320 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Sept. 



flap which could be drawn up over the occupants when they 

 had settled themselves within. This flap completely covered 

 the entrance, and could be secured to the top and sides with 

 beckets and toggles. 



In the springtime these toggles were all rigidly secured, and 

 every eff"ort was made to stop up the gaps which might be left 

 between the flap and the bag ; one felt and found that it was 

 impossible to be too tightly sealed up, and many a pipe 

 smoked under these conditions showed that the icy draughts 

 from without could not be wholly banished. The warmest 

 position in the bag was naturally the middle, but it was not 

 always preferred. As an offset for his increased comfort it was 

 the duty of the centre occupant to toggle up the bag — a task 

 which, with bare cold fingers, was by no means pleasant, and 

 generally occupied a considerable time. 



Our three-man sleeping-bags weighed a little over 40 lbs. 

 on starting from the ship ; on their return from the spring 

 iourneys they were often found to be more than twice that 

 weight from the accumulation of ice which they carried. 



It would be possible to make such bags lighter by using 

 the skins of younger animals ; and here, again, it is of im- 

 portance that great care should be taken in choosing the skins 

 intended for use in an expedition. In our case, the haste of 

 our preparations prevented sufficient care being taken, and in 

 consequence we found a good number of our skins unsatis- 

 factory. Nearly all had come from older animals, on which, 

 whilst the fur is heavier, it is not necessarily warmer. To be 

 stowed on the sledge each day the sleeping-bag had to be 

 doubled over, rolled up, and secured with rope — no easy job 

 when it was stiff and hard and the weather was cold. As may 

 be imagined, also, when snow was drifting in the air very great 

 caution was needed to prevent it from getting inside the bag. 



The most difficult matter to arrange on a sledge-journey, 

 and the matter on which there is likely to be the greatest 

 difference of opinion and the most controversy, is the food. 



The issue is clear enough : one desires to provide a man 

 each day with just sufificient food to keep up his strength, and 



