stefansson-wrangel-09-20-051-003

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possibly write a letter to Mrs. Crawford, giving her view of the case
about as she did to me at Cleveland. I am thinking that such a letter
may help Mrs. Crawford a great deal, for her present mental attitude has
fewer elements of comfort in it than that of any of the other relatives.
I feel certain that when the story is fully known we shall all have a
good deal of reason to be proud of the way the boys carried through the
two years. The Crawfords at present seem to shut their eyes to everything
that is heroic and creditable and to concentrate their minds on Noice’s
allegations of mismanagement, misfortune and suffering.

I have just been re-reading your letter of October 20th
and have noticed what you say about Fred's letter to you in which he said
that they were leaving Wrangel Island because of shortage of food. I am
very anxious to see that letter and have wired you for a copy. I feel
sure he means by shortage of food only what I have said already to the
effect that, since the middle of the winter is a very poor hunting season
because of the shortness of the period of daylight each day, and that
they were leaving for Siberia with the idea of relieving the commissariat
at Wrangel Island from the feeding of half the party and all the dogs.
If I had been there I should have done similarly.

The only thing that puzzles me is that in the letters
I have seen so far they do not speak of intending to return to Wrangel
Island in March, which is what I would have planned to do. Of course,
Crawford implies in his letter to me that the reason they are not
returning is that they want to continue on to Nome to send out informa-
tion to me by wireless and to ask for instructions.

I feel much better since I had the talk with your
sister and Delphine in Cleveland. It is evident that both of them feel
their loss as much as anyone could, but they are also certainly taking
it in as fine a spirit as anyone could.

I am now most worried about the Crawfords for Noice
has put into their minds a feeling of resentment towards me which I think
unjustified, and even some resentment towards Crawford's companions
which certainly is not justified by any actual evidence we have but only
by Noice's assertions, which he has not been able to confirm by any
actual quotation from Knight’s diary. It seems to have been remarkable
how well the boys got along with each other and worked together.

I have just received a letter from Aarnout Castel, of
which I send you a copy. The letter awaited my return to New York.
I am wiring him in Seattle asking for further information and also
putting to him once more the question of whether he thinks there is even
one chance in a million that the boys may have been taken prisoners by
the Russians. Castel will know, for he has lived on the coast south of
Wrangel Island for the last three years.

Delphine and your sister will have given you the
details about the troubles with Noice. They affect a good deal the
question of a possible memorial, which you mention in your letter. The