All the inmates of Number Five rushed out in less than a minute, and I
wondered why they hurried so. When we reached the place that served as
dining room, there was hardly any room for us. Now, while the dinner is
being served, I will tell you what I can see.

In the middle of the yard stood a number of long tables covered with
white oilcloth. On either side of each table stood benches on which all
the Jewish passengers were now seated, looking impatiently at the door
with the sign "Jewish Kitchen" over it. Pretty soon a man appeared in
the doorway, tall, spare, with a thin, pointed beard, and an air of
importance on his face. It was "he", the overseer, who carried a large
tin pail filled with black bread cut into pieces of half a pound each.
He gave a piece to every person, the youngest child and the biggest man
alike, and then went into the kitchen and filled his pail with soup and
meat, giving everybody a great bowl full of soup and a small piece of
meat. All attacked their rations as soon as they received them and
greatly relished the coarse bread and dark, hot water they called soup.
We couldn't eat those things and only wondered how any one could have
such an appetite for such a dinner. We stopped wondering when our own
little store of provisions gave out.

After dinner, the people went apart, some going back to their beds and
others to walk in the yard or sit on the settees there. There was no
other place to go to. The doors of the prison were never unlocked except
when new passengers arrived or others left for their ships. The
fences--they really were solid walls--had wires and nails on top, so
that one couldn't even climb to get a look at the sea.

We went back to our quarters to talk over matters and rest from our
journey. At six o'clock the doctor came with a clerk, and, standing
before the door, bade all those in the yard belonging to Number Five
assemble there; and then the roll was called and everybody received a
little ticket as she answered to her name. With this all went to the
kitchen and received two little rolls and a large cup of partly
sweetened tea. This was supper; and breakfast, served too in this way
was the same. Any wonder that people hurried to dinner and enjoyed it?
And it was always the same thing, no change.

Little by little we became used to the new life, though it was hard to
go hungry day after day, and bear the discomforts of the common room,
shared by so many; the hard beds (we