[2 It will be remembered that Andree started on his fatal
balloon voyage from the northwest coast of Spitzbergen.]

A strong wind came up from the southwest, and my father said that
we had better take advantage of it and try to reach Franz Josef
Land, where, the year before he had, by accident, found the ivory
tusks that had brought him such a good price at Stockholm.

Never, before or since, have I seen so many sea-fowl; they were
so numerous that they hid the rocks on the coast line and
darkened the sky.

For several days we sailed along the rocky coast of Franz Josef
Land. Finally, a favoring wind came up that enabled us to make
the West Coast, and, after sailing twenty-four hours, we came to
a beautiful inlet.

One could hardly believe it was the far Northland. The place was
green with growing vegetation, and while the area did not
comprise more than one or two acres, yet the air was warm and
tranquil. It seemed to be at that point where the Gulf Stream's
influence is most keenly felt.[3]

[3 Sir John Barrow, Bart., F.R.S., in his work entitled
"Voyages of Discovery and Research Within the Arctic Regions,"
says on page 57: "Mr. Beechey refers to what has
frequently been found and noticed -- the mildness of the
temperature on the western coast of Spitzbergen, there being
little or no sensation of cold, though the thermometer might be