The mystery of Easter island: the story of an expeditionRoutledge, Katherine
History
The mystery of Easter island: the story of an expedition
Routledge, Katherine
Easter Island; Oceania -- Description and travel; Voyages and travels
The general question of space had of course been very carefully
considered in the original designs. The allowance for water was
unusually large, the tanks containing sufficient for two, or with strict
economy for three months; the object in this was not only safety in long
or delayed passages, but to avoid taking in supplies in doubtful
harbours. Portions of the hold had to be reserved of course for coal,
and also for the welded steel tanks which contained the oil. When these
essentials had been disposed of, still more intricate questions arose
with regard to the allotment of room; it turned out to be greater than
we had ventured to hope, but this in no way helped, as every department
hastened to claim additional accommodation and to add something more to
its stock. Nothing was more surprising all through the voyage than the
yacht’s elasticity: however much we took on board we got everything in,
and however much we took out she was always quite full.
The outfit for the ship had of course been taken into consideration, but
as departure drew near it seemed, from the standpoint of below decks, to
surpass all reason; there were sails for fine weather and sails for
stormy weather, and spare sails, anchors, and sea-anchors, one-third of
a mile of cable, and ropes of every size and description.
As commissariat officer, the Stewardess naturally felt that domestic
stores were of the first importance. Many and intricate calculations had
been made as to the amount a man ate in a month, and the cubic space to
be allowed for the same. It had been also a study in itself to find out
what must come from England and what could be obtained elsewhere; kind
correspondents in Buenos Aires and Valparaiso had helped with advice,
and we arranged for fresh consignments from home to meet us in those
ports, of such articles as were not to be procured there or were
inordinately expensive. The general amount of provisions on board was
calculated for six months, but smaller articles, such as tea, were taken
in sufficient quantities for the two years which it was at the time
assumed would be the duration of the trip. We brought back on our return
a considerable amount of biscuits, for it was found possible to bake on
board much oftener than we had dared to hope. As a yacht we were not
obliged to conform to the merchant service scale of provisions, our
ship’s articles guaranteeing “sufficiency and no waste.” The merchant
scale was constantly referred to, but it is, by universal agreement,
excessive, and leads to much waste, as the men are liable to claim what
they consider their right, whether they consume the ration or not; the
result is that a harbour may not unfrequently be seen covered with
floating pieces of bread, or even whole loaves. The quantity asked for
by our men of any staple foods was always given, and there were the
usual additions, but we subsisted on about three-fourths of the legal
ration. We had only one case of illness requiring a doctor, and then it
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