stefansson-wrangel-09-15-034

Feb. 8

Dear V. S.

I have just come up from Adas cabin where I have been sitting and talking to her for an hour or more. She is still feeling ill - she was on deck an hour or two - but went down again and stayed in bed. As she seems to feel better there - She spoke a little of Wrangel. - Maurer she said, "was a good rustler" - "the best shot all the boys said" - Galle - and Crawford too got each a polar bear Knight and Galle were talking about

coming back next year as [pardners] and trapping".

When she shot seal She said each of the three seals she shot had their heads shot away - "you must shoot shoot their heads" she told me or they'll fall into the water.

Noice had not written her. She seemed a little put out about it. She talks quite a lot - about Nome and living in Nome - Sometimes about Wrangel I don't press her much about that - thinking there is time to get the story gradually and as I do not know what is in the paper she dictated I feel that it is best to let her come to it naturally. I tell her about you from time to time. She seems to

think it is nice for you to give her the trip she seems also, worried about money matters - I think she has very little in Seattle bank and she doesn't seem to be sure what she has in Nome. She just told me Noice sold her fox skins in Nome (I think) I asked if the money was in the bank and she said Noice told her so.

She is a curious mixture, of frugal was and in some ways - and a supreme confidence in what anyone tells her about money - She doesn't want to spend much or carry anything with her which I told her was right, to keep her money in the bank. Bennett told me the money you gave him was gone - then he added "it is in the bank"

I couldn't help thinking how again and again tonight as I was talking to her how pretty and sort helpless she looked, lying in her berth - her hair so dead black, and her cheeks red - - - I had to try hard to imagine her going thru the Wrangel experience and coming out of it so well. This I noticed - while there was anyone left, she never took the initiative in anything - as soon as she was alone she began to act and to think for herself.

She thinks now if it doesn't cost more money she will go back to Seattle by train - poor thing, she is wretched - She says she was sick - for six days coming

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out, so I don't blame her for wanting to go by train. She expects to go north in June. She says she wishes she was in Nome - "it is cold in Seattle" -She has many colds - she never had a cold on Wrangell."

Bennett is trying to teach me Eskimo - he says horse - then gives me the Eskimo word which I promptly forget and which he patiently repeats for me. Ada smiling with pride. He is a cunning youngster and I take him upstairs with me

and he amuse himself seeing and not watching the gulls. Calling them eider duck and imitating their cry. he tells me he can ride on his reindeer, "holding on to their horns and spanking them with his hands make them go fast".

The slevea I can't imagine why I am making so many false starts in this letter - the ship rolls a little and many people are about - It is a good trip beautifully sunny and bracing I'm sorry Ada is laid up.

She told me today that she had a friend, his name is Harvey and he is on the Alameda running to south east Alaska - I think it is not too good a thing, for her to have a "friend" -

Ada used a 'soft pointed bullet for seal, tho Knight told her she must save the soft nosed bullets in case she meets polar bear - 'nanook' Bennett calls the bear.

- "Knight is very weak, she has to hold up his head to give him a drink at the last" - He does not shoot as well. She hears him say he misses so many times' - " She thinks native hunters would be better. She says very little about Noice now, I think she is doesnt understand why he didnt answer her letter, she hasn't told me anything about dictating her story and I havent refered to it yet.

What I will do about that depends - certaintly I must have her confidence before she will talk freely. I don't believe her silences are all intentional - I think she has an idea of what would interest people, and cares less. She has no small talk - I think we American women might learn something - for her "Thinking Silences" - after she has been quiet for some time she often breaks the silence by saying "I have been thinking - - - I asked her if shh she thought in English - but she said "no, in Eskimo"

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She told me about the death of her two children - and of her father, How he was so sick from poisoning" eating old meat then fresh meat which is ba makes his stomach sick" SThey were in Solomon(?) and they 'put on his skin boots and pants and his "parkie" and wrapped him in skins, quite warm and put him on a sled' - Her sister got the dogs and started to drive him to Nome but he died on the way" -

- She was eight (Ada) at that time.

- This ship she like better than the Victoria " - and if it is not too much trouble she would like her meals in her cabin" - She calls me on the phone when the service is slow - to get them to bring ice water. Bennett drinks gallons - and eats ice in chunks, like wise puts 'oceans' of salt and pepper on his bread. -

He is cunning as can be and I like him. = I think it is a fine thing you in giving her this trip. She was quite sad today when she felt too ill to get up and see the snow covered mountains on the land - "I would like to see some snow" she