the red
colour of the rock.

Friday, 10th June.

To-day the wind was at S.E., with light breezes and foggy weather. At
six a.m. the writer again embarked for the Bell Rock, when the vessel
immediately sailed. At eleven p.m., there being no wind, the
kedge-anchor was _let go_ off Anstruther, one of the numerous towns on
the coast of Fife, where we waited the return of the tide.

Saturday, 11th June.

At six a.m. the _Sir Joseph_ got under weigh, and at eleven was again
made fast to the southern buoy at the Bell Rock. Though it was now late
in the tide, the writer, being anxious to ascertain the state of things
after the gale, landed with the artificers to the number of forty-four.
Everything was found in an entire state; but, as the tide was nearly
gone, only half an hour's work had been got when the site of the
building was overflowed. In the evening the boats again landed at nine,
and, after a good tide's work of three hours with torchlight, the work
was left off at midnight. To the distant shipping the appearance of
things under night on the Bell Rock, when the work was going forward,
must have been very remarkable, especially to those who were strangers
to the operations. Mr. John Reid, principal lightkeeper, who also acted
as master of the floating light during the working months at the rock,
described the appearance of the numerous lights situated so low in the
water, when seen at the distance of two or three miles, as putting him
in mind of Milton's description of the fiends in the lower regions,
adding, "for it seems greatly to surpass Will-o'-the-wisp, or any of
those earthly spectres of which we have so often heard."

Monday 13th June.

From the difficulties attending the landing on the rock, owing to the
breach of sea which had for days past been around it, the artificers
showed some backwardness at getting into the boats this morning; but
after a little explanation this was got over. It was always observable
that for some time after anything like danger had occurred at the rock,
the workmen became much more cautious, and on some occasions their
timidity was rather troublesome. It fortunately happened, however, that
along with the writer's assistants and the sailors there were also some
of the artificers themselves who felt no such scruples, and in this way
these difficulties were the more easily surmounted. In matters where
life is in danger it becomes necessary to treat even unfounded
prejudice