less curtailed in his
wardrobe, and it must be confessed that at best the party were but in a
very tattered condition. This morning was occupied in removing the
artificers and their bedding on board of the tender; and, although their
personal luggage was easily shifted, the boats had, nevertheless, many
articles to remove from the beacon-house, and were consequently employed
in this service till eleven a.m. All hands being collected, and just
ready to embark, as the water had nearly overflowed the rock, the
writer, in taking leave, after alluding to the harmony which had ever
marked the conduct of those employed on the Bell Rock, took occasion to
compliment the great zeal, attention, and abilities of Mr. Peter Logan
and Mr. Francis Watt, foremen; Captain James Wilson, landing-master; and
Captain David Taylor, commander of the tender, who, in their several
departments, had so faithfully discharged the duties assigned to them,
often under circumstances the most difficult and trying. The health of
these gentlemen was drunk with much warmth of feeling by the artificers
and seamen, who severally expressed the satisfaction they had
experienced in acting under them; after which the whole party left the
rock.
In sailing past the floating light, mutual compliments were made by a
display of flags between that vessel and the tender; and at five p.m.
the latter vessel entered the harbour of Arbroath, where the party were
heartily welcomed by a numerous company of spectators, who had collected
to see the artificers arrive after so long an absence from the port. In
the evening the writer invited the foremen and captains of the service,
together with Mr. David Logan, clerk of works at Arbroath, and Mr.
Lachlan Kennedy, engineer's clerk and bookkeeper, and some of their
friends, to the principal inn, where the evening was spent very happily;
and after "His Majesty's Health" and "The Commissioners of the Northern
Lighthouses" had been given, "Stability to the Bell Rock Lighthouse" was
hailed as a standing toast in the Lighthouse service.
Sunday, 5th Aug.
The author has formerly noticed the uniformly decent and orderly
deportment of the artificers who were employed at the Bell Rock
Lighthouse, and to-day, it is believed, they very generally attended
church, no doubt with grateful hearts for the narrow escapes from
personal danger which all of them had more or less experienced during
their residence at the rock.
Tuesday, 14t
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