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his repeated and heroic descriptions of reefs； monuments of misdirected
literary energy； which leave upon the mind of the reader no effect but that
of a multiplicity of words and the suggested vignette of a lusty old
gentleman scrambling among tangle。 It is to be remembered that he
came to engineering while yet it was in the egg and without a library； and
that he saw the bounds of that profession widen daily。 He saw iron ships；
steamers； and the locomotive engine； introduced。 He lived to travel from
Glasgow to Edinburgh in the inside of a forenoon； and to remember that
he himself had ‘often been twelve hours upon the journey； and his grand…
father （Lillie） two days'！ The profession was still but in its second
generation； and had already broken down the barriers of time and space。
Who should set a limit to its future encroachments？ And hence； with a
kind of sanguine pedantry； he pursued his design of ‘keeping up with the
day' and posting himself and his family on every mortal subject。 Of this
unpractical idealism we shall meet with many instances； there was not a
trade； and scarce an accomplishment； but he thought it should form part of
the outfit of an engineer； and not content with keeping an encyclopaedic
diary himself； he would fain have set all his sons to work continuing and
extending it。 They were more happily inspired。 My father's
engineering pocket…book was not a bulky volume； with its store of
pregnant notes and vital formulas； it served him through life； and was not
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yet filled when he came to die。 As for Robert Stevenson and the
Travelling Diary； I should be ungrateful to complain； for it has supplied
me with many lively traits for this and subsequent chapters； but I must still
remember much of the period of my study there as a sojourn in the Valley
of the Shadow。
The duty of the engineer is twofold … to design the work； and to see the
work done。 We have seen already something of the vociferous
thoroughness of the man； upon the cleaning of lamps and the polishing of
reflectors。 In building； in road… making； in the construction of bridges； in
every detail and byway of his employments； he pursued the same ideal。
Perfection （with a capital P and violently under…scored） was his design。
A crack for a penknife； the waste of ‘six…and… thirty shillings；' ‘the loss of
a day or a tide；' in each of these he saw and was revolted by the finger of
the sloven； and to spirits intense as his； and immersed in vital undertakings；
the slovenly is the dishonest； and wasted time is instantly translated into
lives endangered。 On this consistent idealism there is but one thing that
now and then trenches with a touch of incongruity； and that is his love of
the picturesque。 As when he laid out a road on Hogarth's line of beauty；
bade a foreman be careful； in quarrying； not ‘to disfigure the island'； or
regretted in a report that ‘the great stone； called the DEVIL IN THE
HOLE； was blasted or broken down to make road…metal； and for other
purposes of the work。'
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RECORDS OF A FAMILY OF ENGINEERS
CHAPTER III THE BUILDING
OF THE BELL ROCK
OFF the mouths of the Tay and the Forth； thirteen miles from Fifeness；
eleven from Arbroath； and fourteen from the Red Head of Angus； lies the
Inchcape or Bell Rock。 It extends to a length of about fourteen hundred
feet； but the part of it discovered at low water to not more than four
hundred and twenty…seven。 At a little more than half…flood in fine
weather the seamless ocean joins over the reef； and at high… water springs
it is buried sixteen feet。 As the tide goes down； the higher reaches of the
rock are seen to be clothed by CONFERVA RUPESTRIS as by a sward of
grass； upon the more exposed edges； where the currents are most swift and
the breach of the sea heaviest； Baderlock or Henware flourishes； and the
great Tangle grows at the depth of several fathoms with luxuriance。
Before man arrived； and introduced into the silence of the sea the smoke
and clangour of a blacksmith's shop； it was a favourite resting…place of
seals。 The crab and lobster haunt in the crevices； and limpets； mussels；
and the white buckie abound。
According to a tradition； a bell had been once hung upon this rock by
an abbot of Arbroath； （1） ‘and being taken down by a sea…pirate； a year
thereafter he perished upon the same rock； with ship and goods； in the
righteous judgment of God。' From the days of the abbot and the sea…pirate
no man had set foot upon the Inchcape； save fishers from the neighbouring
coast； or perhaps … for a moment； before the surges swallowed them … the
unfortunate victims of shipwreck。 The fishers approached the rock with
an extreme timidity； but their harvest appears to have been great； and the
adventure no more perilous than lucrative。 In 1800； on the occasion of
my grandfather's first landing； and during the two or three hours which the
ebb…tide and the smooth water allowed them to pass upon its shelves； his
crew collected upwards of two hundredweight of old metal： pieces of a
kedge anchor and a cabin stove； crowbars； a hinge and lock of a door； a
ship's marking…iron； a piece of a ship's caboose； a soldier's bayonet； a
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cannon ball； several pieces of money； a shoe… buckle； and the like。 Such
were the spoils of the Bell Rock。
（1） This is； of course； the tradition commemorated by Southey in his
ballad of ‘The Inchcape Bell。' Whether true or not； it points to the fact
that from the infancy of Scottish navigation； the seafaring mind had been
fully alive to the perils of this reef。 Repeated attempts had been made to
mark the place with beacons； but all efforts were unavailing （one such
beacon having been carried away within eight days of its erection） until
Robert Stevenson conceived and carried out the idea of the stone tower。
But the number of vessels actually lost upon the reef was as nothing to
those that were cast away in fruitless efforts to avoid it。 Placed right in
the fairway of two navigations； and one of these the entrance to the only
harbour of refuge between the Downs and the Moray Firth； it breathed
abroad along the whole coast an atmosphere of terror and perplexity； and
no ship sailed that part of the North Sea at night； but what the ears of those
on board would be strained to catch the roaring of the seas on the Bell
Rock。
From 1794 onward； the mind of my grandfather had been exercised
with the idea of a light upon this formidable danger。 To build a tower on
a sea rock； eleven miles from shore； and barely uncovered at low water of
neaps； appeared a fascinating enterprise。 It was something yet
unattempted； unessayed； and even now； after it has been lighted for more
than eighty years； it is still an exploit that has never been repeated。 （1）
My grandfather was； besides； but a young man； of an experience
comparatively restricted； and a reputation confined to Scotland； and when
he prepared his first models； and exhibited them in Merchants' Hall； he
can hardly be acquitted of audacity。 John Clerk of Eldin stood his friend
from the beginning； kept the key of the model room； to which he carried
‘eminent strangers；' and found words of counsel and encouragement
beyond price。 ‘Mr。 Clerk had been personally known to Smeaton； and
used occasionally to speak of him to me；' says my grandfather； and again：
‘I felt regret that I had not the opportunity of a greater range of practice to
fit me for such an undertaking； but I was fortified by an expression of my
friend Mr。 Clerk in one of our conversations。 〃This work；〃 said he； 〃is