The first caning was one on each hand and the second, two on each hand(the four of us were caned in front of each other). As I said Mary, in many respects I was already prepared for what was coming but that didn’t stop it hurting all the same. The second time I was very reluctant to stick my hands out for strokes 3 and 4, due to them already stinging like mad, but when I did I recall doing my level best to keep them still, as a stroke across the knuckles or finger tips was a lot worse than the palm and left painful bruises.
Now my memory may be playing tricks, but I seem to remember that the cane left white marks for the first few seconds which then turned into thin, angry red stripes. There were not, as far as I can recall, any ridges or welts left(the ruler left only paler but wider red/pink markings). Caned pupils were usually unable to write afterwards but Negus got round this by carrying out nearly all his canings after school, thus also leaving the children to be caned sweating on it.