1902] SIZE OF SLEDGE PARTIES 315 



The difficulties we were put to on account of our sledges 

 and sledge-runners will be mentioned in due course, but it is 

 as well to lay down here, for the guidance of future travellers 

 in these regions, such recommendations as arise out of our 

 experience. 



It may be safely said that the n-foot ski-runner sledge is a 

 good type for general purposes in the Antarctic Regions, 

 whether it is to be hauled by men or dogs. It would be a 

 good plan to have sledges made of different weights to suit 

 special circumstances. Under ordinary conditions such sledges 

 may be allowed to run on their wood runners, but if it is 

 desired to ascend glaciers or travel over rough ice, a steel- 

 protected runner is necessary. As a general rule, such a pro- 

 tection would only be required for a limited part of the journey, 

 and I do not think it would be difficult to devise one which 

 could be temporarily secured by clamps and detached when no 

 longer of use. The importance of selecting the wood of 

 which the sledges are made cannot be too strongly urged. 

 Though ash has been mostly used, I understand the American 

 hickory is also an excellently tough wood for the purpose. 

 Sledge-runners have also been made of elm and maple, either 

 of which offers little friction to the snow. 



Before leaving the subject of sledges it is well to mention 

 the necessity of providing strong heavy ones for the ordinary 

 work about headquarters, for the travelling sledges would soon 

 be knocked to pieces at this. Three or four heavy rough 

 sledges with narrow iron-bound runners did all our heavy work 

 about the ship during her stay in the ice. 



In point of numbers the ' Discovery's ' crew was far behind 

 the old Northern expeditions ; it was this fact that first decided 

 us, in arranging a sledge equipment for a condition where men, 

 and not dogs, would do most of the haulage, to divide our 

 parties into the smallest workable units. The old Northern 

 plan had allowed for parties of twelve, or at the least eight, 

 who were in all respects self-contained, but, having a common 

 tent and cooking arrangements, could not be subdivided. With- 

 out necessarily limiting the number of men in our parties, the 



