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for some time acting as my secretary. On the recommendation of the other
three and at his own request, I decided to make him the fourth member of the
party. The later story of the expedition shows that he turned out loyal and
capable, as good a comrade as anyone ever had whether in lean
times or in days of plenty.

Crawford was to be in command because the central idea was that
the enterprise must be British. But the relation of Crawford and Knight was to
be somewhat that of the ship's captain to a pilot when the ship is entering a
harbor and when, on the theory that the pilot knows best, the captain for the
time being suspends his authority. This was not as good an arrangement from the
viewpoint of efficiency and safety as if we could have put either Knight or Maurer
in command. Still, the personality of Crawford seemed to be such as to make the
plan tenable. The events of the next two years showed that in this made no
mistake. Through his character and ability Crawford proved a real commander
even while following out the ideas of his more experienced companions. In a
diary kept by Knight for two years there does not appear a single criticism of
Crawford or any comment to the effect that anything was done that did not thoroughly
meet the approval of both Knight and Maurer. A search through the manuscript
records of famous expeditions would show that such uniformly friendly co-operation
through two years of isolation is almost unique in polar history.

How enthusiastically and quietly the preparations were made is
well brought out by a letter which Knight wrote me on June 18, 1921, from his home
in McMinnville, Oregon, where he says: "I never wanted to do anything in my
life as bad as I want to get away from here .... There has been a great deal
of speculation at our house on where I am going, but they are still in the dark.
Dad is excited stiff." This shows that Knight, as well as all the others, was
keeping their particular destination secret even from his parents.

Another letter from Knight says: "of course you must realize
that I am very anxious to go north under your direction and am waiting eagerly . .
. . Last night Maurer lectured in Amity and I brought him home in a car. We were