186 
MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS OF 
were lashed to the front benches. This latter lashing was so very 
oblique, as to be of little use in preventing the trail pitching a little 
when going over very rough roads. 
Lashings of The wagon bodies were packed in the same way as the guns, and 
bodies! 6011 the P erc h es n °t projecting so far in front were more securely lashed 
down. 
Lashings of The limber bodies were secured to the sleds in the same way, by 
bodieT ber lyings found the axletree arms; and the splinter bars rested on a 
cross piece, the whole being lashed down to the sled, 
store- The store limber wagon was packed in the same way, perch to the 
limber f rrm f 
wagon ; iront. 
method of When the sleds were packed, a stout piece of 4" timber was passed 
Timber^to across underneath the trails of each of the guns and under the wagon 
protect the bodies, projecting as far as the ends of the axletree arms, and fastened 
axletree q 0 wn by spikes to the two longitudinal pieces. These were intended 
to protect the axletree arms. This arrangement was suggested by 
Lieut.-Colonel Turner, C.B. 
Uie°sieds for ^ ie f° ur s ^ s carr ied boxes and vats, and the one on which 
the boxes were packed 7 wheels and 3 pair of shafts required no preparation, 
and vats. b u t the lashing of these loads was a more difficult matter. After they 
were lashed, two or more packing sticks, termed “ swifters ” in this 
country, were twisted into the ropes, and whenever any of the lashing 
stretched (which the white rope did very considerably), it was easily 
tightened up again. 
Hay bands When any two parts of different carriages touched one another, 
to^revent w ^ en P ac ked, or when wheels or shafts were packed on the top of 
chafing? n boxes, &c., hay bands were twisted round them to prevent chafing or 
damage, 
No parts of It will be observed that in the above method of packing, nothing 
takeiTto^ 6 was taken to pi eces 5 nothing was removed from its place but the 
pieces in wheels and some of the limber-boxes, in order to distribute the weights 
of iS ackin° d more even ly* Consequently the whole of the guns and carriages could 
pac m . ^ p U ^ together in a very much shorter space of time than was taken 
in packing them, as experience proved. 
The half-battery was packed on the 4th, and put in order to 
start on the 6th of February. For the detail of the party, see 
Appendix, No.YII. p. 206. 
Prepara- Before giving an account of the march it will be necessary to give 
forThe 1 ^ 6 some account of the preparations that had been made, and the various 
march by orders that had been issued regarding it. So well was everything 
Mr ^Gen arrall g e ^ along the whole line of march, by the Quarter-Master- 
Depart. at GeneraPs Department at St John, that little had to be done by officers 
st John, commanding detachments. There were officers of the Medical and 
Commissariat Departments at each station on the road, and all 
arrangements relative to the lodging and rationing of the troops, were 
so complete that no trouble or confusion was ever experienced at the 
end of a day's march. 
Warm do- The men were well protected against the cold, on the journey, 
themen* ^he ex tra articles of clothing which they wore, were, a chamois leather 
waistcoat, seal skin cap and mits, and a comforter; and they each 
