ining
a dip-circle. Rearmost of all was a wooden crosspiece to which the
shaft of the sledge-meter was attached through a universal joint. On the
middle section of the sledge between the cooker-box and instrument-box,
sleeping-bags, food-bags, clothes-bags, tent, alpine rope, theodolite
legs, and other articles, were arranged, packed and immovably stiffened
by buckled straps passing from side to side.

Sledging harness for both men and dogs was constructed of canvas. In the
former case, a wide belt of triple thickness encircled the body at the
hips, sewn to braces of narrower strips passing over the shoulders,
while hauling-rope was attached to the belt behind. The strength of the
whole depended on the care bestowed in sewing the parts together, and,
since his life might depend upon it, no one made anything else but a
thorough job of his harness.

Ninnis and Mertz ran a tailoring business for the dogs, who were brought
one by one into the outer Hut to be measured for harness. After many
lengths had been cut with scissors the canvas bands were put through and
sewn together on the large sewing-machine and then each dog was fitted
and the final alterations were made. The huskies looked quite smart in
their "suits".

Upon the primus heater, alone, did we rely for cooking the meals on
sledging journeys. First used for purposes of sledging by Dr. Nansen in
his journey across Greenland, the primus is only economically managed
after some practice. To light a primus in a draughty tent at a low
temperature calls for some forbearance before one is a thorough master
of the art. A sledging cook will often make a disagreeable faux pas
by extinguishing the primus in the preparation of hoosh. This is most
readily done by lowering too quickly the outside cover over the rest
of the cooker. Fumes of vaporizing kerosene soon fill the tent and when
matches are found, the cooker pulled to pieces, the primus relighted and
the choking vapours have cleared, one is apt to think that all is well.
The hoosh is quite as successful as usual, but the cocoa, made from
water in the annulus, has a tincture of kerosene which cannot be
concealed.

In the "Nansen Cooker," which we used, a maximum result is secured
from the heat of the primus. The hot gases from the combustion of the
kerosene, before they escape into the outside air, have to circulate
along a tortuous path, passing from the hot interior to the colder
exterior compartments, losing heat