Prisoners, in groups of five, climbing the stairs with a wooden carrier, holding a granite stone, strapped to their back. (The work consisted of carrying up a stone of considerable size and weight, along the 186 steps, after which there was still a considerable distance to cover. The man who chose a stone found to be too small was out of luck. And all of this went on at the rate of eight to ten trips per day. The pace was infernal, without a second&#x27;s rest. from Lt. Col. Monin )