In the evening the boats went to the Rock, and brought the joiners and smiths, and their sickly companions, on board of the Tender. They also brought with them two baskets full of fish, which they had caught at high water, from the Beacon, reporting, at the same time, to their comrades, that the fish were swimming in such numbers over the rock at high water, that it was completely hid from their sight, and nothing seen but the movement of thousands of fish. They were almost exclusively of the species called the Podlie, or young Coal-fish. This discovery, made for the first time to-day by the workmen, was considered fortunate, as an additional circumstance likely to produce an inclination among the artificers to take up their residence in the Beacon, when it came to be fitted up as a barrack. [Sidenote: 1808, June.] [Sidenote: Wednesday, 1st.] The boats landed to-day at 11 A. M., but the tides being neap, the water went off very slowly, and it was 12 noon before it left the site of the building. After continuing at work one hour and three quarters, the artificers left the rock with all hands, when the tender immediately got under weigh, or rather _cast off_ from her moorings, by simply letting go one end of the mooring hawser, and sailed for Arbroath. But the wind being N.N.W., it was 8 o’clock P. M. before she got into the harbour. [Sidenote: Saturday, 4th.] [Sidenote: First course finished to-day. Its cubical contents, &c.] This being the birth-day of King George III., who now entered into the 70th year of his age, and 50th of his reign, a considerable effort was made to get the first entire course of the building laid upon the platform at Arbroath, where it was to be marked and numbered, and made ready for shipping for the Rock. It may seem strange, that after continuing the operations of the work-yard for about twelve months, there should only have been but one course ready to ship for the Rock. Such also was the difficulty of procuring granite of a large size, that this course was obliged to be hewn of the thickness of only one foot. The chief advantage of thick courses in water buildings, besides a saving of hewing, is that of getting sooner out of the reach of the tide, there being nearly as much time necessary for laying a thin course as a thick one. The stones for the first entire course were not quarried particularly for it, but were taken from the whole materials in the yard. The enumeration of the various kinds and quantity of work in this single course of the Light-house, may perhaps surprise the reader. Though only one foot in thickness, it contained 508 feet cubic of granite in outward casing; 876 feet cubic of Mylnefield stone in the hearting; 104 tons of solid contents; 132 feet superficial of hewing in the face work; 4519 feet superficial of hewing in the beds, joints and joggles; 420 feet lineal boring of trenail holes; 378 feet lineal cutting for wedges; 246 oaken trenails; 378 oaken wedges in pairs.