records of a family of engineers- 第18部分

＇Wednesday；　2nd　Sept。＇

The　floating　light's　bell　rung　this　morning　at　half…past　four　o'clock；　as　a　signal　for　the　boats　to　be　got　ready；　and　the　landing　took　place　at　half…past　five。　　In　passing　the　SMEATON　at　her　moorings　near　the　rock；　her　boat　followed　with　eight　additional　artificers　who　had　come　from　Arbroath　with　her　at　last　trip；　but　there　being　no　room　for　them　in　the　floating　light's　boats；　they　had　continued　on　board。　　The　weather　did　not　look　very　promising　in　the　morning；　the　wind　blowing　pretty　fresh　from　W。S。W。：　and　had　it　not　been　that　the　writer　calculated　upon　having　a　vessel　so　much　at　command；　in　all　probability　he　would　not　have　ventured　to　land。　　The　SMEATON　rode　at　what　sailors　call　a　SALVAGEE；　with　a　cross…　head　made　fast　to　the　floating　buoy。　　This　kind　of　attachment　was　found　to　be　more　convenient　than　the　mode　of　passing　the　hawser　through　the　ring　of　the　buoy　when　the　vessel　was　to　be　made　fast。　　She　had　then　only　to　be　steered　very　close　to　the　buoy；　when　the　salvagee　was　laid　hold　of　with　a　boat…hook；　and　the　BITE　of　the　hawser　thrown　over　the　cross…head。　　But　the　salvagee；　by　this　method；　was　always　left　at　the　buoy；　and　was；　of　course；　more　liable　to　chafe　and　wear　than　a　hawser　passed　through　the　ring；　which　could　be　wattled　with　canvas；　and　shifted　at　pleasure。　　The　salvagee　and　cross　method　is；　however；　much　practised；　but　the　experience　of　this　morning　showed　it　to　be　very　unsuitable　for　vessels　riding　in　an　exposed　situation　for　any　length　of　time。

Soon　after　the　artificers　landed　they　commenced　work；　but　the　wind　coming　to　blow　hard；　the　SMEATON'S　boat　and　crew；　who　had　brought　their　complement　of　eight　men　to　the　rock；　went　off　to　examine　her　riding　ropes；　and　see　that　they　were　in　proper　order。　　The　boat　had　no　sooner　reached　the　vessel　than　she　went　adrift；　carrying　the　boat　along　with　her。　　By　the　time　that　she　was　got　round　to　make　a　tack　towards　the　rock；　she　had　drifted　at　least　three　miles　to　leeward；　with　the　praam…boat　astern；　and；　having　both　the　wind　and　a　tide　against　her；　the　writer　perceived；　with　no　little　anxiety；　that　she　could　not　possibly　return　to　the　rock　till　long　after　its　being　overflowed；　for；　owing　to　the　anomaly　of　the　tides　formerly　noticed；　the　Bell　Rock　is　completely　under　water　when　the　ebb　abates　to　the　offing。

In　this　perilous　predicament；　indeed；　he　found　himself　placed　between　hope　and　despair　…　but　certainly　the　latter　was　by　much　the　most　predominant　feeling　of　his　mind　…　situate　upon　a　sunken　rock　in　the　middle　of　the　ocean；　which；　in　the　progress　of　the　flood…tide；　was　to　be　laid　under　water　to　the　depth　of　at　least　twelve　feet　in　a　stormy　sea。　　There　were　this　morning　thirty…two　persons　in　all　upon　the　rock；　with　only　two　boats；　whose　complement；　even　in　good　weather；　did　not　exceed　twenty…four　sitters；　but　to　row　to　the　floating　light　with　so　much　wind；　and　in　so　heavy　a　sea；　a　complement　of　eight　men　for　each　boat　was　as　much　as　could；　with　propriety；　be　attempted；　so　that；　in　this　way；　about　one…half　of　our　number　was　unprovided　for。　　Under　these　circumstances；　had　the　writer　ventured　to　despatch　one　of　the　boats　in　expectation　of　either　working　the　SMEATON　sooner　up　towards　the　rock；　or　in　hopes　of　getting　her　boat　brought　to　our　assistance；　this　must　have　given　an　immediate　alarm　to　the　artificers；　each　of　whom　would　have　insisted　upon　taking　to　his　own　boat；　and　leaving　the　eight　artificers　belonging　to　the　SMEATON　to　their　chance。　　Of　course　a　scuffle　might　have　ensued；　and　it　is　hard　to　say；　in　the　ardour　of　men　contending　for　life；　where　it　might　have　ended。　　It　has　even　been　hinted　to　the　writer　that　a　party　of　the　PICKMEN　were　determined　to　keep　exclusively　to　their　own　boat　against　all　hazards。

