COLOUR OF TENTS 353 



than one with single walls, but, at the same time, one 

 must not lose sight of the fact that the double-walled 

 house is also twice as heavy; and when one has to con- 

 sider the weight of a pocket-handkerchief, it will be 

 understood that the question of the real advantages 

 of the double-walled house had to be thoroughly con- 

 sidered before taking the step of committing oneself to 

 it. I had thought that with double walls one would 

 possibly avoid some of the rime that is generally so 

 troublesome in the tents, and often becomes a serious 

 matter. If, then, the double walls would in any way 

 prevent or improve this condition of things, I could 

 see the advantage of having them; for the increased 

 weight caused by the daily deposit of rime would in 

 a short time be equal to, if not greater than, the ad- 

 ditional weight of the double tent. These double tents 

 are made so that the outer tent is fast and the inner 

 loose. In the course of our discussion, it appeared that 

 the deposit of rime occurred just as quickly on a double 

 tent as on a single one, and thus the utility of the 

 double tent appeared to me to be rather doubtful. If 

 the object was merely to have it a few degrees warmer 

 in the tent, I thought it best to sacrifice this comfort to 

 the weight we should thereby save. Moreover, we were 

 so plentifully supplied with warm sleeping things that 

 we should not have to suffer any hardship. 



But another question cropped up as a result of this 

 discussion the question of what was the most useful 



VOL. i. 23 



