Landing was an exciting experience in itself. The tender, naturally, could not draw right in, owing to the swell and other dangers. She stood off a little way, and there anchored. When men were coming to or going from the rock, the rope was run out from the derrick. To this was attached a kind of double stirrup, not unlike a child’s swing. The men took up their position, two at a time, on these stirrups, standing face to face. At the command, “Lower away!” or “Heave ho!” the derrick winch commenced to grunt and rattle, and the men were whisked into mid-air, clutching tightly to their frail, cramped hold, and steadied in their aerial journey by another rope extending to the rowing-boat below. It was an exciting trip while it lasted, and at first glimpse appeared to be dangerous, so much so that on one or two occasions the courage of raw hands broke down at the last moment, and they hesitated to trust themselves to such a flimsy-looking vehicle. Bringing the stones ashore was even more difficult. It was imperative that the edges and corners of the blocks should be protected from blows which might chip and scar them, thereby impairing their true fit, and possibly allowing the sea to get a purchase in its efforts to destroy. Accordingly, the blocks were packed in skeleton crates, with substantial wooden battens completely protecting the vital parts. It was impossible to swing them singly direct through the air from steamer to rock, and it was inadvisable to transfer them first to a rowing-boat; so an ingenious alternative method was perfected. The tender was brought as near the rock as possible, and the derrick boom was swung out, so that a hook carried at the end of the rope could be attached to the stone, which rested on rollers upon the tender’s deck leading to an open doorway in the taffrail. When the rope was secured, the word was given to haul in the derrick rope slowly and gently. This brought the stone gradually to the vessel’s side, when it was permitted to fall into the water where it could suffer no injury. The derrick rope meanwhile was wound in, and the stone, still submerged, at last brought to rest against the side of the tower. A vertical series of wooden battens had been attached to the outside of the building, so as to form a slide up which the blocks could be hauled to the required level. Of course, as the tower increased in height, the latter part of the operation had to be varied, owing to the concave curve of the structure. Then the stone had to complete its final stage through the air, being steadied in its ascent by a rope held below to prevent it swinging and coming to grief against the completed part of the shaft. In this manner 2,074 stones, representing a dead-weight of 4,633 tons, were landed and set in position.