H.—6c.

94

[tkooper s. Gardiner.

82. Not oftener?—l could not say how regular it was; it was about two or three times a week. 83. And the days you did not have jam did you have butter ? —Yes, sir. 84. Were you ever obliged to eat bread without butter or jam ? —There was once or twice, but it would be the men's own fault. They would be extravagant with it. 85. If they did not have either jam or butter every day it was the men's own fault?— Partly their own fault. There was an occasional day when they would go two meals without it. 86. You say in regard to the sleeping-accommodation that there was not room enough ? —No, sir; not room enough for the men to hang their hammocks. They could not all stop in the hammocks after they got in. We all tried to sleep in hammocks when we first came on board. 87. Did they all hang their hammocks on the first night ? —There are pegs provided for them, and we hung them; but it was too tight to be comfortable, so some went on the deck and some on the floor. 88. They did manage to hang the hammocks the first night?— They could not sleep, and they used to be tossed out. 89. Did they get all the hammocks up?—We could not get all ours up, not the first night. 90. Why not ?—Because there was not room at our table. 91. Was there no room or not enough pegs ? —No room. 92. Were there hooks or pegs?— There were pegs all along and across the wall, but we could not hang all the hammocks up. 93. There were hooks, you say, for the hammocks to hang up ?—Yes, sir. 94. But they could not hang them up because they were too tight?— Yes, sir. 95. There was not room for the men to sleep after they were hung?—No, sir. 96. But there were enough hooks or pegs to hang all the hammocks ? —Not enough at our table. The windsail coming down stopped two or three hammocks. There was no place to hang them. 97. Were there hooks there to hang them on ?—Yes, sir. 98. There was a hook for every hammock ? —I do not know whether there were quite enough for ours, sir. 99. You say that there were twelve men at your table and only room for seven hammocks? — Well, there were nine or ten hooks, but we could not hang the hammocks up. 100. But there were hooks ?—Yes, sir. 101. The blankets, you say, were in a terrible condition?— Yes, sir. 102. Who served yours out ?—They were served out with the rest. We had them sent down, and each had two issued out to birn. 103. Did you make any complaint when they were issued ? —No, sir. 104. Did they look dirty, or what ?—Some of them seemed clean, and others seemed dirty. 105. To what extent were they dirty?— There seemed to be vermin in them. 106. Did you make any complaint ?—No, sir. 107. When did you first notice the vermin ? —The first few days out, sir. 108. You did not draw attention to the vermin when the blankets were first issued to you?— No, sir. 109. Did you look to see if there were vermin in them ? —No, sir; we got into them without looking. 110. How many days after you left before you discovered vermin ?—-About three or four, sir. 111. Had you your own blankets with you at the time as well as those that were served out? —We left ours at Durban, sir. 112. Colonel Davies.] How long was it after we left Durban that you went into hospital ?— About six or seven days, I should say. 113. It was about the 13th, or something about that date ?—About five days before we got to Albany, sir. 114. How long were you with the regiment ?—From the time it left Addington, sir. 115. You were with the regiment on the drive?— Yes, sir. 116. Do you not know the names of your officers in the regiment ?—I do not know the regiment officers. I know the squadron officers. I only know Colonel Chaytor and Captain Ehodes. 117. Did you know Captain Colbeck ? —No, sir. 118. Did you know your own adjutant?—l might have seen him, but I do not know him by sight. 119. Do you know Captain Fookes ?—Yes, sir. 120. Do you know Mr. Eoberts ? —No, sir. 121. Do you know Mr. Street?—No, sir. 122. Do you not know the bandmaster of your regiment ? —No, sir. 123. You do not know the officer who used to take so much interest in the baud ?—No, sir. 124. Do you know Mr. Martin ? —No, sir. 125. Do you know Captain Sommerville ?—No, sir. 126. Do you know Mr. McNab?—No, sir. 127. Do you know Captain Cameron?—No, sir. 128. Mr. Orbell?—No, sir. 129. Do you know Mr. O'Callaghan?—No, sir. 130. Surgeon-Major Pearless.) Did you go ashore both days at Albany?— Only the second day, sir. 131. Were you able to walk about ?—I walked round a little, sir. 132. Did you leave the hospital without the authority of the doctor?— Yes, sir. 133. You went out on your own accord ?—Yes, air. I got permission to go ashore. I never went back to the hospital, sir,