THE GREAT WHITE JOURNEY 235 



knives, spoons, and the day's rations of pemmican and bis- 

 cuit ; also the alcohol-stove and a box of matches, done up in 

 a waterproof package. 



Then, if it was Astrup's turn as cook he immediately began 

 the preparations for dinner by lighting the alcohol- lamp and 

 filling the boiler with snow, while I lay down in the lee of the 

 sledge and made my notes of the day's work. If it was my 

 turn as chef, as soon as the kitchen was finished I took po.s- 

 session of it, and Astrup retreated to the shelter of the sledge. 

 While the snow was melting I wrote up my notes, Astrup 

 usually devoting this time to rubbing vaseline into his face to 

 repair the ravages of the sun and wind. As soon as sufficient 

 water had been melted, two cupfuls of pea- soup were made, 

 and this, with a half-pound lump of pemmican, formed our 

 first course. While we were enjoying this the water for our 

 tea was brought to the boiling-point. Pea-soup and pemmi- 

 can finished, we each had a cupful of cold milk, and when this 

 had disappeared the tea was made ; six biscuits apiece formed 

 our dessert. 



When our luxurious repast was over, what was left of our 

 day's allowance of alcohol was allowed to expend itself on a 

 fresh boilerful of snow for our morning tea, while the cook 

 made his preparations for the night by changing his footgear 

 and tightening the drawstrings of his furs. In addition to his 

 other duties, the cook of *the day had the entire responsibility, 

 from dinner-time until breakfast, of the dogs, and it was the 

 first rigid regulation of the journey that he should always be 



