Food Report

by A. Tallon

It is not proposed to attempt a detailed analysis of the relative value of each item of food taken.  A hst of the ration scales for high and low level and the total number of food boxes and their contents is given below.

We had been advised by the previous expedition to the area that the local people were reluctant, and in most cases unable, to supply an expedition such as ours with large quantities of rice, flour, eggs or chickens.  Money was of no use to them in exchange for the’only food they had to feed their families until the next harvest.  This proved to be the case and we were only able to buy small quantities of eggs, rice, and potatoes when travelling in small groups.  One item of food we could have obtained, indeed a small quantity was bought but at the time we did not know quite what it was or even what to do with it ! This was Yak ‘ Ghi,’ which, according to the appendix to the Everest book, is clarified butter—it looked rather like a thick engine grease.  It was very useful for frying and we could have saved a lot of our butter by using more of this for cooking.

Low Level Ration Scales

ozs. ozs.
Sugar 4.3   }
 		Dried meat 1.4
Oatmeal 1.3   } Bacon 1.7
Complan 2.0   } Meat bar 1.0
Pemmican 1.6   } Salmon 1.5
Butter 1.6   } Sardines 1.1
Cheese 2.6   }            Used in con- Dried vegetables 1.2
Jam 1.6   }            junction with Spaghetti 1.3
Ryvita 2.1   }            supplementary Soup 2.1
Biscuits 1.3   }            pack to make up Dried fruit 5.0
Raisins 0.8   }            30 man days Fruit 3.4
Chocolate 2.5   } Egg 0.6
Mint cake 0.5   } Cocoa 0.9
Bournvita 0.5   }
Salt 0.8   }
Total – 44.9 ozs.

This ration scale was only approximate and could be supple­mented by luxury rations.

At Base Camp we ate what we wanted (within reason).

High Altitude Ration Scales

ozs. ozs.
Sugar 4.8 Biscuits 2.0
Oatmeal 2.0 Rasins 1.2
Complan 2.4 Sweets 2.4
Penmican 3.2 Glucose  1.1
Butter 1.6 Chocolate  2.0
Cheese 1.2 Mint Cakes  2.4
Jam 1.6 Bournvita  1.7
Ryvita 3.2 Lemonade powder, Tea and Salt

Giving a ration scale of just over 32 ozs. per man day.

These scales could be supplemented from spare food boxes and/or luxury boxes when necessary.

The method of packing was controlled not so much by the need for so many ozs. of this or that as by how many tins of different shapes would pack in a rectangular plywood ration box to make up a weight of 60 lbs. gross.

