Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-07
Dir. Kane.
A SKETCH, BY DIR. WILLIAM ELDER.

reverend chronicler," passing over his begin
nings, presents him abruptly in his full-grown
greatness; men render the admiration earned, |
but the sympathetic emulation awakened is con-
cerned to know how he got into his maturity of
excellence. This curiosity is not an idleness of
the fancy, but personal interest in the facts
that springs out of those aspirations which p@
every man upon the fulfllment of his own des-
tiny. How came this man to excel-what was
in him-what happened to develop it "Some
men are born great some have greatness thrust
upon them" How came this man by it 10
it within my reach also! and, by what means !
History provokes us with such questions as
those; Biography answers them.
Doctor Elisha Kent Kane is not quite thirty
four years old, yet he has done more than cir
cumnavigate the globe he has visited and ira
versed India, Africa, Europe, South America,
the islands of the pacific, and twice penetrated
the Arctic region to the highest latitude attained
by civilized man. He has encountered the ex-
tremest perils of sea and land, in every climate
of the globe; he has discharged in turn the
severest duties of the soldier and the seaman
attached to the United States Navy as surgeon,
he is, nevertheless, engaged at one time in the
coast survey of the tropical ocean, and in
month Or two, we find him exploring the frigd
zone; and all the while that his personal expe-
riences had the character of romantic adventure,
he was pushing them in the spirit of scientific
and phianthropic enterprise.
As a boy, his instructive bent impelled him
to the indulgence and enjoyment of such adven-
lures as were best fitted to train him for the
work before him. His collegiate studies suffered
some postponement while his physical qualities
pressed for their necessary training and disci-
pline. 1t was almost in the spirit of truancy
that he explored the Blue Mountains of Vir-
ginia, as student of geology, under the gui-
dance of Professor Rodgers, and cultivated, at
once, his hardihood of vital enorgy and those
elements of natural science which were to quail
ify him for his after services in the field of
physical geography. But, in due time he re-
turned to the pursuit Of literature, and achieved
the usual honors, as well as though his college
studies had suffered no oiversion---his muscles
| and nerves were educated, and his brain lost
nothing by the indirectness of its development,
but was rather corroborated for all the uses
which it has served since. He graduated at the
| TTpivaro;tu of Doppeu1vaoio -; ~,
ate, and afterwards, in its medical, department.
His special relihses in study indicated his natu-
raj draft chemistry and surgery; natural SCI
ence in its most intimate converse with SUBJ
stance. and the remedial art in its most heroic
function. He went out from his Alma Mater a
good classical scholar, good chemist, mine
ralogist, astronomer, and surgeon. But he
lacked, or thought he lacked, robustness ol
frame and soundness of health. He solicited an
appointment in the navy, and upon his admis
sion, demanded active service. He was appoin'
ted upon the diplomatic staff as surgeon to the
first American Embassy to China This position
gave him opportunity to explore the Philippine
Islands, which he effected mainly on foot. He
was the first man who descended into the crater
Of Tael lowered more than hundred feet BY
a bamboo rope from the overhanging cliff, ant
clambering down some seven-hundred more
through the scoria, he made Typographical
sketch of the interior Of this great volcano, col
lected bottle of surphurous acid from the vcr,
mouth cf the crater; and, although he wa
drawn up almost sensoless, he brought will
him his portrait of this hideous cavern, and tn
specimens which it afforded.
Before he returned from this trip, he had as
cended the Himalayas, and triangulated Greece
on foot; he had visited Ceylon. the Upper Nile
and all the Hydrologic region of Egypt; trav
ersing the route, and making the acquaintanc
of the learned Lepsius, who was then prosecu
ting his archaeological researches.
AT home again, when the Mexican war brol,
out, he asked to be removed from the Philadel
phia Navy Yard to the field of more congo
lial service but the government sent him t
the Coast of Africa. Here he visited the sav
factories, from Cape Mount to the river Bonny
and through the Infamous DR.. Souza, got ac
cess to the baracoons of Dahomey, and contrac
ted besides, the Coast Fever, from the effect
of which he has never entirely recovered
From Africa he returned before the close {
the Mexican war, and believing that his cor
stitution was broken, and his health rapid
going, he called upon President Polk, and dt
manded an opportunity for service that migt
crowd the little remnant of his life wit
achievements in keeping with his ambition tt
President, just then embarrassed by temp,
rary non-intercourse with General Scott, cha
ged the Doctor with dispatches to the Genera
of great moment and urgency, which must |
carried through region occupied by the enem,
This embassy was marked by an adventure
: romantic, and 50 illustrative of the man, tn;
8 we are tempted to detail it.
A On his way to the Gulf he secured horse
> Kentucky, such as knight errant would ha,
: chosen for the companion and sharer of his a.
ventures. Landed ut Vera Cruz, he asked f
: Ian escort to convey him to the capital but Il
officer in command had no troopers to spare
r must wait, or he must accept instead, bar
!, Of rufian Mexicans, calld the Spy Compan
+ who had taken to the business of treason q,
!, trickery for q livelihood. He accepted thel
e and went forward. Near Puebla his troop G
g countered a body Of McxicanS Oscorting nul