ring his
companion, kept the body, placed in a coffin hanging under the floor of
the room, until he was relieved. In consequence of this event, three
keepers were always stationed at the lighthouse. The room was only just
of sufficient height for a man of ordinary stature to stand upright;
indeed, one of the keepers, measuring six feet, was unable to do so, and
had to bend his head, lest he should strike it against the beams.

Often, during even ordinary gales of wind, the whole structure was
completely covered by the water, so that when the waves rose the light
could not be seen. Having inspected the holes in which the towers
stood, we examined the cellar. It was cut out of the solid rock, and is
twenty feet long by eight wide, and four feet deep, and has a covering
of granite eight inches thick, the entrance being by two gun-metal
doors, or rather man-holes, perfectly impervious to water when closed;
it was formed to hold the tools and stores of the labourers. The rock
itself is twelve feet above the level of the sea at high-water, and the
lantern of the old lighthouse stood seventy feet above the water.

For eighty years this curious pigeon-hole of a dwelling-house towered in
mid air, surrounded by the furious waves which dashed wildly against it,
until at length the Trinity Corporation, who had purchased it from the
heirs of the original possessor, resolved on building a stone
lighthouse, similar to that of the Eddystone; and Mr James Douglas was
entrusted with its construction. The first stone was laid in 1857; and
the light on the new tower was exhibited on the 1st of August, 1861, the
old structure being immediately afterwards removed.

We made our way to the new lighthouse, which is of granite. Twenty-nine
feet above high-water mark, it is of solid masonry; in the next eighteen
feet there is a well-staircase seven feet in diameter, all the courses
being secured in the most perfect manner. Having climbed up by thirteen
gun-metal steps, wedged into the solid granite, we reached the entrance
port. As may be supposed, we had to stretch our legs to get up to it.
We ascended the staircase by twenty-eight steps to a room containing
three iron water-tanks, holding a thousand gallons, with a coal-cellar
below it. Here a crane is fixed for hoisting in stores. Seventeen more
steps led us to the oil room. The arched granite floors are composed of
twelve radiating blocks of granite, dovetailed to a centre stone