340 DISCOVERY REPORTS 



this did not so much matter. When snow but not rain was expected, as in the first half of 

 the season and near the end, the Antarctic tents were best and handiest. These tents are 

 of Hght material, silk mixed with cotton, and they are supported by four bamboo poles 

 connected at the top with raw hide. They have no guys and there is a deep valance on 

 which snow or shingle is heaped. The canvas duck tent was a very good compromise for 

 general use (Plate XLI, fig. 2). 



The cooking was always done in a separate tent, as the heat raised was negligible and 

 the steam condensed on the inside of the tent and made it very wet. 



Sleeping bags. These were double thickness Jaeger wool, with the usual flaps, and a 

 detachable waterproof outer cover. They were very comfortable, but hardly warm 

 enough. The waterproof cover was seldom used, because the condensation caused the 

 bags to become very wet inside. It is suggested that it would be better to have had it in 

 two pieces, the bottom and sides in one and an overlapping top secured by toggles like 

 the head flap. 



Clothing. Nothing special need be said, except that coats should be short (pea-jackets), 

 because of the large amount of waist-high tussac that one almost invariably has to go 

 through. Even in fine weather the tussac is often wet, and a long coat becomes water- 

 logged and is a nuisance. It is not easy to dry anything, except on the rare sunny 

 days. Rubber sea-boots are in my opinion better than leather, though they are colder. 

 They should have leather soles, as otherwise they wear out quickly on the sharp rocks, 

 and they should be at least two sizes too large to allow for extra pairs of stockings. The 

 astrakhan caps supplied answered very well. 



Gloves. An inner, fairly loose wash-leather glove, secured at the wrist to prevent it 

 slipping, should undoubtedly be worn; the touch is almost as good as with bare fingers, 

 and yet the hand is protected against both wind and metal. Such gloves are useful with 

 theodolite or level, and especially so with a sextant, when the hands have to be raised. 

 Gloves are a difliculty in sounding, because even with a Lucas machine the hands are 

 bound to get wet. An oilskin outer mitten with a leather pad held in the hands was 

 found fairly good, although arming the lead caused some difliculty. 



Primus stoves. These had always to be used for cooking, the amount of driftwood to 

 be found on most beaches being negligible. If looked after and kept clean, they give 

 excellent service, and as we generally used two, it was possible for the cook to prepare a 

 meal for the five of us of soup, meat and vegetables, and coffee in not much over half 

 an hour. Fresh whale meat was greatly appreciated when it could be obtained. 



