d　by　three　cheers　from　the　workmen。　　Everything　was　now　in　a　prepared　state　for　leaving　the　rock；　and　giving　up　the　works　afloat　for　this　season；　excepting　some　small　articles；　which　would　still　occupy　the　smiths　and　joiners　for　a　few　days　longer。　　They　accordingly　shifted　on　board　of　the　SMEATON；　while　the　yacht　left　the　rock　for　Arbroath；　with　Messrs。　Rennie；　the　writer；　and　the　remainder　of　the　artificers。　　But；　before　taking　leave；　the　steward　served　out　a　farewell　glass；　when　three　hearty　cheers　were　given；　and　an　earnest　wish　expressed　that　everything；　in　the　spring　of　1808；　might　be　found　in　the　same　state　of　good　order　as　it　was　now　about　to　be　left。
  II　…　OPERATIONS　OF　1808
  ＇Monday；　29th　Feb。＇
  The　writer　sailed　from　Arbroath　at　one　a。m。　in　the　Lighthouse　yacht。　　At　seven　the　floating　light　was　hailed；　and　all　on　board　found　to　be　well。　　The　crew　were　observed　to　have　a　very　healthy…like　appearance；　and　looked　better　than　at　the　close　of　the　works　upon　the　rock。　　They　seemed　only　to　regret　one　thing；　which　was　the　secession　of　their　cook；　Thomas　Elliot　…　not　on　account　of　his　professional　skill；　but　for　his　facetious　and　curious　manner。　　Elliot　had　something　peculiar　in　his　history；　and　was　reported　by　his　comrades　to　have　seen　better　days。　　He　was；　however；　happy　with　his　situation　on　board　of　the　floating　light；　and；　having　a　taste　for　music；　dancing；　and　acting　plays；　he　contributed　much　to　the　amusement　of　the　ship's　company　in　their　dreary　abode　during　the　winter　months。　　He　had　also　recommended　himself　to　their　notice　as　a　good　shipkeeper；　for　as　it　did　not　answer　Elliot　to　go　often　ashore；　he　had　always　given　up　his　turn　of　leave　to　his　neighbours。　　At　his　own　desire　he　was　at　length　paid　off；　when　he　had　a　considerable　balance　of　wages　to　receive；　which　he　said　would　be　sufficient　to　carry　him　to　the　West　Indies；　and　he　accordingly　took　leave　of　the　Lighthouse　service。
  ＇Tuesday；　1st　March＇
  At　daybreak　the　Lighthouse　yacht；　attended　by　a　boat　from　the　floating　light；　again　stood　towards　the　Bell　Rock。　　The　weather　felt　extremely　cold　this　morning；　the　thermometer　being　at　34　degrees；　with　the　wind　at　east；　accompanied　by　occasional　showers　of　snow；　and　the　marine　barometer　indicated　29。80。　　At　half…past　seven　the　sea　ran　with　such　force　upon　the　rock　that　it　seemed　doubtful　if　a　landing　could　be　effected。　　At　half…past　eight；　when　it　was　fairly　above　water；　the　writer　took　his　place　in　the　floating　light's　boat　with　the　artificers；　while　the　yacht's　boat　followed；　according　to　the　general　rule　of　having　two　boats　afloat　in　landing　expeditions　of　this　kind；　that；　in　case　of　accident　to　one　boat；　the　other　might　assist。　　In　several　unsuccessful　attempts　the　boats　were　beat　back　by　the　breach　of　the　sea　upon　the　rock。　　On　the　eastern　side　it　separated　into　two　distinct　waves；　which　came　with　a　sweep　round　to　the　western　side；　where　they　met；　and　at　the　instance　of　their　confluence　the　water　rose　in　spray　to　a　considerable　height。　　Watching　what　the　sailors　term　a　SMOOTH；　we　caught　a　favourable　opportunity；　and　in　a　very　dexterous　manner　the　boats　were　rowed　between　the　two　seas；　and　made　a　favourable　landing　at　the　western　creek。
  At　the　latter　end　of　last　season；　as　was　formerly　noticed；　the　beacon　was　painted　white；　and　from　the　bleaching　of　the　weather　and　the　sprays　of　the　sea　the　upper　parts　were　kept　clean；　but　within　the　range　of　the　tide　the　principal　beams　were　observed　to　be　thickly　coated　with　a　green　stuff；　the　CONFERVA　of　botanists。　　Notwithstanding　the　intrusion　of　these　works；　which　had　formerly　banished　the　numerous　seals　that　played　about　the　rock；　they　were　now　seen　in　great　numbers；　having　been　in　an　almost　undisturbed　state　for　six　months。　　It　had　now　also；　for　the　first　time；　got　some　inhabitants　of　the　feathered　tribe：　in　particular　the　scarth　or　cormorant；　and　the　large　herring…gull；　had　made　the　beacon　a　resting…place；　from　its　vicinity　to　their　fishing…grounds。　About　a　dozen　of　these　birds　had　rested　upon　the　cross…beams；　which；　in　some　places；　were　coated　with　their　dung；　and　their　flight；　as　the　boats　approached；　was　a　very　unlooked…for　indication　of　life　and　habitation　on　the　Bell　Rock；　conveying　the　momentary　idea　of　the　conversion　of　this　fatal　rock；　from　being　a　terror　to　the　mariner；　into　a　residence　of　man　and　a　safeguard　to　shipping。
