While I was stationed at North West River Post on the Labrador coast in
1896, the government of Norway and Sweden sent out an arctic expedition
in a polar balloon to make an attempt at reaching the North Pole.
The Company, anxious to lend a hand to the success of this scientific
exploration to the top of the earth, despatched to its many far northern
posts drawings of the balloon like the illustration shown, accompanied
by the notice:
"In the summer of 1896 a balloon (an object like that shown on
the drawing) may be seen floating in the air. This balloon will
convey a party of three Swedish scientists who have been making
explorations towards the North Pole by these means.
The Government of Sweden and Norway has requested that the
explorers may receive all possible assistance. Natives should
therefore be told that the balloon is not a dangerous thing, but
merely a mode of conveyance in the air just as a ship is in the
water.
Natives should be told to approach the people in it without fear
and to give them all the help in their power.
If the balloon is seen only, the natives should be told to
communicate the day and hour, the direction and time it was
visible, and the direction of the wind.
If the people arrive, having lost the balloon, the natives to be
told to give them all possible assistance.
It is requested that the travellers may be supplied with passport
and all necessary official documents, the names being:
Mr. Solomon August Andree, aged 42; Dr. Nils Gustaf Ekholm, aged
48; Mr. Nils Strindberg, aged 24."
[Illustration: _The Drawing of Andree's Polar Balloon._]
According to instructions, I informed all the Indians to be on the
lookout for the balloon.
Early one morning an Indian rushed into the store to say he had heard an
awful "ringing of bells" away up in the heavens and was sure it was the
balloon passing.
I could see or hear nothing, but the native persisted in his story. I
told him it might have been Andree ringing the breakfast bell. I could
only get him calmed down by giving him some tobacco. Probably that was
all he was after.
Traces of Andree were said to have been found at Cape Mugford, Northern
Labrador, but no positive proof was ever obtained.
Another story came from Ft. Churchill to the effect that an Eskimo had
found some clothing supposed to have been from the balloon, but these
were said to have been left behind by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell on one of his
expeditions.