stefansson-wrangel-09-32-058v

320 THE ADVENTURE OF WRANGEL ISLAND

deal better to them than those they had fried previously and that
the entire party was converted to the excellence of bear steaks.
The text of the entry which records the eating of the first fried
meat is as follows: “Bet with Knight that President of U. S. gets
a salary of $75,000. a year plus traveling expenses of $25,000.—$5.
bet. Weather fair with variable winds. All stayed in camp to-day.
The bear meat I boiled for breakfast and fried for myself and
Ada, did not taste like the previous bear meat. All had the boiled
meat, even Knight, and all agreed to the taste. Crawford boiled
some bear blubber which tasted good.”

But the unanimous favor of the steaks which resulted from the
initial experiment did not last long, for on August 18th they had
an argument about the comparative merits of boiled and fried
meat. “Am tired of fried meat already; suggested boiling again.
Maurer wants same but Knight, Crawford and Ada still want the
fried.” There was vacillation for some time but the last mention
of steaks is August 31st when they tried them again after several
days of boiled meat.

Knight’s diary tells us nothing about the rationing of any items
of groceries to make them last longer as tidbits with the meat.
But Galle has several notes on this subject. It seems that up to
August 16th pilot bread was eaten as freely as anyone desired,
both at meals and between meals. At that time one box of biscuit
was lasting five days. “Crawford and I have been dipping
hard bread in grease all day long and seem never to get filled.”
It may have been that this was the time when the party first began
to plan a journey away from Wrangel Island the following winter.
At any rate, something led them to the saving of hard bread, which
is an excellent element of a sledging ration. However, we have no
explanation from Galle but only the note, “Have decided to stop eat-
ing hard bread after this box.” From that date they evidently kept
their resolution until September 11th, “Make the suggestion to
Crawford to break out one box hard bread and to issue each day
two to each [person] . . . making ten a day, one box lasting
about twenty days. Advised frying [them] in [bear] oil. Craw-
ford approves and we start to-day.” Evidently Galle was anxious
that the rationing should be strictly adhered to, for on September
29th he complains that Crawford opened a box of hard bread two