326 THE VOYAGE OF THE 'DISCOVERY' [Sept. 



board the ship, and when once away the arrangements went 

 like clockwork. Each member of the group of three living 

 together in a tent would take it in turn to be cook for the 

 week. On the stated day he would go to the provision tank 

 and take out his allowance of small bags ; these he would 

 place in the ready-use bag, which was always kept handy on 

 the sledge. When camping-time came and the tent was up, 

 the cook would get inside, with his provision bag and cooking- 

 apparatus, and with everything under his hand he was able to 

 prepare supper in the shortest possible space of time. Of 

 course the cook was responsible for the weekly allowance 

 lasting out its proper time ; if it ran short before, the inmates 

 of the tent had to go hungry, and this made the cook un- 

 popular. 



I have said there was little variety in our provisions, but a 

 good cook had some chance of showing his abilities. Even 

 in such a minage he could vary the ingredients of his hoosh 

 each night, provided he did not outrun the constable, and a 

 very wily cook would save a bit here and there during his 

 term of office so as to end it up with one really thick ■ stick 

 to the ribs ' hoosh, which kept his memory green for several 

 days. 



The weekly allowance of food for a tent I called a pro- 

 vision unit, and I find I had to allow at least 6 lbs. for the 

 packing of each unit. 



The habit of heating his food is about the only one 

 possessed by the sledge -traveller which can be said to go beyond 

 the bare necessity of life. Theoretically I believe the food would 

 be as nourishing and sustaining were it swallowed cold ; it would 

 only lose its immediate stimulating effect. Hence to some 

 extent fuel is a luxury, but even from this point of view not 

 entirely, for it would always be necessary to carry some fuel 

 and some vessel in order to obtain water for drinking. As 

 regards the heating of food, I can only say that I should 

 prefer to be absent from a party who had decided to forego 

 it. The prospect of a cold supper after a long and tiring 

 inarch through the snow, with the thermometer below zero, 



