[Sidenote: Method of raising the principal beams of the Beacon-house.]
Having made fast a piece of very good new line, at about two thirds from the lower end of one of the beams, the purchase-tackle of the derrick was hooked into the turns of the line, and it was speedily raised, by the number of men on the rock, and the power of the winch tackle. When this log was lifted to a sufficient height, its foot, or lower end, was _stepped_ into the spot which had been previously prepared for it. Two of the great iron stanchions were then set into their respective holes, on each side of the beam, when a rope was passed round them and the beam, to prevent it from slipping, till it could be more permanently fixed. The derrick or upright spar used for carrying the tackle to raise the first beam, was placed in such a position as to become useful for supporting the upper end of it, which now became, in its turn, the prop of the tackle for raising the second beam, which was laid in such a position, that when hoisted up, its foot slipped into its place, when it was, in like manner, lashed to its great iron stanchions on each side. The first and second beams being lashed to one another at the top, served as a pair of sheers, from which the purchase tackle was now suspended, for raising the other two beams, which were also speedily got into their places. The whole difficulty of this operation was in the raising and propping of the first beam, which became a convenient derrick for raising the second, these again a pair of sheers for lifting the third, and the sheers a triangle for raising the fourth. Having thus got four of the six principal beams set on end, it required a considerable degree of trouble to get their upper ends to fit. Here they formed the apex of a cone, and were all together mortised into a large piece of beechwood, and secured, for the present, with ropes, in a temporary manner. During the short period of one tide, all that could further be done for their security, was to put a single screw-bolt through the great kneed bats or stanchions on each side of the beams, and screw the nut home. In this manner each beam, with its respective pair of bats, was fixed, besides being strongly bound together with ropes.