When the water was up, the German frau, acting as shopkeeper, would perch herself on a box or barrel with the murky fluid swishing and snarling around her, because her stores always suffered inundation at such times.  Walking the plank to make a purchase was highly exciting and mildly diverting.  No little effort was required to maintain one’s balance, while time after time the crazy foundations, as represented by the boxes and barrels, would give way, precipitating a long string of patient customers into the dirty water.

The inadequacy of these stores was felt very severely.  At last, after a short and determined deliberation, it was resolved to run the colony upon communal lines.  This was the only feasible form of control in order to protect the prisoners against scandalous robbery, extortionate prices, and to ensure a sufficiency of the essentials which were in such urgent demand.  A simple, although comprehensive form of civic government was drawn up, involving the formation of educational facilities, a police force, a fire brigade, the establishment and maintenance of shops and canteens, all of which were operated by the community for the benefit of the community, the receipts being pooled in the camp treasury.

Such a system was absolutely imperative.  Some of the prisoners were without money and were denied the receipt of contributions from home, their relatives and friends doubtless being too poor to help them.  Naturally these luckless prisoners were speedily reduced to extremely straitened circumstances and distress among them became very acute.  Furthermore parcels of clothing and other articles were being sent in bulk, addressed merely to the camp as a whole, instead of to individuals, the objects of the senders being the fair and equitable distribution of the articles among the prisoners indiscriminately.  The handling of these supplies led to frequent and unblushing abuses, the men who were not in need of such contributions receiving them at the expense of those who sorely wanted them.

After our civic government had been reduced to practical application and was working smoothly, the task of distributing these unaddressed bulk supplies was entrusted to the captains of the barracks.  The captain was selected for this responsibility because he knew all the deserving cases in his own party and was able to see they received the alleviation of their distress.  When a crate of goods came in the captain compiled a list setting out the names and precise needs of every man in his party.  If you were in a position to do so you were expected to pay a small sum for the articles, the price thereof being fixed, although you were at liberty to pay more if you felt disposed.  This money was paid into the camp treasury.  But if you were “broke,” no money was expected.  Consequently every man was certain to secure something of what he needed, irrespective of his financial circumstances.