10,749. You have to certify that the parties are living, and that you know them?-Yes.
10,750. Is there any other thing you wish to add?-Not that I remember just now.
Baltasound, Unst, January 19, 1872, ROBERT GRAY, examined.
10,751. Are you a fisherman here?-I am. I fish to Mr. Sandison at the station.
10,752. Where do you live?-I live at Snarravoe.
10,753. You have heard the evidence to-day, and you desire to come forward and make some statement yourself with regard to the advances of meal you have received from Messrs. Spence & Co?-Yes. I wish to say that if I had not been advanced by them in two bad years, I must have starved with my family, because, I did not have the means with which to buy supplies.
10,754. Were you in debt to Spence & Co. at the beginning of the two bad years?-Yes.
10,755. And you continued to fish for them?-Yes.
10,756. Have you got further into debt during late years, or have you cleared any of your debt off?-I have got a little out of debt, because I had some cattle to spare, and I had a bigger fishing; but at the time when I had nothing with which to support my family they supported us and paid my rent too.
10,757. On whose property do you live?-On Major Cameron's property.