stefansson-wrangel-09-21-022-001

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There has just been published in England a biography of
Shackleton. Shackleton had many admirable qualities but there
are two things known to thousands of people in England, the
direct contrary of which is stated by the biographer under
the impression that he is thereby helping Shackleton's
reputation and protecting the feelings of certain people now
discussing whether it is justifiable in a biographyr to tell
outright lies, no matter how good the motive. This very
discussion has completely defeated the motive of the bio-
grapher, no matter how good it was, and these two faults
are now better known and are now making more of a breach in
the reputation of Shackleton than would have been the case
if they had been either left unmentioned of had been stated
with charitable moderation.

I have cabled Le Bourdais to look after your apartment
in New York and to have it ready for you in case you want to
come back to it. The Macmillan Company have advanced me
another 1,000 dollars on account of royalties and have sent
that sum to Mrs. Wilcox who should be able to pay what bills
are necessary with that until I get back, which will probably
be somewhere between the 5th and 15th of October.

I am hoping to hear that Jefferies has been able to
sell your"Polar Picnic" to a magazine. He had not been suc-
cessful with anyone up to the point where I mentioned to
George G. Harrap & Company, Ltd., that he had such a manu-
script. They asked to see it, were delighted with it and are ex-
pecting to bring it out in February. I have been superintend-
ing the making of a map for it. I saw the first draft yester-
day. It will be finished this week. I cabled Le Bourdais
to get him and Miss Skinner to try to furnish illustrations.
There are to be 16 full pages.

It was my original idea that the history of Wrangell
Island expedition should be written up by us jointly and
based upon the diaries. I find, however, that Harrap objects
to this strongly, going so far as to say that he would
probably not publish the "Polar Picnic" if a Wrangell Island
book over your name were to be published about the same time.
Also the Arrowsmith firm want to feature my name in con-
nection with the Wrangell Island book, for I am now known in
that connection to everyone in England. The understanding
between the firms of Harrap and Arrowsmith is that your name
will appear in the Arrowsmith book, but will not be featured
in the adversiting. Of course it is a pity you can't be
featured in both, but that is impossible since the books have
to appear about the same time.