There had already been so considerable a progress made in boring and excavating these holes, that the writer’s hopes of getting the beacon erected this year, began to be more and more confirmed, although it was now advancing towards what was considered the latter end of the proper working season at the Bell Rock. The foreman joiner, Mr Francis Watt, was accordingly appointed to attend at the rock to-day, when the necessary levels were taken for the step or seat of each particular beam of the beacon, that they might be cut to their respective lengths, to suit the inequalities of the rock; several of the stanchions were also tried into their places, and other necessary observations made, to prevent mistakes on the application of the apparatus, and to facilitate the operations, when the beams came to be set up, which would require to be done in the course of a single tide. [Sidenote: Tuesday 25th.] We had now experienced an almost unvaried tract of light airs of easterly wind, with clear weather in the fore-part of the day, and fog in the evenings. To-day, however, it sensibly changed; when the wind came to the south-west, and blew a fresh breeze. At 9 A. M. the bell rung, and the boats were hoisted out, and though the artificers were now pretty well accustomed to tripping up and down the sides of the floating-light, yet it required more seamanship this morning than usual. It therefore afforded some merriment to those who had got fairly seated in their respective boats, to see the difficulties which attended their companions, from the hesitating manner in which they quitted hold of the man-ropes in leaving the ship. As it blew pretty fresh, the passage to the rock was tedious, and the boats did not reach it till half-past 10. By working upon the higher parts of the site of the beacon 1¼ hours work was got, though not without difficulty, and the men left off at a quarter past 12 noon, completely drenched in water. [Sidenote: Difficult situation of the Smith.] The masons and pickmen were employed in boring the bat-holes, and in dressing and preparing the rock between the holes, at the places on which the beams of the beacon-house were to rest. It being now the period of neap-tides, the water only partially left the rock, and some of the men, who were boring on the lower ledges of the site of the beacon, stood knee-deep in water. The situation of the smith to-day was particularly disagreeable, but his services were at all times indispensable. As the tide did not leave the site of the forge, he stood in the water, and as there was some roughness on the surface, it was with considerable difficulty that, with the assistance of the sailors, he was enabled to preserve alive his fire; and, while his feet were immersed in water, his face was not only scorched, but continually exposed to volumes of smoke, accompanied with sparks from the fire, which were occasionally set up, owing to the strength and direction of the wind. [Sidenote: Wednesday, 26th.]