In July 1815, Mr Hamilton and Mr Duff, accompanied by the writer, sailed in the Yacht from the Troon for Liverpool, where they were joined by Sir William Rae; and after having had a meeting with Mr Gladstone on the subject of the Lights on _Man_, they sailed thither, and fixed on the Stations for the Lights on that Island, and on the Calf. They then proceeded to Dublin, and communicated with the Irish Board for the affairs of Light-houses, regarding certain arrangements for the advancement of the public service committed respectively to their charge. Mr Crossthwaite, and other Members of the Irish Board, accompanied them to the Light-house upon Houth: and having visited the Tuskar Light-house, situate on an insulated rock off the coast of Wexford, they bent their course to Holyhead, landed at the Light-house on the South Stack; and on their return surveyed the operations at the Light-house at Corsewall in Galloway then building, and having visited Pladda, landed at Greenock. In the Summer of 1818, Messrs Hamilton and Duff, with the writer, sailed from Clyde, and inspected the Light-houses of Corsewall and on the Isle and Calf of Man. The Yacht being then bound through the British Channel, they availed themselves of the opportunity to visit some of the English Light-houses, particularly the Smalls, off St David’s Head, the Longships, off the Land’s End, the Edystone, the Caskets off Alderney, Hurst Castle, Dungeness, and the North Foreland. By these voyages, the Commissioners greatly enlarged their knowledge of the important concerns entrusted to their charge. Some of them had thus seen and examined all the Light-houses already established on the coast of Scotland, and most of the Sites in contemplation for new erections on the northern parts of the Island. ACCOUNT OF THE BELL ROCK LIGHT HOUSE [Illustration: Drawn by Miss Stevenson. Engraved by J. Horsburgh. Pharos loquitur Far in the bosom of the deep O’er these wild shelves my watch I keep A ruddy gem of changeful light Bound on the dusky brow of Night The Seaman bids my lustre hail And scorns to strike his timorous sail _See page 530._] BELL ROCK LIGHT-HOUSE. ACCOUNT OF THE BELL ROCK LIGHT-HOUSE. CHAPTER I. NAME OF THE ROCK,--SITUATION AND DIMENSIONS,--NATURAL HISTORY,--DEPTH OF WATER, AND CURRENT OF TIDES. In the Introduction, I have given an account of the institution of the Board of Commissioners of the Northern Light-houses; of the progress made in the erection of Light-houses on the coast of Scotland; the probable future operations of the Board, and the general economy or management of its affairs. I now come to treat in detail of the Bell Rock Light-house, as the chief object of this work; and, in the present chapter, I propose to give the general history, and a description of this dangerous Rock. _Name of the Rock._ [Sidenote: Name.] [Sidenote: Origin of the Name.]