NOTES ON THE NATURAL HISTORY OF THE BELL ROCK. 29 



and the mallet, and pronounced the following benediction : 

 " May the Great Architect of the Universe complete and bless 

 this building," on which three hearty cheers were given and 

 success to the future operations was drunk with the greatest 

 enthusiasm. Another interesting feature of that period was 

 the existence of the "Pressgang," which, owing to our war 

 with the Northern Powers, was considered necessary. Centres 

 were established at Dundee, Aberdeen, and Arbroath, and 

 were the means of rendering the Lighthouse operations popular 

 with seamen, as they stood protected from impressment while 

 in that employment. Prior to this there was a tendency 

 among seamen to shun the works on account of the hazardous 

 nature of the undertaking. As the impress officers were 

 exceedingly active in their duty, it was found necessary to 

 furnish each seaman engaged in the operations at the Rock 

 with a "ticket," descriptive of his person, to which was 

 attached a silver medal, emblematical of the Lighthouse 

 Service. On one side of the medal was a figure of the Bell 

 Rock Lighthouse, and on the other the word " Medal," 

 referring to the Admiralty protection, and a description of the 

 person by the engineer. One of these medals is at present in 

 possession of an Arbroath gentleman, and is said to be the 

 only one in existence. The following is a copy of one of the 

 "tickets," taken from " Stevenson's Bell Rock Lighthouse " : 



BELL ROCK WORKTABD, 

 Arbroath, 31st March 1808. 



"John Pratt, seaman, in the service of the Honourable the 

 Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses, aged 35 years, 5 feet 8 

 inches high, black complexion, and slightly marked with the 

 smallpox." 



(Signed) ROBERT STEVENSON, 

 Engineer for Northern Lighthouses. 



Obverse. 



"The Bearer, John Pratt, is serving on board of the 'Sir Joseph 

 Banks ' tender and craft, employed at the erection of the Bell Rock 

 Lighthouse." 



The signature of the Master of the tender. 



(Signed) DAVID TAYLOR. 

 The signature of the bearer (Signed) JOHN PRATT. 



