| stefansson-wrangel-09-25-006-053- 53 -
arrived at 12:45 finding the three people comfortably living in the large
10 x 12 tent. They have only caught one fox since we left and Maurer did that.
Saw several old tracks of foxes to-day and one or two new ones. No bear tracks.
Very cold and clear. Wonderful going call day. Saw the sun to-day (its first
appearance after the mid-winter twilight)."
January 21st: “The woman is busy making clothing. It
has been decided that Crawford, Maurer and Galle will attempt in a few days
to go to Nome via Siberia. I will remain here as camp keeper for the reason
that I think I would be unwise to attempt the said trip. See my entry for
January 12th. The only objection to this plan as far as I am concerned is
that I will be left alone with thenative woman. But one of the things about
this country is that circumstances sometimes demand actions that would be
reprehensible 'on the outside'. I am sure that anyone looking at this case
clearly will see that there is nothing else to be done. It is impossible for
two men to make the trap, I think,with only five dogs, and as grub is short here
it is essential for the party to split. It is very likely that Stefansson
will be expecting news from us this spring, for when we left him in Seattle
in August, 1921, he suggested the trip. The woman and I will have about six
hard bread each per day until the seals and birds arrive. This is not count-
ing what foxes I hope to catch on the two trap lines that I intend to take over
, or perhaps a bear. We will also have about five hundred pounds of seal fat
and five or six gallons of bear oil. Although we realized that it was very
cold on our short trip, I was surprised last night to learn it dropped to
-51°. The sun came all the way above the horizon to-day.”
The entries from January 22nd to January 27th are routine,
the making of clothing, tending of fox traps, etc.
On January 28th: "They’re off. At 9:10 A.M., a nice
clear day, warmer than usual and all in their favor. They were going due | stefansson-wrangel-09-25-006-053- 53 -
arrived at 12:45 finding the three people comfortably living in the large
10 x 12 tent. They have only caught one fox since we left and Maurer did that.
Saw several old tracks of foxes to-day and one or two new ones. No bear tracks.
Very cold and clear. Wonderful going call day. Saw the sun to-day (its first
appearance after the mid-winter twilight)."
January 21st: “The woman is busy making clothing. It
has been decided that Crawford, Maurer and Galle will attempt in a few days
to go to Nome via Siberia. I will remain here as camp keeper for the reason
that I think I would be unwise to attempt the said trip. See my entry for
January 12th. The only objection to this plan as far as I am concerned is
that I will be left alone with thenative woman. But one of the things about
this country is that circumstances sometimes demand actions that would be
reprehensible 'on the outside'. I am sure that anyone looking at this case
clearly will see that there is nothing else to be done. It is impossible for
two men to make the trap, I think,with only five dogs, and as grub is short here
it is essential for the party to split. It is very likely that Stefansson
will be expecting news from us this spring, for when we left him in Seattle
in August, 1921, he suggested the trip. The woman and I will have about six
hard bread each per day until the seals and birds arrive. This is not count-
ing what foxes I hope to catch on the two trap lines that I intend to take over
, or perhaps a bear. We will also have about five hundred pounds of seal fat
and five or six gallons of bear oil. Although we realized that it was very
cold on our short trip, I was surprised last night to learn it dropped to
-51°. The sun came all the way above the horizon to-day.”
The entries from January 22nd to January 27th are routine,
the making of clothing, tending of fox traps, etc.
On January 28th: "They’re off. At 9:10 A.M., a nice
clear day, warmer than usual and all in their favor. They were going due |
EN