i 9 8 SCALE OF VICTUALLING. Chap. XII. 



That he should have retained his health for nineteen months, 

 under the circumstances, speaks well for the wholesomeness 

 and quality of our provisions, and the ventilation and clean- 

 liness of the ship. 



It may be interesting here to notice our dietary scale ; it is 

 hardly necessary to observe that there has been very little to 

 vary it during all that time. 



Briefly, it is a daily allowance of three-quarters of a pound 

 of biscuit, or bread baked on board, on alternate days ; three- 

 quarters of a pound of salt beef, half a pound of preserved 

 vegetables, half a pound of flour, and suet for a pudding ; to 

 be followed next day by three-quarters of a pound of salt 

 pork, and pea soup ; and on the third day by three-quarters 

 of a pound of preserved meat, with a quarter of a pound of 

 preserved potatoes. 



Cranberries or preserved apples, and sugar, for a tart 

 twice a week ; and daily, an ounce of pickles, an ounce of 

 lemon-juice, an eighth part of a pint of rum, also tea and 

 chocolate. 



We have not much time or space to devote to the growth 

 of mustard and cress on board, so do but little in that way. 

 In a former expedition we used to produce about thirty 

 pounds of this agreeable antiscorbutic from six pounds of 

 the seed in fourteen days, if kept at a temperature between 

 6o° and 70 , and watered with lukewarm water frequently ; 

 in this way it was grown throughout the winter in wooden 

 trays two feet long and one foot wide, and having two inches 

 depth of earth in them. In summer the trays were placed in 

 the most favourable situations on shore and covered with 

 glass, when tolerable crops were also procured. 



10th. — Extremely cold, with dense mists from the open 

 water. Yesterday eight ptarmigan and a sooty fox were 

 seen. We have consumed the last of our venison ; it 

 supplied us for three days. We are drinking out a cask of 



