the further end was
connected with the upper course of the building by means of two Lewis
bats which were lifted from course to course as the work advanced. In
the same manner a rope furnished with a travelling pulley was distended
for the purpose of transporting the mortar-buckets, and other light
articles between the beacon and the building, which also proved a great
conveniency to the work. At this period the rope-ladder and tackle for
the mortar had a descent from the beacon to the building; by and by they
were on a level, and towards the end of the season, when the solid part
had attained its full height, the ascent was from the mortar gallery to
the building.

Friday, 30th June.

The artificers landed on the rock this morning at a quarter-past six,
and remained at work five hours. The cooking apparatus being now in full
operation, all hands had breakfast on the beacon at the usual hour, and
remained there throughout the day. The crane upon the building had to be
raised to-day from the eighth to the ninth course, an operation which
now required all the strength that could be mustered for working the
guy-tackles; for as the top of the crane was at this time about
thirty-five feet above the rock, it became much more unmanageable. While
the beam was in the act of swinging round from one guy to another, a
great strain was suddenly brought upon the opposite tackle, with the end
of which the artificers had very improperly neglected to take a turn
round some stationary object, which would have given them the complete
command of the tackle. Owing to this simple omission, the crane got a
preponderancy to one side, and fell upon the building with a terrible
crash. The surrounding artificers immediately flew in every direction to
get out of its way; but Michael Wishart, the principal builder, having
unluckily stumbled upon one of the uncut trenails, fell upon his back.
His body fortunately got between the movable beam and the upright shaft
of the crane, and was thus saved; but his feet got entangled with the
wheels of the crane and were severely injured. Wishart, being a robust
young man, endured his misfortune with wonderful firmness; he was laid
upon one of the narrow framed beds of the beacon and despatched in a
boat to the tender, where the writer was when this accident happened,
not a little alarmed on missing the crane from the top of the building,
and at the same time seeing a boat rowing towards the vessel with gr