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Records of a Family of Engineers-Part14_ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON(1850-1894)_English Literature(文学名著)-第2页

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quarts of small beer, with vegetables and salt - they got into



excellent spirits when free of sea-sickness. The rowing of

the boats against each other became a favourite amusement,



which was rather a fortunate circumstance, as it must have

been attended with much inconvenience had it been found



necessary to employ a sufficient number of sailors for this

purpose. The writer, therefore, encouraged the spirit of



emulation, and the speed of their respective boats became a

favourite topic. Premiums for boat-races were instituted,



which were contended for with great eagerness, and the

respective crews kept their stations in the boats with as much



precision as they kept their beds on board of the ship. With

these and other pastimes, when the weather was favourable, the



time passed away among the inmates of the forecastle and waist

of the ship. The writer looks back with interest upon the



hours of solitude which he spent in this lonely ship with his

small library.



This being the first Saturday that the artificers were

afloat, all hands were served with a glass of rum and water at



night, to drink the sailors' favourite toast of `Wives and

Sweethearts.' It was customary, upon these occasions, for the



seamen and artificers to collect in the galley, when the

musical instruments were put in requisition: for, according to



invariable practice, every man must play a tune, sing a song,

or tell a story.



[Sunday, 23rd Aug.]

Having, on the previous evening, arranged matters with



the landing-master as to the business of the day, the signal

was rung for all hands at half-past seven this morning. In



the early state of the spring-tides the artificers went to the

rock before breakfast, but as the tides fell later in the day,



it became necessary to take this meal before leaving the ship.

At eight o'clock all hands were assembled on the quarter-deck



for prayers, a solemnity which was gone through in as orderly

a manner as circumstances would admit. When the weather



permitted, the flags of the ship were hung up as an awning or

screen, forming the quarter-deck into a distinct compartment;



the pendant was also hoisted at the mainmast, and a large

ensign flag was displayed over the stern; and lastly, the



ship's companion, or top of the staircase, was covered with

the FLAG PROPER of the Lighthouse Service, on which the Bible



was laid. A particular toll of the bell called all hands to

the quarter-deck, when the writer read a chapter of the Bible,



and, the whole ship's company being uncovered, he also read

the impressive prayer composed by the Reverend Dr. Brunton,



one of the ministers of Edinburgh.

Upon concluding this service, which was attended with



becoming reverence and attention, all on board retired to

their respective berths to breakfast, and, at half-past nine,



the bell again rung for the artificers to take their stations

in their respective boats. Some demur having been evinced on



board about the propriety of working on Sunday, which had

hitherto been touched upon as delicately as possible, all



hands being called aft, the writer, from the quarter-deck,

stated generally the nature of the service, expressing his



hopes that every man would feel himself called upon to

consider the erection of a lighthouse on the Bell Rock, in



every point of view, as a work of necessity and mercy. He

knew that scruples had existed with some, and these had,



indeed, been fairly and candidly urged before leaving the

shore; but it was expected that, after having seen the



critical nature of the rock, and the necessity of the measure,

every man would now be satisfied of the propriety of embracing



all opportunities of landing on the rock when the state of the

weather would permit. The writer further took them to witness



that it did not proceed from want of respect for the

appointments and established forms of religion that he had



himself adopted the resolution of attending the Bell Rock

works on the Sunday; but, as he hoped, from a conviction that



it was his bounden duty, on the strictest principles of

morality. At the same time it was intimated that, if any were



of a different opinion, they should be perfectly at liberty to

hold their sentiments without the imputation of contumacy or



disobedience; the only difference would be in regard to the




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