No. 29.
SEARCHING FOR A MURDERER.
He took into his cell a sheet of regulation paper that had been brought to him, on which was already written his name, official number, and the date.
A few lines of printing gave him directions.
He was not to infringe; he was to confine his writing to the ruled lines—not to write between them or to cross his letter; he was not to give any information respecting any other prisoner or any prison news; was not to write to any improper person, or use any improper language.
Every letter to or from a prisoner is examined by the deputy-governor, who initials it and passes it on to the chaplain. He also reads and initials it. Each strikes out anything he considers as infringing the rules, or as improper either for a prisoner to know or communicate.
Knowing his letters to be subject to both an official and clerical examination, Peace was as careful as possible as to what he said.
In the course of a few months he became a tolerably good workman at the tailoring business, and M‘Pherson had frequent occasion to compliment him. This worthy follow took a pride in his ward and the people under his charge, and it was generally acknowledged that every prisoner felt grateful to him, and did his best to keep the old soldier in good humour. He was, in fact, a favourite with the ward. He was always kind to the men under his charge, and it was very rare for his kindness to be abused.
Every day for an hour the prisoners were marched down into the yard for exercise, and some of the able-bodied men were set to work to pump supplies of water into the large cisterns at the top of the yard. Others were set to sweep and roll the gravel of the exercise grounds, and sometimes all the stonework in which the iron railings were fixed were cleaned by the prisoners.