94 Account of the measures adopted for pulling down 
After the fire was extinguished, however, a new source of 
alarm arose, from the probable fall of the impending ruins. This 
danger extended, in a greater or less degree, over the whole range 
of the conflagration. But it was most imminent in two cases, 
and in^mediate steps were necessary to prevent them falling in 
the wrong direction. These ruins were, the southern gable-end 
of the highest house in Edinburgh, situated at the south-eastern 
angle of the Parliament Square, — and the back wall of the ad- 
joining house, on the eastern side of the square. Both of these 
enormous piles towered far above the houses of the Cowgate and 
the Old Fish. Market Close, so as to threaten them with imme- 
diate destruction. 
Captain Head of the Royal Engineers, was ordered by the 
Commander in Chief to devise some method for taking down 
these ruins, without injury to the neighbouring houses. 
The two masses to be destroyed were differently circumstanced. 
The great gable, Plate IV. (A), was a tall and comparatively 
narrow pile, capable of being pulled down by main force. The 
breadth of this gable was 34 feet, and its height about 130 feet. 
The other (B), was more than twice as broad as the gable, and 
was strongly supported by a considerable portion of another wall 
near the middle, running at right angles to it, so as to form 
a compact buttress, which effectually offered an obstacle to pul- 
ling it down in every direction, but that of the houses behind. 
Captain Head determined to pass a chain-cable over the great 
gable, in such a manner, that, by the application of a powerful 
purchase to one end of the cable, he should draw the upper part 
of the ruin towards the square, while, by a judicious adjust- 
ment and tightening of the other end, he should prevent the 
centre and lower part of the building from bulging outwards, to 
the inevitable destruction of the houses below. This idea was 
very skilfully put in execution, in the following manner, by Cap- 
tain Hope of his Majesty’s ship Brisk, who, with his officers and 
crew, co-operated with Captain Head in the most admirable way, 
during the whole of these operations. 
It is impossible to speak in terms of sufficient admiration of 
the gallantry with which the officers and seamen climbed about 
the ruins, and exposed themselves to the most imminent danger, 
altogether indifferent to the probable consequences. 
Some of the seamen were sent to the top of the house adjoin- 
