32 SMEATON'S LIGHTHOUSE ON THE EDDYSTONE, PART VI. 



fourth voyage, and although the vessel reached the rock, 

 the wind was blowing so fresh and the breakers were so 

 wild, that it was again found impossible to land. He 

 could only direct the boat to lie off and on, for the pur- 

 pose of watching the breaking of the sea and its action 

 upon the reef. A fifth trial, made after the lapse of a 

 week, proved no more successful. After rowing about 

 all day with the wind ahead, the party found themselves 

 at night about four miles from the Eddystone, near 

 which they anchored until morning ; but wind and rain 

 coming on, they were forced to return to harbour without 

 accomplishing their object. 



The sixth attempt was successful, and on the 22nd of 

 April, after the lapse of seventeen days, Mr. Smeaton 

 was able to effect his second landing at low water. After 

 a further inspection, the party retreated to their sloop 

 which lay off until the tide had fallen, when Smeaton 

 again landed, and the night being perfectly still, he says, 

 " I went on with my business till nine in the evening, 

 having worked an hour by candle-light." On the 23rd 

 he landed again and pursued his operations ; but this 

 time he was interrupted by the ground swell, which sent 

 the waves upon the reef, and, the wind rising, the sloop 

 was forced to put back to Plymouth. Mr. Smeaton had, 

 however, during this visit, secured some fifteen hours' 

 occupation on the rock, and taken dimensions of all its 

 parts, to enable him to construct an accurate model of 

 the foundation of the proposed building. He succeeded 

 in obtaining such measurements as he thought would 

 enable him to carry out his intention ; but to correct 

 the drawing, which he made to a scale, he deter- 

 mined upon attempting a seventh and final voyage of 

 inspection on the 28th of April. But again the sea was 

 found so turbulent, that a landing was impossible. 

 Another fortnight passed, the weather still continuing 

 unfavourable ; but meanwhile the engineer had been 

 maturing his design, and making all requisite prelimi- 



