698. Do you not know the price of the goods at the end?-We hear it read over as fast perhaps as it can be read. 699. Do you not get a copy of it?-Not of the shop account. 700. Have you ever asked for one?-No. 701. I thought you told me that you had a copy for some years?- Yes; from Mr. Bruce, but not from Mr. Irvine, for the store. I have had a copy of my account from Mr. Bruce for the whole thing, and it contained a sum for the goods got from the store; but it was all one sum. 702. It is a slump sum, and does not show the different articles?- Yes; that is the account which I promised to send. 703. You say you have asked for a pass-book, and have been refused it?-Yes; I had one, and Mr. Irvine threw it back again, and said he would not be bothered with it. 704. When was that?-I think about two years ago. 705. You brought a pass-book and handed it to Mr. Irvine, and asked him to put your account into it as the articles were furnished, and he refused to do so?-Yes; I wished to have a knowledge of how I was going on. 706. When does the annual settlement take place?-Generally in February or March. 707. Where do you meet for the purpose of settling?-At Sumburgh, at Mr. Bruce's office. 708. Has he an office in his own house?-Yes. 709. Are all the people summoned to meet there on a particular day?-There are certain men called for a particular day, according as he can get through them,-so many men for each day. 710. How long does it take you to settle with him?-Perhaps three or four hours. It is possible I might be three or four hours with him myself. Generally three men go in a boat, and the three men would probably take six hours, or perhaps only four hours. 711. You said there were six men in your boat last year?-Yes, there were six in our boat, but three is the usual number in the smaller boats. 712. And they will perhaps all go together to Mr. Bruce?-Yes, the men in every boat go together; and Mr. Bruce gives us every chance of being satisfied with our accounts that he possibly can. 713. Except giving you a note of them?-He will give us a note. 714. A short note; but he won't give you the full account?-We don't get the full account from the shop, but that, of course is not in Mr. Bruce's hand. 715. He only gets the sum-total due at the shop?-Yes; and he has the rest in his own books. The rest of the balance is in his own hand, and of course he gives us every satisfaction about it. 716. But the shop is his too?-Yes. 717. Did you ever ask him to let a pass-book be allowed you, or an account to be given you at the shop?-No; I never asked him for that. 718. Did you ever complain to him that you did not get it?-No. 719. Did you ever complain about any of the sums brought out in the shop account as not being due by you?-No, I could not do that, because I could scarcely tell whether it was right or wrong. 720. In fact you trusted to the honesty of the shopkeeper?-I was obliged to do that.