The sledging ration in 1882 was 39 oz., but it was increased in 1883 to about 42 oz., consisting of 22 oz. meat, 2 of butter, 4 of vegetables, 10 of bread, 2 of sugar, ½ oz. of milk, 1 oz. of tea and chocolate, salt ¼ and pepper 1/20 of an oz. The meat consisted of pemmican, bacon, musk-meat, canned sausage, and corned beef. Limejuice pemmican was found to be very unpalatable, and was only eaten under press of hunger. Greely’s parties generally complained that chocolate taken in the field made them thirsty. No rum was ever sent as a sledge-ration, but it was furnished as medicine to be used under extraordinary occasions at the discretion of the officer in charge. The alcohol allowance of fuel for a party of three or four, at first 5 oz., was increased to 6 oz., as being the smallest amount on which the food could be cooked. As the result of his experience, Greely recommended that the vegetable-ration should be 3 oz. preserved potatoes, and that the other ounce should be replaced by half an ounce each of milk and of extract of beef. Of the meat, only half should be of pemmican, the balance to be divided between bacon and fresh meat; the latter to be sliced fine and frozen. In case fresh meat cannot be obtained, Greely recommended that of the 11 oz. meat, 4 oz. should consist of bacon and the balance of sausage and canned fresh meat. The limejuice was frozen into small squares, each of which represented a ration. It thaws at a temperature of 14° F. Greely recommends alcohol of great strength for fuel in the field, and that it should be carried in tightly sealed vessels of about 2 gallons. This enables caches to be frequently made for the return journey. The lamp and all the cooking vessels were fireproof, made as far as practicable of single pieces of heavy tin without solder. A lamp with five wicks was used, and at a temperature of −20° melted enough snow in sixteen minutes to produce 2½ quarts of water, and in ten minutes more, raised it to the boiling-point. At the same time, in an open vessel, there was melted 1½ quart of water. The amount of alcohol expended was 4 oz. On 19th February 1882, Lieutenant Lockwood with two men and a dog-sledge left the station to visit Dépôt “B,” near Cape Beechy, and to examine the ice in Robeson Channel with a view of selecting the best route to be followed in a later trip to Thank-God Harbour. The party returned on the 22nd, having found the ice favourable.