lantern clean, and to watch four hours
alternately, for the purpose of snuffing and renewing the candles.
Each at the conclusion of his watch took care to call the other, and
see him on duty before he retired. The duties of the lighthouse did
not actually require more than two men for this service; but a painful
incident which occurred at the period we are referring to, caused a
change in this respect. One of the two light-keepers was taken
suddenly ill, and died; and the survivor had no means of making any
one acquainted with the circumstance. The signal, when anything was
wanted by the light-keepers, was to hoist a large flag upon a
flag-staff from the balcony rails, so as to be fully extended in the
wind, clear of the building. This flag-staff could be seen in moderate
weather from the heights about Ram-head; and that it might never be
hung out in vain, a reward of half a guinea was given to the first
person who brought tidings of the fact to the agent at Plymouth; and
this agent immediately sent out a boat, to land at the rock (if
possible), and ascertain what was wanted. The remaining light-keeper,
on this occasion, hoisted the accustomed signal, which was also
observed on shore; but so boisterous was the weather, that, for a long
time, it was impossible for a boat to approach within speaking
distance of the rocks. During this period, the living man found
himself in a most awful and distressing situation: he knew not how to
dispose of the corpse; for if he threw it into the waves, which was
his only means of getting rid of it, he feared that he might be
charged with the murder of his companion; and yet each day that it
remained, it was endangering his own life, by the extremely offensive
condition to which it was reduced. When, at last, the people from the
boat effected a landing, they found the whole building filled with the
most insufferable odour, and the dead body in such a state that it was
impossible to remove it to Plymouth for interment: they therefore
consigned it to the sea; but it was a long time before the rooms
could be purified or made healthful.

This circumstance induced the proprietors of the lighthouse to employ
a third man; so that, in case of a future accident of the same nature,
or the sickness of either, there might be constantly one to supply the
place. This regulation afforded a seasonable relief to the
light-keepers; for as soon as three were appointed to the service, a
rule was made that