stefansson-wrangel-09-20-041-001

Maurer

October 24, 1923.

Mr. Henry G. Lambert,
Claim Department,
The Prudential Insurance Co. of America,
Newark, New Jersey.

Dear Sir:

In response to your request I am writing you in
regard to Frederick Maurer.

Frederick Maurer was a member of my expedition to
Wrangel Island which landed there in September, 1921. Maurer,
together with Allan Crawford and Milton Galle, left Wrangel Island
in January, 1923, probably on January 28th. The distance to the
mainland is about a hundred miles. Since it is clear that they
never reached the mainland of Siberia and since they did not
return to Wrangel, it is certain that they met their death, probably
by walking upon thin ice which broke with the resulting loss of
both men and dogs.

You asked in particular about a newspaper rumor
that, three men had been seen on the north coast of Siberia. That
coast is thickly settled as arctic lands go. The houses along it
are not always in the same places different years, but on an average
they are not more than twenty miles apart. Several parties followed
that coast during the spring and summer 1923 and we have reports
from all of them to the effect that no strange men landed from
anywhere. The most important of these are the Hudson's Bay Com-
pany's ship, "Bay Chimo," and the ship commanded by one of my former
men, Aarnout Castel. The captain of the "Bay Chimo" reported by
cable to his head office in London, in response to a query from
me, that no strange men had been reported on the north coast of
Siberia. The testimony of Aarnout Castel is even more conclusive,
for he followed a good part of the coast by sledge, probably visit-
ing practically every house. The arrival of strangers is news that
spreads rapidly on the frontier. He heard of no such strangers and
is certain that none landed. Since he had been a member of the same
expedition of mine (in 1913) as Frederick Maurer, he would have
taken all the keener interest. He had also been a shipmate of
Maurer's on another ship before either he or Maurer joined my
expedition.

I am, therefore, regretfully compelled to conclude
that Frederick Maurer must have died, probably by drowning, late in
January or early in February, 1923.