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Appendix II.

Ada Blackjack

The Story of Ada Blackjack

STATEMENT

DICTATED IN SEATTLE, WASHINGTON, FEBRUARY 6, 1924
TO E. R. JORDAN, BY ADA BLACKJACK 1

Stefansson sent an exploring party to Wrangel Island. They
arrived in Nome, Alaska, September 1st, 1921, and were looking
for a seamstress to take along with them. U. S. Marshal E. R.
Jordan introduced me to Mr. Crawford, who was head of the
Expedition. During their short stay in Nome they chartered the
boat Silver Wave. The Commander’s name was Jack Hammer, who
had spent many years in the arctic waters.

Before we left Nome I bought some sinew, needles, thimbles and
some linen thread. We left Nome about September 9, 1921, and
arrived at Wrangel Island September 16th, 1921. On our way to
Wrangel Island we stopped on East Cape to get some sinew and
white seal skin; we also bought a small Eskimo skin boat.2

When we got to Wrangel Island the land looked very large to
me, but they said that it was only a small island. I thought at
first that I would turn back, but I decided it wouldn’t be fair to

1 In this statement Mr. Jordan has preserved the slightly foreign diction of
the Eskimo woman (who had been brought up in an American mining town).
We print this statement rather than her diary, for it is more complete, without
contradicting anything in the diary. She dictated it before she or anyone knew
that Mr. Noice was going to publish or otherwise make any accusations
against her. As stated elsewhere, Mr. Jordan had been an almost lifelong
friend of Ada’s. It was he who engaged her on Crawford’s behalf to
go to Wrangel Island.

2 This was a boat smaller than an umiak. We know from a letter written
by Frederick Maurer to his wife that the boat was lost on the voyage
towards Wrangel by being washed overboard from the Silver Wave.

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