The Ice Master by Jennifer Niven Read Free Book Online

July 10. They were alarmed by the disorganization of the supplies and their equipment. They could find guns, but could not find the ammunition. Several boxes of provisions were packed badly, and some of them were half empty. The men were provided with only one towel each, and the smaller members of the company—including McKinlay—had to make do with drawers and shirts that were too big for them. Stefansson had also purchased some secondhand parkas in Nome, which were horrible to look at, diseased and thin. He handed them to Dr. Mackay to disinfect, but the doctor pronounced the job impossible; so the men had to make do.
    Stefansson seemed unconcerned about the chaos of the Karluk ’s decks and the confused order of the supplies. “We’ll sort it out at Herschel Island,” became his favorite response.
    The staff of his expedition was also astounded to learn that their private diaries would be property of the Canadian government and that their rights to grant interviews or supply news to the outside world had been signed away, without their knowledge, by Stefansson.
    Stefansson, meanwhile, had drawn up contracts with three international newspapers, planning to send exclusive reports and articles for publication. He also sold 35 all the newspaper, magazine, book, and photographic rights to the story of the expedition to the London Chronicle and the New York Times . In addition, he planned to write a book about the expedition and wanted to control all communications about the upcoming adventure, thus protecting his contracts.
    At the conference, spokesman James Murray demanded to know the plans of the Northern Party, which had never been officially presented to any of the scientists. Stefansson bristled at their questions and, according to McKinlay, “seemed to resent 36 our attitude in endeavouring to obtain details as to provisions for food, clothing, facilities for work, etc., & he went the length of telling Murray, when he asked what provision was being made for fur clothing, that the question was impertinent.” Furthermore, Stefansson “told us that he thought our whole conduct in calling for a meeting seemed to imply a lack of confidence in our leader, and altogether failed to recognise that we all had an undeniable right to assure ourselves that every regard was being had for our protection.”
    It was only then that the men learned that Stefansson planned for the Karluk to proceed along the 141st meridian to search for new land. If no land was discovered, the Northern Party would form a base at Prince Patrick Island, which would leave the men free to explore the area from there. The ship and her crew would then return to Nome immediately for provisions.
    Stefansson had said far more about his plans in press conferences than he had communicated to the men themselves. He also made a frightening prophecy—that the Karluk would no doubt be frozen in at some point and afterward would “certainly be crushed 37 & sink.”
    Kenneth Chipman, botanist for the Southern Party, recorded an equally ominous fact in his diary: “V.S. in a 38 signed statement has said that lives are secondary to attainment of objects and on several occasions has strongly intimated that he expected to put the Karluk into the ice. It is certain that if she goes into the ice she’ll not come out.. . .”
    What’s more, Stefansson claimed that not only were the lives secondary to the work, but that his men recognized this fact and agreed with it. This was untrue and stood in direct opposition to the instructions given to him by the Canadian government.
    After the conference, several of the expedition members talked of resigning. Exasperated with Stefansson’s tactics, they had no confidence in their leader and no enthusiasm for the prospect of working for him. Indeed, many of them were so disillusioned that they harbored little hope of getting any valuable work accomplished. Murray was so