advancement, as the men were now landed in the
morning, and remained throughout the day. But, as a sudden change of
weather might have prevented their being taken off at the proper time of
tide, a quantity of bread and water was always kept on the beacon.

During this period of working at the beacon all the day, and often a
great part of the night, the writer was much on board of the tender;
but, while the masons could work on the rock, and frequently also while
it was covered by the tide, he remained on the beacon; especially during
the night, as he made a point of being on the rock to the latest hour,
and was generally the last person who stepped into the boat. He had laid
this down as part of his plan of procedure; and in this way had
acquired, in the course of the first season, a pretty complete knowledge
and experience of what could actually be done at the Bell Rock, under
all circumstances of the weather. By this means also his assistants, and
the artificers and mariners, got into a systematic habit of proceeding
at the commencement of the work, which, it is believed, continued
throughout the whole of the operations.

Sunday, 4th Oct.

The external part of the beacon was now finished, with its supports and
bracing-chains, and whatever else was considered necessary for its
stability, in so far as the season would permit; and although much was
still wanting to complete this fabric, yet it was in such a state that
it could be left without much fear of the consequences of a storm. The
painting of the upper part was nearly finished this afternoon and the
_Smeaton_ had brought off a quantity of brushwood and other articles,
for the purpose of heating or charring the lower part of the principal
beams, before being laid over with successive coats of boiling pitch, to
the height of from eight to twelve feet, or as high as the rise of
spring-tides. A small flagstaff having also been erected to-day, a flag
was displayed for the first time from the beacon, by which its
perspective effect was greatly improved. On this, as on all like
occasions at the Bell Rock, three hearty cheers were given; and the
steward served out a dram of rum to all hands, while the Lighthouse
yacht, _Smeaton_, and floating light, hoisted their colours in
compliment to the erection.

Monday, 5th Oct.

In the afternoon, and just as the tide's work was over, Mr. John Rennie,
engineer, accompanied by his son Mr. George, on their way to the harbour