stefansson-wrangel-09-31-122v

200 THE ADVENTURE OF WRANGEL ISLAND

naturally in a line. The trapper leaves a cabin in the
morning and sleeps in the next one that night, reaching
the third the next day, and so on. Each cabin has a
stove or fireplace and is equipped with a cooking outfit
and bedding. Since this is the method regularly and
safely followed by many dozens of experienced trappers,
there is no reason why it should not be safe and practical
for explorers; it is only those who have no experience
of the country who think the risk involved considerable.
To us who do such things every day, the journeys between
the cabins seem no more dangerous than taxi rides across
a city.

What actually happened on Wrangel Island was that a
trapping camp was established about eight miles away
from the main camp and occupied at first by Crawford
and Maurer, leaving Knight and Galle at the main base.
Whenever one or both of the men in either camp wished,
they could walk to the other, visiting on the way all the
traps they had set and watching as they went for polar
bears. The chance of getting bears at this season is not
very great. The noon twilight is ample for distinguish-
ing black objects at a distance of several miles, but not
for seeing bears that are white against a white back-
ground. Still, if one is constantly on the watch he is
likely some time or other to meet a bear close enough
to see him.

November 17th they were “All ready to start with the
trapping outfit” and on November 18th “Crawford,
Maurer and I left camp at 6:15 A. M. and traveled east
for three hours through heavy, soft snow. Reached a
small cove where wood seemed plentiful, so stopped and
erected a frame of driftwood for the 8x10 tent. Not
having had any sleep the night previous, we turned in