The Home Of The Blizzard Part 76

Other supplies, taken in bulk, and for which we are indebted to the manufacturers, are: one ton of Cerebos Salt, half a ton of Castle salt, one ton of Sunlight Soap, our complete requirements in toilet soap from Pears, candles from Price, matches from Bryant and May including special sledging vestas, and dried milk from the Trufood Company.

Sweets, which were used for dessert and on special occasions, were presented by the firms of Fuller and Batger of London, and by Farrah of Harrogate, &c. There were also small quant.i.ties of aerated waters, ales, wines, and whisky for each Base.** At the Main Base, at least, there was no demand for whisky until penguin omelettes became fashionable.

** * Donated by Schweppes, Kopke, Burgoyne, and others.

The smokers were well provided for by a generous donation of Capstan tobaccos, cigarettes and cigars from the British American Tobacco Company in London. At a later date, when our Macquarie Island party was formed, the Sydney branch of the same firm met our added needs with the same generosity.

There are many other items which have not yet found a place in this summary which cannot be acknowledged severally, but for which we are none the less grateful. Mention is made of the following: Horlick's Malted Milk, Neave's Health Diet, Brown and Polson's Cornflour, International Plasmon Company's Plasmon chocolate and Plasmon powder, Bovril and lime juice nodules manufactured by Bovril Limited, Colman's Mustard and Groats, Flemington Meat Company's desiccated soups, Seager's meats, Nestle's nut-milk chocolate, Escoffier's soups, &c.

The cooking range which served us well for two years in the Hut at Adelie Land was from J. Smith and Wellstood (London); others were presented by Metters (Adelaide).

The total supply of foods purchased and donated aggregated quite one hundred tons, exclusive of packing. Much of this was a.s.sembled in London. In Australia the Government Produce Department of Adelaide rendered valuable a.s.sistance.

TABLE OF FOOD-SUPPLIES FOR A TWELVE-MAN BASE

The following are the food requirements for a party of twelve men wintering in the Antarctic. It is our own store list, with slight modifications where these are found desirable. The figures are based on the supposition that unlimited quant.i.ties of seal and penguin meat can be had on the spot, and, furthermore, are ample for a second year's requirements should the party be unavoidably detained. The fare during the second year might be somewhat less varied, but would otherwise be sufficient. Health was, of course, the first consideration in this selection, but economy was also studied. The quant.i.ties are stated in pounds weight.

lbs.

Meats, tinned--Corned beef, 216; roast beef, 72; roast mutton, 72; boiled mutton, 72; Irish stew, 216; a.s.sorted meats, 168, including mutton cutlets, haricot mutton, ox tail, ox tongue, sausages, and brawn; sheep's tongues, 288; special meats, 192, including rabbit, hare, duck, fowl, and turkey................... 1296

Live sheep--16 sheep to be dressed south of 60 degrees S. lat.i.tude (weight not included)

Suet, tinned--400......................... 400

Bacon and Ham--Bacon in sides, packed in salt, 250; ham, 250... 500

Fish, tinned--Salmon, 360; haddocks, 96; kippered herrings, 216; herrings in tomato sauce, 72; fresh herrings, 72; sardines, 300; cods' roe, curried prawns, &c., 72.............., 1188

Soups, a.s.sorted tinned, 1152.................. 1152

Vegetables, fresh, in wooden cases--new potatoes, 1200; onions, 3601560 Tinned--potatoes, 864; onions, 216; peas, 450; French beans, 450; spinach, 360; cabbage, 144; beetroot, 288; carrots, 288; parsnips, 144; turnips, 108; celery, 144; leeks, 72; champignons, 144; Boston baked beans, 144; tomatoes, 288..................... 3240

Cereals and Dried Vegetables, &c.--Split peas, 112; lentils, 56; marrowfat peas, 56; haricot beans, 56; barley, 72; rice, 252; tapioca, 144; semolina, 56; macaroni, 56; rolled oats, 648; cornflour, 156........................ 1664

Flour, including plain, wholemeal, and self-rising...... 4480 Biscuits, &c.--Plasmon wholemeal, 1344; plain wholemeal, 560; a.s.sorted sweet, 560; cake tinned, 224; plum pudding, 224.... 1712

Fruit, tinned in syrup--peaches, 288; pears, 288; plums, 288; apricots, 288; pineapples, 288; apples, 288; gooseberries, 216; cherries, 216; mulberries, 48; strawberries, 48; red currants, 48; black currants, 48; raspberries, 48............... 2400

Dried fruits--Prunes, 112; apples, 112; peaches, 56; nectarines, 56; apricots, 56; raisins seeded, 224; currants, 112; figs, 224; dates, 112; candied peel, 56.................. 1120

Sweets, &c.--Eating chocolate (chiefly for sledging) 504; a.s.sorted sweets, 168; crystallized fruits, 56; a.s.sorted nuts, 84..... 812

Milk--as dried powder, 2400................... 2400

b.u.t.ter--in 56 lb. export cases, 1456.............. 1456

Cheese--in original blocks or tins, 240............. 240

Cocoa, Tea, and Coffee--Cocoa, 576; tea, 288; coffee, 288.... 1152

Sugar, Jam, &c.--Sugar, 3584; jam, 1456; marmalade, 448; honey, 576; syrup, 288..................... 6352

