The old receipts for the payment of such dues are interesting, from the representation they give of the lighthouse in question. The light was given, as the reader will notice, from a coal fire enclosed in a lantern, having a funnel in the roof: this is the earliest instance of one of these enclosed coal fires. It was not successful, as we know, for the smoke collected in the lantern and dimmed the light, and the fire needed constant attention to keep it bright; it was, however, continued here for a long time, because it was economical. But the Trinity House, before the year was ended, had to consider a difficulty in connection with the Scilly lighthouse much more serious than an insufficient or dim light—it had to consider the conduct of an unfaithful servant. It had wisely declined to appoint as keeper any one born and bred in islands where it was well known that the inhabitants preyed on human life and lured mariners to shipwreck; but it unfortunately did not suspect danger from one who had only gone out to live there since the lighthouse had been in progress, and this want of suspicion led to the appointment of a man who before three months had elapsed proved himself to have become a _wrecker_. One dark and rainy night, just before Christmas, 1680, the fire on the Scilly lighthouse, which home-coming vessels had been told to expect, did not shine forth. On came a richly laden ship, sure of her position and safety, as no light was visible, and only when too late was warned by the sound of the waves as they broke upon the rocks, of her proximity to the reefs that lie around the Scillies. To attract attention and bring help she discharged her cannon, and then, but not till then, the fire on the lighthouse shot up bright and clear. Doubtless the keeper and his accomplices had watched the lights of the approaching vessel, and allowed the fire to slumber till she was actually upon the rocks: then, in the hope, perhaps, of escaping condemnation, should the matter reach the ears of his employers, he fanned his fire into flame. But his ruse did not succeed, nor could it well have done so, since he was found, but a few hours after, in company with the greedy band of wreckers on the rocks, and much of his plunder was subsequently discovered hidden in the heap of coal that stood ready for use beside the lighthouse.