176 ESTABLISH FOUR POSTS FOR SLEDGES. \_May, 



etc. to Beechey Island, departed. I had fully contem- 

 plated the necessity of some such proceeding before 

 quitting England, and the propriety of establishing rest- 

 ing-places or houses of call, should necessity reduce us to 

 the abandonment of the vessels. This I now determined 

 to carry out, establishing four journey positions in the 

 fifty -two intervening miles, where tents, and all the neces- 

 saries for cooking, sleeping, etc.., would be provided, and 

 thus relieve each sledge of that weight, amounting, as 

 under, to 335 Ibs. 



Tent and gear for ditto 62 Ibs. 



Sleeping bags 74 



Buffalo robe and cover 73 



Waterproof and canvas bottoms . . .48 



Cooking apparatus 32 



Axe, pick, spade, boat-hook . . . . 26 



Boarding pikes 20 



335 



This arrangement ensures the dry tent, ready pitched 

 with due preparation on arrival, by the party in posses- 

 sion, and further, relief from the trouble of packing on 

 resuming the march. The stations at present contem- 

 plated are Cape Osborn, Cape Grinnell, Cape Bowden, 

 or Baring Rendezvous (commanded by Sergeant Jeffe- 

 ries), and Cape Spencer. 



The consumption of fuel, and other reasons, rendered 

 it expedient to withdraw all the tent-keepers but the Ser- 

 geant and his assistant at Baring Rendezvous, where a 

 supply of provisions would be accumulated to aid the 

 travellers, as well as meet any emergency, should a sud- 

 den disruption of the ice or other event compel the crew 

 to seek refuge at Beechey Island. 



