The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-02-02
Gle 4flen Of tI)e Tilncs.
From Gr.hams Magazine.
DIR. L. *. * ZANE.
A SKETCH, BY DIR. WILLIAM ELDER.

When mans life is heroic and his name
has passed into history, the world wants to
know him personally, intimately. The
grave and reverend chronicler," passing
over his beginnings, presents him abruptly in
his full grown greatness; men render the ad.
miration earned but the sympathetic ,mula-
ton awakened is concerned to known how he
grew into maturity of excellence. This cur
oSity is not an itllcncss of the fancy. but
personal interest in the facts that spring out
Of those aspirations which puts every man
upon the fulti'Mont Of his own destiny
| How came this man to eXccl-what was in
hm-what happened to developclt? "Sonc
men are born great: some men achieve great
ness; some have greatness thrust upon them"
| How came this man by it! Is it within my
reach also! and by what means! History
provokcs us with such queries as these
| Biography answers them.
Doctor Elisha Kent Kane is not quite tlir-
| ty four years old. yet he has done more than
| circumnavigate the globe he has visited and
travcrscd India. Africa, Europe, South Amer
lea, the islands of the Pacific and twice pen.
Grated the Arctic region to the highest lati-
tudc attained hy civilized man. lie has en-.
countcr,d the EXTREMIST prrilS Of sea and land
in every climate of the globe: he has diScl.arg-
cd in turn the scvcrcSt duties Of the soldier
and the $, canaan attached to the United
States Navy as a surgeon, he is nevertheless
engaged at one time in the coast survey Of
| the tropical ocean, and in a month or two we
| find him exploring thc fli:id zone; and all
| the while that his personal experiences had
tn" character Of romantic adventure, he was
pushing them in a Split Of scientific and
phllanthropic enterprise.
AS boy his instructive bent impcll,d
him to the indulgence and enjoyment of such
adventures as we're hest fitted to train him
for the wo bcE re him. HIS colesia stud
les suffered some postprn,n.cnt. while his
| physical qualities pressed f r their necessary
training and discipline. 1t was almost in
tie sliit Of truancy that. he explored the
Blue Mountains Of Virginia, as student of
geology, under the guidance of Professor
Rogers, and cultivated, at once, his hardi-
hood of vital energy aud Aose clements of
natural sciences which were to qualify him
for his after services in the field of physical
geography. But in due time be returned to
the pursuit of literature, and achieved tie
usual honors, as we'll as though his college
studies lad suffered no diversion-his mus
clcs and nerves were educated, and his brain
lost nothing by the indrcctncss of its develop
ment, but was rather corroborattd for all the
uses which it has served since. lie gradual
cd at the University of Pennsylvania first,
| in its collegiate and afterwards in it's medi-
cal department. his special rclishcs in study
indicated his natural drift, chemistry and
surgery 4; natural science in its most intimate
converse with substance, and the remedial art
| in its most heroic function. He went out
Fl ON his Alma Mater, good classical scholar,
good chemist mincraiogist, astronomer,
and surgeon. But he lacked. or thought he
lacked. robustness Of frame and soundnesss
of health. lie solicited an appointment in
active service. He was appointed upon the
diplomatic staff as surgeon to the first Amer.
lean Embassy to China. This position gave
him opportunity to explore the Philippine U.s.
lands, which he effected mainly on foot He
was the first man who descended in the era
ter OF Tacl lowered more thana hundred feet
by bambo rope from the overhanging cliff,
and cambering down some seven hundred
more through the scoriG he made topogra-
phical sketch of the interior of this great vol
cano, collected q bottle of sulphurous acid
from the very mouth of the crater; and al
though he was drawn up almost sensecSs
he brought with him his portrait of this hide
Gus cavern, and the specimens which it af.
forded.
Before he returned from this trip, he had
assembled the lIimalayas, and triangulated
Greece on foot; he had visited Ccylon, the
Upper Nile, and all the Hydrologic region of
Egypt traversing the route, and making the
acquaintance of the learned Lepsus, who
was then prosecuting his archaeological re-
searches.
At home again, when the Mexican war
broke out, he asked to be removed from the
Philadelphia Navy Yard to the field ola more
consenial service, but the government sent
him to the Coast of Africa. Here he visited
the slave factories. from Cape Mount to the
river Bonny, and through the Infamous Da
SouZa. got access to the haracoons of Dalo-
mcy, and contractt d. besides, the Coast Fever,
from the effects Of which he has never entire
ly recovered.
From Africa lie returned before the close
Of the Mexican war, and believing that his