stefansson-wrangel-09-25-008-012

- 12 -

indicating that the trip so far was to Knight only an ordinary journey,
the success of which (reaching Nome to send me a telegraphic report of the
two past years and get instructions for the next year) was in no doubt.
Among the cheerful entries troubles begin to appear, however. On January
9th, "(We) did nothing but sleep all day as both Crawford and I were badly
chafed and sore. A rather poor excuse, but the only one we have!”

The only complaints in the diary are (as quoted above)
that the dogs were "soft" because of having had no exercise for a long time,
and that the sledge was weak for the very heavy load they carried. They
realized later that they had made a mistake in weighing themselves down and
endangering the sledge with thirty days' provisions - fifteen days' would
have been plenty; they could then have traveled less laboriously, faster
and without fear of breaking the sledge.

January 12, after traveling about thirty miles (three
days on the road and two in camp), we have the first mention of the trouble
that was to prove serious. Knight was weak with illness. “I am nearly
all in. I hate to admit this, but I am sure I can't help it. My scurvy
has been coming back for the last month or two, although I have said nothing
to anyone about it except Crawford. When we started I was in hopes of
fairly good going and a chance to get fresh meat, which is a cure for
scurvy, but I find that my legs go back on me in this rough ice where I am
forced to get in harness to help the dogs and to prevent the sled upsetting.
I am afraid of the sled which is none too strong. Our gait on level ice is
about two and a half miles per hour." This is an average speed for dogs
heavily loaded and shows the team were in at least fair condition.

Now for the first time we get evidence that they are
beginning to feel that the plans of the party should be modified because of
shortage of food. "This is what we have planned to do. We will go back to