stefansson-wrangel-09-20-003-001

Mrs. Maurer

October 15, 1921

Dear Mrs. Maurer:

I just had a letter from Fred dated at Nome saying,
among other things, that he feared neither you nor his mother were quite
convinced of what a safe place they will be in when they once get to Wran-
gel Island. That is probably true. After a life-time of being misinformed
it is difficult to get the idea that the polar regions are just as common-
place as Ohio. In the days of the pioneers Daniel Boone would have been
in no danger in Kentucky except for the fact that he was not on good terms
with the natives. In the North we always are on good terms with them the natives and
in Wrangel Island there are none anyway. The uninhabited land areas of the
world seem to be about equally dangerous except that the tropics have their
snakes and germs and that various lands are subject to earthquakes and tor-
nadoes. Nearly the worst tornado district in the world is Iowa and Ohio is by
no means safe. Wrangel Island may have a high wind but never a "twister."
Lightening may strike you next summer but from that Fred is safe. Then
there are all the multiplied dangers of civilization - railroad accidents,
panics, fires and falling downstairs. If you can once divest yourself of
these beliefs about the North that are untrue you will see that the few dan-
gers of the North are paralleld by the same sort of dangers down here and in
addition we have many peculiar to our complex lives. None of this will you
fully realize unless sometime you have a chance to go north and see for your-
self.

I am sorry I cannot tell you yet exactly where I speak in
Ohio or when. If I come near where you are you will see about it in the papers
probably. It seems to me I have heard that my Cleveland date is January 16th
or 26th. The best way for you to find out is to write to the Hoyt Lyceum
Bureau, 2443 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, saying to them that you are anxious
to hear my lectures if I come to Ohio, telling them where you live and asking
them when and where will be the best time and place for you to come and hear
me. You are more certain of getting an answer this way than by saying that
you are a friend of mine for money talks and they will be figuring on getting
your dollar.

You are right about Mrs. Clapp. She is the most loyal
and kindest person you will ever meet. It was great luck for me that you were
married in Missoula for Mrs. Clapp and Dr. Jennings are two out of half a
dozen of my very best friends. After she knew you Mrs. Clapp was glad to do