WARM INTEREST IN THE EXPEDITION 493 
separate provision lists and then met in committee to 
decide finally on the quantities and qualities of foodstuffs 
to be taken. 
It was decided to add considerably to the kinds of 
stores taken on previous Expeditions, all believing in 
variety at the base stations. Thus, for example, we had 
three hundredweight of fancy chocolates for the shore 
parties, crystallised fruits, sweets, ginger, &c. Thanks 
to the magnificent generosity of the firms mentioned 
we practically obtained our provisions for nothing, and 
the packing of the stores was beyond all praise. So 
great was 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 returned 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 ' Venesta ' cases, which were, if possible, of no 
greater gross weight than 60 lbs., 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 our 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 
