INTEREST IN EXPEDITION 341 



the interest taken by the employees of the provision firms that 

 during the whole period of the Expedition we constantly came 

 across little notes from the packers wishing us every success, &c. 

 In two of Fry's cases were letters addressed to Captain Scott and 

 the Second-in-Command, with new two-shilling pieces, to be re- 

 turned if we thought fit to the packer in question, to hand down 

 to his children, and so forth. 



We were brought into close touch with the firms by visiting 

 their works and actually seeing the goods packed in the ' Ve- 

 nesta ' cases, which were, if possible, of no greater gross weight 

 than 60 Ibs. to facilitate handling. 



Our tobacco was presented to the Expedition by the Imperial 

 Tobacco Company, who also gave cigars and cigarettes. They 

 took the greatest care to preserve this very important part of 

 pur stores, and the tobacco supply was undoubtedly the best and 

 most generous that any expedition has had. 



The above mentioned articles form only a part of the items 

 of equipment necessary to a Polar Expedition with such an am- 

 bitious programme, and all this was arranged before we had col- 

 lected our money or purchased a ship. 



We had to obtain by purchase or otherwise ice-saws, anchors, 

 picks and shovels, hides for soles of boots, &c., instruments of 

 all descriptions for the various scientific purposes, lamps and 

 lighting gear, books and mathematical tables, a library, oils and 

 mineral grease, a colossal photographic outfit, stationery in gar- 

 gantuan quantities, an efficient sledging outfit, harness and leather 

 goods from John Lecky & Co. for our ponies and dogs, motor 

 accessories for that part of our transport, &c., &c. 



Our telescopes were presented by Lieut.-Col. J. W. Gifford of 

 Oakland Chard. He gave us a 3%" equatorial telescope for 

 which he calculated the lenses, and also a light i 24" glass for the 

 Southern Journey. Binoculars were provided by the staff. 



Besides this we had great quantities of fishing gear, needles 

 and scissors, knives, &c., from Milward's firm, and sewing ma- 

 chines from Singer's. 



The Welsh Tin Plate and Metal Stamping Co. provided the 

 majority of our cutlery, cooking apparatus and mess traps free. 



And then, lest anything should be forgotten, the Army and 

 Navy catalogue was searched from cover to cover by the office 

 staff for anything that might have been forgotten. Captain Scott 



