174- THE SEA. 



-period in which the rocks were uncovered or imexposed to the fury of the waves, some 

 progress was made with the excavations for the foundations. The dangerous nature of 

 the employment may bo illustrated by the following brief account of an accident which 

 happened to the workmen on the 2nd of September, before the excavation for the first 

 course of stones had been completed. An additional number of masons had that morning 

 come off from Arbroath in the tender named the Smeaton, in honour of the engineer of the 

 Eddystone, and had landed them safely on the rock. The vessel rode off at some distance. 

 The wind rising, the men began to be uneasy as to the security of the Smeatou's cables, 

 and a party went off in a boat to examine whether she was secure, but before they could reach 

 the vessel's side they found she had already gone adrift, leaving the greater part of the men 

 upon the reef in the face of a rising tide. 



By the time the Sweatou's crew had got her mainsail set, and made a tack towards 

 their companions, she had drifted about three miles to leeward, with both wind and tide 

 against her, and it was clear that she could not possibly make the rock until long after it 

 had been completely covered. There were thirty-two men in all on the rock, provided 

 with but two boats, capable of carrying only twenty-four persons in fine weather. 

 Mr. Stevenson seems to have behaved with great coolness and presence of mind ; though 

 he afterwards confessed that of the two feelings of hope and despair the latter largely 

 predominated. Fully persuaded of the perils of the situation, he kept his fears to himself, 

 arid allowed the men to continue their occupations of boring and. excavating. 



" After working for about three hours, the water began to rise along the lower parts 

 of the foundations, and the men were compelled to desist. The forge-fire became ex- 

 tinguished; the smith ceased from hammering at the anvil, and the masons from hewing 

 and boring; and when they took up their tools to depart, and looked around, their 

 vessel was not to be seen, and the third of their boats had gone after the Sweaton, 

 which was drifting away in the distance ! Not a word was uttered, but the danger 

 of their position was comprehended by all. They looked towards their master in silence ; 

 but the anxiety which had been growing in his mind for some time had now become so 

 intense that he was speechless. When he attempted to speak, he was so parched that his 

 tongue refused utterance. Turning to one of the pools on the rock, he lapped a little 

 water, which gave him relief, though it was salt; but what was his happiness when, on 

 raising his head, some one called out, ' A boat ! a boat ! ' and sure enough a large boat was 

 seen through the surge making for them. She proved to be the Bell Rock pilot-boat, which 

 had come off from Arbroath with letters, and her timely arrival doubtless saved the lives 

 of the greater part of the workmen. They were all taken off and landed in safety, though 

 completely drenched and exhausted." 



Rennie, accompanied by one of his sons, visited the rock on the 5th of October, 1807, 

 the day before the works were suspended for the winter. They came off from Arbroath, 

 and stayed on board the lighthouse-yacht all night, where Stevenson met him, and has 

 recorded the delightful conversations held on general and professional matters. On the 

 following morning Rennie landed, amidst great eclat and a display of all the available 

 colours, to inspect the progress made. The whole party, workmen and all, returned to shore 

 for the season that dav. 



