eight in the morning
According to directions they ran down , and jumped on board `` with a will . '' Smeaton took his place in the stern . They pushed off with a will ; sailed and pulled out the fourteen miles with a will ; jumped on the rock , landed the heavy stones , went immediately into action , cleaned the bed , and laid the first stone of the great work -- all under the same vigorous impulse of the will . This was at eight in the morning . By the evening tide , the first `` course , '' which formed but a small segment of a circle , was fitted with the utmost despatch , bedded in mortar and trenailed down . Next day the second course was partly landed on the rock ; the men still working with a will , for moments out there were more precious than hours or days in ordinary building , -- but before they got the whole course landed , old Ocean also began to work with a will , and eventually proved himself stronger than his adversaries , by driving them , in a terrific storm , from the Rock ! They reached the _ Buss _ with difficulty , and lay there idle while the mad waves revelled round the rocks , and danced through their works deridingly .