stefansson-wrangel-09-32-096r

THE CHARGES AGAINST ADA BLACKJACK 391

she is doing as well as anyone could wish. Altho we did not bring
her along for cook and dishwasher she insists upon doing that work
and also sews when necessary. She is homesick and says that she
wants to get back to 'Home and mother,' Nome, and as long as
she is as useful as she is now I am sure we will all miss her when
she goes next summer (???) (Provided the ship comes).” From
“when she goes next summer” followed by question marks it seems
most likely the party had previously discussed shipping her out the
summer of 1922, if they could, but that her later good conduct had
begun to incline them to wanting to have her stay with the
expedition another year.

The next reference is June 29th, “I wish to state here that the
seamstress is doing wonderfully well and is cheerful.”

The next we hear of Ada Blackjack is in the entry for November
1st, “For a long time I have said nothing about our seamstress.
She is very quiet and rather downhearted over the fact that the
ship did not show up, but she keeps busy and is at present making
a pair of fancy moose-hide mittens (probably for Crawford).”

On January 21st, 1923, we have: “The woman is busy making
clothing. It has been decided that Crawford, Maurer and Galle
will attempt in a few days to go to Nome via Siberia. I will
remain here as camp keeper for the reason that I think I would
be unwise to attempt the said trip. See my entry for January
12th. The only objection to this plan as far as I am concerned
is that I will be left alone with the native woman. But one of the
things about this country is that circumstances sometimes demand
actions that would be reprehensible 'on the outside.' I am sure that
anyone looking at this case clearly will see that there is nothing
else to be done. . . .”

On January 29th after the other three men had left for Nome:
“I wonder what people will say about my staying here alone
with the female? Crawford and I talked the matter over thor-
oughly and altho I disliked staying and he disliked my staying
here with her, we came to the conclusion that it was the best thing
to do. Stefansson, I am sure, will agree to that. And with
some discretion, I am sure the three men who have just left can
soften things down a lot when they get to Nome. The woman does
not seem to mind it, and to be perfectly frank, I think she is
rather glad of the circumstances, for as I stated long ago, she is