ertained on
the subject that, on having previously received the appeal from the
collector at Montrose, the case had been submitted to the consideration
of the Lords of the Treasury, whose decision was now waited for.

In this state of things the writer felt particularly desirous to get the
thirteenth course finished, that the building might be in a more secure
state in the event of bad weather. An opportunity was therefore embraced
on the 25th, in sailing with provisions for the floating light, to carry
the necessary stones to the rock for this purpose, which were landed and
built on the 26th and 27th. But so closely was the watch kept up that a
Custom-house officer was always placed on board of the _Smeaton_ and
_Patriot_ while they were afloat, till the embargo was especially
removed from the lighthouse vessels. The artificers at the Bell Rock had
been reduced to fifteen, who were regularly supplied with provisions,
along with the crew of the floating light, mainly through the port
officer's liberal interpretation of his orders.

Tuesday, 1st Aug.

There being a considerable swell and breach of sea upon the rock
yesterday, the stones could not be got landed till the day following,
when the wind shifted to the southward and the weather improved. But
to-day no less than seventy-eight blocks of stone were landed, of which
forty were built, which completed the fourteenth and part of the
fifteenth courses. The number of workmen now resident in the
beacon-house were augmented to twenty-four, including the
landing-master's crew from the tender and the boat's crew from the
floating light, who assisted at landing the stones. Those daily at work
upon the rock at this period amounted to forty-six. A cabin had been
laid out for the writer on the beacon, but his apartment had been the
last which was finished, and he had not yet taken possession of it; for
though he generally spent the greater part of the day, at this time,
upon the rock, yet he always slept on board of the tender.

Friday, 11th Aug.

The wind was at S.E. on the 11th, and there was so very heavy a swell of
sea upon the rock that no boat could approach it.

Saturday, 12th Aug.

The gale still continuing from the S.E., the sea broke with great
violence both upon the building and the beacon. The former being
twenty-three feet in height, the upper part of the crane erected on it
having been lifted from course to course as the building advanced, was
now a