List Of Ration Boxes

Weight or Quantity
24 High Altitude Ration Packs each containing:—
   2 lb. tin of sugar 3
   20 oz. tin of oatmeal 2
   12 oz. tin of Dried Milk 4
   1 lb. tin Pemmican 4
   1 lb. tin Butter 2
   12 oz. tin Cheese 2
   1 lb. tin Jam 2
   1 lb. tin Ryvita 4
   1 lb. packet Wholemeal Biscuits 1
   1½ lb. packet Shortbread 1
   12 oz. packet Raisins 2
   4 lb. Tin Boiled Sweets 1
   2 oz. packets Glucose Tablets ii
   2 oz. bars Chocolate 20
   4 oz. bars Mint Cake 12
   1 lb. tin Bournvita 1
20 Low Level Ration Packs each containing:—
   2 lb. tin Sugar 4
   20 oz. tin Oatmeal 2
   12 oz. tin Dried Milk 5
   1 lb. tin Pemmican 3
   1 lb. tin Butter 3
   12 oz. tin Cheese 3
   1 lb. Jam 3
   1 lb. Ryvita 4
   1 lb. packet Wholemeal Biscuits 1
   1½ lb. packet Shortbread 1
   12 oz. packet Raisins 2
   2 oz. bars Chocolate 24
   4 oz. bars Mint Cake 4
   1 lb tin Bournvita 1
   1½ lb. packet Salt 1
12 Supplementary Ration Packs each containing:—
   12 oz. tin Cheese 3
   12 oz. tins Dried Meat .. 3
   15 oz. tin Bacon 3
   5 oz. Meat Bars 5
   8 oz. tin Salmon .. 5
   4½ oz. tin Sardines 6
   1½ oz. packet Dried Onions 10
   1½ oz. packet Dried Mixed Vegetables 10
   Small packet Mixed Herbs 3
   1 lb. packet Spaghetti 2
   3 oz. packet Soup 18
   Bottle Tomato Sauce 1
   Bottle Worcester Sauce 1
   Bottle Heinz Sauce 1
   2 oz. bars Chocolate 12
   12 oz. packet Dried Fruit 8
   8 oz. packet Dried Fruit 2
   1 lb. packet Dried Fruit 1
   15 oz. tin Fruit 6
   1 lb. tin Dried Egg 3
Half of these 12 packs contained :—
   12 oz. tin Dried Egg 3
   1 lb. tin Cocoa 1
instead of:—
   1 lb. tin Dried Egg 3
Luxury Rations:—
 1 box containing :—
   4½ lb. Cake 2
   4 lb. tin Chicken 1
   4 lb. tin Chopped Pork 1
   11 lb. tin Sausage 1
   6 lb. tin Corned Beef 1
   2 oz. bars White Chocolate 24
   11½ oz. packets Custard Powder 2
   5 oz. packets Table Jellies 8
   4 oz. tin Nescafe 2
   2 lb. tin Sugar 1
 1 box containing:—
   1 lb. tin Dehydrated Fruit 4
   1 lb. tin Pemmican 4
   4 lb. tin Chopped Pork 1
   4 lb. tin Chicken 1
   6 lb. tin Corned Beef 1
   8 oz. tin Salmon 6
   4½ oz. tin Sardines 15
   1 lb. tin Bournvita 2
   1½ lb. packet Salt 2
 1 box containing:—
   4½ lb. Cake 2
   6½ lb. tin Stewed Steak 1
   7 lb. tin Ham and Tongue 1
   6 lb. tin Corned Beef 1
   4 lb. tin Chicken 1
   2 oz. bar White Chocolate 24
   11½ oz. packets Custard Powder 2
   5 oz. packet Table Jellies 8
   4 oz. tins Nescafe 2
   2 lb. tin Sugar 1
   1 lb. tin Bournvita 1
 1 box containing:—
   4½ lb. Cake 2
   7 lb. tin Pork Shoulder 1
   6 lb. tin Corned Beef 1
   4 lb. tin Chicken 1
   6 lb. tin Ox Tongue 1
   2 oz. bar White Chocolate 24
   11½ oz. tin Custard Powder 2
   5 oz. packet Table Jellies 8
   4 oz. tin Nescafe 2
   2 lb. tin Sugar 1
   12 oz. tin Dried Milk 1
 1 box containing:—
   4½ lb. Cake 2
   6½ lb. tin Stewed Steak 1
   7 lb. tin Ham and Tongue 1
   4 lb. tin Chicken 1
   7 lb. tin Pork Shoulder 1
   2 oz. bar White Chocolate 24
   11½ oz. packet Custard Powder 2
   5 oz. packet Table Jellies 8
   4 oz. tin Nescafe 2
   2 lb. tin Sugar 1
   1½ lb. packet Salt 1
 1 box containing :—
   4½ lb. Cake 2
   4 lb. tin Chicken 1
   6 lb. tin Ox Tongue 1
   11 lb. tin Sausage 1
   4 lb. tin Chopped Pork 1
   2 oz. bar White Chocolate 24
   11½ oz. packet Custard Powder 2
   5 oz. packets Table Jellies 8
   4 oz. tin Nescafe 2
   1½ lb. packet Salt 1
   1½ lb. tin Pepper 1
   ¼ lb. tin Mustard 2
Spare Food:—
 1 box containing :—
   12 oz. tin Dried Milk 48
 1 box containing :—
   20 oz. tin Oatmeal 31
 4 boxes each containing :—
   2 lb. tin Sugar 18
   1 lb. tin Ryvita 3
 1 box containing :—
   1 lb. tin Dehydrated Raspberries 4
   4 lb. tin Boiled Sweets 4
   1 lb. tin Butter 5
   12 oz. tin Cheese 6
   12 oz. packet Raisins 8
   1 lb. packet Prunes 2
   5 oz. packet Table Jellies 8
 1 box containing:—
   1 lb. tin Wholemeal Biscuits 12
   1½ lb. tin Shortbread 14
   1½ oz. packet Dried Onions 6
   1½ oz. packet Dried Mixed Vegetables 24
   Small packets Mixed Herbs 4
1 box containing :—
   2 pint polythene bottles filled with Lime Juice 15
   2 pint polythene bottles empty 4
   Alloy containers assorted sizes empty 18
Food bought in Katmandu
   Tea, Rice, Tsampa and Spices for Sherpas

Results

The diet was on the whole satisfactory.

The rations were all packed in 60 lb. boxes.  We found that the Sherpas were reluctant to carry a full 60 lbs.  above Base, so that the High Altitude rations had to be repacked into 45 lb.  loads above Camp I.  These rations could have contained less boiled sweets, cheese and pemmican and more sardines, soups and possibly lemonade powder.  We found that a lot of the Mint Cake had melted on the outward journey and we did not eat as much as we had expected.  The cheese became rather monotonous and was too strong when cooked with onions.

The low level rations were satisfactory and with a little imagination quite appetising meals could be concocted.  The sauce, except perhaps the tomato variety, was an unnecessary luxury.  The spaghetti was enjoyed except when served for breakfast.  Of the dehydrated vegetables, the onions were the most successful and were in great demand for flavouring, especi­ally at the high camps to disguise the pemmican or dried meat, which, even when cooked, was still very dry.  The jam was excellent but we felt that the marmalade was unnecessary.

The luxury rations were always enjoyed and though we may have taken rather too much tinned meat, it is difficult to say what would have resulted if the expedition had run its proper course.  The tinned fruit was well worth the coolie-power needed to transport it to Base.

Of the drinks, the tea was most in demand—this was bought in Katmandu.  Cocoa and Bournvita were quite good and no doubt contained more food value but lemonade and tea proved to be more palatable.  Nescafe was taken only for one member who did not drink tea and he afterwards remarked that all the drinks tasted the same—of Complan.  This Complan was used as dried milk and though it was difficult to mix was excellent and one member who was unwell at a high camp claims to have lived on nothing but Complan for two days without any ill effects.

The gin, rum and beer were taken and used mostly as a means of repaying hospitality in Calcutta and Katmandu.  Some rum and beer were taken to Base and the beer made a very refreshing drink when mixed with lemonade.  The rum was not very useful except to prove to the Tempathang men that they were not quite as tough as they thought ! Cigarettes and tobacco were found to be essential, cigarettes for the coohes and Sherpas and tobacco for some of the Sahibs.

Summing up, it can be said that the rations proved to be gener­ally satisfactory except that the High Altitude rations should be packed in 45 lb. boxes with less pemmican and more soup and sardines.  Some of the luxuries were perhaps not worth the transport but were nevertheless enjoyed.  Yak Ghi and rice could be bought locally or at Katmandu to augment Base Camp supplies.  The Sherpas liked to eat their own food at Base and it was noticed that even Murari, after an evening meal with the Sahibs would say his good nights and disappear into the kitchen for a few bowls of curried rice.