stefansson-wrangel-09-31-100v

160 THE ADVENTURE OF WRANGEL ISLAND

Guards would confiscate all furs and other commercial
property of the expedition, but would allow the men on
the island as well as the ship to go free! Mr. Noice trans-
mitted this message to me in London. My reply was to
the effect that we did not know that the Russian Govern-
ment had any legal standing in the case and that the
nationality of Wrangel Island would not in any case be
determined by the results of any predatory expedition
such as the Soviet threatened, but rather according to in-
ternational law and probably by the decision of some
international tribunal or committee of arbitration. Mr.
Noice was, therefore, to make no reply to the Russian
message and was to ignore it except as a hint to shape
the course of the ship so as to avoid calling at any Si-
berian port. This was logical in any case for, according
to my view, the best route was to follow the American
coast to Point Hope and strike thence directly for Wran-
gel, leaving the Russian coast far below the horizon to the
left.

After rapid and energetic preparations, Mr. Noice sailed
from Nome in the Donaldson August 3rd. His crew was
not complete. He wanted especially to get some Eskimo
families with dogs and sledges. It was possible that the
direct sea route would be open and that the Donaldson
would reach Wrangel Island in less than two weeks. But
it was also possible that ice might bar the way to the
Donaldson as it had to the Teddy Bear the previous sea-
son. In that case the plan was to winter as near Wrangel
Island as possible, crossing by sledge in the winter to see
how the situation was on the island and to help if neces-
sary. As we have pointed out, the only help that can be
carried to Wrangel Island in winter is the assistance of
competent hunters, who can secure food after they reach.