CO885-5 — Page 542

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persons, and especially their hands, quite clean. They are hard-worked if they do their duty properly, and the man chosen as head Bandharrie should be one able to get all the work required out of them. While on this subject I may mention that when a sheep is to be killed its throat should cut by a Mahqmmədan.

HOSPITAL ATTENDANTS.

Two are allowed under ordinary circumstances, and one of these is employed in keeping the Diepensary clean, bringing water, &c., and generally waiting on the Compounder in charge, and the other should be able to cook the extra and hospital diets, and keep the cooking utensils clean and in order, bring hot water when required, and with the other attendant, serve out the milk to the nursing women and children, and the extra dicts to the convalescent and weakly coolies, as well as the hospital diets to the men in hospital.

NURSES.

Two also employed in similar duties in the Female Hospital.

TOPAZES

Are men of low caste, are well paid and should be kept constantly at work flushing and disinfecting the closets, and drying and sweeping the decks, both main and coolie. When a Topaz is lazy and does not work properly, I fine him and mark the fine with the reasons for it on the back of his agreement, and recommend that the sum mulcted shall be given to the man who has worked best. In cold weather allow them an ounce of rum or brandy ench morning and evening as they have to paddle about so much in cold water, which they are not accustomed to, and at this time, if one of them neglects his work, but not suffi ciently so to warrant a fine, I stop his grog. Waterproof, or rather oiled, coats are now sent on board for them, but I do not allow them to be used in the tropics as the excessive perspiration caused by wearing them would make them more liable to catch cold. In all my voyages I have never had a What Topaz seriously ill before these coats were issued. will be the result now remains to be seen.

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DIET.

Is one of the most important subjects that can engage the Cooking. altention of the Surgeon Superintendent that every article composing it shall be thoroughly cooked before being issued, as the people, having little or no exercise, cannot digest food that under other circumstances they could cat with impunity, and I believe, and in fact may say, that experience has shown me that most of the ills that (coolie) human flesh is heir to, may be traced on board ship to imperfectly cooked and consequently undigested food, especially gram and the various kinds of dål. All these swell a great deal in cook- ing, and surely it is patent to any one the mischief that will arise if any of this swelling is left to take place in a human stomach instand of being completed in the boilers. I have already stated my strong objection to gram and gram dal, and it is founded on the difficulty of completing this swelling process in the boiler, especially with the former. In one voyage I determined to try a crucial test with gram, and had it put into a boiler na soon as it was cleaned out after dinner, say at 4 p.m., and left it to soak in water all night. Next morning at half past 5 steam was let on, and the gram was boiled till 2 p.m. I then examined it, and it was not cooked. Boiling was continued till nearly 5 pan, the gram being examined every hour, and then, though still not fully cooked, I was obliged to issue it, and very few of the coolies would eat it; so I hope it will not be thought that my objection is wholly prejudice. Some coolies ate it, but then some coolies will eat anything, as I have often had to prevent them from eating raw gram out of the sheep pens.

All dals become more difficult to cook

as they grow older, and as the new dâls come in about April, the Surgeon Superintendent should make a point with the contractor of having the same year's clâl.

Rice is comparatively easy to cook, but requires constant stirring to keep it from caking or sticking to the sides of the boiler. I have already spoken of the advantage of having the blade of a broken oar if to be got, or a spud of the same shape made by the ship's carpenter, with a cross-piece as a handle, over the rice ladles, which would break at once if attempted to be used for this purpose. After the rice is cooked it should be put into large tubs, or on a piece of clean canvas, and covered over, to swell and cool gradually before being issued.

Again, with regard to chuppatties, I have them made thin so as to be sure they are well baked; the dough in the first place being thoroughly kneaded so that there are no

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

Reference :-

ic.o.

8855 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC-

COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH-NOT TO