stefansson-wrangel-09-32-109r

LETTER TO PRES. OF UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO 417

uncertain (as also explained in Chapter VI), that arrangements were
closed with Allan Crawford and he came west to join Maurer,
Knight and myself for the several weeks of discussion and formu-
lation of new plans that preceded the private Wrangel Island expe-
dition which actually took place.

Ottawa, Ontario,
13th March, 1921.

Confidential

Dear Sir Robert,

I am planning a three-year polar expedition. This year I want
to send north to a point within the Arctic Circle an advance party,
consisting of a Topographer, a Botanist, a Zoologist, a Geologist,
and one or two other men. While it is hoped that some incidental
scientific work can be done this year, the task of the party will be
largely the preparation for more extensive work the following two
years. Next year a second party of five or more men will go out
to join these. The expedition will then be complete and will carry
on at least for two years further.

My experience has been that generally the younger the man
the more readily he adapts himself to northern conditions. For
that reason I should prefer to get men just out of college. The chief
qualification is temperamental. There should be no tendency to
imagine that you are a hero or that it constitutes remarkable hard-
ships to be away from movies and operas for a year or two.
Moderately good health is desirable. The man should be especially
a good walker; his circulation should be at least so good that there
is no marked tendency to numbness of hands or feet, and the eye-
sight should be above the average. No man is useful in mid-
winter work In the far north who is not able to get along without
glasses.

I am writing thinking that among the graduates of the last year
or two, or among those graduating this year either from the col-
lege or from some of your Departments, such as the Medical School,
you may know of one or more young men who would like to become
members of such an expedition. I should think a returned soldier
would be preferable, other things being equal. The wages would
be nominal—$1800 a year. The man should at the very least have