ARCTIC ICE-TRAVELS 477 



Towel and soap, also a water-bottle and gutta-percha drinking-eup. Spare clothing 

 in knapsack, altogether weighing twelve pounds. 



The clothing supi^lied by Government to the various search ex- 

 peditions was made of the most superior material, and was found ex- 

 cellent. It is hardly necessary to describe the different articles. Par- 

 ticular care should be exercised in the selection of under-clothino-. 

 which should be of the best and warmest substance. Outside cloth- 

 ing should fit loosely. In place of the overall jumper and trousers, 

 which are used merely as " snow-repellers " to keep out the light 

 snow-drift, a suit made from the skin of the moose-deer wed smoked 

 Avould be found advantageous ; the jumper should have a hood to pull 

 up over one's cap in bad weather, and should have a large pocket in 

 front to put one's mitts in when not in use. The moccasins should be 

 made large, so as on no account to cramp the foot. They are only 

 intended to be worn during extreme cold. 



The daily allowance of provisions for those engaged in sledge-trav- 

 eling is as follows : For each man, 1 lb. pemmican,^ lb. boiled pork, 14 

 ozs. biscuit, 2 ozs. preserved potatoes, 1^ oz. prepared chocolate, \ oz. 

 tea and sugar, 1 oz. concentrated rum ; 4 ozs. fuel being used daily for 

 each individual ; also a weekly allowance per man of If oz. salt, \ oz. 

 pepper, 1 oz. curry or onion powder, and 3 ozs. tobacco, making a 

 weekly allowance per man of 19 lbs. 3 ozs., Avhich is a very liberal one, 

 and well adapted to long journeys in the most severe weather. In 

 fact, at first starting, the men are not able to consume the full amount 

 allowed of pemmican, but after a few days' hard work and exjDosure this 

 little difiiculty is soon overcome. Fuel may consist of diiferent mate- 

 rials. There is the camphorated spirits of wine, whose great charm 

 consists in its being camphorated, and therefore cannot well be tam- 

 pered with by the men. Methyllated spirits of wine has also been 

 much used, and is cheaper than pure alcohol. Sir Leopold McClin- 

 tock, in the Fox, used crude cocoa-nut oil, which he found very use- 

 ful and very cheap. Its advantages over tallow are: 1. That it cooks 

 much more rapidly ; 2. It makes very little smoke (an important 

 item) ; and, 3. There is nothing disagreeable in smell or taste about it. 



Great care must be taken in the stowage of provisions, and, in 

 fact, in all that relates to the equipment of a sledge, as it is most im- 

 portant that the greatest economy in the matter of weights should be 

 arrived at. The ofiicer conducting the sledge-party is, of course, re- 

 sponsible that the necessary instruments are taken that will be re- 

 quired for fixing astronomically different positions, and for delineating 

 the coast-line. Every thing being in readiness for a start, the sledges, 

 which we Avill say are six in number, with their distinguishing flags 

 (to each of which there is usually a history attached) fluttering brave- 

 ly in the breeze, are drawn up outside the ship, the men, cheerful and 

 joyous, with their drag-ropes in hand, the ofiicers with their rifles 

 slung across their shoulders, receiving their parting instructions, all 



