stefansson-wrangel-09-22-004r

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Aug. 16 - Breakfast about noon by C. Foggy, could not see as far
asC. Hawaii once & to mountains only a few times. Wind steady
from E, steady about 8 mile. Geese about 11 P.M.
Nothing attempted to-day. I hear some walrus during night
but not see. 1 box hardb. 5 days Make a book mark of ivory
mastodon, heart shape.

Aug. 17 - Weather still same, all stay in. About 6 P.M. Ada spots
bear offshore on ice ready to take to water. All went on
beach, K on big ice, I next about 100 yds. further west,
M 75 yds further in hole, C 500 yds further at river.
Bear swims to M, shot 3 times still in water. I once
launch dory. K. C. M. skin, female. All take pictures.
I cut all possible blubber to try out, stop at 1:30 A.M.
fill 1 lard can & #2. Hear & see walrus while skinning
bear. Brant fly again W. 11 P.M., estimated 500, north
camp. Have decided to stop eating hardbread after this box.
Put piece of bear liver in alcohol.

Aug. 18 - Weather best had for weeks, sun out almost all day. All
stay in camp. I try out blubber all day (9 A.M. - 10 P.M.)
several small flocksof geese (100 or so), later largest seen,
strung out over 1/2 mile & 1/4 deep at least 1500 in flock.
C & M both see eiders, scarce. Now have 2 full lard cans
(50) , 1 butter barrel, 1 - 7/8 oil can from 2 bears male &
female, female largest fattest. Seal meat in brine I put
in tea tins, use barrel for oil.

Aug. 19 - Weather good with moderate westerly breeze. All stayed
in. K & Ada take short walk to some geese, 1 shot no
luck, see geese all day on tundra large flocks, first time
to-day see geese leave island. Ice moving out pretty fast.
C prints pictures, many attempts before successful. L pkg.
papers bad, just as he succeeds he quits for day. Many
geese fly late at night, B. & W. mix. Am tired of fried
meat already, suggest boiling again. M wants some, K & C
still fried, A. same.

Aug. 20 - Weather foggy, all stay in. Ada gets some roots to boil
with meat, tasts pretty good. Brings back some greens, taste
like water cress only not as biting. Breeze W, ice pretty
far out, only small floes here & there. Hear walrus. Very
surprising how ice on beach melted in month.

Aug. 21 - 14 bears (5 cubs included). Ice way out, water low,
believe ice jammed in between Blossom Point & some place
on island with E. wind. Weather foggy with westerly
breeze. Geese flying south all day, most white, small
flocks up to 100. 7:30 P.M. Ada spots a bear west of
river, C. M. & I lay in wait in river bottom, bear comes
down bank then turns up river into wind (changed about
3 P.M.). C. & I follow, bear sees us, stands on hind legs
then runs, we give up. K & M shoot at geese several times,
get one apiece about 10 P.M. Launch dory for one early in
day. I see what I thought seagull across river, C did too,
when after bear I go after seagull, turns out to be an
owl, no shot. Believe owls stay in mts. until now, then
come out on tundra.