Typescript of a report by Ada Blackjack, 25 August 1923, with extracts from Milton Galle's diary

On Ausgust 25, 1923 when we were still in the icepapck, Ada sat down with pencil and paper and wrote her report. It took her two days. In it she reviews her experience from the start. I give it as it is.

"I was in Nome in 1921. One day I was going home from where I worked and I saw Marshall Jordan in street and he call me and I went to him. And he says that he want to talk to me, And he took me to the federal jail office and told me that four white men want xxxx Eskimo woman to do sewing for them, and I told him that I let him know tomorrow and he said alright. And next day Mrs Jordan took me to federal jail office. Thats first time I meet Mr Crawford and Mr Knight. And they tolld me and Mr Jordan that they need someone to do skin sewing awful bad. And they told me that they have lots of group so I say to myself there is a good chance to get few dollars for me and my son. Mr Crawford told me that I'll get fifty dollars a month so I made up my mind I'll go, so I says alright I'll go. And we left Nome, September 9 in 1921

Next morning we were over at Kings island on the twelfth of September we arrive at Siberia, four o'clock in the afternoon and skin boat come out to see the ship. Some Russian man and native man. And Russian man ask Crawford where we are going and Crawford and Knight tell him about where we were going and Ibuess they sign paper. Well I dont know what they do. Anyway they do some writing and Mr Crawford and Mr Knigyt went to shore and bought some sinew and one white sealskin We stop at East Cape two or three hours and we left for Wrangel Island. Not very long after we left East gate the engine

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stop and we lay over one night and one day and then after they fix the engine we sail for Wrangel Island. We arrive at Wrangel island on the sixteenth of September in the evening. I forgot what time it was.

In the morning they unload. When they ate all finished unloading the silver wave left. And first three month I was qui quite dizxy busy and after that I had not much to do. And after th In about sometime in Novemeber Mr Crawford and Mr Mauer went i to the east and camp there and do some trapping, And in Christmas they come up to our camp. Galle and Knight was in the camp where I was and we had a good time in Christmas. And spring time we move out from our snow house and last summer the boys were taking trips to east and west. And in fall we move to west of first camp about four miles to Doudful harbor. And after we move Mauer and Galle was trapping and Knight and Crawford was hawling q wood whole fall because they was werefiguring e to leave right after Christmas. And I was busy making skin to clothes for boys and I made everything that they want me to make for them. And in January 8 Crawford and Knight they left for sibberia over the ice with the dogteam. They had five dogs. They were out for fourteen days and they came back because Knight got sick what they call scurfey. He was not bad sick first they come back and I heard them talking that three men is better than two to make a trip so it will be easyer to make camp on the way. The reason why they left because we didnt have much food. If they would mine me, what I say I would tell them to stay but I was not suppose to try to stop them from what they are going to do. I was very sorry when I know they are going to leave me and Knight all alone in the island , I c uld not help it my tears was dropping off my eyes, and they told me and Knight that they^ll^ ll come back and ^g^et me and Knight, with the boat if they get to Nome. And they said if they cant come to Wrangel with the

Extract from Galle Diary

Sept. 18-

....... Surprising thing to me yesterday while getting wood. C. seemed very tired + worn, dragged his feet: K. grumbled about hard work he had to do where as fact he does least of all, Ada included. M. continually complaining about his back, wrenched some weeks ago; and all complaining about being exceptionally sleepy today. K. makes some facetious remark about all of us should be getting up at a given hr. This evening he severely reprimanded C. for having called him - leaves strict orders not to be called in morning. Now what can you do? You can't shoot him, you can't hang him so what are you going to do? nite During nite he gets up again, makes coffee + eats meat, then sits down to read. Reads till 10 A.M. then when we get up he makes some sarcastic remarks about noise. What can you do? C. then became sleepy turns in about 10 p.m. M. soon follows. I stay awake reading because could not go to sleep previous nights K. stays up. C. prepared breakfast about 11:30 p.m. [: g..+ .... ]

Nome and if they cant come with the boat they was going to come with the dogteam xxxx next winter over the ice. Thats last I know of those three fellows. And after they left Knight got very sick. He was fainting when he try to chop wood so Insay to him I'll do the work if hell let me do it and he lie in bed since February 9 and he fainted every time he tryed to move around. And i do the wood work and try to trap. First month I never get any fox so latery I got some fox and late in spring I couldnt get any mo re fox. Anyway when have some meat Knight couldnt eat very much. I dont now why. And in May 10 I wake up he was nosebleeding, he was nosebleeding half a tea tin full. He was pretty near died and afer about two days he was nose bleed again. I had hard time when he was dying, I xxxnever will forget that allmy life. I was crying while he was living. I tried my best to save his life but I cant quite save him. He was living till June 22. One day I was out west of the camp about three miles with the shotgun and I found one seggll egg and I tried to get seegull and I could not shot any of them so I said to myself, I got one egg for knight anyway and I went home andon my way coming home I shot one goose. I was glad that I got something t o eat for knight And he cant eat it. He had only one

Extract from Galle diary

entry sept 18-

M.+I get up. C., acting upon good judgement calls K. K. gets up grumbling + swearing about the short sleep had (he still awake when I turn in)