the winds and the sprays of the sea. The boat having
succeeded in landing, she returned at eleven a.m. with the artificers,
who had got off with considerable difficulty, and who were heartily
welcomed by all on board.

Upon inquiry it appeared that three of the stones last laid upon the
building had been partially lifted from their beds by the force of the
sea, and were now held only by the trenails, and that the cast-iron
sheer-crane had again been thrown down and completely broken. With
regard to the beacon, the sea at high-water had lifted part of the
mortar gallery or lowest floor, and washed away all the lime-casks and
other movable articles from it; but the principal parts of this fabric
had sustained no damage. On pressing Messrs. Logan and Watt on the
situation of things in the course of the night, Mr. Logan emphatically
said; "That the beacon had an _ill-faured[15] twist_ when the sea broke
upon it at high-water, but that they were not very apprehensive of
danger." On inquiring as to how they spent the night, it appeared that
they had made shift to keep a small fire burning, and by means of some
old sails defended themselves pretty well from the sea sprays.

It was particularly mentioned that by the exertions of James Glen, one
of the joiners, a number of articles were saved from being washed off
the mortar gallery. Glen was also very useful in keeping up the spirits
of the forlorn party. In the early part of life he had undergone many
curious adventures at sea, which he now recounted somewhat after the
manner of the tales of the "Arabian Nights." When one observed that the
beacon was a most comfortless lodging, Glen would presently introduce
some of his exploits and hardships, in comparison with which the state
of things at the beacon bore an aspect of comfort and happiness. Looking
to their slender stock of provisions, and their perilous and uncertain
chance of speedy relief, he would launch out into an account of one of
his expeditions in the North Sea, when the vessel, being much disabled
in a storm, was driven before the wind with the loss of almost all their
provisions; and the ship being much infested with rats, the crew hunted
these vermin with great eagerness to help their scanty allowance. By
such means Glen had the address to make his companions, in some measure,
satisfied, or at least passive, with regard to their miserable prospects
upon this half-tide rock in the middle of the ocean. This incident