Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-02-02


He was bathing in the tepid waters of the
Gulf of Mexico, on the 18th of May, 1850"
when he received his telegraphic order to pro-
ceed 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 dismal voyage to the North Pole.
vi this first American expedition, as is well
known to the public he was the surgeon. the
natu 'alist, and the historian. 1t returned dis.
appointed of its main object, after winter in
the regions Of eternal ice aud fifteen months
absence.
Scarcely allowing himself dav to recover
from the hardships of this cruise, he set on foot
the second attempt, from which he has return
ed, after verifying by actual observation the
long questioned existence of an open sea be-
yond the latitude of 50 degrees, and bevond
the temperature also, of 100 degrees below
the freezing point. His Personal Nara
tive" published early in 1858, recounts the
adventures of the first voyage and discovers
his diversified qualifications for such an enter
prise.
The last voyage occupied two winters in the
highest ATTITUDES, and two years and a half of
unintermtted labor, with the risks and respou-
siblities attendant He is now preparing the
history for publication But that part of it
which best reports his own personal agency,
! and would most justly present the man to the
reader, will of course be suppressed We would
gladly supply it, but us yet this is impossible
to us. His journal is private property, the ex-
tracts which we'may expect will be only too
shy of egotism, and his companions have not
spoken yet, as some day they will speak, of his
conduct throughout the terrible struggles which
together they endured
To form anything like an adequate estimate
OF this last achievement, it is to be recollected
that his whole company amounted to but twen-
ty men, and that of this corps or crew he was
the commander, in naval phrase and when
We are appriSed that his portfolio of scenery,
sketchcd on the spot in pencil, and in water
colors kept fluid over spirt-lamp, amounts to
over three hundred sketches, we have hint
OF the extent and variety Of the Offices he FILL
ed on this voyage. lie was in fact the sur
geon, sailing master, astronomer and natural
st, as we'll as captain and leader of the ex-
dtion.
This man of all work, and desperate daring
and successful doing, is in height about five
feet seven inches in weight, say one hundred
and thirty pounds or so, if health and rest
would but give him leave to gill up his natural
measure. His complexion is fair, his hair
brown, and his eyes dark gray, with hawk
look. lie is a hunter by every gift and grace
and instinct that makes up the character an
excellent shot, and brilliant horseman lie
has escaped with whole bones from all his adj
ventures, but he has several wounds which are
troublesome &; and, with such general health as
his, most men would call themselves invalids.
M oil FL,
Of life ; yet he has won the distinction of be-
ing the first civilized man to stand in latitude
50 dcgs. 80 min. and gaze upon the open Po-
lar Sea-tO reach the northernmoSt point of
land on the gobc-to report the lowest temper
aturc ever endured-thc heaviest Sledge Jour
news ever performcd-and the widest life that
civilized man has successfully undergone and
to return after all to tell the story of his adj
ventures
The secret spring of all this energy is in his
e'igiouS entl us lsm-d 8 ovcrcd alike in he ge-
ncrouS spirit of his adventures in pursuit of sci
encc in his enthusiastic fidelity to duty, and
in his heroic maintenance Of the point of honor
in all his intercourse with men.
In his department there is that mixture of
slyncSS aud frallkneSS, simplicity and faStidouS-
ness, sandwchcd rather than blended, which
marks the man of genius, and the monk Of in
duStry. lie seems confident In himself but not
of himself His mluncr is remarkable for ce-
lerity of movement, alert attcntscncss, quick
ness OF comprehension, rapdity of uttcrance
and SCntrntiouS COmpactmcSS of dction, which
arises from a habituaI watchfuIneSs against the
betrayal Of his own enthusiaSnS. He seems to
fear that he is boring you, and is always dis,
covering his unwillingncss :" to sit for your
admiration. If You question him about the
handsome official Acknowledgements of his ser
vices by the British and mcrcan governments,
or in any way cndeavor to turn him upon his
own gallant achievements, he hurrieS you away
from the subject to some point Of scientific i'll
terest which he presumes will more concern and
engage yourself or he says or docs something
that makes You think he is occupied with his
own inferiority in some matter which Your con-
versatiOn presents TO him. One is obliged to
struggle with him to maintain the tone of re-
spect which his character and achievements de-
serve and when the interview is over, a feel
ing of disappointment remains for tie failure
in your efforts to ransack the man as you wish
ed, aud to render the tribute which YOU owed
him.
We wish we could he sure that he will not
in his forthcoming work, give us the drama
without its hero or we wish the expedition
and its hero had chroncler as worthy as he
would be were he not the principal character
in the story
DR.. Kane's Narrative of the Expedition, now
preparing, and in process of publication by
Messrs Childs & Peterson of Philadelphia, will
embrace the important discoveries made in the
frozen regions far beyond the reach of all the
predecessors of the American exploring party,
and their perilous adventures, crowded with
romantic incidents, which, in the language of
the Secretary of the Navy, mot only excite
our wonder, but borrow novel grandeur from
the truly benevolent considerations which ami
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