202 VEGETABLE SUBSTANCES. 



(father of the late eminent engineer of that name,) 

 who then had the charoe of it. From this time till 

 the year 1755, Rudyerd's light-house sustained no 

 particular injury ; but in that year it was totally de- 

 stroyed, by a catastrophe which caniiot be so well ex- 

 pressed as in the words of the celebrated Smeaton, 

 the engineer of the stone light-house. The present 

 erection, considering the ditterence of the materials, 

 may be considered as a parallel chef-d'oeuvre with 

 that of Rudyerd. 



" On the 22d of August, 1755," says Smeaton, 

 " the workmen returned on shore, having finished all 

 necessary repairs of that season; between which time 

 and the 2d of December following, the attending 

 boat had been off several times to the Eddystone, 

 and particularly on the 1st of December, and had 

 landed some stores, when the light-keepers made no 

 manner of complaint, and said all was right, except 

 that one or two of the bricks in the kitchen fire-place 

 had been loosened by a late storm. What in reality 

 might occasion the building's first catching fire, it 

 has never been possible fully to investigate ; but, from 

 the most distinct accomit, it appears to have com- 

 menced in the very top of the lantern, that is, in the 

 cupola. From whatever cause it originated, it is 

 certain that when the light-keeper then upon the 

 watch, (about two o'clock in the morning of the 2d 

 of December,) went into the lantern as usual, to 

 snuff the candles, he found the whole in a smoke, 

 and upon opening the door of the lantern into the 

 balcony, a flame instantly burst from the inside of 

 the cupola : he immediately endeavoured to alarm 

 his companions ; but they, being in bed and asleep, 

 were not so ready in coming to his assistance as the 

 occasion required. As there Avere always some 

 leathern buckets kept in the house, and a tub of 

 water in the lantern, he attempted as speedily as pos- 



