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months unlighted while the apparatus toiled and foundered by the way
among rocks and mosses。 Not only had towers to be built and apparatus
transplanted； the supply of oil must be maintained； and the men fed； in the
same inaccessible and distant scenes； a whole service； with its routine and
hierarchy； had to be called out of nothing； and a new trade （that of
lightkeeper） to be taught； recruited； and organised。 The funds of the
Board were at the first laughably inadequate。 They embarked on their
career on a loan of twelve hundred pounds； and their income in 1789； after
relief by a fresh Act of Parliament； amounted to less than three hundred。 It
must be supposed that the thoughts of Thomas Smith； in these early years；
were sometimes coloured with despair； and since he built and lighted one
tower after another； and created and bequeathed to his successors the
elements of an excellent administration； it may be conceded that he was
not after all an unfortunate choice for a first engineer。
War added fresh complications。 In 1794 Smith came ‘very near to be
taken' by a French squadron。 In 1813 Robert Stevenson was cruising
about the neighbourhood of Cape Wrath in the immediate fear of
Commodore Rogers。 The men； and especially the sailors； of the
lighthouse service must be protected by a medal and ticket from the brutal
activity of the press…gang。 And the zeal of volunteer patriots was at times
embarrassing。
‘I set off on foot；' writes my grandfather； ‘for Marazion； a town at the
head of Mount's Bay； where I was in hopes of getting a boat to freight。 I
had just got that length； and was making the necessary inquiry； when a
young man； accompanied by several idle…looking fellows； came up to me；
and in a hasty tone said； 〃Sir； in the king's name I seize your person and
papers。〃 To which I replied that I should be glad to see his authority； and
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know the reason of an address so abrupt。 He told me the want of time
prevented his taking regular steps； but that it would be necessary for me to
return to Penzance； as I was suspected of being a French spy。 I proposed
to submit my papers to the nearest Justice of Peace； who was immediately
applied to； and came to the inn where I was。 He seemed to be greatly
agitated； and quite at a loss how to proceed。 The complaint preferred
against me was 〃that I had examined the Longships Lighthouse with the
most minute attention； and was no less particular in my inquiries at the
keepers of the lighthouse regarding the sunk rocks lying off the Land's
End； with the sets of the currents and tides along the coast： that I seemed
particularly to regret the situation of the rocks called the Seven Stones；
and the loss of a beacon which the Trinity Board had caused to be fixed on
the Wolf Rock； that I had taken notes of the bearings of several sunk rocks；
and a drawing of the lighthouse； and of Cape Cornwall。 Further； that I had
refused the honour of Lord Edgecombe's invitation to dinner； offering as
an apology that I had some particular business on hand。〃 '
My grandfather produced in answer his credentials and letter of credit；
but the justice； after perusing them； ‘very gravely observed that they were
〃musty bits of paper；〃 ' and proposed to maintain the arrest。 Some more
enlightened magistrates at Penzance relieved him of suspicion and left him
at liberty to pursue his journey； … ‘which I did with so much eagerness；' he
adds； ‘that I gave the two coal lights on the Lizard only a very transient
look。'
Lighthouse operations in Scotland differed essentially in character
from those in England。 The English coast is in comparison a habitable；
homely place； well supplied with towns； the Scottish presents hundreds of
miles of savage islands and desolate moors。 The Parliamentary
committee of 1834； profoundly ignorant of this distinction； insisted with
my grandfather that the work at the various stations should be let out on
contract ‘in the neighbourhood；' where sheep and deer； and gulls and
cormorants； and a few ragged gillies； perhaps crouching in a bee…hive
house； made up the only neighbours。 In such situations repairs and
improvements could only be overtaken by collecting （as my grandfather
expressed it） a few ‘lads；' placing them under charge of a foreman； and
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despatching them about the coast as occasion served。 The particular
danger of these seas increased the difficulty。 The course of the
lighthouse tender lies amid iron…bound coasts； among tide…races； the
whirlpools of the Pentland Firth； flocks of islands； flocks of reefs； many of
them uncharted。 The aid of steam was not yet。 At first in random
coasting sloop； and afterwards in the cutter belonging to the service； the
engineer must ply and run amongst these multiplied dangers； and
sometimes late into the stormy autumn。 For pages together my
grandfather's diary preserves a record of these rude experiences； of hard
winds and rough seas； and of ‘the try… sail and storm…jib； those old friends
which I never like to see。' They do not tempt to quotation； but it was the
man's element； in which he lived； and delighted to live； and some
specimen must be presented。 On Friday； September 10th； 1830； the
REGENT lying in Lerwick Bay； we have this entry： ‘The gale increases；
with continued rain。' On the morrow； Saturday； 11th； the weather
appeared to moderate； and they put to sea； only to be driven by evening
into Levenswick。 There they lay； ‘rolling much；' with both anchors ahead
and the square yard on deck； till the morning of Saturday； 18th。 Saturday
and Sunday they were plying to the southward with a ‘strong breeze and a
heavy sea；' and on Sunday evening anchored in Otterswick。 ‘Monday； 20th；
it blows so fresh that we have no communication with the shore。