CHAPTER EIGHT.
EXPERIENCES, DIFFICULTIES, AND DANGERS OF THE FIRST SEASON.
While the building of the new lighthouse was being thus calmly discussedon shore, out at the Eddystone the wild waves were lashing themselvesinto fierce fury, as if they had got wind of what was being done, andhad hurried from all ends of the sea to interdict proceedings. Inhurrying to the field of battle these wild waves indulged in a little oftheir favourite pastime. They caught up two unfortunate vessels--alarge West Indiaman and a man-of-war's tender--and bore themtriumphantly towards the fatal Rock. It seemed as though the wavesregarded these as representative vessels, and meant thus to cast theroyal and the merchant navies on the Eddystone, by way, as it were, ofthrowing down the gauntlet to presumptuous Man.
For want of the famous light the vessels bore straight down upon theRock, and the wild waves danced and laughed, and displayed their whiteteeth and their seething ire, as if in exultation at the thought of theshattered hulls and mangled corpses, which they hoped ere long to tossupon their crests.
Fortunately, Man was on the "look out!" The _Buss_ was tugging at hermoorings off the Rock, and some of the seamen and hands wereperambulating the deck, wishing for settled weather, and trying topierce the gloom by which they were surrounded. Suddenly the twovessels were seen approaching. The alarm was given. Those on board thedoomed ships saw their danger when too late, and tried to sheer off thefatal spot, but their efforts were fruitless. The exulting waveshurried them irresistibly on. In this extremity the Eddystone menleaped into their yawl, pushed off, and succeeded in towing both vesselsout of danger; at once demonstrating the courage of English hearts andthe need there was for English hands to complete the work on which theywere then engaged.
Next day Mr Smeaton came off to visit the Rock, and the news of therescue served him for a text on which to preach a lay-sermon as to theneed of every man exerting himself to the uttermost in a work which wasso obviously a matter of life and death. It was, however, scarcelynecessary to urge these men, for they were almost all willing. But notall; in nearly every flock there is a black sheep or so, that requiresweeding out. There were two such sheep among the builders of theEddystone. Being good at everything, Smeaton was a good weeder. Hesoon had them up by the roots and cast out. A foreman proved to bedisorderly, and tried to make the men promise, "that if he should bedischarged they would all follow him." Smeaton at once assembled themen and gave orders that such of them as had any dependence on, orattachment to, the refractory foreman, should take up his tools andfollow him. Only one did so--the rest stood firm.
At this time the weather was very unsettled, and the work progressedslowly. Once or twice it was still further retarded, by men who shouldhave known better, in the following manner:
One evening one of the lighthouse boats was boarded by a cutter, theofficer in charge of which proceeded to "impress" several of the meninto the navy.
"It's to be pressed we are," murmured Teddy Maroon to one of his mates,in a vexed tone, "sure the tater-heads might know we've got an Admiraltyprotection."
Whether the officer knew this or not, it was evident that he hadoverheard the remark, for, after selecting two of the best men, heturned, and, pointing to Maroon, said aloud:--
"Let that tater-head also jump on board. He's not worth much, but theservice is in want of powder-monkeys just now. Perhaps he'll do. Ifnot, I'll send him back."
Thus was the poor Irishman carried off with his two mates to fight thebattles of his country! In a few days, however, they were all sentback, and the indiscreet officer who had impressed them got a reprimandfor his pains. After the first season they had no further interruptionsfrom this source.
Large mainsails were given them for their boats, with a lighthousepainted on each, and every man obtained besides a silver medal ofexemption from impressment.
But this was only the commencement of poor Teddy's "throubles" at thattime. He had scarcely returned to his work when a new one overtook him.This was, however, in the way of business.
"Teddy, my fine fellow," said Richardson, the foreman, as they stood onthe deck of the _Buss_ holding on to the mizzen shrouds, "it's quiteclear to me that with the wind dead against them like this, the reliefboat with Hill's company won't be able to get off, and as we're short ofprovisions, I mean to take the big yawl and go ashore with my gang. Asthe best men are always chosen for posts of danger, I shall leave you incharge of the _Buss_ with two hands--Smart and Bowden;--both stanchfellows as you know."
"I'm your servant, sir," said Teddy, "only if the best men are wantedhere, hadn't you better stop yourself, an' I'll take the rest ashore?"
Richardson did not see his way to this, though he acknowledged thecompliment, and that evening Teddy found himself in command of thedespised _Buss_, with half a gale blowing, and, as he observed, "morewhere that came from."
