stefansson-wrangel-09-31-033r

THE FATAL DRIFT OF THE KARLUK 31

I knew the ship that sank with many of my hopes and
with many a book and memento treasured from child-
hood. I knew the dogs that died pathetically the first
few days, and the men who died soon thereafter partly
because those dogs had not survived to help them. I knew
the other dogs that helped the seventeen people to reach
Wrangel Island and that took the Captain and his one
companion from there to Siberia. I knew the men who
died later on Wrangel Island and the men who lived
through. Some that died and some that lived were dear
friends, and the responsibility for it all was mine to a
greater or less degree.

During the expedition there had always been at least
three theories aboard the Karluk as to almost anything
that we did or failed to do. James Murray and Forbes
Mackay, veterans of the Antarctic, had views from
Shackleton’s expeditions which prevailed with them and
confused those whom they tried to convert. Bartlett had
his opinions gained under the leadership of Peary and
from association with the Greenland Eskimos, who differ
in many of their ideas and methods from those of Alaska.
Hadley and I had ideas developed in the western Arctic,
partly from association with the local Eskimos. The
scientific staff and crew were divided and perplexed by
these three sets of views.

As Hadley told me the story during long winter even-
ings, we talked much of what should have been done
and might have been done, with condemnation, approval
or regret. When he wrote the story at my request he
naturally filled it with long discussions of what he him-
self and others had argued as to whether this or that were
safe or wise. It has long been the custom to publish
certain historical documents only after the men concerned