EQUIPMENT 19 



steering-compass he carried. Each of the other three 

 sledges had a sledge-meter and compass. We were 

 thus equipped with three sledge-meters and four com- 

 passes. The instruments we carried were two sextants 

 and three artificial horizons — two glass and one mercury 

 — a hypsometer for measuring heights, and one aneroid. 

 For meteorological observations, four thermometers. 

 Also two pairs of binoculars. We took a little travel- 

 ling case of medicines from Burroughs Wellcome and 

 Co. Our surgical instruments were not many : a dental 

 forceps and — a beard-clipper. Our sewing outfit was 

 extensive. We carried a small, very light tent in 

 reserve; it would have to be used if any of us were 

 obliged to turn back. We also carried two Primus 

 lamps. Of paraffin we had a good supply: twenty-two 

 and a half gallons divided among three sledges. We 

 kept it in the usual cans, but they proved too weak; 

 not that we lost any paraffin, but Bjaaland had to be 

 constantly soldering to keep them tight. We had 

 a good soldering outfit. Every man carried his own 

 personal bag, in which he kept reserve clothing, diaries 

 and observation books. We took a quantity of loose 

 straps for spare ski-bindings. We had double sleeping- 

 bags for the first part of the time; that is to say, an 

 inner and an outer one. There were five watches 

 among us, of which three were chronometer watches. 



We had decided to cover the distance between 80° 

 and 82° S. in daily marches of seventeen miles. We 



