Upon this fortunate change of circumstances, sixteen of the artificers were sent, at two trips, in one of the boats, with instructions for Spink to proceed with them to the floating-light. This being accomplished, the remaining sixteen followed in the two boats belonging to the service of the rock. Every one felt the most perfect happiness at leaving the Bell Rock this morning, though a very hard and even dangerous passage to the floating-light still awaited us, as the wind, by this time, had encreased to a pretty hard gale, accompanied with a considerable swell of sea. The boats left the rock about 9, but did not reach the vessel till 12 o’clock noon, after a most disagreeable and fatiguing passage of three hours. Every one was as completely drenched in water as if he had been dragged astern of the boats. The writer in particular, being at the helm, found, on getting on board, that his face and ears were completely coated with a thin film of salt from the sea spray, which broke constantly over the bows of the boat. After much baling of water and severe work at the oars, the three boats reached the floating-light, where some new difficulties occurred in getting on board in safety, owing partly to the exhausted state of the men, and partly to the violent rolling of the vessel. [Sidenote: Smeaton bears away for Arbroath.] As the tide flowed, it was expected that the Smeaton would have got to windward, but, seeing that all was safe, after tacking for several hours, and making little progress, she bore away for Arbroath, with the praam boat. As there was now too much wind for the pilot-boat to return to Arbroath, she was made fast astern of the floating-light, and the crew remained on board till next day, when the weather moderated. There can be very little doubt, that the appearance of James Spink with his boat, on this critical occasion, was the means of preventing the loss of lives at the rock this morning. When these circumstances, some years afterwards, came to the knowledge of the Board, a small pension was ordered to our faithful pilot, then in his seventieth year; and he still continues to wear the uniform clothes and badge of the Light-house service. [Sidenote: Indispensable utility of the Beacon-house.]