CHAP. IV. SMHATON'S LIGHTHOUSE ON THE EDDY8TONE. 35 



process, and avoid the delay and loss of time involved 

 by frequent voyages between the Eddystone and the 

 shore, the Neptune buss was employed as a store- 

 vessel, and rode at anchor, at a convenient distance from 

 the rock, in about twenty fathoms water. But, as the 

 season advanced, it became more and more difficult to 

 carry on the operations. For many days together the 

 men could not land, and, even if they had been able to 

 do so, they must have been washed off the rock unless 

 lashed to it. At such times the provisions in the Nep- 

 tune occasionally ran short, no boat being able to come 

 off from Plymouth in consequence of the roughness of 

 the weather. Towards the end of October, the yawl 

 riding at the stern of the buss broke loose by stress of 

 weather, and was thus lost. Mr. Smeaton was most 

 anxious, however, to finish the boring of the foundation- 

 holes during that season, so as to commence getting 

 in the lower courses at the beginning of the next. 

 The men, therefore, still persevered when the weather 

 permitted, though sometimes they were only able to 

 labour for two hours out of the twenty-four. About the 

 end of November, the whole of the requisite cutting 

 in the rock had been accomplished without accident, 

 and the party prepared to return to the yard on shore, 

 and proceed with the dressing of the stones for the 

 work of the ensuing year. 



The voyage of the buss to port, however, proved a 

 very dangerous one, and the engineer and his men 

 narrowly escaped shipwreck. Not being able, in con- 

 sequence of the gale that was blowing, to make Ply- 

 mouth Harbour, the Neptune was steered for Fowey, 

 on the coast of Cornwall. The wind rose higher and 

 higher, until it blew quite a storm ; and in the night, 

 Mr. Smeaton, hearing a sudden alarm and clamour 

 amongst the 'crew overhead, ran upon deck in his shirt 

 to ascertain the cause. It was raining hard, and quite a 

 hurricane was raging. " It being very dark," he says, 



D 2 



