As I, on the morning of the 20th of May, stuck my nose out of the window I realized at once, without further confirmation from our weather prophets, that our day had arrived. It was brilliant summer weather with a tiny breeze blowing from the fjord, exactly what the pilot wished for. The starting time was fixed for four P.M. The sun was in a favorable position for our sun compass and gave us the greatest aid on our flight. Even at breakfast time we could notice that there was a little excitement in the camp. Many of the members of the expedition, who otherwise would still have been invisible during the time I usually took my breakfast, had in this case already breakfasted and disappeared. It was unnecessary to send a messenger round to say the day had arrived. Every one was making his preparations for departure and the different members could be seen with hands full of private belongings disappear beside the machines and return empty-handed. Each of these little journeys brought more weight and by the time the last pin was fastened we were carrying a load of 3,100 kg., or about 500 kg. more than we were supposed to carry. Director Frohlinde had always insisted in his opinion that we ought to make some trial trips. The airmen said, “No.” As the differences of opinions will be disentangled later on I shall not say more about this here. All the morning a crowd of people were crossing over to the starting place. Everybody who could be there was on the spot. Dinner was taken in the “salon” and if some one had come in by chance he would have noticed something unusual going on. The only guests we had in the “salon” were six Thermos flasks, set up ready for the road. These contained chocolate; beside them were our only provisions for the flight, and the box of Mrs. Clausen’s good oatcakes. The only person who disturbed the dinner’s quiet and friendly course was the steward, who thought he ought to wish his comrades a good journey and thank them for assembling there. Thus was the last dinner at an end and the “salon” again took on its old form as the Coal Company’s sailboat works. “Sic transit gloria mundi.” As I left my good and comfortable quarters in the house of the Director, his good-natured housekeeper Berta stood there with two packets, which she held out to me. “There is one for each machine,” she said. “Just a little ‘snack’ for the journey.” Oh, Berta, could you but see how gladly and with what warm thanks in our hearts we took the delicious sandwiches and eggs carefully and slowly from the packages, eating them with pleasure, as our last civilized meal for a long time to come,--you would certainly be overjoyed!