est among our captors. They used to
come in and follow the men at work, studying the method of building up
the fabric, and upon its completion they inspected and subjected it to
tests. A little later they coolly sent in a request to the road-builders
to go outside to continue urgent work of a similar character. However,
investigation revealed the disconcerting fact that these men were
required to take the places of those Germans generally associated with
this task, who had been called up for service at the front. Needless to
say the suggestion met with a unanimous and determined refusal.

As time went on our conditions became worse. Bread became unobtainable
at almost any price. Pathetic advertisements commenced to steal upon the
notice-board, some of which I vividly remember. One in particular
revealed a poignant story of silent suffering. It ran "Good Swan
Fountain Pen. Will exchange for loaf of bread." Yet it was only typical
of scores of others couched in a similar vein. All sorts of things were
offered in exchange for food. Our treasury redoubled its efforts, but
food could not be got even at famine prices. This was early in March,
1915, so that the country was speedily being compelled to concede the
strangling force of the British blockade.

One morning we were paraded, and every man was ordered to produce any
bread he might have in his possession. Some of us had been storing the
official rations against the rainy day which we felt must come sooner or
later. This had to be surrendered. The guards also carried out a
thorough search to assure themselves that none had been left behind or
concealed under beds. When the bread had been collected the authorities
calmly cut it up and served us with a small piece each--that is they
gave us back a portion of what was already our property, and which we
had not eaten merely because we had been making ourselves content with
purchases from the canteens.

This proceeding brought home to us the vivid prospect of being reduced
to a perilous position within a very short time. So in our letters home
we emphasised the need to send us bread and other food-stuffs. As about
three weeks elapsed before we received a loaf after it had been
dispatched, we kept it another week, then soaked it in water and took it
to the cook-house to be re-baked, for which we were charged one penny.

Some of the unfortunate members of the party had no bread come from
home. But with true camaraderie those