stefansson-wrangel-09-30-003-010

10

On January 17th the diary tells us "The woman is working
fine," and on January 19th we have this fragment "The seamstress
complains of a headache and when I gave her some 'Aspirin' _____",
after which three and one-half lines|have been erased. Three lines
have also been erased from the entry for January 20th.

These erasures by Mr. Noice are the more exasperating
and less defensible because Knight made it plain in the entry for
September 29th (quoted above) that he was deliberately putting down
the very xxxxxx things he wanted all men to know about this difficult
situation. Any sympathy with Mr. Noice one might have had on the ground that he
Any sympathy with Mr. Noice one might have had on the ground that
he was trying to protect the woman, disappears when we remember
that he himself was the first to publish some of these things, that he has
tried to publish others, and that he has charged Ada Blackjack in print
with worse far motives and actions than there is any just reason to
deduce from any evidence we have.

From this time on the troubles with Ada Blackjack seem
to have largely ceased. January 23rd we have, "The woman is work-
ing O.K. to-day." January 25th, "Woman doing O.K."

On February 9th, "The woman has been working diligently
for a long time and excepting an occasional spell of crying seems
to be contented." February 25th, "For the last few days the woman
has been doing all the cooking, dishwashing and scullery work
besides sewing and mending, and doing it very well. She surely
is the most inconsistent body I have ever known."

There is no further mention of Ada Blackjack until
May 27th when Knight says, "I have not said anything much for a long
time about the seamstress but will take the time now to say that
she is doing as well as anyone could wish. Altho we did not bring
her along for cook and dishwasher she insists upon doing that work
and also sews when necessary. She is homesick and says that she
wants to get back to ’Home and mother," Nome, and as long as she,
is as useful as she is now I am sure we will all miss her when she
goes next summer (???) (Provided the ship comes)." From "when she
goes next summer" followed by question marks it seems most likely
the party had previously discussed shipping her out the summer 1922
if they could, but that her later good conduct had begun to incline
them to 'wanting to have her stay with the expedition.

The next reference is June 29th, "I wish to state here
that the seamstress is doing wonderfully well and is cheerful."

The next we hear of Ada Blackjack is in the entry for
November 1st, "For a long time I have said nothing about our seam-
stress. She is very quiet and rather downhearted over the fact
that the ship did not show up, but she keeps busy and is at present
making a pair of fancy moose-hide mittens (probably for Crawford)."

On January 21st, 1923, we have: "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