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Weights at start.| Distribution of weights.
Weights per
Pounds.|
Constants......600| Pounds. Men. Dogs. Man Dog
Man food (80 days).1000|Boat sledge...700 2 15 350 47
Dog food...........1500|Large sledge..300 2 15 350 47
Fuel................150|7 small sledges each 300 2 5 --- 60
7 small sledges @35 245|(5 dogs to each.)
----| ____ ___ ____ __ ___
Total..............3495| 3500 6 65 583 54
Total weight* Men's Dog Wt.small No. of Weights per
pounds. rations. food sledges. Fuel. dogs. Man. Dog
At start.......3500 1000 1500 245 150 65 583 54
End 10 days....2700 880 900 175 135 65 450 42
" 20 " ........2020 760 400 140 120 60 340 35
" 30 " ........1850 640 400 105 105 45 310 42
" 40 " ........1510 520 200 70 90 40 252 40
" 50 " ........1360 400 200 70 75 30 227 46
" 60 " ........1175 280 200 35 60 20 196 59
" 70 " ........1005 160 200 --- 45 15 168 67
" 80 " .........870 40 200 --- 30 10 145 87
*Constants 600 lbs.
At the end of 80 days, therefore, 240 pounds of food will remain, or 20 days' rations for the men. Ten dogs survive, and if delay in reaching the land should make it necessary these dogs would afford rations for the men for 25 or 30 days more, giving a total field endurance for the men, without any game, of 125 days, or from March 1st to July 4th. but the taking of game in May, or the latter part of April, is so probable as to be considered almost a certainty.
With such an equipment, weights and distribution of weights as this expedition could travel rather rapidly over any reasonable conditions of ice. Experience shows that in the favorable sledging season (March, April and May), when the snow is hard, a man can travel from 11/2 to 2 miles an hour with a load of 200 pounds, and a dog with a load of 75 pounds. Given fairly good ice our party contains enough power to make from 15 to 20 miles a day, hauling 6000 pounds. But our actual weights at their heaviest (the start) will be only 3500 pound, or only a little more that one-half the effectiveness. In 10 days our total is reduced to 2700 pounds, and in 10 more to a little more than 2000 pounds.
It will be noticed that the weights per day are (till the last) only about one-half what a dog can draw over a fair surface. Therefore, it is reason-able to assume that except in rough places the dogs will take the whole load at a satisfactory pace, saving the strength of the men for the rough spots.
It will also be noticed that at the end of 40 days the loads are reduced to about 250 pounds per man, so that from this time forward the man power is sufficient to move sledges at a satisfactory rate of speed, with-out any assistance from the dogs, should th animals prove ineffective through disease or foot-soreness.
The simplicity of th equipment makes for rapid travel. At the outset it will consist of two large sledges and seven small ones. The five dog teams drawing the latter will practically drive themselves. In practice the work will be as follow:
One man, leading the van of the 7 sledge teams, will go ahead to pick the road. He and one other man will drive the small sledge teams. Following them will be the two large sledges, together, so that the four men assigned to them may help one another in rough places. These four men will be able to lift a large sledge bodily, if necessary, as the two
