, 1897-04-02
IN THE NORTH.
An Explorer and His Larder-Tea the
Only Drink.

Only Drink.
Lieut.. Peary, whose brilliant exploits
in the far north have only been eclips-
ed thus far by DR.. Nansen, has impart-
ed a few of his ideas on housekeeping
in the arctic regions. OF course the
m~ainstay Of the larder is a supply of
canned articles, such as preserves, jams,
biscuits, vegetables, butter, tea, coffee,
chocolate, cocoa and, in short, every
variety Of food that is capable of being
preserved in a canister. Such supplies
are, OF course, most useful on board the
ship; during sledge journeys it is, how
ever, different. "On these" said the
Lieut.. Peary, there must be the stern
est simplicity in the matter OF food. The
changes which 1 should make in anoth-
err expeditions sledge equipment would
be all in the direction Of cutting down
the variety Of food supplies. There are
just four things in the way of provi-
sions that l should take, and those are
pemmican ships biscuit, tea and condens-
ed milk. A fifth article would be fur
nished in the shape OF fresh meat of any
kind that we might kill on the way. On
my previous journeys l took a great
many things that were not only use
less, but worse, because they merely
added weight to the sledges and thus
wasted our strength unnecessarily. If
a man can not get along with pemmi-
can and biscuit, with tea to drink, the
arctic regions are no place for him. He
mustn't expect the luxuries of n hotel
dinner.
"Pemmican IL beef mixed with a con-
siderable quantity of suet. 1t Is the
staple arctic food, and it is not at all
disagreeable TO the taste. 1t Is much
compressed. One pound Of II is equal
to four pounds Of ordinary meat, so that
the carrying of it reduces the sledge
weights very much. One pound Of it is
the daily ration for a nan or the hard
ship biscuit one pound is also a days
oAioWahSC, II VI NCp oDO0S q AuplS
These rations are consumed almost al
ways in two meals, which are all we
have time to stop for on sledge jour-
neys.
'The tea Is in compressed, quarter
pound cakes, which are further marked
of, somewhat like a cake Of chocolate,
into little divisions Of a quarter-ounce
each. Ono Of these make a pint of tea,
and it is stronger than one generally
drinks at home. The condensed milk
is the ordinary article which you see ev-
erywhere. 1t freezes, Of course, often
perfectly solid. but that does not i'm
pair it. Tea Is the only drink for sledge
journeys. Coffee is not satisfactory. nor
Is chocolate or cocoa, which produces
thirst. Lime juice l have no faith in at
all. and 1 shall never try 1t again. 1t has
always been thought necessary to DUN
teract a tendency to scurvy, from the
consumption of so much salt and fatty
food. But I never had any indications
of scurvy In any OF my party.
Dried vegetables have been carried
by some explorers, and while they are
we'll enough to have at the headQuar-
ters. where. as I said, there may be any
variety one chooses. they are entirely
superiuous while sledgIng. A man can
get along perfectly we'll without vege-
tables; in fact, I never eat them, even
at home, and there isn't much nourish-
ment in them for arctic work. There is
one thing besides those I have mention
ed which l consider good, and that Is
compressed pea soup. 1t has a great
deal Of nutriment in it, and is especial
ly palatable. But 1t can be dispensed
with, II reduction Of weight becomes a
highly important point, for the pemmi-
can and biscuit are trustworthy stand
bys."-New York. Telegram.
Lizette-"Is 1t = noice place ye have.
Marie!" Marie Il new arriva)-"Nolce
enough, but it's beyant me understand
in ply they do make me do such Quare
things." Lixette"Quare, Marie?"
Mariee"Yes. sure; livery mornin' the
missus tills me to swape the doost from
the flure, an phin I'm done, she gives
me \ rag an makes me shoe the dooot