be dispensed
with on account of the incessant drift. The door of the tent was an oval
funnel of burberry material just large enough to admit a man and secured
by a draw-string.

Strips of calico and webbing were sewn over the insides of the light
tents to strengthen them for sledging in the summer. For heavy weather
we also had japara sail-cloth tents with Willesden canvas flounces.
These gave one a feeling of greater security and were much more
wind-proof, but unfortunately twice as heavy as the first-mentioned.

A floor-cloth of light Willesden canvas covered the surface of snow
or ice in the interior of the tent; performing when sledging the
alternative office of a sail.

In order to cut snow, neve or ice to pile on the flounce, a pick and
spade had to be included in the sledging equip meet. As a rule, a
strong, pointed shovel weighing about six pounds answers very well;
but in Adelie Land, the surface was so often wind-swept ice, polished
porcelain-snow, or hard neve that a pick was necessary to make any
impression upon it. It was found that a four-pound spade, carefully
handled, and a four-pound miner's pick provided against all emergencies.

Our sledges were similar to those of other British Antarctic
expeditions; of eleven- and twelve-foot lengths. The best were
Norwegian, made of ash and hickory. Others built in Sydney, of
Australian woods, were admirably suited for special work. Those made of
mountain-ash had the advantage of being extremely light, but the runners
wore out quickly on ice and hard neve. Sledges of powellized spotted gum
were very strong and stood plenty of rough usage, but were heavier
than those procured in Norway. A decking of bamboo slats secured by
copper-wire to the crossbars was usually employed.

A light bamboo mast and spar were fitted to each sledge. Immediately
in front of the mast came the "cooker-box," containing in respective
compartments the primus and a bottle of spirit for lighting it, as well
as spare prickers, openers and fillers for the kerosene tins, repair
outfits and other odd articles. The cooker-boxes were of Venesta board,
with hinged lids secured by chocks and overlapped by japara cloth to
exclude as much drift-snow as possible. An instrument-box was secured to
the sledge near the rear and just forward of a Venesta or aluminium
tray on which the kerosene contained in one-gallon tins was carried. In
several cases the tray was widened to receive as well a case conta