Teddy was right, "more" did come, and kept him and his mates idleprisoners for a week. Indeed the whole of that month had been so stormythat from the 16th to the 30th only twenty hours' work had been done onthe Rock.
During six days the three men stuck to their post, but at the end ofthat time Teddy called a council of war.
"Gintlemen," said he, "(for men in our pursition must be purlite to sichother), it's our dooty to stick by this here tub so long's it's of anyuse to do so; but as she seems to be well able to look after herself,an' our purvisions has come down to the last ounce, it's my opinion--founded on profound meditations over me last pipe--that we'd better goashore."
To this speech John Bowden replied "I'm agreeable, for it's not my dootyto starve myself."
William Smart, however, intimated that he was "_dis_agreeable."
"Because," said he, "its blowin' great guns, an' looks as if it meant togo on, which is not a state of weather suitable for goin' over a dozenmiles of sea in a small open boat, without even a mast or a rag of sailto bless herself with."
"Pooh!" exclaimed Maroon, contemptuously; "a blanket'll make the best ofsails."
"Ay," added Bowden, "and an oar will do well enough for a mast--anyhowwe'll try, for most votes carry in all well-regulated meetin's."
This plan, although attended with considerable danger, was finallyagreed to, and forthwith acted on.
That afternoon the men on shore observed a very Robinson-Crusoe-likeboat coming in from the sea with an oar-mast and a blanket-sail, fromwhich landed "Captain" Teddy Maroon and his two mates. The sameevening, however, the wind moderated and shifted a little, so that therelief boat, with provisions and the gang of men whose turn it was to doduty in the store-ship, succeeded in getting off and reaching their_Buss_ in safety.
The weather became so bad soon after this that Smeaton thought it wiseto bring his operations for that season to a close. Accordingly, on the7th November, he visited the Rock, which had been cut into a regularfloor of successive terraces or steps, and was considerably larger incircumference than the foundation on which Rudyerd's building hadrested. On the 15th the _Buss_ sailed into Plymouth, the men having runout of provisions, and having been unable to do anything on the Rock.
A great storm raged on the 22nd. On the previous day Smeaton had goneoff in the _Buss_ to attach a buoy to the mooring chains for thatwinter. The task was laborious, and when it was completed they found itimpossible to return to Plymouth, owing to the miserable sailingqualities of their vessel. There was nothing for it but to cast looseand run before the wind. While doing so they snapt the painter of theyawl, and lost it.
Thus they were, as it were, cast adrift upon the sea with neither maps,charts, books, nor instruments to guide them. No alarm, however, wasfelt, the neighbouring headlands being bold, and all on board havingpreviously been at Fowey, to which port Smeaton now gave orders tosteer.
Wet and worn out with labour, he then went below to snatch a few hours'repose. In the night he was awakened by a tremendous noise overhead.The men were rushing about the deck, and shouting wildly. He sprang upwithout dressing. A voi
ce, exclaiming, "For God's sake heave hard onthat rope if you want to save yourselves!" saluted him as he gained thedeck. Roaring wind, a deluge of rain, and pitch darkness held revel onthe sea; but above the din was heard the dreaded sound of breakers closeunder their lee. The jib was split, the mainsail half-lowered, and thevessel running gunwale under. By vigorous and well-directed action, inwhich John Bowden proved himself to be one of those men who are towersof strength in emergencies, the head of the _Buss_ was brought round,and the immediate danger averted, but they had no idea where they were,and when day broke on the 23rd they found themselves out of sight ofland! Their last boat, also, had filled while towing astern, and had tobe cut adrift. At noon, however; they sighted the Land's End--the windblowing hard from the nor'-east.
"No chance o' making a British port in this wind with such a vessel,sir," said John Bowden, touching his cap respectfully to Mr Smeaton.
"As well try to bate to win'ard in me grandmother's wash-tub," remarkedTeddy Maroon, in a disrespectful tone.
Smeaton, agreeing with them, lay-to the whole of the 24th, and then,casting anchor, debated whether it were better to make for the coast ofFrance or try to reach the Scilly Islands. Fortunately a change of windon the 25th enabled them to weigh anchor and run back to Plymouthrejoicing; and vowing, as John Bowden said, never more to venture out tosea in a _Buss_! They reached the harbour at six in the morning, to theintense relief of their friends, who had given them up for lost.
Thus ended the first season--1756.