stefansson-wrangel-09-32-064r

THE STORY OF ADA BLACKJACK 329

sometimes the ocean clears out so that the boats can come in. The
ice goes out but comes in again.³

About the middle of November we moved up to the west of our
present camp, about four miles I think, so they wouldn’t have to
haul the firewood so far. After we arrived in our new camp I
started to sew skins for the two boys, Knight and Crawford, who
were going to take a trip to Siberia. They were preparing the
rest of their things and helping to haul wood so the other boys
would not have too much to do after they left.

At Christmas time we had some salt seal meat and some hard
bread and tea for our Christmas dinner. That time when we had
dinner I wondered where I would be if I lived until next Christ-
mas. After Christmas, about January 8th, the boys, Knight and
Crawford, left for Siberia. They came back about the 21st of
January. They were only gone about thirteen days, for Knight
became sick and they had to turn back. When they got back
Knight was very sick and weak. Then they talked about the other
three boys taking the same trip to Siberia and Knight said it would
be better because the three boys could make a snowhouse easier at
night than two boys could. So about January 28th the three boys,
Crawford, Maurer and Galle, left for Siberia. They promised that
they would come back after they got to Nome, with a ship, and if
they couldn’t get there with a ship they would come over with a
dog team next winter. They left with a team of five dogs and a
big sled of supplies.

After they left I started to do some trapping. For about one
week Knight seemed to be getting along all right. He could chop
a little wood, but after a week he had to bring some wood in the
tent to chop and while chopping it he fainted and was unconscious
about five minutes. He was so weak that I told him he had better
stay in bed, that I could chop the wood and bring in the snow for
water. I told him I was used to chopping wood and doing that
kind of work down home, so he finally consented to let me.

I went out to Maurer’s trap line. Before he left he had given

³ Here we leave out a paragraph about weather conditions, ice action, etc.,
since the information only duplicates what we have printed elsewhere in this
book on the authority of Knight’s and Galle’s diaries. Ada’s statement has
been edited only by omissions or by changing Eskimo or other words into
equivalent expressions comprehensible to the reader. There have been no
additions or other alterations that change the meaning or general effect.