tending over a circular area of forty-two feet
diameter, and of the average depth of two feet, could be drawn off in
half an hour. The men then proceeded, for about two hours and a half,
to level the foundation with their picks, some of the sailors being
employed in clearing away the chips, and conveying the iron tools to
and from the smiths on the beacon, where they were sharpened. When the
sea broke in and overflowed the pit, the party returned in boats to
the tender.

The appearance of the rock about this time is thus described: 'Its
surface was crowded with men, the two forges flaming, the one above
the other, upon the beacon, while the anvils thundered with the
rebounding noise of their wooden supports, and formed a curious
contrast with the clamour of the surges.' Sometimes, when the sea was
smooth, the beacon had the appearance of being afloat upon the water,
with a number of men supporting themselves in every variety of
attitude and position; while from the upper part of this wooden house,
such volumes of smoke ascended from the forges, that strangers at a
distance often mistook it for a ship on fire. When working by such
light at night, the rock presented a remarkable aspect to the distant
shipping, the numerous lights flitting about, apparently below the
surface of the water, having a curious and fanciful appearance. To the
workmen themselves, the effect of extinguishing the torches was
sometimes startling, and made the darkness of the night quite
horrible, while the sea would assume that phosphoric appearance so
familiar to the sailor, and dash upon the rock like so much liquid
fire.

As the work proceeded, the smiths were sometimes left on the beacon
throughout the day, and the noise of their anvils was an excellent
guide to the boats in foggy weather. This circumstance confirmed the
engineer, as to the propriety of erecting in the lighthouse large
bells, to be tolled by machinery day and night, during the continuance
of foggy weather, by which the mariner may be forewarned of too near
an approach to the rock.

The foundation pit having assumed the appearance of a large even
platform, and the tides being favourable, it was determined to lay
down the first course, which consisted of a few irregular and detached
stones for making up certain inequalities in the interior parts of the
site of the building. Having taken the dimensions of the first or
foundation stone, a model of its figure was made, and this w