height and three feet in diameter at the middle, tapering to

both ends, being what seamen term a NUN-BUOY, vaulted or
sprung up with such force that it upset the boat, which

instantly filled with water. Mr. Macurich, with much
exertion, succeeded in getting hold of the boat's gunwale,

still above the surface of the water, and by this means was
saved; but the young man Scott was unfortunately drowned. He

had in all probability been struck about the head by the ring
of the buoy, for although surrounded with the oars and the

thwarts of the boat which floated near him, yet he seemed
entirely to want the power of availing himself of such

assistance, and appeared to be quite insensible, while Pool,
the master of the SMEATON, called loudly to him; and before

assistance could be got from the tender, he was carried away
by the strength of the current and disappeared.

The young man Scott was a great favourite in the service,
having had something uncommonly mild and complaisant in his

manner; and his loss was thereforeuniversally regretted. The
circumstances of his case were also peculiarly distressing to

his mother, as her husband, who was a seaman, had for three
years past been confined to a French prison, and the deceased

was the chief support of the family. In order in some measure
to make up the loss to the poor woman for the monthly aliment

regularly allowed her by her late son, it was suggested that a
younger boy, a brother of the deceased, might be taken into

the service. This appeared to be rather a delicate
proposition, but it was left to the landing-master to arrange

according to circumstances; such was the resignation, and at
the same time the spirit, of the poor woman, that she readily

accepted the proposal, and in a few days the younger Scott was
actually afloat in the place of his brother. On representing

this distressing case to the Board, the Commissioners were
pleased to grant an annuity of 5 pounds to Scott's mother.

The SMEATON, not having been made fast to the buoy, had,
with the ebb-tide, drifted to leeward a considerable way

eastward of the rock, and could not, till the return of the
flood-tide, be worked up to her moorings, so that the present

tide was lost, notwithstanding all exertions which had been
made both ashore and afloat with this cargo. The artificers

landed at six a.m.; but, as no materials could be got upon the
rock this morning, they were employed in boring trenail holes

and in various other operations, and after four hours' work
they returned on board the tender. When the SMEATON got up to

her moorings, the landing-master's crew immediately began to
unload her. There being too much wind for towing the praams

in the usual way, they were warped to the rock in the most
laborious manner by their windlasses, with successive

grapplings and hawsers laid out for this purpose. At six p.m.
the artificers landed, and continued at work till half-past

ten, when the remaining seventeen stones were laid which
completed the third entire course, or fourth of the

lighthouse, with which the building operations were closed for
the season.

III - OPERATIONS OF 1809
[Wednesday, 24th May]

The last night was the first that the writer, had passed
in his old quarters on board of the floating light for about

twelve months, when the weather was so fine and the sea so
smooth that even here he felt but little or no motion,

excepting at the turn of the tide, when the vessel gets into
what the seamen term the TROUGH OF THE SEA. At six a.m. Mr.

Watt, who conducted the operations of the railways and beacon-
house, had landed with nine artificers. At half-past one p.m.

Mr. Peter Logan had also landed with fifteen masons, and
immediately proceeded to set up the crane. The sheer-crane or

apparatus for lifting the stones out of the praam-boats at the
eastern creek had been already erected, and the railways now

formed about two-thirds of an entire circle round the
building: some progress had likewise been made with the reach

towards the westernlanding-place. The floors being laid, the
beacon now assumed the appearance of a habitation. The

SMEATON was at her moorings, with the FERNIE praam-boat
astern, for which she was laying down moorings, and the tender

being also at her station, the Bell Rock had again put on its
former busy aspect.

[Wednesday, 31st May]
The landing-master's bell, often no very favourite sound,

rung at six this morning; but on this occasion, it is
believed, it was gladly received by all on board, as the

welcome signal of the return of better weather. The masons
laid thirteen stones to-day, which the seamen had landed,

together with other building materials. During these twenty-
four hours the wind was from the south, blowing fresh breezes,

accompanied with showers of snow. In the morning the snow
showers were so thick that it was with difficulty the landing-

master, who always steered the leading boat, could make his
way to the rock through the drift. But at the Bell Rock

neither snow nor rain, nor fog nor wind, retarded the progress
of the work, if unaccompanied by a heavy swell or breach of

the sea.
The weather during the months of April and May had been

uncommonly boisterous, and so cold that the thermometer seldom
exceeded 40 degrees, while the barometer was generally about

29.50. We had not only hail and sleet, but the snow on the
last day of May lay on the decks and rigging of the ship to

the depth of about three inches; and, although now entering
upon the month of June, the length of the day was the chief

indication of summer. Yet such is the effect of habit, and
such was the expertness of the landing-master's crew, that,

even in this description of weather, seldom a tide's work was
lost. Such was the ardour and zeal of the heads of the

several departments at the rock, including Mr. Peter Logan,
foremanbuilder, Mr. Francis Watt, foreman millwright, and

Captain Wilson, landing-master, that it was on no occasion
necessary to address them, excepting in the way of precaution

or restraint. Under these circumstances, however, the writer
not unfrequently felt considerableanxiety, of which this

day's experience will afford an example.
[Thursday, 1st June]

This morning, at a quarter-past eight, the artificers
were landed as usual, and, after three hours and three-

quarters' work, five stones were laid, the greater part of
this tide having been taken up in completing the boring and

trenailing of the stones formerly laid. At noon the writer,
with the seamen and artificers, proceeded to the tender,

leaving on the beacon the joiners, and several of those who
were troubled with sea-sickness - among whom was Mr. Logan,

who remained with Mr. Watt - counting altogether eleven
persons. During the first and middle parts of these twenty-

four hours the wind was from the east, blowing what the seamen
term `fresh breezes'; but in the afternoon it shifted to

E.N.E., accompanied with so heavy a swell of sea that the
SMEATON and tender struck their topmasts, launched in their