Fortune favoured his design. For on rounding the western headland of
Peloponnesus, the fleet encountered a storm, and was compelled to seek
shelter at Pylos. Demosthenes now urged the admirals to employ their
enforced leisure in fortifying the place. But they repulsed him
rudely, and treated his suggestion with contempt. He next tried to
interest the inferior officers in his project, but meeting with no
better success, he began to fear that this grand opportunity would be
thrown away. The discussion, however, had reached the ears of the
soldiers, and having nothing else to do, they agreed among themselves
to pass the time by building a fort. Choosing a place of great natural
strength, where the rocky coast descends abruptly to the open sea,
they went to work with a will. As they had no tools for stone-cutting,
they picked out the stones, and fitted them together according to
their shape; and for want of hods they carried the mortar, wherever it
was required, on their backs, stooping forward and clasping their
hands together behind them, to prevent it from slipping off. They
carried out their self-imposed task with great energy, and after six
days of vigorous labour the fort was completed, for the natural
defences of the site were so strong that in most places there was no
need of a wall.
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