records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第15章
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kind of sanguine pedantry； he pursued his design of ‘keeping up with the
day' and posting himself and his family on every mortal subject。 Of this
unpractical idealism we shall meet with many instances； there was not a
trade； and scarce an accomplishment； but he thought it should form part of
the outfit of an engineer； and not content with keeping an encyclopaedic
diary himself； he would fain have set all his sons to work continuing and
extending it。 They were more happily inspired。 My father's
engineering pocket…book was not a bulky volume； with its store of
pregnant notes and vital formulas； it served him through life； and was not
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yet filled when he came to die。 As for Robert Stevenson and the
Travelling Diary； I should be ungrateful to complain； for it has supplied
me with many lively traits for this and subsequent chapters； but I must still
remember much of the period of my study there as a sojourn in the Valley
of the Shadow。
The duty of the engineer is twofold … to design the work； and to see the
work done。 We have seen already something of the vociferous
thoroughness of the man； upon the cleaning of lamps and the polishing of
reflectors。 In building； in road… making； in the construction of bridges； in
every detail and byway of his employments； he pursued the same ideal。
Perfection （with a capital P and violently under…scored） was his design。
A crack for a penknife； the waste of ‘six…and… thirty shillings；' ‘the loss of
a day or a tide；' in each of these he saw and was revolted by the finger of
the sloven； and to spirits intense as his； and immersed in vital undertakings；
the slovenly is the dishonest； and wasted time is instantly translated into
lives endangered。 On this consistent idealism there is but one thing that
now and then trenches with a touch of incongruity； and that is his love of
the picturesque。 As when he laid out a road on Hogarth's line of beauty；
bade a foreman be careful； in quarrying； not ‘to disfigure the island'； or
regretted in a report that ‘the great stone； called the DEVIL IN THE
HOLE； was blasted or broken down to make road…metal； and for other
purposes of the work。'
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CHAPTER III THE BUILDING
OF THE BELL ROCK
OFF the mouths of the Tay and the Forth； thirteen miles from Fifeness；
eleven from Arbroath； and fourteen from the Red Head of Angus； lies the
Inchcape or Bell Rock。 It extends to a length of about fourteen hundred
feet； but the part of it discovered at low water to not more than four
hundred and twenty…seven。 At a little more than half…flood in fine
weather the seamless ocean joins over the reef； and at high… water springs
it is buried sixteen feet。 As the tide goes down； the higher reaches of the
rock are seen to be clothed by CONFERVA RUPESTRIS as by a sward of
grass； upon the more exposed edges； where the currents are most swift and
the breach of the sea heaviest； Baderlock or Henware flourishes； and the
great Tangle grows at the depth of several fathoms with luxuriance。
Before man arrived； and introduced into the silence of the sea the smoke
and clangour of a blacksmith's shop； it was a favourite resting…place of
seals。 The crab and lobster haunt in the crevices； and limpets； mussels；
and the white buckie abound。
According to a tradition； a bell had been once hung upon this rock by
an abbot of Arbroath； （1） ‘and being taken down by a sea…pirate； a year
thereafter he perished upon the same rock； with ship and goods； in the
righteous judgment of God。' From the days of the abbot and the sea…pirate
no man had set foot upon the Inchcape； save fishers from the neighbouring
coast； or perhaps … for a moment； before the surges swallowed them … the
unfortunate victims of shipwreck。 The fishers approached the rock with
an extreme timidity； but their harvest appears to have been great； and the
adventure no more perilous than lucrative。 In 1800； on the occasion of
my grandfather's first landing； and during the two or three hours which the
ebb…tide and the smooth water allowed them to pass upon its shelves； his
crew collected upwards of two hundredweight of old metal： pieces of a
kedge anchor and a cabin stove； crowbars； a hinge and lock of a door； a
ship's marking…iron； a piece of a ship's caboose； a soldier's bayonet； a
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cannon ball； several pieces of money； a shoe… buckle； and the like。 Such
were the spoils of the Bell Rock。
