Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-04-15
An Interesting story.

DIR. Kane already widely known as one
o. the heroes who sailed in search of Sir
John Franklin with Mr.. Grinnell's Expe-
dition. led life ofunexampled adventure,
as the following account Of itup TO his
departure upon the Arctic Expedition,
shows. We have not recently encoun
tered any narrative SO thrilling. Why
may we not hope for book from DR..
Kane, comprising his remarkable expert
ence!-lN. Y. Tribuae.
No American. of his age has ever seen
so much of the peris of the world. or Of
the world itself. He was Surgeon of the
American Legation to China, and on his
way TO the Celestial regions, he spent
some weeks on foot tramp through The
orange groves of Brazil, and about a
month IN tiger-hunting near Bombay.
Hence, after dozen unsuccessful at
temp,s 10 smuggle himself into the Tor.
hidden lands Of China, he went over to
the philippines, and by the aid OF the
good Monks Of the interior Of Manila,
explored its Businesses and volcanic won.
ders. He was the first one to descend
into the grea. crater of The Tael, lowered
down two hundred fee, over the brink
by bamboo rope tied round his middle,
end brought back a bottle full of its sui.
phur waters, burning off his boots ia, the
lavs cinders. Leaving China, afterpa sec.
ond visit. in which he encountered ship
wreck. he passed 10 India as ply sician OF
the Dremendhar Dagore, and was palan
quined Tor some three months through
,he wonders of lis mountain architecture,
the ancient gloriee of Candy, the s,upen.
duous passes of the Glau, country, visit
ing Madras, Pondichery, and every spo,
that we have read of in the trial of War.
rem Hastings. Next, to Upper Eg, pi
and Abyssiania, crossing the desert on
his camel to the basis OF Jupiter Ammon
climbing at break neck risk to the top
stone OF the sounding Colossus of Mem.
non. and exploring the ,ombs of the
Pharaohs for forlnigh, or three weeks
with Prof Lepsius and his associates
Wrecked again while passing down the
Nile, and wounded. in an encounter neal
Alexandria, he pushed across to Greece
and traversed every scene of classic in
terest, climbing TO the Hippocrane Spring
and sleeping on the shores OF Marathon
He returned by Italy, France, aid En-.
gland, only TO rest a few weeks. before
cruise on the coast Of Af.ica. Renewing
here some acquainiances which hac beer
formed in Brazil, he was allowed to in
spect the entire machinery Of the slave
trade, and to pass up into the interior
under the firmas of Desouxa, the grea
intermediary between the chiefs Of III.
slave-n.aking districts of the Brazilian
carriers. The coast fever was his pay fo
this trip. and he was sent home by Com
nodore Read invalided. Imperfectl,
patched up from the effects of this vista
tion he volunteered for service with th.
army in Mexico, and was ordered, will
dispatches, on dare devil race, through
'he country our troops had left, TO over
take Gen. Scott. Awaiting himself, a
Perote, of amiscreani escor, OF jail-birds
that Gen. Worth had employed as spy
company, he got into series of fights, i,
the last of which he received the swords o
Gen. Gaona and Gen. Torraion. ant
had his horse killed under him, and wa
himself desperately wounded, while pro
tec'ing the lives Of his prisoners agains
his own men. Since then he has beel
cruising, and practlcing photography OF
she Coast Survey, up TO the moment o
receising the ielegraphic dispatch, accep
ting his urgent profIer of services for tn
Arctic Expedition. He had the rice fe
yer in the Canton River. the plague il
Egypt the yellow fever at Rio. the con
gesiive at Puebla, and the African feve
on the coast. These. and wounds. and Al
organic disease of the heart. which h
has had from boy hood, have been hi
preparations fer the hazards he is en-
c0unterinp now.