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INTRODUCTION xxiii

knew that Lorne had many friends among those who
knew him, and it was water on Noice’s wheel to speak
of him thus, but, in the next paragraph, he would refer
to him in uncomplimentary terms indicating his inferi-
ority to himself.

Together with the diary which Noice piratically appro-
priated, were other papers, among them a personal letter
which Lorne had been writing to his mother over a
period from November, 1921, until August, 1922. Noice
pilfered this also and kept it from us until he had made
what use of it he could, returning it after several months,
the heading torn off the first page and otherwise muti-
lated. What can I say of a man who will thus desecrate
a private letter of a dead boy written to his mother?

Special tribute is due the unusual quality of the big-
hearted manhood and sympathetic philanthropy of that
English gentleman, Griffith Brewer. When I first heard
of his generosity I supposed him to be interested only in
the brave, romantic and unselfish work of the four men
on Wrangel Island. I thought he was merely wanting to
help them to success or to prevent them from paying for
their courage with their lives. But I have just learned
that Mr. Brewer and Lorne had met at the home of
Orville Wright at Dayton, Ohio, when Lorne and Mr.
Stefansson were visiting there the winter of 1921. Mr.
Brewer says that this gave him an added personal inter-
est in the party, turned the scales in his mind, and
induced him, not a wealthy man, to advance $10,000 F2,500
to finance the trip of the Donaldson to the Island for the
relief of the boys. The fact that the Donaldson was too
late to save the lives of the party in no wise dims the
luster of his generous deed.

This book deals with a great many activities, both in