North Pole by balloon, and who intended to repeat the experiment this
year from Spitzbergen. The news has just reached us that he has made his
start.

On the 15th of July, the wind being in a favorable direction, Mr. Andrée
determined to begin his dangerous voyage.

Being anxious to get away before the wind should change or die out, the
preparations were hurried forward, and in three hours and a half after
he decided to make his attempt, all was in readiness.

Accompanying the daring explorer were two other venturesome men, Mr.
Strindberg and Mr. Fraenkel.

Stepping into the car, they gave the word to have the balloon cut loose.
They rose rapidly till they were about six hundred feet in the air, but
at this altitude a cross-current struck them, and they were driven
earthward again until they almost touched a projecting rock.

It was feared that the attempt had failed, but the three men in the car
set to work vigorously throwing out some of the sand-bags that had been
put in the car for ballast, to steady it, and the balloon soon rose
again and continued on her course.

The weather was clear, and the _Eagle_, as the balloon was called, was
visible for an hour. It appeared to be moving at the rate of twenty-two
miles an hour, and to be taking the exact direction that Mr. Andrée had
wished that it should.

The adventurers expected to reach the Pole in two or three days, but had