Rising from the sea one mile off the Oregon Coast, it was for years a terrible danger spot. The light of 160,000 candle-power, 132 feet above high water, is visible for 18 miles.] After twenty-six days of enforced idleness the squad was picked up by a revenue cutter, which steamed to the rock, and made fast to a buoy that had been laid previously for mooring the vessels deputed to transport building materials and other requirements. With extreme difficulty four men were got on the rock, together with a supply of hammers, drills, iron ring-bolts, a stove, provisions, supplies, and an abundance of canvas, with which the advance staff were to erect temporary shelters and to make themselves as comfortable as they could. While the work was in progress the wind freshened, the swell rose, and the boat had to retire hurriedly before the remainder of the force could be landed; but five days later they were transferred to the rock, together with further provisions and supplies, as well as a derrick. The little party soon received a taste of what life would be in this lonely spot. Three days after the second landing, and before they had shaken down to their strange surroundings, a gale sprang up. Heavy seas pounded the rock, and the waves, mounting its vertical face, threw themselves over its crest, drenching the workmen and their sleeping blankets. It was a startling episode, but it became so frequent that the quarrymen became inured to their fate, and were not perturbed in any way, except when the Pacific was roused to exceptional fury. When the first four men gained the rock it was seen that the landing of material, especially the heavier incidentals, would constitute the greatest difficulty. Then an ingenious idea was advanced. Why not rig a heavy rope between the mast of the vessel and the top of the rock, draw it taut, and devise a traveller to run to and fro? It was a practical suggestion and was adopted forthwith. With much difficulty a 4½-inch rope was towed from the vessel--to the mast of which one end was secured--to the rock, and grabbed by those in occupation. This end was anchored firmly, and constituted the track. Then a large single block was rigged to this main line in such a way that it could move freely to and fro along the cable. This block was provided with a heavy hook on which the weights could be slung. Other blocks were fixed on the vessel and on the rock, while an endless line, passing through these blocks at each end, and attached to the shank of the hook on the travelling block, enabled the traveller to be pulled freely and easily in either direction.