I902] JACK AND HIS KIT 247 



securing the lower edges together, obtauied a funnel-shaped 

 protection which held the air immediately in front of the face 

 in comparative rest. With a very strong wind and a low 

 temperature, no possible device can prevent frequent frost- 

 bites, but this one went a long way towards mitigating the 

 evil, and it had also the advantage that by peering beneath the 

 guard of a companion, one could readily tell if the frost had 

 attacked him. 



' We find not only that furs are unnecessary for winter 

 wear, but cannot imagine that they would be otherwise than 

 positively objectionable. It is reported that some of the old 

 Arctic expeditions wore furs ; the mess-deck under such con- 

 ditions cannot have been very attractive. We wear furs only 

 on our feet and hands, the latter are also protected by excellent 

 woollen half-mits, which extend from the knuckles nearly to the 

 elbow; armed with these and with one's fists thrust into a 

 lined fur mit, one's hands may be comfortable in any weather. 

 We have also excellent felt and woollen mits, which the men 

 use for outdoor work. Should the wind get through these, the 

 best plan is to wet them, as the ice forms the best possible 

 protection. 



' I regret to say that the clothing issue displays the fact 

 that the sailors are extremely careless of their clothes ; they 

 seem to have an idea that there is an unhmited stock of socks, 

 mits and such like, and have an obvious contempt for the 

 " stitch in time." Of course there are the few careful ones by 

 whom the others can be judged. More than once I have had 

 to speak seriously about the wasteful use of food, clothes, and 

 various articles of our equipment, but I am bound to confess 

 that my words have not had any great result ; in fact, even the 

 cutting off of supplies does not seem to have any lasting effect. 

 One may well wonder whether, in any circumstances, it would 

 be possible to alter their happy-go-lucky-nature. On the other 

 hand, such a nature has its obvious advantages. One knows 

 with these men that their resource will always be equal to the 

 occasion, and even if they run short of clothing, one has a 

 feeling that they will manage somehow.' 



