h Aug.

The _Smeaton_ sailed to-day at one p.m., having on board sixteen
artificers, with Mr. Peter Logan, together with a supply of provisions
and necessaries, who left the harbour pleased and happy to find
themselves once more afloat in the Bell Rock service. At seven o'clock
the tender was made fast to her moorings, when the artificers landed on
the rock and took possession of their old quarters in the beacon-house,
with feelings very different from those of 1807, when the works
commenced.

The barometer for some days past had been falling from 29.90, and to-day
it was 29.50, with the wind at N.E., which, in the course of this day,
increased to a strong gale accompanied with a sea which broke with great
violence upon the rock. At twelve noon the tender rode very heavily at
her moorings, when her chain broke at about ten fathoms from the ship's
bows. The kedge-anchor was immediately let go, to hold her till the
floating buoy and broken chain should be got on board. But while this
was in operation the hawser of the kedge was chafed through on the rocky
bottom and parted, when the vessel was again adrift. Most fortunately,
however, she cast off with her head from the rock, and narrowly cleared
it, when she sailed up the Firth of Forth to wait the return of better
weather. The artificers were thus left upon the rock with so heavy a sea
running that it was ascertained to have risen to the height of eighty
feet on the building. Under such perilous circumstances it would be
difficult to describe the feelings of those who, at this time, were
cooped up in the beacon in so forlorn a situation, with the sea not only
raging under them, but occasionally falling from a great height upon the
roof of their temporary lodging, without even the attending vessel in
view to afford the least gleam of hope in the event of any accident. It
is true that they had now the masonry of the lighthouse to resort to,
which, no doubt, lessened the actual danger of their situation; but the
building was still without a roof, and the deadlights, or
storm-shutters, not being yet fitted, the windows of the lower story
were stove in and broken, and at high-water the sea ran in considerable
quantities out at the entrance door.

Thursday, 16th Aug.

The gale continues with unabated violence to-day, and the sprays rise to
a still greater height, having been carried over the masonry the
building, or about ninety feet above the level of the sea. At four