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[Page 628]

all possible chance of a shore trip.

Very few officers were allowed off the ship, but what was really felt as a very great hardship was the prevention of any vessel boat or canoe from approaching the vessel for the disposal of fruit. The men in no very good temper wanted to know why such an extraordinary order could have been issued by ordinary sane men, the excuse given being that the fruit may carry disease, when any quantity of fruit of all description, was being taken aboard for the officers saloon & for the Canteen to be sold to the men.

Of course disease could not possibly be spread about from the fruit purchased from the canteen, but any quantity, large or small, purchased by the men (who had money) at a very reasonable price, & distributed free amongst their pals, was deemed to be deadly infectious.

That the men then & there did not forcibly resent such a brainless and at the same time exceedingly selfish order, spoke volumes for the reasonable temper of the men, who while avoiding force made free play with their sarcasm & contempt.

As on the voyage from Australia when it comes to gorging & guzzleing it the case of officers easily first every time, the men no where, all the time.

However in the present instance it is doubtful if the Canteen made very much profit from that fruit for much as the men were pining for it, on principle, they "could starve" for a little time longer till Capetown was reached when regulations or orders to the contrary would not stop the men from getting just as much fruit as their money & inclination would buy.

The fruit in the Canteen did not go bad & was certainly

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