IV 
INTRODUCTION. 
leration we were enabled to put the ship’s company into three 
watches, a regulation which is well known to tend very es- 
sentially to the health and comfort of seamen, while it serves 
also the important purpose of teaching them their own strength, 
and increasing their activity on occasions requiring more than 
ordinary exertion. 
The ships were completely furnished with provisions and stores 
for a period of two years ; in addition to which, a large supply of 
fresh meats and soups, preserved in tin cases, by Messrs. Donkin and 
Gamble, of Burkitt’s essence of malt and hops, and of the essence 
of spruce, was also put on board, besides a number of other extra 
stores adapted to cold climates and a long voyage. The anti- 
scorbutics consisted of lemon-juice (which forms a part of the daily 
rations on board His Majesty’s ships), vinegar, sour-krout, pickles, 
and herbs ; and the whole of the provisions, which were of the 
very best quality, were stowed in tight casks, to preserve them 
from moisture or other injury. As a matter of experiment, a small 
quantity of vinegar, in a highly-concentrated state, recommended 
and prepared by Doctor Bollman, was also put on board, and 
was found of essential service, the greater part of the com- 
mon kind being destroyed by the severity of the frost. In order 
to save stowage, only a small proportion of biscuit was received ; 
flour, which had been previously kiln-dried with great care, being 
substituted in its place. For the purpose of baking for the daily con- 
sumption of the crews during the winter months, a portable oven was 
furnished to the Hecla ; and after a good leaven had been once 
obtained, we found no difficulty in baking light and wholesome bread, 
even in the severest part of the season. The ships were ballasted 
