ENVS 15: The Earth's Cold Regions (Winter 2024)

The Challenges to Surviving on Wrangel Island

Allan Crawford building a snowhouse

Allan Crawford and Frederick Maurer, cutting up a walrus, summer 1922

The first picture on the left is captioned "Allan Crawford, Lost Leader of the Wrangel Island Expedition of 1921, Building a Wall of Snow Blocks to Keep the Fierce Winds from Piercing the Thin Canvas Walls of Their Tents," highlighting the harsh weather the group faced on Wrangel Island. 

As Wrangel Island was a severe change in landscape and way of life, it was key that Stefansson and the team properly planned what supplies they would need. In August of 1921, Stefansson wrote to Crawford detailing what he thought Crawford should buy in preparation, and told him to consult with Knight. Stefansson wrote, “If Knight thinks well of it I suggest cutting the six rifles to four, the ammunition from 6,500 to 4,500, the shotguns from 4 large and 1 small to 2 large and 1 small, and the ready loaded ammunition proportionately” (Copies of letters and telegrams between Allan Crawford and Vilhjalmur Stefansson, 1921). Stefansson recommended this reduction in supplies in order to save money, which foreshadows the lack of supplies Crawford, the other men, and Ada experienced rather quickly in their journey. Stefansson also describes that there was no need for them to buy chocolate and butter because when they arrived on Wrangel Island, those “luxuries” would be replaced by fat and meat. 

Although Crawford thought Wrangel Island seemed "quite inviting", he was too optimistic and they used all of their groceries during the first winter, forcing them to rely on the food they could hunt in order to survive (Letter from Allan R. Crawford to Helen Crawford, 15 September 1921).

The diary of Lorne Knight, another man on the Wrangel Island expedition, contains a historical record of Crawford's role in helping the team survive. In Knight’s diary, Knight kept track of the temperature high and lows, the direction of the wind, and the day-to-day activities of the men. The second picture shows Crawford and Maurer cutting up a walrus, dated summer 1921. The game that they hunted was primarily marine mammals such as seals and walruses. In Knight's dirary he writes (about Crawford and a seal), “Crawford went after him but the snow was frozen and had a thin crust and altho Crawford was as careful as possible, the seal evidently heard him and “flopped” when Crawford was about 60 yds. from him” (Lorne Knight Diary, Mss-90-01-01-093). Through Knight's Diary we can decipher Crawford's engagement as he readily appeared alongside Maurer hunting seals and ducks.

As Knight's Diary progresses, one can start to discern a pattern to their daily lives. Knight often chronicles their day-to-day hunting activities, the movement of seals, and their successes (or failures) in finding food, he starts to write "general duties" from time to time, and then simply moves onto the next entry. On one day in Knight's Diary he wrote, "General duties. Crawford developing film. The main ice floe is about 3/4 of a mile off shore. Fresh breeze from W" (Lorne Knight Diary vol 1., Mss-90-01-01-114). Therefore, on top of Crawford's "general duties," he was working to help document the expedition to Wrangel Island through developing their photographs (2 of which are pictured above). 

While no one knows exactly what Knight meant by "general duties," it is interesting to note that he started off with lengthy descriptions and then started shortening it (occasionally) to just "general duties." Is his description vague for a reason, or did Knight just lose motivation? This is yet another mystery of the Wrangel Island expedition spearheaded by Stefansson, and led by Crawford.