ined to the house; for if the
unfortunate guest took refuge in the garden, and unwittingly entered
the summer-house by the side of the canal, immediately he was sent out
afloat to the middle of the water, and could not possibly make his
escape without the intervention of the manager. These tricks were
apparently played for mere amusement; but Mr. Winstanley at one time
turned his mechanical contrivances to account, by establishing an
exhibition at Hyde-Park Corner, called 'Winstanley's Water-Works,' the
price of admission being one shilling each person.

Unimportant as these particulars may appear, they serve to mark the
turn of mind of the first engineer of the Eddystone, and to account in
some degree for the whimsical nature of the buildings erected by him.

From Winstanley's own narrative, we find that he began his lighthouse
in 1696, and that it took more than four years in building, both on
account of the greatness of the work, and the difficulty and danger
of getting backwards and forwards to the place. Though nothing was
attempted except in the summer season, yet even then, the weather at
times would prove so unfavourable that for ten or fourteen days
together, owing to the ground-swell from the main ocean, the sea would
be raging about these rocks, while calm elsewhere, and fly up more
than two hundred feet, burying all the works, and making it impossible
for the engineer to approach.

The first summer was spent in making twelve holes in the rock, and
fastening twelve large irons to hold the work that was to be done
afterwards. It appears that Winstanley and his party made single
journies every time from Plymouth, and had not any store-ship lying at
moorings as a place of constant retreat. This was a great oversight,
and unnecessarily retarded his work. Many journies were taken in vain,
when no landing could be effected, and during the work the hours of
labour were needlessly curtailed by preparations for the safety of the
materials during their absence, and also for their own departure.

The second summer was employed in making a solid round pillar, twelve
feet high and fourteen in diameter. This was an important step: the
workmen had now some small shelter, and something to hold by. The
season also proved rather more favourable than the preceding; but the
labour of conveying materials, and making them secure, or returning
them to the boats every night when they left work, was very great.

During the third