n-pit now assumed the appearance of a great platform, and
the late tides had been so favourable that it became apparent that the
first course, consisting of a few irregular and detached stones for
making up certain inequalities in the interior parts of the site of the
building, might be laid in the course of the present spring-tides.
Having been enabled to-day to get the dimensions of the foundation, or
first stone, accurately taken, a mould was made of its figure, when the
writer left the rock, after the tide's work of this morning, in a fast
rowing-boat for Arbroath; and, upon landing, two men were immediately
set to work upon one of the blocks from Mylnefield quarry, which was
prepared in the course of the following day, as the stone-cutters
relieved each other, and worked both night and day, so that it was sent
off in one of the stone-lighters without delay.

Saturday, 9th July.

The site of the foundation-stone was very difficult to work, from its
depth in the rock; but being now nearly prepared, it formed a very
agreeable kind of pastime at high-water for all hands to land the stone
itself upon the rock. The landing-master's crew and artificers
accordingly entered with great spirit into this operation. The stone was
placed upon the deck of the _Hedderwick_ praam-boat, which had just been
brought from Leith, and was decorated with colours for the occasion.
Flags were also displayed from the shipping in the offing, and upon the
beacon. Here the writer took his station with the greater part of the
artificers, who supported themselves in every possible position while
the boats towed the praam from her moorings and brought her immediately
over the site of the building, where her grappling anchors were let go.
The stone was then lifted off the deck by a tackle hooked into a Lewis
bat inserted into it, when it was gently lowered into the water and
grounded on the site of the building, amidst the cheering acclamations
of about sixty persons.

Sunday, 10th July.

At eleven o'clock the foundation-stone was laid to hand. It was of a
square form, containing about twenty cubic feet, and had the figures,
or date, of 1808 simply cut upon it with a chisel. A derrick, or spar of
timber, having been erected at the edge of the hole and guyed with
ropes, the stone was then hooked to the tackle and lowered into its
place, when the writer, attended by his assistants--Mr. Peter Logan, Mr.
Francis Watt, and Mr. James Wilson,--app