CHAPTER XLVI 



WINTER PREPARATIONS 



DURING the early part of February everybody was mainly 

 engaged in making preparations for Storkerson's ice trip 

 northwest from the Gore Islands. My help was not needed, 

 as the number of men to be usefully employed in such work depends 

 on the number of dog teams. We had proportionately more men 

 than dogs, and I devoted most of my time to recording folklore and 

 linguistic notes. 



The story of an expedition with as many branches as ours and 

 lasting through five years is so complicated that it tends to spread 

 itself over too much paper, and I am continually omitting details 

 that would naturally be dealt with in the narrative of a year or 

 two. These omissions I hope will lead to no serious misunder- 

 standing of the main chain of events. 



Except for the light it throws upon serious events of the future, 

 I would omit mentioning here that at this time I undertook to 

 transfer about half a ton of sugar from the Star, which had an 

 abundance, to the Bear which was on short allowance. In polar 

 exploration there is seldom trouble in feeding the men who have 

 to work hard. On sledge journeys hunger, the best of all sauces, 

 sweetens every sort of food. All experienced explorers have found 

 this so and most have been led continually to the carrying of 

 fewer things, those of preeminent experience, such as Peary, even- 

 tually coming to use the same things at every meal no matter how 

 long the journey — in his case pemmican and hard bread with tea. 

 He relates that no man ever complained of this fare after the first 

 week or two and that the longer they used it the better they liked it. 

 Our experience was exactly the same with a less varied and equally 

 uniform diet. But this applies only to men working hard and for 

 a purpose. Those at winter quarters who have nothing to do except 

 prepare equipment for the work of others and keep the ship and 

 camp in condition, are as difficult to please at table as clerks and 

 bookkeepers at a city boarding house. 



Our people at the Bear if left to their own tastes would have 



461 



