, each capable of fulfilling some task. A sentry was
appointed to each group and we were hurried off to the particular toil
for which we considered ourselves to be fitted, and about which I will
say more later.

If the accommodation at the "luxurious hotel" was wretched the routine
and cuisine were worse. We were under military discipline as it is
practised in Prussia, and it was enforced with the utmost rigour. We
were not permitted to speak to an officer under any pretext whatever.
Any complaints or requests had to be carried to the authorities through
our "Captain," who was also the officially recognised interpreter. If we
met an officer we were commanded to raise our hats.

[*gap]

The day started at 6.0 a.m., with parade. If we desired to have a wash
and shave we had to be astir an hour earlier because otherwise we were
not allowed to perform those essential duties until late in the evening.
After parade we had breakfast--a basin of lukewarm "coffee" made from
acorns roasted and ground, which we had to fetch, and with which neither
milk nor sugar was served.

At seven o'clock we started the day's work, which was continued without
respite until mid-day. At least that was the official order, but one or
two of the guards were far from being harsh towards us. In the middle of
the morning, as in our case, the warder, after a wary look round, would
ask if we would like to rest for ten minutes to snatch something to eat
if we had it. Needless to say the slight respite was greatly
appreciated. But it was by no means the general practice. One or two of
the sentries were so deeply incensed against England that they took the
opportunity to bait and badger the men in their charge without mercy.
They kept the prisoners under them going hard without a break or pause.

At noon we returned to barracks for dinner. Arming ourselves with our
basins we scrambled down to the cook-house for our rations. It was
red-cabbage soup, and it was never varied. But it was the strangest soup
I have ever seen made or tasted, more particularly during the early
days.

There was a big cauldron with boiling water. Alongside was a table on
which the cabbages were cut up. A handful of cabbage was picked up and
dumped into the cauldron. Directly it hit the water the cabbage was
considered to be cooked and was served out. Consequently the meal
comprised merely a basin of sloshy boiling water in which floated some
shreds of uncooked red cabbage. Som