  Upon　narrowly　examining　the　great　iron　stanchions　with　which　the　beams　were　fixed　to　the　rock；　the　writer　had　the　satisfaction　of　finding　that　there　was　not　the　least　appearance　of　working　or　shifting　at　any　of　the　joints　or　places　of　connection；　and；　excepting　the　loosening　of　the　bracing…chains；　everything　was　found　in　the　same　entire　state　in　which　it　had　been　left　in　the　month　of　October。　　This；　in　the　estimation　of　the　writer；　was　a　matter　of　no　small　importance　to　the　future　success　of　the　work。　　He　from　that　moment　saw　the　practicability　and　propriety　of　fitting　up　the　beacon；　not　only　as　a　place　of　refuge　in　case　of　accident　to　the　boats　in　landing；　but　as　a　residence　for　the　artificers　during　the　working　months。
  While　upon　the　top　of　the　beacon　the　writer　was　reminded　by　the　landing…master　that　the　sea　was　running　high；　and　that　it　would　be　necessary　to　set　off　while　the　rock　afforded　anything　like　shelter　to　the　boats；　which　by　this　time　had　been　made　fast　by　a　long　line　to　the　beacon；　and　rode　with　much　agitation；　each　requiring　two　men　with　boat…hooks　to　keep　them　from　striking　each　other；　or　from　ranging　up　against　the　beacon。　　But　even　under　these　circumstances　the　greatest　confidence　was　felt　by　every　one；　from　the　security　afforded　by　this　temporary　erection。　　For；　supposing　the　wind　had　suddenly　increased　to　a　gale；　and　that　it　had　been　found　unadvisable　to　go　into　the　boats；　or；　supposing　they　had　drifted　or　sprung　a　leak　from　striking　upon　the　rocks；　in　any　of　these　possible　and　not　at　all　improbable　cases；　those　who　might　thus　have　been　left　upon　the　rock　had　now　something　to　lay　hold　of；　and；　though　occupying　this　dreary　habitation　of　the　sea…gull　and　the　cormorant；　affording　only　bread　and　water；　yet　LIFE；　would　be　preserved；　and　the　mind　would　still　be　supported　by　the　hope　of　being　ultimately　relieved。
  ＇Wednesday；　25th　May＇
  On　the　25th　of　May　the　writer　embarked　at　Arbroath；　on　board　of　the　SIR　JOSEPH　BANKS；　for　the　Bell　Rock；　accompanied　by　Mr。　Logan　senior；　foreman　builder；　with　twelve　masons　and　two　smiths；　together　with　thirteen　seamen；　including　the　master；　mate；　and　steward。
  ＇Thursday；　26th　May＇
  Mr。　James　Wilson；　now　commander　of　the　PHAROS；　floating　light；　and　landing…master；　in　the　room　of　Mr。　Sinclair；　who　had　left　the　service；　came　into　the　writer's　cabin　this　morning　at　six　o'clock；　and　intimated　that　there　was　a　good　appearance　of　landing　on　the　rock。　　Everything　being　arranged；　both　boats　proceeded　in　company；　and　at　eight　a。m。　they　reached　the　rock。　　The　lighthouse　colours　were　immediately　hoisted　upon　the　flagstaff　of　the　beacon；　a　compliment　which　was　duly　returned　by　the　tender　and　floating　light；　when　three　hearty　cheers　were　given；　and　a　glass　of　rum　was　served　out　to　all　hands　to　drink　success　to　the　operations　of　1808。
  ＇Friday；　27th　May＇
  This　morning　the　wind　was　at　east；　blowing　a　fresh　gale；　the　weather　being　hazy；　with　a　considerable　breach　of　sea　setting　in　upon　the　rock。　　The　morning　bell　was　therefore　rung；　in　some　doubt　as　to　the　practicability　of　making　a　landing。　　After　allowing　the　rock　to　get　fully　up；　or　to　be　sufficiently　left　by　the　tide；　that　the　boats　might　have　some　shelter　from　the　range　of　the　sea；　they　proceeded　at　8　a。m。；　and　upon　the　whole　made　a　pretty　good　landing；　and　after　two　hours　and　three…quarters'　work　returned　to　the　ship　in　safety。
  In　the　afternoon　the　wind　considerably　increased；　and；　as　a　pretty　heavy　sea　was　still　running；　the　tender　rode　very　hard；　when　Mr。　Taylor；　the　commander；　found　it　necessary　to　take　in　the　bowsprit；　and　strike　the　fore　and　main　topmasts；　that　she　might　ride　more　easily。　　After　consulting　about　the　state　of　the　weather；　it　was　resolved　to　leave　the　artificers　on　board　this　evening；　and　carry　only　the　smiths　to　the　rock；　as　the　sharpening　of　the　irons　was　rather　behind；　from　their　being　so　much　broken　and　blunted　by　the　hard　and　tough　nature　of　the　rock；　which　became　much　more　compact　and　hard　as　the　depth　of　excavation　was　increased。　　Besides　avoiding　the　risk　of　encumbering　the　boats　with　a　number　of　men　who　had　not　yet　got　the　full　command　of　the　oar　in　a　breach　of　sea；　the　writer　had　another　motive　for　leaving　them　behind。　　He　wanted　to　examine　the　site　of　the　building　without　interruption；　and　to　take　the　comparative　levels　of　the　different　inequalities　of　its　area；　and　as　it　would　have　been　painful　to　have　seen　men　standing　idle　upon　the　Bell　Rock；　where　all　moved　with　activity；　it　was　judged　better　to　leave　them　on　board。　　The　boats　landed　at　half…past　seven　p。m。；　and　the　landing…master；　with　the　seamen；　was　employed　during　this　tide　in　cutting　the　seaweeds　from　the　several　paths　leading　to　the　landing…places；　to　render　walking　more　safe；　for；　from　the　slippery　state　of　the　surface　of　the　rock；　many　severe　tumbles　had　taken　place。　In　the　meantime　the　writer　took　the　necessary　levels；　and　having　carefully　ex