in 14 minutes and 37 seconds, and 1,000 Rats in less than one hour and 40
minutes.

The Rat-catcher has also some very dirty jobs to do sometimes. Often he
has to go under all sorts of cellar floors, both wet and dry, but the
majority of places are very wet and dirty, for the Rats nearly always
come out of some filthy drain, and very often near a water-closet, the
abominable smell arising from these places being sufficient to cause a
fever.

I remember being once employed at a hospital, and I was paid at the rate
of 5s. per visit for trapping Rats. Well, I found that 5s. per visit did
not pay me (I had about 120 traps set all over the place), so I went
before the committee and requested 8s. per night. The committee said
they thought 5s. per visit was enough, and one or two of them said they
thought 8s. per night was above a Rat-catcher's pay. Now, as I was not
depending on that particular job at the time, I turned round and told
them what I thought. I told them I considered Rat-catching was a skilled
occupation, and I also offered any of them a five-pound note if they
would only follow me under the floors at midnight, not to speak of taking
the live Rats out of the traps in the dark; but I can assure you that
none of these gentlemen would venture to undertake the task.

Now, if any of these gentlemen had to do this a few times they would not
refuse to pay the Rat-catcher the sum he asks, viz., 8s. per night.

I remember more than once in big places such as bonding warehouses, when
I have been under the floors, my candle or lamp has gone out through
being knocked over with grabbing at Rats, and I have not had a match in
my pocket, and have had to grope about in the dark trying to find the