The　unfortunate　circumstance　of　the　SMEATON　and　her　boat　having　drifted　was；　for　a　considerable　time；　only　known　to　the　writer　and　to　the　landing…master；　who　removed　to　the　farther　point　of　the　rock；　where　he　kept　his　eye　steadily　upon　the　progress　of　the　vessel。　　While　the　artificers　were　at　work；　chiefly　in　sitting　or　kneeling　postures；　excavating　the　rock；　or　boring　with　the　jumpers；　and　while　their　numerous　hammers；　with　the　sound　of　the　smith's　anvil；　continued；　the　situation　of　things　did　not　appear　so　awful。　　In　this　state　of　suspense；　with　almost　certain　destruction　at　hand；　the　water　began　to　rise　upon　those　who　were　at　work　on　the　lower　parts　of　the　sites　of　the　beacon　and　lighthouse。　　From　the　run　of　sea　upon　the　rock；　the　forge　fire　was　also　sooner　extinguished　this　morning　than　usual；　and　the　volumes　of　smoke　having　ceased；　objects　in　every　direction　became　visible　from　all　parts　of　the　rock。　　After　having　had　about　three　‘hours'　work；　the　men　began；　pretty　generally；　to　make　towards　their　respective　boats　for　their　jackets　and　stockings；　when；　to　their　astonishment；　instead　of　three；　they　found　only　two　boats；　the　third　being　adrift　with　the　SMEATON。　　Not　a　word　was　uttered　by　any　one；　but　all　appeared　to　be　silently　calculating　their　numbers；　and　looking　to　each　other　with　evident　marks　of　perplexity　depicted　in　their　countenances。　　The　landing…　master；　conceiving　that　blame　might　be　attached　to　him　for　allowing　the　boat　to　leave　the　rock；　still　kept　at　a　distance。　At　this　critical　moment　the　author　was　standing　upon　an　elevated　part　of　Smith's　Ledge；　where　he　endeavoured　to　mark　the　progress　of　the　SMEATON；　not　a　little　surprised　that　her　crew　did　not　cut　the　praam　adrift；　which　greatly　retarded　her　way；　and　amazed　that　some　effort　was　not　making　to　bring　at　least　the　boat；　and　attempt　our　relief。　　The　workmen　looked　steadfastly　upon　the　writer；　and　turned　occasionally　towards　the　vessel；　still　far　to　leeward。　（1）　　All　this　passed　in　the　most　perfect　silence；　and　the　melancholy　solemnity　of　the　group　made　an　impression　never　to　be　effaced　from　his　mind。

（1）　‘Nothing　was　said；　but　I　was　LOOKED　OUT　OF　COUNTENANCE；'　he　says　in　a　letter。