（1） This is； of course； the tradition commemorated by Southey in his
ballad of ‘The Inchcape Bell。' Whether true or not； it points to the fact
that from the infancy of Scottish navigation； the seafaring mind had been
fully alive to the perils of this reef。 Repeated attempts had been made to
mark the place with beacons； but all efforts were unavailing （one such
beacon having been carried away within eight days of its erection） until
Robert Stevenson conceived and carried out the idea of the stone tower。
But the number of vessels actually lost upon the reef was as nothing to
those that were cast away in fruitless efforts to avoid it。 Placed right in
the fairway of two navigations； and one of these the entrance to the only
harbour of refuge between the Downs and the Moray Firth； it breathed
abroad along the whole coast an atmosphere of terror and perplexity； and
no ship sailed that part of the North Sea at night； but what the ears of those
on board would be strained to catch the roaring of the seas on the Bell
Rock。
From 1794 onward； the mind of my grandfather had been exercised
with the idea of a light upon this formidable danger。 To build a tower on
a sea rock； eleven miles from shore； and barely uncovered at low water of
neaps； appeared a fascinating enterprise。 It was something yet
unattempted； unessayed； and even now； after it has been lighted for more
than eighty years； it is still an exploit that has never been repeated。 （1）
My grandfather was； besides； but a young man； of an experience
comparatively restricted； and a reputation confined to Scotland； and when
he prepared his first models； and exhibited them in Merchants' Hall； he
can hardly be acquitted of audacity。 John Clerk of Eldin stood his friend
from the beginning； kept the key of the model room； to which he carried
‘eminent strangers；' and found words of counsel and encouragement
beyond price。 ‘Mr。 Clerk had been personally known to Smeaton； and
used occasionally to speak of him to me；' says my grandfather； and again：
‘I felt regret that I had not the opportunity of a greater range of practice to
fit me for such an undertaking； but I was fortified by an expression of my
friend Mr。 Clerk in one of our conversations。 〃This work；〃 said he； 〃is
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unique； and can be little forwarded by experience of ordinary masonic
operations。 In this case Smeaton's ‘Narrative' must be the text…book； and
energy and perseverance the pratique。〃 '
（1） The particular event which concentrated Mr。 Stevenson's attention
on the problem of the Bell Rock was the memorable gale of December
1799； when； among many other vessels； H。M。S。 YORK； a seventy…four…
gun ship； went down with all hands on board。 Shortly after this disaster
Mr。 Stevenson made a careful survey； and prepared his models for a stone
tower； the idea of which was at first received with pretty general
scepticism； Smeaton's Eddystone tower could not be cited as affording a
parallel； for there the rock is not submerged even at high…water； while the
problem of the Bell Rock was to build a tower of masonry on a sunken
reef far distant from land； covered at every tide to a depth of twelve feet or
more； and having thirty…two fathoms' depth of water within a mile of its
eastern edge。
A Bill for the work was introduced into Parliament and lost in the
Lords in 1802…3。 John Rennie was afterwards； at my grandfather's
suggestion； called in council； with the style of chief engineer。 The
precise meaning attached to these words by any of the parties appears
irrecoverable。 Chief engineer should have full authority； full
responsibility； and a proper share of the emoluments； and there were none
of these for Rennie。 I find in an appendix a paper which resumes the
controversy on this subject； and it will be enough to say here that Rennie
did not design the Bell Rock； that he did not execute it； and that he was not
paid for it。 （1） From so much of the correspondence as has come down
to me； the acquaintance of this man； eleven years his senior； and already
famous； appears to have been both useful and agreeable to Robert
Stevenson。 It is amusing to find my grandfather seeking high and low for
a brace of pistols which his colleague had lost by the way between
Aberdeen and Edinburgh； and writing to Messrs。 Dollond； ‘I have not
thought it necessary to trouble Mr。 Rennie with this order； but I BEG YOU
WILL SEE TO GET TWO MINUTES OF HIM AS HE PASSES YOUR
DOOR' … a proposal calculated rather from the latitude of Edinburgh than
from London； even in 1807。 It is pretty； too； to observe with what
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