at no other
place until we arrived at Caernarvon, at the entrance of the Menai
Straits, through which they intended to pass on our way to Liverpool.

We accordingly sailed early in the morning, and steered across for the
Smalls Lighthouse, to the westward of which they intended to keep before
standing up Saint George's Channel. Though we had a brisk breeze, it
took us nearly three hours after we passed Saint Ann's Lighthouse, the
distance being eighteen miles, to reach the Smalls rocks. Before the
lighthouse was erected many vessels were lost on them, or on others
between them and the coast of Wales. To the northward are the Tuskar
rocks, on the Irish coast, on which also stands a fine lighthouse; and
the two may be considered the guardian angels of the Channel. Those
keeping to the east can see the Smalls light, while those a short
distance off more to the west are in sight of the Tuskar light, which
revolves every two minutes.

The tides run with great fierceness between the Smalls and the mainland,
amid the dangerous reefs which extend out from the island of Skomer. As
it was nearly slack tide when we got up to the lighthouse, and as the
water was smooth, papa and Uncle Tom agreed to land. The yachts were
hove-to, the boats lowered, and we pulled in on the northern side, where
we had no difficulty in landing.

Two of the light-keepers, seeing us coming, descended to our
assistance,--for, as may be supposed, they are ever happy to receive
visitors, especially those bringing newspapers and periodicals. Before
ascending, our guides took us to the site of the old tower, and a
curious store-room, which was cut into the rock to serve as a
coal-cellar to the former edifice, of which one of them gave us an
interesting account.

Centuries had passed by, and numberless wrecks had occurred on the
Smalls and neighbouring rocks, when, about a hundred years ago, a ship
belonging to Liverpool was lost on them. She was commanded by a Captain
Phillips, who, with his crew, escaped; and from a feeling of gratitude
for his providential deliverance he determined that he would do his
utmost to get a lighthouse built on the rock. He shortly afterwards
became a shipowner and merchant in Liverpool; and, being successful in
business, he forthwith put his intention into execution. His first plan
was to fit long cast-iron pillars deep into the rock, and to place upon
them a circular room, as the habitation of the light-keepers, wi