Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-02-21
PLYMOUTH, IND, FEBRUARY 21, 1856.

ton of national engagements of honor; and
besides this cordial assumption of his
country's debts and duties, there was nc
little force in the appeal of a nobly- brave,
spirited women to the chivalry of the A
merican navy.
Hewas bathing in the tepid waters of the
Gulf of Mexico on the 10Th of May, 1850,
when he received his telegraphic order to
proceed forthwith to New York for duty
upon the Arctic expedition. In nine days
/ from that date, he was beyond the limits
of the United States on his dismissal vov-
age to the North Pole. Ofthis first Amer
lean expedition, as is well known to the
public, he was the surgeon, the naturalist,
and the historian 1t returned disappoin-
ted of its main object after a winter in the
regions of the eternal ice and fifteen
months absence
Scarcely allowing himself day to re-
cover from the hardships ofthe cruise, he
set on foot the second attempt, from which
he has returned, after verifying by actual
observation the long questioned existence
of an open sea beyond the latitude 80 deg,
and beyond the temperature, also of 100
deg. below the freezing point His Per
sonal Narrative published early in 1858,
recc UNITS the adventures of the first voyage
and discovers his diversified qualifications
for such an enterprise.
The last voyage occupied two winters
in the highest attitudes, and two years
and half of unintermitted labor, with the
risks and responsibilities attendant. He
is now preparing the history for publica-
ton. But that part of it which best re-
ports his own personal agency, and most
justly present the man to the reader, will
of course be suppressed. We would glad
ly supply it, but as yet this is impossible
to us. His journal is privat, prop
erty; the extracts which may expect to
make, will be only too shy ofeeotism, and
his companions have not spoken yet, as
some day they will speak, of his conduct
throughout the terrible struggle which
together they endured.
To form anything like an adequate esti-
mate of this last achievement, lis to be re-
membcred that this whole company amount
ed to but twenty men, and that of this corps
or crew he was the commander, in naval
phrase; and We are apprised that his port
folio of scenery, sketched on the spot in
pencil, and in water colors, kept fluid over
a spirit lamp, amounts to over three hun
red sketches, we have a hint of the extent
and variety of the offices he filled on the
voyage He was, in fact, the surgeon,
sailing master, astronomer and naturalist
as we'll as captain and leader of The expe-
dition
This man of all work, and desperate dar-
ing and successful doing, is in height above
five feet seven inches, weight, say one hun
dred and thirty pounds If health and rest
would give him leave to fill up his natural
measure. His complexion is fair, his hair
brown. and his eyes dark gray, with hawk
look He is a hunter by every gift and
grace and instinct that makes up the char
acter; an excellent shot, and brilliant
horseman. He has escaped with whole
bones from all his adventures, but he has
several wounds which are troublesome; and,
with such general health as his, most men
would call themselves invalds, and live on
furlough from all the active duties of life;
vet he has won the distinction of being the
first civilized man to stand in latitude 80
80 and gaze upon the open Polar Sea-to
reach the northernmost point of land on the
globe-to report the lowest temperature
ever endured-the heaviest sledge journeys
ever performed--and the widest life that
civilized man has successfully undergone;
and to return after all to tell the story of his
adventures.
The secret springs of all thls energy is in
his religious enthusiasm; discovered alike
in the generous spirit of his adventures in
pursuit # science; in his enthusiastic fidel-
ity t" duty, and in his heroic maintainance
of the point of honor in all his intercourse
with mon.
In his department there is that mixture
of shyness and frankness, simplicity and
fasiidiousness, sandwiched rather than
blended, which marks the man of genius,
and the monk of industry. He seems con
fdent IN himself but not Of himself His
manner is remarkable for celerity of move
ment, alert attentiveness, quickness of com
prchension, rapidity ofutterance and SEN
tentious compactness of fdiction, which arise
from ahabitual watchfulness against the be
travail of his own enthusiasm. He seems
to fear that he is boring you, and is always
discovering his unwilllngness Ito sit for
your admiration. Ifyou question him about
the handsme official acknowledgements of