Sauces, Pickles, &c.--Tomato sauce, 180; Worcester sauce, 135; sweet pickles, 162; mango chutney, 81; a.s.sorted pickles (first quality) 216; vinegar, 210............... 984

Cooking requisites--Baking powder (in addition to that in selfrising flour) 56; sodium bicarbonate, 1; ground mixed spice, 3; ground ginger, 4; whole cloves, 1; nutmegs, 2; a.s.sorted essences, 10; desiccated cocoanut, 12; mixed dried herbs, 2; dried mint, 6; dried parsley, 1; onion powder, 9; curry powder, 30; mustard, 30; black pepper, 12; white pepper, 12; table salt, 784.......... 975

Soap, &c.--Soap, 448; soda, 168................. 616

(16 tons approx.) 35,699

Note. These weights are exclusive of packing. When high southern lat.i.tudes can be reached within three weeks, fresh eggs may be taken with advantage, preferably unfertilized, but care should be taken to freeze them as soon as possible, and not to allow them to thaw again until required for use. It is advisable to take small quant.i.ties of whisky, ale, wines and lime juice. Matches, candles, soap, and other toilet requirements, kerosene and fuel are not reckoned with here, appearing in a more general stores' list. Certain medical comforts, such as malted milk and plasmon, may also be included.

Medical Equipment

The medical equipment consisted of a complete outfit of Burroughs and Wellcome's drug's, dressings, &c., and Allen and Hanbury's surgical instruments. Sets, varying in character with particular requirements, were made up for the Ship and for each of the land parties. Contained within the fifty-five boxes was a wonderful a.s.sortment of everything which could possibly have been required on a polar expedition. There was in addition a set of Burroughs and Wellcome's medicines for the treatment of dogs.

Scientific Equipment

The scope of our projected scientific work necessitated extensive purchases, and these were amplified by loans from many scientific bodies and individuals.

Instruments for surveying and navigation were loaned by the Royal Geographical Society and by the Admiralty, while many theodolites, chronometers, and half-chronometer watches were manufactured to order.

An a.s.sortment of oceanographical gear was generously supplied through H. S. H. The Prince of Monaco, from the Inst.i.tut Oceanographique of Monaco. Dr. W. S. Bruce made similar donations and supervised the construction of our largest deep-sea dredge. The three-thousand fathom tapered steel cables and mountings, designed to work the deep-water dredges, were supplied by Messrs. Bullivant. Appliances were also loaned by Mr. J. T. Buchanan of the 'Challenger' Expedition and by the Commonwealth Fisheries Department. The self-recording tide-gauges we employed were the property of the New South Wales Government, obtained through Mr. G. Halligan.

The taxidermists' requirements, and other necessaries for the preservation of zoological specimens, were for the most part purchased, but great a.s.sistance was rendered through Professor Baldwin-Spencer by the National Museum of Melbourne and by the South Australian Museum, through the offices of Professor Stirling. Articles of equipment for botanical work were loaned by Mr. J. H. Maiden, Director of the Botanical Gardens, Sydney.

A supply of heavy cameras for base-station work and light cameras for sledging was purchased; our stock being amplified by many private cameras, especially those belonging to F. H. Hurley, photographer of the Expedition. Special Lumiere plates and material for colour photography were not omitted, and, during the final cruise of the 'Aurora', P. E. Correll employed the more recent Paget process for colour photography with good results.

The programme of magnetic work was intended to be as extensive as possible. In the matter of equipment we were very materially a.s.sisted by the Carnegie Inst.i.tute through Dr. L. A. Bauer. An instrument was also loaned through Mr. H. F. Skey of the Christchurch Magnetic Observatory. A full set of Eschenhagen self-recording instruments was purchased, and in this and in other dispositions for the magnetic work we have to thank Dr. C. Chree, Director of the National Physical Laboratory, and Dr. C. C. Farr of University College, Christchurch.

Captain Chetwynd kindly a.s.sisted in arrangements for the Ship's compa.s.ses.

Two complete sets of Telefunken wireless apparatus were purchased from the Australasian Wireless Company. The motors and dynamos were got from Buzzacott, Sydney, and the masts were built by Saxton and Binns, Sydney. Manilla and tarred-hemp ropes were supplied on generous terms by Melbourne firms (chiefly Kinnear).

The meteorological instruments were largely purchased from Negretti and Zambra, but a great number were loaned by the Commonwealth Meteorological Department (Director, Mr. H. A. Hunt) and by the British Meteorological Office (Director, Dr. W. N. Shaw).

For astronomical work the following instruments were loaned, besides transit-theodolites and s.e.xtants: a four-inch telescope by the Greenwich Observatory through the Astronomer Royal: a portable transit-theodolite by the Melbourne Observatory through the Director, Mr. P. Baracchi; two stellar sidereal chronometers by the Adelaide Observatory through the Astronomer, Mr. P. Dodwell.

The apparatus for bacteriological and physiological work were got in Sydney, in arrangements and suggestions for which our thanks are due to Dr. Tidswell (Microbiological Laboratory) and Professor Welsh, of Sydney University.

Artists' materials were supplied by Winsor and Newton, London, while the stationery was partly donated by John Sands, Limited, Sydney

Geological, chemical, and physical apparatus were all acquired at the instance of the several workers.

Adjuncts, such as a calculating machine, a typewriter, and duplicator were not forgotten.**