stefansson-wrangel-09-25-007-011

11.

of these comments changes the second year and the farther the
diary goes the more frequent are the grateful and even enthusiastic
comments upon Ada Blackjack’s improvement both in the work she
did and in her cheerfulness while doing it. On December 12th, 1922,
for instance, Knight says: "The Woman is doing wonderful work
and is a great deal better than a year ago". By then she had
almost finished a clothing outfit for Crawford and Knight for
their proposed journey to Nome and they were evidently very well
satisfied with it.

As December advanced bear tracks were frequently seen but
the bears themselves were more elusive than ever. This is partly
explained by the numerous entries of "cloudy", "cloudy and warm",
etc. At 72° North Latitude, it is only on cloudless days that
there is daylight enough at this time of year for reading or
shooting four or five hours around noon. On a cloudy day a white
thing like a polar bear is very difficult to see.

In the entry for Christmas Eve 1922 we have the first
suggestion that the party felt the longer of provisions running
short. "We are celebrating by having an extra hard bread or so
apiece." The snow roof was completed today expecting the door
and it is nice and comfortable in here tonight."

We have incorporated into this article in full every
mention contained in the diary that relates to the proposed trip
to Nome. On December 25th the subject comes up again. "I finished
the complete set of dog harness for the trip and Crawford is busy
making ridgepoles and uprights for the tent" - doubtless the tent