the prisoners out of bed stood up, and as the doctors passed,
noting down on a ticket the date and remarks on each man's complaint,
they were saluted by the patients in the military fashion. The doctors'
visit over, the patients were assembled for prayers; after which, and
until the dinner-hour--a quarter to twelve--the time was spent in
out-door exercise. From twelve till two the patients sat on their
stools reading or gossiping. At two they went out again to exercise. At
half-past three they were again assembled for prayers. About five they
got tea and dry bread, as at breakfast; and at eight o'clock they were
all in bed.

The dinner of the patients varied according to the nature of their
disease. The majority were served with the regular hospital dinner,
which consisted of soup, potatoes, and what the dietary boards called
"Ten ounces of mutton." With respect to the latter item, however, I
fancy there must have been some mistake, although I have heard the
prisoners characterize it in different and much stronger terms. Whether
there be any mistake or not, _five_ ounces, or it might occasionally
be six ounces with the bone, is all the prisoners receive, and if
complaint was made the invariable answer was, that it "Lost four ounces
in the cooking." I am not sufficiently skilled in the culinary art to
be able to say whether or not ten ounces of mutton loses four ounces in
cooking, but the great majority of prisoners did not believe it; and
the evil effects of placing ten ounces on a board for the public to
see, and five or six ounces in the dish for the prisoner to eat, are
very great.

The old maxim, "Set a thief to catch a thief," was based on a shrewd
acquaintance with human nature, and convicts are usually very quick in
discovering discrepancies of the kind to which I have alluded; and it
is not to be wondered at if they put the very worst construction upon
them. In any case, if it forms any part of our prison discipline to
inculcate moral principles, or to instil into the convict mind a regard
for truth and honesty, it is surely of the utmost importance, indeed
absolutely necessary, that the prison authorities, their only
instructors, should be beyond suspicion. As entertaining books and
newspapers are not allowed him, the convict has nothing else to talk
about but the conduct of his jailers, and foolish prison gossip; and
any subject of the kind I have mentioned is eagerly discussed with very
injurious results t