The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1856-02-02

colors kept fluid over spiritlamp, amounts
to over three thousand sketches, we have Il
hint of the extent ana variety of the Offices
he filled on the voyage. He was, in fact, the
surgeon sailing master, astronomer, and ma
turalist. as well as captain and leader Of the
expedition.
This man Of all work, and desperate daring
and successful doing. is in height above five
feet seven inches; in weight say one hundred
and thirty pounds or so, if health and rest
would but give him leave to fill up his natnr-
al measure. His complexion is fair. his hair
| brown. and his eyes drak gray, with hawk
look. He is a hunter by every gift: grace i'll
| stinct that makes the character, an excellent
shot, and a brilliant horscman. He has es-
capped with whole bones from all his advcn-
lures, but he has several wounds which are
| troublesome: and, with such general health
as his, most men would call themselves in
va'ils, and live on furlough FROM all the nc.
tive duties of life yet he has won the dis
tinction of being The first civilized man to
stand in latitude 80 deg 30 sec and gaze upon
The open Polar Sca-to reach the northern
most point of land on the globe--to report the
lowest temperature ever endurcd.-thc heavi.
est slcdgc journeys ever performed the
widest life that civilized man has successful
ly undergone. and to return after all to tell
the story his adventures.
The secret spring of all this energy is in
his religious enthusiasm discovered alike in
the generous spirit of his adventures in pur.
suit of science: 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
shyness and frankness, simplicity and fas.
tldousncss, sandwtchcd rather than blend
ed, which marks the man OF genius, and the
monk of industry. He seems confident in
himself but not of himself. His manner is
remarkable for celebrity of movement. alert
effectiveness. quickncss of comprehension,
rapldty of utterancc, sentcntious compaction
of diction, which arise from a habtual
watchfulness against the betrayal Of his own
cnthuSiasms. lie seems to fear that he is
boring you, and is always discovering his
unwillngneSS "to set" for your admiration.
If you question him about the handsome
Official acknolw cdgmcnts Of his services by the
British and American governments or in any
way cndcavor to turn him upon his own
gallant achievements, he hurrics you away
from the subject to some point of scicn-
tlc interest which he orcsuincs 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 conversation pre-
sents to HIM. One is obliged to struggle
with him to maintain the tone Of respect
which his character and achievements de-
served; and when the interview is over,
feeling of disappointment remains for the
failure in your efforts to ransack the man as
you wished, and to render the tribute which
you owed him.
We wish we could be sure. that he will
not in his forthcoming work, give us the
drama without its hero: or We wish the eX-
petition and its hero had a chroniclcr as
worthvy as he would he were he not principal
character in the story.
DR.. Kane's narrative of the Expedition,
now preparing, and in process Of publication
10y Messrs Chd> u Peterson Of Philadelphia,
will embrace the important discoveries made
in the frozen regions far beyond the reach of
all the predecessors of the American cX-
ploring party, and their pcrious advcn
lures, crowded with romantic incidents,
which, in the language Of the Secretary the
Navy, mot only excite our wonder, but Dor
row Il novel grandeur from the truly hcncvo-
lent considerations which animated and nerv-
cd him TO his task