The　writer　had　all　along　been　considering　of　various　schemes　…　providing　the　men　could　be　kept　under　command　…　which　might　be　put　in　practice　for　the　general　safety；　in　hopes　that　the　SMEATON　might　be　able　to　pick　up　the　boats　to　leeward；　when　they　were　obliged　to　leave　the　rock。　　He　was；　accordingly；　about　to　address　the　artificers　on　the　perilous　nature　of　their　circumstances；　and　to　propose　that　all　hands　should　unstrip　their　upper　clothing　when　the　higher　parts　of　the　rock　were　laid　under　water；　that　the　seamen　should　remove　every　unnecessary　weight　and　encumbrance　from　the　boats；　that　a　specified　number　of　men　should　go　into　each　boat；　and　that　the　remainder　should　hang　by　the　gunwales；　while　the　boats　were　to　be　rowed　gently　towards　the　SMEATON；　as　the　course　to　the　PHAROS；　or　floating　light；　lay　rather　to　windward　of　the　rock。　　But　when　he　attempted　to　speak　his　mouth　was　so　parched　that　his　tongue　refused　utterance；　and　he　now　learned　by　experience　that　the　saliva　is　as　necessary　as　the　tongue　itself　for　speech。　　He　turned　to　one　of　the　pools　on　the　rock　and　lapped　a　little　water；　which　produced　immediate　relief。　But　what　was　his　happiness；　when　on　rising　from　this　unpleasant　beverage；　some　one　called　out；　‘A　boat！　a　boat！'　and；　on　looking　around；　at　no　great　distance；　a　large　boat　was　seen　through　the　haze　making　towards　the　rock。　　This　at　once　enlivened　and　rejoiced　every　heart。　　The　timeous　visitor　proved　to　be　James　Spink；　the　Bell　Rock　pilot；　who　had　come　express　from　Arbroath　with　letters。　　Spink　had　for　some　time　seen　the　SMEATON；　and　had　even　supposed；　from　the　state　of　the　weather；　that　all　hands　were　on　board　of　her　till　he　approached　more　nearly　and　observed　people　upon　the　rock；　but　not　supposing　that　the　assistance　of　his　boat　was　necessary　to　carry　the　artificers　off　the　rock；　he　anchored　on　the　lee…side　and　began　to　fish；　waiting；　as　usual；　till　the　letters　were　sent　for；　as　the　pilot…boat　was　too　large　and　unwieldy　for　approaching　the　rock　when　there　was　any　roughness　or　run　of　the　sea　at　the　entrance　of　the　landing　creeks。

Upon　this　fortunate　change　of　circumstances；　sixteen　of　the　artificers　were　sent；　at　two　trips；　in　one　of　the　boats；　with　instructions　for　Spink　to　proceed　with　them　to　the　floating　light。　　This　being　accomplished；　the　remaining　sixteen　followed　in　the　two　boats　belonging　to　the　service　of　the　rock。　　Every　one　felt　the　most　perfect　happiness　at　leaving　the　Bell　Rock　this　morning；　though　a　very　hard　and　even　dangerous　passage　to　the　floating　light　still　awaited　us；　as　the　wind　by　this　time　had　increased　to　a　pretty　hard　gale；　accompanied　with　a　considerable　swell　of　sea。　　Every　one　was　as　completely　drenched　in　water　as　if　he　had　been　dragged　astern　of　the　boats。　　The　writer；　in　particular；　being　at　the　helm；　found；　on　getting　on　board；　that　his　face　and　ears　were　completely　coated　with　a　thin　film　of　salt　from　the　sea　spray；　which　broke　constantly　over　the　bows　of　the　boat。　　After　much　baling　of　water　and　severe　work　at　the　oars；　the　three　boats　reached　the　floating　light；　where　some　new　difficulties　occurred　in　getting　on　board　in　safety；　owing　partly　to　the　exhausted　state　of　the　men；　and　partly　to　the　violent　rolling　of　the　vessel。

As　the　tide　flowed；　it　was　expected　that　the　SMEATON　would　have　got　to　windward；　but；　seeing　that　all　was　safe；　after　tacking　for　several　hours　and　making　little　progress；　she　bore　away　for　Arbroath；　with　the　praam…boat。　　As　there　was　now　too　much　wind　for　the　pilot…boat　to　return　to　Arbroath；　she　was　made　fast　astern　of　the　floating　light；　and　the　crew　remained　on　board　till　next　day；　when　the　weather　moderated。　There　can　be　very　little　doubt　that　the　appearance　of　James　Spink　with　his　boat　on　this　critical　occasion　was　the　means　of　preventing　the　loss　of　lives　at　the　rock　this　morning。　　When　these　circumstances；　some　years　afterwards；　came　to　the　knowledge　of　the　Board；　a　small　pension　was　ordered　to　our　faithful　pilot；　then　in　his　seventieth　year；　and　he　still　continues　to　wear　the　uniform　clothes　and　badge　of　the　Lighthouse　service。　　Spink　is　a　remarkably　strong　man；　whose　TOUT　ENSEMBLE　is　highly　characteristic　of　a　North…country　fisherman。　　He　usually　dresses　in　a　PE…JACKET；　cut　after　a　particular　fashion；　and　wears　a　large；　flat；　blue　bonnet。　　A　striking　likeness　of　Spink　in　his　pilot…dress；　with　the　badge　or　insi