for seven days statedly to the former
mode of allowing a day for each tide's work on Sunday, as they did not
like the appearance of working for double or even treble wages on
Sunday, and would rather have it understood that their work on that day
arose more from the urgency of the case than with a view to emolument.
This having been judged creditable to their religious feelings, and
readily adjusted to their wish, the boats proceeded to the rock, and the
work commenced at nine a.m.

Monday, 30th May.

Mr. Francis Watt commenced, with five joiners, to fit up a temporary
platform upon the beacon, about twenty-five feet above the highest part
of the rock. This platform was to be used as the site of the smith's
forge, after the beacon should be fitted up as a barrack; and here also
the mortar was to be mixed and prepared for the building, and it was
accordingly termed the Mortar Gallery.

The landing-master's crew completed the discharging from the _Smeaton_
of her cargo of the cast-iron rails and timber. It must not here be
omitted to notice that the _Smeaton_ took in ballast from the Bell Rock,
consisting of the shivers or chips of stone produced by the workmen in
preparing the site of the building, which were now accumulating in great
quantities on the rock. These the boats loaded, after discharging the
iron. The object in carrying off these chips, besides ballasting the
vessel, was to get them permanently out of the way, as they were apt to
shift about from place to place with every gale of wind; and it often
required a considerable time to clear the foundation a second time of
this rubbish. The circumstance of ballasting a ship at the Bell Rock
afforded great entertainment, especially to the sailors; and it was
perhaps with truth remarked that the _Smeaton_ was the first vessel that
had ever taken on board ballast at the Bell Rock. Mr. Pool, the
commander of this vessel, afterwards acquainted the writer that, when
the ballast was landed upon the quay at Leith, many persons carried away
specimens of it, as part of a cargo from the Bell Rock; when he added,
that such was the interest excited, from the number of specimens carried
away, that some of his friends suggested that he should have sent the
whole to the Cross of Edinburgh, where each piece might have sold for a
penny.

Tuesday, 31st May.

In the evening the boats went to the rock, and brought the joiners and
smiths, and their sickly companions, on board