'4298. Are you under any obligation to buy your goods from Mr.
Bruce's shop?-Not strictly speaking.'
'4299. What do you mean by "not strictly speaking?"-In one sense
we are not bound, yet in another sense we are bound. There is no
rule issued out that we must purchase our goods from there; but as
we fish for Mr. Bruce, and have no ready money, we can hardly
expect to run accounts with those who have no profit from us.
That confines many of us to purchase our goods from his shop.'
.....'We cannot expect to run a heavy account with a man who has
no profit from us, when we are uncertain whether we will be able
to clear that account or not. Therefore, as a rule, we do not run
heavy accounts for such things as meal, for instance, when our
crops are a failure, with any man except Mr. Bruce.'

[Wm. Goudie, 4928, 4307.]
[L. Smith, 4480, 4488.]

And another witness says:

'4669. But if the prices are so much higher at the Boddam shop
than elsewhere, why do you go there when you say you are not
obliged in any way to take goods from the Boddam shop? Why do
you not go to Gavin Henderson's for them?-I am obliged to go to
the Boddam shop and take my goods there if I have no money in
my pocket to buy them elsewhere.'
'4670. Does that often happen?-Perhaps not very often with me,
but it happens as a general thing among many of the men. I
believe there are as many men who have to go to Mr. Bruce's store
and take their goods there, in consequence of the want of money to
pay for them at other places, as there are who can go and open