records of a family of engineers(一个工程师的家庭)-第9章
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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。 We see
Mr。 Rome on the beach； but we cannot communicate with him。 It blows
〃mere fire；〃 as the sailors express it。' And for three days more the diary
goes on with tales of davits unshipped； high seas； strong gales from the
southward； and the ship driven to refuge in Kirkwall or Deer Sound。 I
have many a passage before me to transcribe； in which my grandfather
draws himself as a man of minute and anxious exactitude about details。
It must not be forgotten that these voyages in the tender were the
particular pleasure and reward of his existence； that he had in him a
reserve of romance which carried him delightedly over these hardships
and perils； that to him it was ‘great gain' to be eight nights and seven days
in the savage bay of Levenswick … to read a book in the much agitated
cabin … to go on deck and hear the gale scream in his ears； and see the
landscape dark with rain and the ship plunge at her two anchors … and to
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turn in at night and wake again at morning； in his narrow berth； to the
glamorous and continued voices of the gale。
His perils and escapes were beyond counting。 I shall only refer to
two： the first； because of the impression made upon himself； the second；
from the incidental picture it presents of the north islanders。 On the 9th
October 1794 he took passage from Orkney in the sloop ELIZABETH of
Stromness。 She made a fair passage till within view of Kinnaird Head；
where； as she was becalmed some three miles in the offing； and wind
seemed to threaten from the south…east； the captain landed him； to
continue his journey more expeditiously ashore。 A gale immediately
followed； and the ELIZABETH was driven back to Orkney and lost with
all hands。 The second escape I have been in the habit of hearing related
by an eye…witness； my own father； from the earliest days of childhood。
On a September night； the REGENT lay in the Pentland Firth in a fog and
a violent and windless swell。 It was still dark； when they were alarmed
by the sound of breakers； and an anchor was immediately let go。 The
peep of dawn discovered them swinging in desperate proximity to the Isle
of Swona （1） and the surf bursting close under their stern。 There was in
this place a hamlet of the inhabitants； fisher…folk and wreckers； their huts
stood close about the head of the beach。 All slept； the doors were closed；
and there was no smoke； and the anxious watchers on board ship seemed
to contemplate a village of the dead。 It was thought possible to launch a
boat and tow the REGENT from her place of danger； and with this view a
signal of distress was made and a gun fired with a red…hot poker from the
galley。 Its detonation awoke the sleepers。 Door after door was opened；
and in the grey light of the morning fisher after fisher was seen to come
forth； yawning and stretching himself； nightcap on head。 Fisher after
fisher； I wrote； and my pen tripped； for it should rather stand wrecker after
wrecker。 There was no emotion； no animation； it scarce seemed any
interest； not a hand was raised； but all callously awaited the harvest of the
sea； and their children stood by their side and waited also。 To the end of
his life； my father remembered that amphitheatre of placid spectators on
the beach； and with a special and natural animosity； the boys of his own
age。 But presently a light air sprang up； and filled the sails； and fainted；
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and filled them again； and little by little the REGENT fetched way against
the swell； and clawed off shore into the turbulent firth。
（1） This is only a probable hypothesis； I have tried to identify my
father's anecdote in my grandfather's diary； and may very well have been
deceived。 … ＇R。 L。 S。＇
The purpose of these voyages was to effect a landing on open beaches
or among shelving rocks； not for persons only； but for coals and food； and
the fragile furniture of light… rooms。 It was often impossible。 In 1831 I
find my grandfather ‘hovering for a week' about the Pentland Skerries for
a chance to land； and it was almost always difficult。 Much knack and
enterprise were early developed among the seamen of the service； their
management of boats is to this day a matter of admiration； and I find my
grandfather in his diary depicting the nature of their excellence in one
happily descriptive phrase； when he remarks that Captain Soutar had
landed ‘the small stores and nine casks of oil WITH ALL THE ACTIVITY
OF A SMUGGLER。' And it was one thing to land； another to get on
board again。 I have here a passage from the diary； where it seems to have
been touch…and…go。 ‘I landed at Tarbetness； on the eastern side of the
point； in a MERE GALE OR BLAST OF WIND from west…south…west； at
2 p。m。 It blew so fresh that the captain； in a kind of despair； went off to
the ship； leaving myself and the steward ashore。 While I was in the light…
room； I felt it shaking and waving； not with the tremor of the Bell Rock；
but with the WAVING OF A TREE！ This the light…keepers seemed to be
quite familiar to； the principal keeper remarking that 〃it was very
pleasant；〃 perhaps meaning interesting or curious。 The captain worked
the vessel into smooth water with admirable dexterity； and I got on board
again about 6 p。m。 from the other side of the point。' But not even the
dexterity of Soutar could prevail always； and my grandfather must at times
have been left in strange berths and with but rude provision。 I may
instance the case of my father； who was storm…bound three days upon an
islet； sleeping in the uncemented and unchimneyed houses of the islanders；
and subsisting on a diet of nettle…soup and lobsters。
The name of Soutar has twice escaped my pen； and I feel I owe him a
vignette。 Soutar first attracted notice as mate of a praam at the Bell Rock；
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and rose gradually to be captain of the REGENT。 He was active；
admirably skilled in his trade； and a man incapable of fear。 Once； in
London； he fell among a gang of confidence…men； naturally deceived by
his rusticity and his prodigious accent。 They plied him with drink … a
hopeless enterprise； for Soutar could not be made drunk； they proposed
cards； and Soutar would not play。 At last； one of them； regarding him
with a formidable countenance； inquired if he were not frightened？ ‘I'm
no' very easy fleyed；' replied the captain。 And the rooks withdrew after
some easier pigeon。 So ma
