ence 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 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,