The Home Of The Blizzard Part 75

Australia, 1914:

Collected by Professor Ma.s.son (approximately), L80; G. J. R. Murray (Adelaide), L100; Sir Samuel Way, L50..... 230

Collected in London, 1914.................... 10

Total moneys donated L45,885

a.s.sets realized and added to the fund:

Sale of photos and newspaper articles, L490; sale of s.h.i.+p and materials, L3699; lectures, films, &c., L726..... 4,915

Bills Owing ...... 5,932 5,932

a.s.sets to be realized: L

In hand.................. 560 Owing .................. 340 Antic.i.p.ated sale of gear......... 570 ---- 1,470

Debit balance............. 4,462 Total cost ** of Expedition........... 56,732

There is therefore a deficit of L4462 to be made up by the royalty on the sale of the book, lectures, donations, &c., and the cost of the publication of the scientific results, which will be approximately L8000, has yet to be defrayed.

** An estimate of the cost of the expedition should also take account of donations in kind, which, as can be gathered, were numerous.

Facilities offered by harbour boards and valuable a.s.sistance extended in the matter of docking and repairing the 'Aurora', particularly in the case of the State of Victoria, and to a less extent in New South Wales.

Then there were valuable contributions of coal, particularly by Mr.

J. Brown of Newcastle (N.S.W.), Mr. H. D. Murphy (Melbourne), and the Lithgow Collieries Company.

APPENDIX VII

Equipment

Clothing

With regard to the clothing, the main bulk was of woollen material as supplied by Jaeger of London. This firm is unexcelled in the production of camel's-hair garments and has supplied most polar expeditions of recent years with underclothing, gloves, caps, and the like. From the same firm we also secured heavy ski-boots, finnesko-crampons, and the blankets which were used at Winter Quarters at both Antarctic Bases. Some of the Jaeger woollens were damaged by sea water on the voyage from London to Australia and were replaced by Eagley goods; an Australian brand, which proved very satisfactory.

The s.h.i.+p's Party were outfitted with Kaipoi woollens (New Zealand).

Outer garments were made up to our design from Jaeger fleece by tailors in Hobart. The suit consisted of a single garment, to be worn with combination underclothing, and was calculated to meet the requirements of a severe climate.

An over-suit of wind-proof material, which may be worn when required, is a necessary adjunct to woollen clothing. Such a suit should have the additional properties of being light, strong, not readily absorbing moisture, and not affected by the cold. Burberry gabardine was found to possess all these properties, and two complete suits were made up for each man. One suit consisted of three pieces, whilst the other was made of two; the blouse-jacket and helmet of the latter being combined.

Furs, which were obtained from Norway, were restricted to sleeping bags, finnesko or fur-boots, and wolfskin mitts (Lapland).

The outfit of clothing for the party at Macquarie Island and on the s.h.i.+p, respectively, differed from that used in the Antarctic. Warmer temperatures and wet conditions had to be taken into account, and so rubber boots, oilskins, and rubberized materials were provided as outer coverings.

Food

The food-stuffs were selected with at least as much consideration as was given to any of the other requisites. The successful work of an expedition depends on the health of the men who form its members, and good and suitable food reduces to a minimum the danger of scurvy; a scourge which has marred many polar enterprises. Thus our provisioning was arranged with care and as a result of my previous experience in the Antarctic with Sir Ernest Shackleton's Expedition.

A summary which may be of possible use to future expeditions is appended below:

In the matter of canned meats we had some six tons of the excellent Australian article supplied by the Sydney Meat Preserving Company, Ramornie Meat Company (N.S.W.), Baynes Brothers (Brisbane), and the Border (rabbit) Preserving Company of South Australia. For use on the s.h.i.+p three tons of salt beef and pork served to replenish the "harness cask," largely obtained in Melbourne from Cook and Sons.

For a ton of sauces and pickles we were indebted to Brand and Company (London) and to Mason and Company (London).

Of course fresh meat was consumed as far as possible; a number of live sheep being taken by the 'Aurora' on each cruise. Some of these were killed and dressed after reaching 60 degrees south lat.i.tude and supplied our two Antarctic Bases with the luxury of fresh mutton about once a week throughout a year.

