ut all
were destroyed by the stormy waves, one after the other, until Robert
Stevenson undertook to build a structure that should be strong enough
to stand. He began on August 7, 1807, and the first thing he did, was
to provide a workshop and sleeping places for the men who were to be
engaged in the enterprise. It took all the summer to do this; for
often, when the men were at work, there would come a big wave over the
rock, and put out the fire. The smith who worked at the bellows often
stood knee-deep in water, which sometimes covered the rock to the depth
of twelve feet. Once, when a cargo of stores had been landed, and
thirty-two men were at work, the vessel which had conveyed them, and
was to take them back, and which was named the "Smeaton," broke away
from the moorings and got adrift. Mr. Smeaton was almost the first to
notice this, and he became very anxious as he remembered the number of
men on the rock, and that they had only two boats, which were capable
of carrying but eight men each. The men were at first so busy, that
they did not realise the danger of their position, but presently it was
found that, in consequence of the gale, the tide was coming in more
rapidly than usual, and the men, after having worked three hours, left
off and went to look for the boats. It was found that one of them had
drifted away with the "Smeaton." The men looked at one another in
silence. It seemed certain that all could not escape, and there was an
awful time of suspense and despair. Stevenson felt it so keenly that
when he tried to speak he found his mouth so parched that it was
impossible. He stooped to moisten his lips by drinking some of the
sea-water which the tide had left in holes in the rocks, and then he
heard the welcome cry, "A boat! a boat!" Presently a pilot-boat came
and rescued them from their perilous situation, and the lives of the
brave engineer and his men were saved. For the reward of rendering
this service, the pilot received a pension when too old to work.

A tremendous gale overtook the company on one occasion, which lasted
ten days, and prevented them from reaching the rock. On the 6th
September, a very heavy sea struck the ship, which flooded the deck and
poured into the cabins below. It was thought the vessel had foundered,
and that all on board would go down with her. They were in perfect
darkness, and some of the men engaged in praying, some repeating hymns,
and others declared that