The question of provisions is an important one. It is
far more economical and satisfactory to take them out from
England than to buy them locally, and a little care and
forethought will enable you to make out a not too formid-
able list.
Expensive tinned meat, tinned game, pat6s and bottled
fruit are both unnecessary and bulky ; an the other hand,
peas, lentils, dried fruits and macaroni should be used much
more than they are, All provisions should be of the
best quality, packed in small tins which are more expensive
but ultimately represent a saving as there is not so much
waste. Any empty tins with tight fitting covers, such as
biscuit tins or tea-cannisters, should be carefully kept and
used to hold sugar, rice, etc., generally packed in soldered
tins which, once opened, cannot be shut down again.
If you are quite certain you will reach your station by
river, the cases of provisions can be of any size up to
seventy lbs., but for land travelling they must not weigh
more than the carrier’s load of fifty-six lbs. A few Venesta
boxes fitted with lids and padlocks are very useful on trek
to hold those tins which are in daily use.
All provision boxes should be numbered and the numbers
repeated on an invoice showing the exact contents of each
separate box. This prevents endless packing and unpack-
ing in search of any one article.
The following list of provisions is made out for one man,
for one year, provided that during about four months of
the year he can obtain fresh butter, milk and flour. It can
only be approximate as in addition to the variations in
individual tastes and needs, no one can reckon with the
subtle Nigerian influence which respects neither weights nor
8
measures, and whose greatest pleasure is to contradict
with jeering emphasis all the hard won experience of
former years. It is not possible to say “ I am certain ” of
anything, be it only the number of days a tin of sugar
should last.
Living at headquarters or in the bush makes little
difference in the amount of provisions required.
The quantities given are generally too small rather than
too large, but they will form a basis for the next tour’s
calculations.
PROVISION LIST.
4 i-lb. tins arrowroot, Bermuda.
6 small bottles anchovies in brine, Lazenby’s.
24 J-lb. tins anchovy paste.
18 £-lb. tins baking powder, Borwick’s.
12 1-lb. tins roast beef, Crosse & Blackwell’s.
6 tins of pressed beef.
3 1-lb. tins barley, pearl.
4 small tins barley, Robinson’s patent.
6 tins beans, Heinz’s tomato.
8 2-lbs. tins biscuits, Huntley & Palmer’s Fancy Lunch ( 1 1 .
24 2-lbs. ,, ,, Assorted (2).
2 1-lb. ,, ,, Parmesan cheese (3).
6 1-lb. ,, ,, Thin Bath Oliver.
1 1-lb. tin blue, Coleman’s.
60 £-lb. tins butter, Esbensen’s Danish.
12 4-oz. bottles capers.
12 small bottles cheese, Crosse & Blackwell’s bottled.
18 tins cheese, Vezet Dutch.
6 jars cheese, Imperial.
3 tins chocolate cream, Bernese Alpine.
5 ^-bottles Chutney, Lazenby’s.
2 J-tins cloves.
15 |-lb. tins cocoa.
15 1-lb. tins coffee (4).
1. Only required if biscuits are eaten instead of bread on trek.
2. Best kinds are cream crackers, ginger nuts. Nice. Marie.
vanilla wafers.
3. For savouries.
4. Unless coffee is bought at Onitsha or ordered monthly from
England.
9
9 i-lb. cornflour, Brown & Poison’s in soldered tins.
3 i-lb. tins currants.
6 i-lb. bottles curry powder.
12 2-oz. bottles essence, vanilla.
Page 1
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
The question of provisions is an important one. It is far more economical and satisfactory to take them out from England than to buy them locally, and a little care and forethought will enable you to make out a not too formidable list.
Expensive tinned meat, tinned game, pat6s and bottled fruit are both unnecessary and bulky ; On the other hand, peas, lentils, dried fruits and macaroni should be used much more than they are, All provisions should be of the best quality, packed in small tins which are more expensive but ultimately represent a saving as there is not so much waste. Any empty tins with tight fitting covers, such as biscuit tins or tea-cannisters, should be carefully kept and used to hold sugar, rice, etc., generally packed in soldered tins which, once opened, cannot be shut down again.
If you are quite certain you will reach your station by river, the cases of provisions can be of any size up to seventy lbs., but for land travelling they must not weigh more than the carrier’s load of fifty-six lbs. A few Venesta boxes fitted with lids and padlocks are very useful on trek to hold those tins which are in daily use.
All provision boxes should be numbered and the numbers repeated on an invoice showing the exact contents of each separate box. This prevents endless packing and unpacking in search of any one article.
The following list of provisions is made out for one man, for one year, provided that during about four months of the year he can obtain fresh butter, milk and flour. It can only be approximate as in addition to the variations in individual tastes and needs, no one can reckon with the subtle Nigerian influence which respects neither weights nor
measures, and whose greatest pleasure is to contradict with jeering emphasis all the hard won experience of former years. It is not possible to say “ I am certain ” of anything, be it only the number of days a tin of sugar should last.
Living at headquarters or in the bush makes little difference in the amount of provisions required.
The quantities given are generally too small rather than too large, but they will form a basis for the next tour’s calculations.
PROVISION LIST.
4 i-lb. tins arrowroot, Bermuda.
6 small bottles anchovies in brine, Lazenby’s.
24 J-lb. tins anchovy paste.
18 £-lb. tins baking powder, Borwick’s.
12 1-lb. tins roast beef, Crosse & Blackwell’s.
6 tins of pressed beef.
3 1-lb. tins barley, pearl.
4 small tins barley, Robinson’s patent.
6 tins beans, Heinz’s tomato.
8 2-lbs. tins biscuits, Huntley & Palmer’s Fancy Lunch ( 1 1 .
24 2-lbs. ,, ,, Assorted (2).
2 1-lb. ,, ,, Parmesan cheese (3).
6 1-lb. ,, ,, Thin Bath Oliver.
1 1-lb. tin blue, Coleman’s.
60 £-lb. tins butter, Esbensen’s Danish.
12 4-oz. bottles capers.
12 small bottles cheese, Crosse & Blackwell’s bottled.
18 tins cheese, Vezet Dutch.
6 jars cheese, Imperial.
3 tins chocolate cream, Bernese Alpine.
5 ^-bottles Chutney, Lazenby’s.
2 J-tins cloves.
15 |-lb. tins cocoa.
15 1-lb. tins coffee (4).
1. Only required if biscuits are eaten instead of bread on trek.
2. Best kinds are cream crackers, ginger nuts. Nice. Marie.
vanilla wafers.
3. For savouries.
4. Unless coffee is bought at Onitsha or ordered monthly from
England.
9 i-lb. cornflour, Brown & Poison’s in soldered tins.
3 i-lb. tins currants.
6 i-lb. bottles curry powder.
12 2-oz. bottles essence, vanilla.