I902] ACETYLENE 261 



same spot and there was no guarantee that this might not be 

 prolonged to a third or even a fourth, the question of lighting 

 the ship became a much more serious problem, and our 

 thoughts flew at once to the calcium carbide which had been 

 provided for the hut and which we had not previously thought 

 of using. Once brought into working order, this illuminant 

 proved to be the most delightful and the most easily worked 

 that it would be possible to imagine. All that was necessary 

 was to arrange a system of piping which led to the entrance 

 porch ; here the generator which regulated the mixture of the 

 carbide with water, and so the production of gas, was placed, 

 and here it continued to work in spite of the temperature, as 

 the chemical action by which the gas was produced gave oft" 

 sufficient heat to prevent the water from freezing on the 

 coldest days. In this manner the darkness of our second 

 winter was relieved by a light of such brilliancy that all could 

 pursue their occupations by the single burner placed in each 

 compartment. I lay great stress on this, because I am con- 

 fident that this is in every way the best illuminant that can be 

 taken for a polar winter, and no future expedition should fail 

 to supply themselves with it. The single drawback is the 

 danger of carrying the carbide on shipboard. It must of 

 necessity be kept in a dry place, but the danger can be 

 greatly diminished by careful packing, and there is no reason 

 why the sealed tins containing it should not be stowed in 

 boxes, which are likewise made water-tight, and so assurance 

 be made doubly sure. 



I may mention that our stock of candles had also to be care- 

 fully considered in the second winter, and we thought it good 

 policy to exaggerate our destitution to encourage greater care. 

 As the result of a limited allowance it was possible to see 

 widely different methods of consumption, and each person 

 preserved with care a box in which he kept the grease which 

 had guttered over from his own candles or from any others 

 that he could lay his hands on. As soon as sufficient was 

 collected he would set about casting fresh candles, and so eke 

 out his own scanty supply ; later it was found that by mixing 



