Rescue on Wrangel Island
The fabled rescue on Wrangel Island that saved the life of Ada Blackjack was more complex than it seems. Although there were clear signs that the expedition had failed, Stefansson did not want to send a rescue party, he believed the group would persist. Alfred Taylor, however, worked behind the scenes to secure a rescue for Ada Blackjack.
In the communication with the private secretary of the Minister of Public Affairs in Canada linked on the page, Taylor poses a clear concern for the wellbeing of the crew and wishes to find a way to save them. This is a stark contrast from the posture of Vilhjalmur Stefansson who we know was not as worried about the status of the expedition, believing that the Arctic was not a hostile place and that the members of the crew would be fine. As we can see at the end of this transmission, Taylor promises to continue to stay in contact with the minister as the situation evolves.
In the second letter from Alfred Taylor to Stefansson we see Taylor working to keep Stefansson updated on the expedition's state of affairs while Stefansson was on a lecture tour. This letter depicts the general disconnected nature of Stefansson considering he was touring around the country while Taylor managed the correspondence on the Wrangel Island party.
In both letters Taylor is formal and polite, indicating a professional courtesy likely stemming from his background in business: his tone is diplomatic and cooperative with aims to continue communication and collaboration between the minister and the expedition. Given this, it is clear why Taylor is given control of much of the behind the scenes action of the venture, his businessman persona is more appropriate for the role than the absent adventurer-mindset of Stefansson.
One important takeaway of these letters is noting the difficulty of rescue operations in the Arctic, a challenge that remains even in modern times and is one of the areas of development targeted by the Arctic Eight.
Letter from Taylor to Heidman
Here, Alfred Taylor writes to the private secretary of the Minister of Public Works of Canada regarding a rescue party for Wrangel Island.
Letter from Taylor to Stefansson
Here, Alfred Taylor writes to Stefansson regarding his communications with the Canadian government on a rescue for the Wrangel Island expedition.