One ton of preserved suet came from the firms of Hugon (Manchester) and Conrad (Adelaide).

Almost all our bacon and ham, amounting to well over one ton, was of the Pineapple Brand (Sydney), and to the firm which supplied them we are indebted alike for the quality of its goods and for its generosity.

Soups in endless variety, totalling two tons, came chiefly from the Flemington Meat Preserving Company (Melbourne).

Fours tons of canned fish were supplied by C. & E. Morton (London).

Variety in vegetables was considered important. We decided to reduce the amount of dried vegetables in favour of canned vegetables. About six and a half tons of the latter in addition to one ton of canned potatoes were consumed; from Laver Brothers (Melbourne) and Heinz (Pittsburgh). There were one and a half tons of dried vegetables.

In addition, large quant.i.ties of fresh potatoes and other vegetables were regularly carried by the 'Aurora', and many bags of new and old potatoes were landed at the Main Base. In the frozen condition, the former kept satisfactorily, though they were somewhat sodden when thawed. The old potatoes, on the other hand, became black and useless, partly owing to the comparatively high temperature of the s.h.i.+p's hold, and in part to the warmth of the sun during the first few weeks in Adelie Land.

Canned fruits, to the extent of five tons, were supplied by Jones Brothers (Hobart) and Laver Brothers (Melbourne). This stock was eked out by some two and a half tons of dried fruits, chiefly from South Australia.

The management of Hartley (London) presented us with two tons of jam, and James Keiller and Son (London) with one ton of marmalade.

Of the twelve tons of sugar and half a ton of syrup consumed, all were generously donated by the Colonial Sugar Refining Company (Sydney).

For milk we were provided with two tons of Glaxo (a dry powder) which was used at the land bases, and a ton and a half of Nestle's condensed variety for use on the s.h.i.+p.

Three tons of cereal meals, largely from Parsons (Sydney), were consumed.

As one might have expected, the amount of flour used was enormous.

In the thirteen tons of this commodity from Colman (London) there were three varieties, self-rising, plain, and wheatmeal flour, encased in stout metal linings within strong, well-finished cases of a convenient size. Until required, the cases of flour were used to solidify the break-wind on the southern side of the Hut.

Bird and Company (Birmingham) more than satisfied our needs in the matter of baking powder, custard powder, jelly crystals, and the like.

There was over half a ton of fancy biscuits of excellent quality and great variety, for which we were indebted to Jacob and Company (Dublin), Arnott Brothers (Sydney), and Patria Biscuit Fabriek (Amsterdam). "Hardtack," the name by which a plain wholemeal biscuit of good quality, made by Swallow and Ariell (Melbourne) was known, const.i.tuted the greater part of the remaining two and a half tons of ordinary biscuits. "Hardtack" was much appreciated as a change from the usual "staff of life"--soda bread.

For sledging we had secured one ton of biscuits specially prepared by the Plasmon Company (London) containing 30 per cent. of plasmon.

These, together with one ton of pemmican and half a ton of emergency ration prepared by the Bovril Company (London), are specially referred to in the chapter on sledging equipment.

b.u.t.ter was an important item; the large stock of two and a half tons coming from the Colac Dairying Company (Melbourne). The b.u.t.ter was taken fresh in fifty-six lb. blocks, packed in the usual export cases. On the 'Aurora' it was carried as deck-cargo, and at the Main Base was stacked in the open air on the southern side of the Hut. At the end of the second year (1913) it was still quite good; a fact which speaks well for the climate as a refrigerator. Of Australian cheese we used half a ton, and this was supplied in forty-pound blocks.

The firm of Messrs. Cadbury, well known for their cocoa and eating chocolate, supplied us with these commodities, and receive our unqualified praise for the standard of the articles and the way in which they were packed. The total consumption was one ton of cocoa and half a ton of chocolate.

The three-quarters of a ton of tea was donated by "Te Sol"

(Guernsey) and Griffiths Brothers (Melbourne). In both cases the articles were well packed and much appreciated. Half a ton of coffee was used, partly supplied from London and partly donated by Griffiths Brothers.

Rose's (London) lime juice, as an antis...o...b..tic, was mainly reserved for consumption on the s.h.i.+p. This lime juice was much in favour as a beverage.