Page:The frozen North; an account of Arctic exploration for use in schools (IA frozennorthaccou00hort).pdf/167

 island. A balloon house was built, engines were set up for producing hydrogen gas, and in due time the balloon was inflated. By July 1 everything was ready.

Andrée and his two companions now waited anxiously for a south wind, which they believed would blow them to the North Pole. They waited ten days, until, on the morning of July 11, 1897, a strong, steady wind from the south was blowing.

Great was the excitement on Dane's island when the men began to tear down the house where the balloon was imprisoned, and attach the car. At 2.30, July 11, 1897, Andrée and his two companions, Nils Strindberg and Knut Fraenkel, jumped into the car, and gave orders to cut the last ropes.

Slowly the immense, airy structure rose to a height of a few hundred feet, and sailed in a northerly direction out