1902] 



CALCULATION OF ALLOWANCES 



323 



well maintained, but there was still no doubt about our hunger. 

 There can be little question, therefore, that polar sledging 

 ranks an easy first as a hunger-producing employment, and 

 inferentially from that fact one can draw some conclusion as to 

 the arduous nature of the work. 



But from the foregoing I do not wish it to be thought that 

 we were able to maintain our daily life on an allowance of 

 twenty-nine ounces of food per man. This figure represents 

 the water-free weight. Whereas absolute freedom from water 

 can only be calculated, it is never achieved ; and herein lies 

 one of the greatest difficulties that faces the sledge-traveller, 

 since it is obvious that the water is a dead and useless addition 

 to his weights. Some idea of the difficulty can be gathered 

 from the statement that ordinary cooked meat contains no less 

 than 54 per cent, of moisture. Hence, to the sledger, to reduce 

 the water in his food is of as much importance as to curb his 

 appetite. It is therefore of interest to quote the actual nature 

 and weight of food carried on the occasions which I have taken 

 for examples. 



One or two articles in this list need explanation. Pemmican 

 was, I believe, the name given in the Hudson Bay Territory to 

 a compound of dry buffalo meat and lard. It was transferred 

 to the dried beef and lard carried by the Northern sledgers, 



