按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
I saw Earraid next from the stern thwart of an Iona lugger； Sam
Bough and I sitting there cheek by jowl； with our feet upon our
baggage； in a beautiful； clear； northern summer eve。 And behold！
there was now a pier of stone； there were rows of sheds； railways；
travelling…cranes； a street of cottages； an iron house for the
resident engineer； wooden bothies for the men； a stage where the
courses of the tower were put together experimentally； and behind
the settlement a great gash in the hillside where granite was
quarried。 In the bay； the steamer lay at her moorings。 All day
long there hung about the place the music of chinking tools； and
even in the dead of night； the watchman carried his lantern to and
fro in the dark settlement and could light the pipe of any midnight
muser。 It was； above all； strange to see Earraid on the Sunday；
when the sound of the tools ceased and there fell a crystal quiet。
All about the green compound men would be sauntering in their
Sunday's best； walking with those lax joints of the reposing
toiler； thoughtfully smoking； talking small； as if in honour of the
stillness； or hearkening to the wailing of the gulls。 And it was
strange to see our Sabbath services； held； as they were； in one of
the bothies； with Mr。 Brebner reading at a table； and the
congregation perched about in the double tier of sleeping bunks；
and to hear the singing of the psalms； 〃the chapters；〃 the
inevitable Spurgeon's sermon； and the old； eloquent lighthouse
prayer。
In fine weather； when by the spy…glass on the hill the sea was
observed to run low upon the reef； there would be a sound of
preparation in the very early morning； and before the sun had risen
from behind Ben More； the tender would steam out of the bay。 Over
fifteen sea…miles of the great blue Atlantic rollers she ploughed
her way； trailing at her tail a brace of wallowing stone…lighters。
The open ocean widened upon either board； and the hills of the
mainland began to go down on the horizon； before she came to her
unhomely destination； and lay…to at last where the rock clapped its
black head above the swell； with the tall iron barrack on its
spider legs； and the truncated tower； and the cranes waving their
arms； and the smoke of the engine…fire rising in the mid…sea。 An
ugly reef is this of the Dhu Heartach； no pleasant assemblage of
shelves； and pools； and creeks； about which a child might play for
a whole summer without weariness； like the Bell Rock or the
Skerryvore； but one oval nodule of black…trap； sparsely bedabbled
with an inconspicuous fucus； and alive in every crevice with a
dingy insect between a slater and a bug。 No other life was there
but that of sea…birds； and of the sea itself； that here ran like a
mill…race； and growled about the outer reef for ever； and ever and
again； in the calmest weather； roared and spouted on the rock
itself。 Times were different upon Dhu…Heartach when it blew； and
the night fell dark； and the neighbour lights of Skerryvore and
Rhu…val were quenched in fog； and the men sat prisoned high up in
their iron drum； that then resounded with the lashing of the
sprays。 Fear sat with them in their sea…beleaguered dwelling； and
the colour changed in anxious faces when some greater billow struck
the barrack； and its pillars quivered and sprang under the blow。
It was then that the foreman builder； Mr。 Goodwillie； whom I see
before me still in his rock…habit of undecipherable rags； would get
his fiddle down and strike up human minstrelsy amid the music of
the storm。 But it was in sunshine only that I saw Dhu…Heartach；
and it was in sunshine； or the yet lovelier summer afterglow； that
the steamer would return to Earraid； ploughing an enchanted sea；
the obedient lighters； relieved of their deck cargo； riding in her
wake more quietly； and the steersman upon each； as she rose on the
long swell； standing tall and dark against the shining west。
But it was in Earraid itself that I delighted chiefly。 The
lighthouse settlement scarce encroached beyond its fences； over the
top of the first brae the ground was all virgin； the world all shut
out； the face of things unchanged by any of man's doings。 Here was
no living presence； save for the limpets on the rocks； for some
old； gray； rain…beaten ram that I might rouse out of a ferny den
betwixt two boulders； or for the haunting and the piping of the
gulls。 It was older than man； it was found so by incoming Celts；
and seafaring Norsemen； and Columba's priests。 The earthy savour
of the bog…plants； the rude disorder of the boulders； the
inimitable seaside brightness of the air； the brine and the iodine；
the lap of the billows among the weedy reefs； the sudden springing
up of a great run of dashing surf along the sea…front of the isle；
all that I saw and felt my predecessors must have seen and felt
with scarce a difference。 I steeped myself in open air and in past
ages。
〃Delightful would it be to me to be in UCHD AILIUN
On the pinnacle of a rock；
That I might often see
The face of the ocean；
That I might hear the song of the wonderful birds；
Source of happiness；
That I might hear the thunder of the crowding waves
Upon the rocks：
At times at work without compulsion …
This would be delightful；
At times plucking dulse from the rocks
At times at fishing。〃
So； about the next island of Iona； sang Columba himself twelve
hundred years before。 And so might I have sung of Earraid。
And all the while I was aware that this life of sea…bathing and
sun…burning was for me but a holiday。 In that year cannon were
roaring for days together on French battlefields； and I would sit
in my isle （I call it mine； after the use of lovers） and think upon
the war； and the loudness of these far…away battles； and the pain
of the men's wounds； and the weariness of their marching。 And I
would think too of that other war which is as old as mankind； and
is indeed the life of man： the unsparing war； the grinding slavery
of competition； the toil of seventy years； dear…bought bread；
precarious honour； the perils and pitfalls； and the poor rewards。
It was a long look forward； the future summoned me as with trumpet
calls； it warned me back as with a voice of weeping and beseeching；
and I thrilled and trembled on the brink of life； like a childish
bather on the beach。
There was another young man on Earraid in these days； and we were
much together； bathing； clambering on the boulders； trying to sail
a boat and spinning round instead in the oily whirlpools of the
roost。 But the most part of the time we spoke of the great
uncharted desert of our futures； wondering together what should
there befall us； hearing with surprise the sound of our own voices
in the empty vestibule of youth。 As far； and as hard； as it seemed
then to look forward to the grave； so far it seems now to look
backward upon these emotions； so hard to recall justly that loath
submission； as of the sacrificial bull； with which we stooped our
necks under the yoke of destiny。 I met my old companion but the
other day； I cannot tell of course what he was thinking； but； upon
my part； I was wondering to see us both so much at home； and so
composed and sedentary in the world； and how much we had gained；
and how much we had lost； to attain to that composure； and which
had been upon the whole our best estate： when we sat there prating
sensibly like men of some experience； or when we shared our
timorous and hopeful counsels in a western islet。
CHAPTER IX。 THOMAS STEVENSON … CIVIL ENGINEER
THE death of Thomas Stevenson will mean not very much to the
general reader。 His service to mankind took on forms of which the
public knows little and understands less。 He came seldom to
London； and then only as a task； remaining always a stranger and a
convinced provincial； putting up for years at the same hotel where
his father had gone before him； faithful for long to the same
restaurant； the same church； and the same theatre； chosen simply
for propinquity； steadfastly refusing to dine out。 He had a circle
of his own； indeed； at home； few men were more beloved in
Edinburgh； where he breathed an air that pleased him； and wherever
he went； in railway carriages or hotel smoking…rooms； his strange；
humorous vein of talk； and his transparent honesty； raised him up
friends and admirers。 But to the general public and the world of
London； except about the parliamentary committee…rooms； he remained
unknown。 All the time； his lights were in every part of the world；
guiding the mariner； his firm were consulting engineers to the
Indian； the New Zealand； and the Japanese Lighthouse Boards； so
that Edinburgh was a world centre for that branch of applied
science； in Germany； he had been called 〃the Nestor of lighthouse