stefansson-wrangel-09-29-057

203-A

With the wisdom that comes so easily after another’s
plan has miscarried, we see from this entry that a grave mistake
had been made in carrying a 700 pound load (food for thirty days)
when 400 pounds (food for fifteen days) should have been considered
ample for a trip which they knew Bartlett had made in thirteen days.
With the lighter load they could have traveled more miles per hour,
the men would not have had to harness themselves to help the dogs,
and the weak sled would have been safer from breakage, allowing
the party to plunge boldly into the rough ice which they dared not
face with the heavier load. A few entries ahead we shall come to
Knight’s own comments on this error in tactics.