(when we must get up) till 4 or 415 p.m. when we are free to go up town (3 [mibrs?], fare 5 C) but must be in by 10 p.m. (1030 Sat. + Sun.) Passes can be easily got for all night out during the week but week end passes are harder to get as so many ask for them + only 10 percent of the Batt. is allowed to leave at one time. In the morning we usually parade about 815 + do simple drill in platoons (about 50 men) right + left turn form focus + simple marches around the parade grounds (the oval inside race track) there will generally be 10 or 14 party like ours also a pipe band + bugerlers practicing + men [wig?] waging with flags + a company of B.C. horse either practicing tent pegging or cutting the turks head + many sights + sounds strange to all of us, so small wonder if some times our [wils?] are off wool gathering instead of listening to the drill sergent we are well off in that time, all the sergants are men + gentlemen they show great tact + good nature + I am very proud to be a small part of this great army of the King's. May destruction come to all our enemies wether in Germany + Austria or in Barkerville. Bob. [Norric?] is doing fine not drinking to excess as he did all the way down so that I feared he would