Evening star., 1923-10-28
BY HAROLD NOICE,
Leader W~nngel island Rescue
Expe,litiOn,

The temperature dropped. The blue
pack ice came in from the north
again. Wrangel Island was locked
once more in the grip of winter
The beacon lantern swinging from
fits high pole went out. No one both
cred to fill It, There was no use. NO
ship could reach them now.
Ada Blackjack was morose and de-
pressed for a while after the last
Elimmer of hope of a ship had passed.
but later she sett ed back into the
routine of life. Though there is still
littlr Indication that the marooned
expedition realized the desperate sit
uation the boys began to discuss va
rious ways of escape. That optimism.
born of ineXperience. which had pos
sessed them from the beginning, still
held them
Food Stocks DepIeafcd.
The food stores diminished. Fresh
meat became more and more of lux
ury. Since Aurus, nothing had re-
nained of he supply of civilized
food but hardtack and tea. Their
regular daily fare had been reduced
TO IA fdtack and sea oil Bat always
they thought tomorrow would bring
better luck
knight records the capture pf an
occasional seal and now and then
pcla bear walks into camp and fills
the empty stew pot.
ON . 'tober 25 knights diary shows
his elation over the arrival of such
an went:
Everything, comes to him who
was or goes after IT. AT am. the
dogs set up howl and Crawford
rushed out. There, about hundred
feet or less west of the tent stood a
female bear and two cubs. Crawford
killed them /. The mystery is how
they got so close to camp. There
was very little blubber on any OF
them and the old lady had a stomach
full of grass. Inciden ally all of us.
dogs Included, had a fu stomach"
bout tAis ime they began moving
their camp site to Doubtful harbor
where there was plentiful wood
supply close at hand.
Sean,stress Busy.
On November l. Knight writes:
THE sea seems to he rather solid
and we In end to start moving to-
morrow. Fo" a long time ] ha:e said
nothing about our seamstr ess. She
Is very quiet and rather downhearted
over the IA t that the ship did not
show up, but she keeps busy and is
present making pair of fancy
moosehid de mit-ens There is consid
cradle lothtng to be made for Craw-
lord and me ii we go to Siberia but
~ w 49, have her starr until we
get moved
In the same entry Kni~ht discussed
the project which he and Crawford
have ben cons dering-that of trying
TO get across the ice to Siberia and
thence to Nome.
VIII N the boys left Stefansson n
vas IN ng ano her arctic expedi
t:on and had to them he mi ght join
;herl IN the summer of 1922. He had
Instruct them TO lay UP large sup
ply of dog meat for his use and to
rega ii th"msel as fore.unne Of
this expedition. They thought that l.
trey "aC get out to the mainland OF
S'N"ria hoy might find St~'ansson or
get word of him. In Knights words:
Plans for Trip.
Crawford and have just abou.
fno > ~ mind TO make the trip.
and the time for starting depends or
Sc IA IN nEs: ice conditions. dog
iced. weather. etc, but We a-e hop
1928. We think that if the weathe.
IS ,ooi lad so ng on the ice not toe
Lad that Nome should be reached In
s'xt" or se-enty davs. for we have
about made our minds to go TO Nome
mad bay. We have
thought that Stefansson might be
winterng on the mainland south of
Us. a~d think that if he is we will
see him by January l. If he should
no "CT tili at"r we will have to
take chance and go. for very likely
If ne IS " nte~ing on the liza inland we
will hear of him and his ship and will
go thee. If one can go by lunches
my 'hunch' lis me that v. Stefans-
son d not come north this summer,
and that we are doing the right thing
in mo kim this trip"
A "hunch' that proved correct. Due
to financial d fficulties Mr. Stefans-
Intn 50 to-, 4
matnrializ..
Ara-n instead of hui'd'ne houses