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CHAPTER II THE SERVICE OF
THE NORTHERN LIGHTS
I
IT were hard to imagine a contrast more sharply defined than that
between the lives of the men and women of this family： the one so
chambered； so centred in the affections and the sensibilities； the other so
active； healthy； and expeditious。 From May to November； Thomas Smith
and Robert Stevenson were on the mail； in the saddle； or at sea； and my
grandfather； in particular； seems to have been possessed with a demon of
activity in travel。 In 1802； by direction of the Northern Lighthouse
Board； he had visited the coast of England from St。 Bees； in Cumberland；
and round by the Scilly Islands to some place undecipherable by me； in all
a distance of 2500 miles。 In 1806 I find him starting ‘on a tour round the
south coast of England； from the Humber to the Severn。' Peace was not
long declared ere he found means to visit Holland； where he was in time to
see； in the navy…yard at Helvoetsluys； ‘about twenty of Bonaparte's
ENGLISH FLOTILLA lying in a state of decay； the object of curiosity to
Englishmen。' By 1834 he seems to have been acquainted with the coast
of France from Dieppe to Bordeaux； and a main part of his duty as
Engineer to the Board of Northern Lights was one round of dangerous and
laborious travel。
In 1786； when Thomas Smith first received the appointment； the
extended and formidable coast of Scotland was lighted at a single point …
the Isle of May； in the jaws of the Firth of Forth； where； on a tower already
a hundred and fifty years old； an open coal…fire blazed in an iron chauffer。
The whole archipelago； thus nightly plunged in darkness； was shunned by
sea…going vessels； and the favourite courses were north about Shetland and
west about St。 Kilda。 When the Board met； four new lights formed the
extent of their intentions … Kinnaird Head； in Aberdeenshire； at the eastern
elbow of the coast； North Ronaldsay； in Orkney； to keep the north and
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guide ships passing to the south'ard of Shetland； Island Glass； on Harris； to
mark the inner shore of the Hebrides and illuminate the navigation of the
Minch； and the Mull of Kintyre。 These works were to be attempted
against obstacles； material and financial； that might have staggered the
most bold。 Smith had no ship at his command till 1791； the roads in
those outlandish quarters where his business lay were scarce passable
when they existed； and the tower on the Mull of Kintyre stood eleven
months unlighted while the apparatus toiled and foundered by the way
among rocks and mosses。 Not only had towers to be built and apparatus
transplanted； the supply of oil must be maintained； and the men fed； in the
same inaccessible and distant scenes； a whole service； with its routine and
hierarchy； had to be called out of nothing； and a new trade （that of
lightkeeper） to be taught； recruited； and organised。 The funds of the
Board were at the first laughably inadequate。 They embarked on their
career on a loan of twelve hundred pounds； and their income in 1789； after
relief by a fresh Act of Parliament； amounted to less than three hundred。 It
must be supposed that the thoughts of Thomas Smith； in these early years；
were sometimes coloured with despair； and since he built and lighted one
tower after another； and created and bequeathed to his successors the
elements of an excellent administration； it may be conceded that he was
not after all an unfortunate choice for a first engineer。
War added fresh complications。 In 1794 Smith came ‘very near to be
taken' by a French squadron。 In 1813 Robert Stevenson was cruising
about the neighbourhood of Cape Wrath in the immediate fear of
Commodore Rogers。 The men； and especially the sailors； of the
lighthouse service must be protected by a medal and ticket from the brutal
activity of the press…gang。 And the zeal of volunteer patriots was at times
embarrassing。
‘I set off on foot；' writes my grandfather； ‘for Marazion； a town at the
head of Mount's Bay； where I was in hopes of getting a boat to freight。 I
had just got that length； and was making the necessary inquiry； when a
young man； accompanied by several idle…looking fellows； came up to me；
and in a hasty tone said； 〃Sir； in the king's name I seize your person and
papers。〃 To which I replied that I should be glad to see his authority； and
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know the reason of an address so abrupt。 He told me the want of time
prevented his taking regular steps； but that it would be necessary for me to
return to Penzance； as I was suspected of being a French spy。 I proposed
to submit my papers to the nearest Justice of Peace； who was immediately
applied to； and came to the inn where I was。 He seemed to be greatly
agitated； and quite at a loss how to proceed。 The complaint preferred
against me was 〃that I had examined the Longships Lighthouse with the
most minute attention； and was no less particular in my inquiries at the
keepers of the lighthouse regarding the sunk rocks lying off the Land's
End； with the sets of the currents and tides along the coast： that I seemed
particularly to regret the situation of the rocks called the Seven Stones；
and the loss of a beacon which the Trinity Board had caused to be fixed on
the Wolf Rock； that I had taken notes of the bearings of several sunk rocks；
and a drawing of the lighthouse； and of Cape Cornwall。 Further； that I had
refused the honour of Lord Edgecombe's invitation to dinner； offering as
an apology that I had some particular business on hand。〃 '
My grandfather produced in answer his credentials and letter of credit；
but the justice； after perusing them； ‘very gravely observed that they were
〃musty bits of paper；〃 ' and proposed to maintain the arrest。 Some more
enlightened magistrates at Penzance relieved him of suspicion and left him
at liberty to pursue his journey； … ‘which I did with so much eagerness；' he
adds； ‘that I gave the two coal lights on the Lizard only a very transient
look。'
Lighthouse operations in Scotland differed essentially in character
from those in England。 The English coast is in comparison a habitable；
homely place； well supplied with towns； the Scottish presents hundreds of
miles of savage islands and desolate moors。 The Parliamentary
committee of 1834； profoundly ignorant of this distinction； insisted with
my grandfather that the work at the various stations should be let out on
contract ‘in the neighbourhood；' where sheep and deer； and gulls and
cormorants； and a few ragged gillies； perhaps crouching in a bee…hive
house； made up the only neighbours。 In such situations repairs and
improvements could only be overtaken by collecting （as my grandfather
expressed it） a few ‘lads；' placing them under charge of a foreman； and
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despatching them about the coast as occasion served。 The particular
danger of these seas increased the difficulty。 The course of the
lighthouse tender lies amid iron…bound coasts； among tide…races； the
whirlpools of the Pentland Firth； flocks of islands； flocks of reefs； many of
them uncharted。 The aid of steam was not yet。 At first in random
coasting sloop； and afterwards in the cutter belonging to the service； the
engineer must ply and run amongst these multiplied dangers； and
sometimes late into the stormy autumn。 For pages together my
grandfather's diary preserves a record of these rude experi