stefansson-wrangel-09-13-045-002

V.S. 11

He could not conceal the fact from the Associated Press
reporters that, the Donaldson was in the harbor and had
returned from her effort to reach Wrangle Island and, then, the
further fact that, the Life Patrol sent a boat out and
brought the Eskimo woman and the Body of Lorne ashore and,
the rest of the news which they have been able to get, was
doubtless gleaned from the crew and, it would have been
concealed even from you and I had this been possible for
Noice to have done.

Even now, when the Victoria is on her way to Seattle,
we do not know whether or not our son's body will be brot
home or whether it will be buried there or at sea.

It seems to me that, all the glory this man Noice has
gained in his expedition which he is making as spectacular
and sensational as he possibly can, has gone glimmering in
his failure to be the man equal to the occasion at a time
when common decency should prompt him to lay aside his
damnable greed for a few paltry dollars for column inches
and been humanitarian about the matter.

This sort of glory will soon fade because he has not the
dinamo of intelligence behind it to sustain it.

We will ascertain from the Steamship Co. when the Victoria
will arrive at Seattle and we will drive over and meet it
and see if we can learn something in this manner and, if
Lorne's body does come, try and get possession of it.

In view of Noice's attitude thus far, we would be afraid
to trust him because, should he be alone, he would place
Lorne's body on exhibition for a price to himself.

This may seem to you like an awful kick and, well, it
is and I believe we have an awful kick coming.

Please understand, we do not hold resentment against
you for, I believe that, and we both feel so, you have
done what you can to protect the boys and I am sure that,
your sorrow is only second to ours and that of the parents
of the other boys and of Mrs. Maurer.

Your cable from London was a wonderfully cheerful
message to us and at the same time, it only showed us that
you have no more information than we and, I had a wire
from the office at Toronto and it bore the same tidings to
me that, they knew nothing except what they had seen in
the Press dispatches.

What sort of an expedition was this Noice thing ?

Did he finance himself and his expedition and did
he have no superiors to whom to report ?