|
At first glance and out of context, the amount and variety of food
brought on the Erebus and Terror, the two ships of Sir
John Franklin's expedition, seems impressive (see
list below). Yet one must remember that these
provisions were meant for men leading relatively sedentary lives
aboard ship. They were not meant to support the caloric needs of men
reduced to hauling heavily loaded sledges in subzero temperatures
while variously suffering from illness, lead poisoning, starvation,
and other severe conditions. Considering the tragic fate of
Franklin's entire party, the irony as one reads, for instance, of
the 9,000 pounds of chocolate and 3,600 gallons of spirits brought
along, is wrenchingly thick.—Peter Tyson
|
Biscuit
|
18,355 lbs. |
18,132 lbs. |
36,487 lbs. |
Flour |
69,888 lbs. |
66,768 lbs. |
136,656 lbs. |
Pemmican |
612 lbs. |
591 lbs. |
1,203 lbs. |
Beef (8-lb. pieces) |
16,416 lbs. |
15,808 lbs. |
32,224 lbs. |
|
Pork
(4-lb. pieces)
|
16,320 lbs. |
15,680 lbs. |
32,000 lbs. |
|
Tinned Meat
|
16,066 lbs. |
17,223 lbs. |
33,289 lbs. |
Sugar |
11,928 lbs. |
11,648 lbs. |
23,576 lbs. |
Preserved Vegetables |
4,572 lbs. |
4,328 lbs. |
8,900 lbs. |
Concentrated Spirits |
1,896 gals. |
1,788 gals. |
3,684 gals. |
|
Wine for the Sick
|
100 gals. |
100 gals. |
200 gals. |
Suet |
1,568 lbs. |
1,484 lbs. |
3,052 lbs. |
Raisins |
504 lbs. |
504 lbs. |
1,008 lbs. |
Peas |
75 bushels |
72 bushels |
147 bushels |
Chocolate |
4,822 lbs. |
4,628 lbs. |
9,450 lbs. |
Tea |
1,195 lbs. |
1,162 lbs. |
2,357 lbs. |
|
Lemon Juice
|
4,750 lbs. |
4,550 lbs. |
9,300 lbs. |
Concentrated Soup |
10,920 pints |
9,543 pints |
20,463 pints |
Vinegar |
677 gals. |
649 gals. |
1,326 gals. |
Scotch Barley |
1,248 lbs. |
1,248 lbs. |
2,496 lbs. |
Oatmeal |
690 gals. |
660 gals. |
1,350 gals. |
|
Pickles
|
300 gals. |
280 gals. |
580 gals. |
Cranberries |
85 gals. |
85 gals. |
170 gals. |
|
Mustard
|
500 lbs. |
500 lbs. |
1,000 lbs. |
Pepper |
100 lbs. |
100 lbs. |
200 lbs. |
|
|
|
|
Tobacco |
|
|
7,088 lbs. |
Soap |
|
|
3,600 lbs. |
Candles |
|
|
2,700 lbs. |
|
|
|
|
|
Books
|
1,200 vols. |
1,200 vols. |
2,400 vols. |
Slates |
|
|
70 |
Pens |
|
|
200 |
Bibles |
|
|
100 |
Prayer Books |
|
|
100 |
|
Daguerreotype App.
|
|
|
1 |
Thanks to Russell Potter, Rhode Island College, for supplying
details for this feature.
|
|
