Work was painfully slow and tedious at times, owing to adverse weather. Although the men on the rock were condemned inevitably to periods of idleness, they were made as comfortable as conditions would permit, so as to remove any longing on their part to return to the mainland for a change. This was a necessary precaution. Although the men might leave the rock in perfectly calm weather, the Atlantic is so fickle that an interval of two or three hours was quite sufficient to permit the wind to freshen, and the swell to grow restive, to such a degree as to render a return to the rock impossible for several days. Owing to the cramped nature of the quarters on the rock, elaborate care had to be exercised to protect the men from the ravages of disease. The toilers had to board themselves, and the authorities demanded that each man should maintain a fortnight’s reserve supply of provisions upon the rock to tide him over a spell of bad weather. This rule was enforced very rigidly, any infringement of it being attended with instant dismissal. For emergency purposes the Commissioners maintained a small stock of salt beef, pork, tinned meats, tea, sugar, milk, biscuits, and so forth, on the rock, from which the men could replenish their larders. The foreman acted as a kind of medical officer of health, as well as fulfilling his other duties. He was supplied with a ship’s medicine-chest, plenty of bandages, liniment, and antiseptics, in case of accident. At five o’clock every morning the men were compelled to tumble out of their bunks, to indulge in a thorough wash, to turn their bedding into the air when the weather was agreeable, and to wash out their quarters. The strictest supervision was maintained over matters pertaining to sanitation, and, thanks to these elaborate precautions, cases of sickness were very few.