494 
SCOTT'S LAST EXPEDITION 
items of equipment necessary to a Polar Expedition with 
such an ambitious programme^ and all this was arranged 
before we had collected our money or purchased a 
ship. 
We had to obtain by purchase or otherwise ice-saws, 
anchors, picks and shovels^ hides for soles of boots, &c., 
instruments of all descriptions for the various scientific 
purposes, lamps and lighting gear, books and mathe- 
matical tables, a library, oils and mineral grease, a 
colossal photographic outfit, stationery in gargantuan 
quantities, an efficient sledging outfit, harness and 
leather goods from John Lecky & Co. for our ponies 
and dogs, motor accessories for that part of our 
transport, &c., &c. 
Our telescopes were presented by Lieut. -Col. J. W. 
Gifford of Oaklands Chard. He gave us a equatorial 
telescope for which he calculated the lenses, and also 
a light if^'' glass for the Southern Journey. Binoculars 
were provided by the staff. 
Besides this we had great quantities of fishing gear, 
needles and scissors, knives, &c., from Milward's firm, 
and sewing machines from Singer's. 
The Welsh Tin Plate and Metal Stamping Co. provided 
the majority of our cutlery, cooking apparatus, and mess 
traps free. 
And then, lest anything should be forgotten, the Army 
and Navy catalogue was searched from cover to cover 
by the o&cc staff for anything that might have been 
forgotten. Captain Scott once complained that we had 
forgotten to bring an article South — it was shaving soap ; 
