of stone were by this means dropped every day into the ocean; and
though thus actively working, it was long before the artificial rock
appeared above the surface.

Sometimes several weeks passed, load after load being dropped in, before
the mass was of sufficient size to rise above the water. After having
been left some time to consolidate, the summit was capped by blocks of
hewn stone, rising from low-tide mark to many feet above that of
high-water, so that the sea during the fiercest gale could not force its
way over it. The piles to support the stage were what are called screw
piles; they were ninety feet in length, and soaked in creosote to
preserve them, the weight of each being about seven tons. One of the
most curious operations was that of forcing the creosote into the piles.
It was done by placing them in an iron cylinder one hundred feet in
length, and six feet in diameter. Out of this the air was first pumped,
and then the creosote was pumped in.

All the stones were brought from the neighbouring hill, where they were
quarried by about eight hundred convicts. The trucks descended from the
hill down an incline, the full trucks dragging up the empties by means
of ropes and blocks. Upwards of five million tons of stone were thus
employed.

While visiting the prison we heard a number of anecdotes about the
convicts. Notwithstanding all the vigilance of the warders and guards,
several have contrived to make their escape. On a dark night, during
exceedingly thick weather, a daring fellow managed to scale the walls
and drop down outside unperceived. He at once made his way to the
shore, where he in vain searched for a boat. Being no sailor, had he
found one, he would have been unable to manage her. He knew that should
he attempt to make his way overland he would, to a certainty, be
re-taken. Finding a piece of wreck, with some broken oars, and other
drift-wood, and a coil of rope, he contrived to put together a raft, on
which seating himself, he shoved off, expecting to be picked up by some
passing vessel. Instead of this, he was--fortunately for himself--
discovered by the active coastguardmen, and brought back to prison. Had
he succeeded in getting to a distance, in all probability he would have
been drowned or starved to death.

Climbing to the top of the hill, we obtained a view to the northward of
the crescent-shaped line of shingle, ten miles long, called Chesil Bank,
which joins Portland to