lled "buggying" coal. It is the most
laborious part of mining. Whenever a new man would be placed with the
convicts for instructions in mining he would have to buggy coal just as
long as it was possible to get him to do so. After a time, however, he
would want to take turn about with his teacher.

After we had finished getting out what we had down the noon hour had
arrived. At certain places in the entries or roadways there are large
wooden doors which, when shut, close up the entire passage. These doors
are for the regulations of the currents of air which pass through the
mines. The loud noise produced by pounding on one of these doors was
the signal for dinner. It was now noon. Bang, bang, bang, bang, went the
door. I had now put in one-half day of my sentence in the mines. Oh! the
many long, dreary, monotonous days I passed after that! At the call for
dinner the convict, ALWAYS HUNGRY, suddenly drops his tools and makes
his way at a rapid pace along the entry until he comes to the place
where the division officer has his headquarters. Arriving at this place
each convict takes his position in a line with his fellow-convicts.
All talking now ceases. They sit on the ground while eating, with their
lower limbs crossed. There are no soft cushioned chairs on which the
tired prisoner may rest his weary limbs. When seated, a small piece of
pine board, about a foot square, is placed across his knees. This is
the table. No table cloth, no napkins, no table linen of any kind. Such
articles as these would paralyze a convict! Thus seated in two rows
along the sides of the entry, with their mining lamps lighted and
hanging in their caps, they present a weird and interesting sight. The
dinner had been brought down from the top about an hour before on coal
cars. Three of the prisoners are now detailed to act as waiters. One
passes down between the two rows of convicts, carrying in his hand a
wooden pail filled with knives and forks. These culinary instruments
have iron handles. Were they made of wood or horn, the convicts would
soon break off the handles and make trinkets out of them. This waiter,
passing along, drops a knife and fork on each table. He is followed by
another who drops down a piece of corn bread; then another with a piece
of meat for each man, which he places on the pine board. There is no
"Please pass the meat," or "Hand over the bread." Not a word is spoken.
After the knives and forks have been passed around this wa