given as a finale to the landing department.
[Monday, 30th July]

The ninetieth or last course of the building having been
laid to-day, which brought the masonry to the height of one

hundred and two feet six inches, the lintel of the light-room
door, being the finishing-stone of the exterior walls, was

laid with due formality by the writer, who, at the same time,
pronounced the following benediction: "May the Great Architect

of the Universe, under whose blessing this perilous work has
prospered, preserve it as a guide to the mariner."

[Friday, 3rd Aug.]
At three p.m., the necessary preparations having been

made, the artificers commenced the completing of the floors of
the several apartments, and at seven o'clock the centre-stone

of the light-room floor was laid, which may be held as
finishing the masonry of this important national edifice.

After going through the usual ceremonies observed by the
brotherhood on occasions of this kind, the writer, addressing

himself to the artificers and seamen who were present, briefly
alluded to the utility of the taking" target="_blank" title="n.任务；事业；计划">undertaking as a monument of the

wealth of British commerce, erected through the spirited
measures of the Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses by

means of the able assistance of those who now surrounded him.
He then took an opportunity of stating that toward those

connected with this arduous work he would ever retain the most
heartfelt regard in all their interests.

[Saturday, 4th Aug.]
When the bell was rung as usual on the beacon this

morning, every one seemed as if he were at a loss what to make
of himself. At this period the artificers at the rock

consisted of eighteen masons, two joiners, one millwright, one
smith, and one mortar-maker, besides Messrs. Peter Logan and

Francis Watt, foremen, counting in all twenty-five; and
matters were arranged for proceeding to Arbroath this

afternoon with all hands. The SIR JOSEPH BANKS tender had by
this time been afloat, with little intermission, for six

months, during greater part of which the artificers had been
almost constantly off at the rock, and were now much in want

of necessaries of almost every description. Not a few had
lost different articles of clothing, which had dropped into

the sea from the beacon and building. Some wanted jackets;
others, from want of hats, wore nightcaps; each was, in fact,

more or less curtailed in his wardrobe, and it must be
confessed that at best the party were but in a very tattered

condition. This morning was occupied in removing the
artificers and their bedding on board of the tender; and

although their personal luggage was easily shifted, the boats
had, nevertheless, many articles to remove from the beacon-

house, and were consequently employed in this service till
eleven a.m. All hands being collected and just ready to

embark, as the water had nearly overflowed the rock, the
writer, in taking leave, after alluding to the harmony which

had ever marked the conduct of those employed on the Bell
Rock, took occasion to compliment the great zeal, attention,

and abilities of Mr. Peter Logan and Mr. Francis Watt,
foremen; Captain James Wilson, landing-master; and Captain

David Taylor, commander of the tender, who, in their several
departments, had so faithfully discharged the duties assigned

to them, often under circumstances the most difficult and
trying. The health of these gentlemen was drunk with much

warmth of feeling by the artificers and seamen, who severally
expressed the satisfaction they had experienced in acting

under them; after which the whole party left the rock.
In sailing past the floating light mutualcompliments

were made by a display of flags between that vessel and the
tender; and at five p.m. the latter vessel entered the harbour

of Arbroath, where the party were heartily welcomed by a
numerous company of spectators, who had collected to see the

artificers arrive after so long an absence from the port. In
the evening the writer invited the foremen and captains of the

service, together with Mr. David Logan, clerk of works at
Arbroath, and Mr. Lachlan Kennedy, engineer's clerk and book-

keeper, and some of their friends, to the principal inn, where
the evening was spent very happily; and after `His Majesty's

Health' and `The Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses'
had been given, `Stability to the Bell Rock Lighthouse' was