against him, he was taken before the governor, who gave him ten days' punishment, to which the director afterwards considerately added three months! Such offences as these were of daily occurrence, but the punishments for them when detected were very unequal. It is not often a convict is flogged, but it does happen occasionally. I remember a young rollicking Irishman being flogged for attempting to strike an officer, who, as often happens, was far more to blame than the prisoner, who in this case was goaded and tempted to strike. The majority of the officers--who are civil and sensible men, considering their position in society--would have acted very differently. Another case, where the prisoner not only attempted but did actually strike his warder rather severely, met with a more lenient punishment. In this case the prisoner was decidedly to blame, and his punishment, in technical language, was "six months in chokey with the black dress and slangs." These cases were usually disposed of by the director at his monthly sitting. That gentleman--who was fond of having nothing to do--generally spent about twenty-four hours in prison per annum, spread over eleven visits of an average duration of two hours each. Latterly it was rather difficult for a prisoner to get to see him, and quite impossible if he had a complaint to make against any of the officials, which they thought he could establish. I have often thought that this gentleman's duties could be performed more satisfactorily for a less salary than one thousand pounds per annum! Before leaving the hospital, I will now relate a few of the conversations I had with some of the patients. "How long have you been unwell?" "About fifteen months." "What is the matter with you?" "Oh! my health has been ruined by the treatment I received in the Scotch prison before trial." "How long were you detained waiting trial?" "Six months." "Have you been to the public works?" "Yes, I was at Chatham; but my strength and constitution gave way, and for a working man I am now ruined for life." "Did you enjoy your health before you got into prison?" "I was never a day unwell, and was as stout and as fit for work as any man in the country." "What will you do when you get out of prison?" "God knows! I suppose I shall have to go to the workhouse. I am very willing to work, but if I don't mend I shall never be able to handle a tool again." Another case-- "How long have you been ailing?" "Ten months." "What is the matter with you?" "Oh! I am dying fast. I was seven months in a Scotch jail before trial, and that is what is killing me." This prisoner died a few days after he uttered these words. His last hours were spent in humming over a Scotch ballad he had learnt when a child. Another case-- "Well, what's your sentence?" "Five years." "How old are you?" "Twenty-five." "What did you do outside?"