stefansson-wrangel-09-30-001-004

By this time the expedition party suggested that they would
rather turn back than take any chance of going any farther. I was perfectly
satisfied that I would be taking too many chances by going farther.

We had a great deal of trouble in getting to Cape Serge, as the
northwesternw wind was pressing the ice and we had to press the vessel quite
hard to break the ice in many places. The vessel suffered some damage by being
stove in and also the propeller was bent, both blades hitting the ice, so that
it was practically disabled.

We experienced very much more trouble in getting back to East Cape
than going up; in fact, we could only make an average of about eight to ten miles
a day along the coast. It was only during a slack tide that we were able to make
any headway at all. In several places we had to haul the vessel over rock.

We got down to Whalen on the 17th. We were all this time getting
down there - a distance of sixty miles.

On the 18th we came around East Cape, where I tried to dispose of
the cargo, rather than bring it back to Home, but the natives could not purchase,
and the traders had their winter supplies, so that I was compelled to bring the
supplies back to Nome.

We left East Cape Station on the morning of September 21st. After
going through two miles of ice we came into open water and crossed the Straits.
We arrived in Nome at three o’clock on the morning of September 22nd.

Very truly yours.

(Signed) Jos. Bernard.