Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-01-31

surgeon, h1 secured the artery, and put the
wounded man in a condition to travel. The
ambulance got up for the occasion, con-
tained at once the wounded Msximian,
| the wounded second-Iieuienant and the
man that had prepared them Tor slow trsv-
cling himself on his litter, from the ianre
wound received in defenue Of his prisoners!
When they reached Pucbla, the Doctors
wound proved the worst in the party. He
was taken to the government house, but
the old Generol in gratitude FOR his gem
erous services, had him conveyed to his
own house. General Childs, American
commander at Puebla, hearing OF the gen.
erosity Of his prisoner, discharged him with
out making any terms, and the old gener-
al became the principa! nurse ol his captor
and bcnefactor, dividing his attentions be-
tween him and his son. who lay wounded
iu OIL adjoining room. Tbis illness Of ou
hero was long and doubtful, and he was
reported to his friends at home.
When hs recovered and returned, he was
employed in the Coast Survey. While en-
gagged in this Sc ervice, the government by its
correspondence with Lady Franklin became
committed for an attempt at the rescue OF
Sir John and his ilstarred companions in
Arctic discovery. Nothing could be better
addressed TO the Doctors governing sem
tments, than this adventure. The enterprise
of Sir John ran exactly in the current o:
one of his own en;husiasms-the service of
natural science combined with heroic per-
sonal effort; and added to this, that sort OF
patriotism which charges itself with its own
full share in the execution Of national en-
sagements of honor; and besides this cor
dial assumption of his country's debts and
duties, there was no little force in the ap-
peal of noble brave spirited woman to the
ch ivalry of the American navy.
He was bathing in the tepd waters OF
the Gulf Of Mexico, on the 18th OF May,
lS5O,' when he received his telegraphic or
der to proceed forthwith TO New York for
duty upon the Arctic expedition. In nine
days from that time we was beyond the
limits of the Uuited State,, on his long
and dismal voyage to the North Pole. OF
this first American expedition, as is we'll
known to the public, he was the surgeon,
the naturalist and the historian. 1t return
ed disappointed of its main object, after q
winter in the regions OF eternal ice, and
! I5 months absence.
Scarcely flowing. g..hinselfa day to recover
! from the nardships of this 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 of 50 deg. and be-
yond the temperature also of 100 degrees
below tho freezing point. His Personal
Narrative" published early in 1853, recounta
the adventures of the first voyage, aud dis.
covers his diversified qualifications for such
an enterprise.
The last voyage occupied two winters in
the highest latitudes, and two years and o
half OF uuinlermitted labor, with the risks
and responsibilities attendant. He is now
preparing the history for Epublication. Bu
that part of it which best reports his own
personal agency, and would most justly pre-
sent the man 10 the reader, will If course
be suppressed. We would gladly supply it
but as yet this is impossible to Us His
journal is private property, the extrac
which we may expect will be only too shy
of egotism, and his companions have moi
spoken yet, as some say they will speak
Of his conduct throughout the struggle;
| which together they endured.
To form anything like an adequate esti'
mate of this last achievement, it is to be
recollscted that his whole company amount
ed to but 90 men, and that of this corps OIL
crew he was the commander, ia naval phrase
and when we are apprsed that his portfolio
of ecevery, sketched OF the spot in pencil
and in water colors kept fluid over a spirit
LAM, amounts over three hundred sketches
+ we have a hint Of the extent and variety o
the Offices he filed on this voyage. HI
was in fact surgeon, sailing-master, astrono
mer and naturalist, as well as the captain
and leader of the expedition.
This man of all work, and desperate dar
ing and successful doing, is in height abou
Ave feet seven inches; in weight, say on
hundred and thirty pounds or so, if healt
and rest would but give him leave % fill u
his natural measure. His complexion
= fair, his hair brown, and his eyes dark gray
: with hawk look. He is hunter b
every gift and grace and instinct that make
up the character; Gn excellent shot, and
. brilliant nOTsemun, lie ntS VIII
whole bones from all his adventures. but
has several wounds which are troublesome
and, with such general good health as mos
, of his, men would call themselves invalid
and Iivs on rurloughs from all the activ
duties of lie; yet he has won the distiR'
, ton of being the first civilized man to stan
I in latitude 50 deg so min. and gaze upc
the open Polar Sea-to reach the no.the
h most point of land on the globe--,o repo
the lowest temperature ever sndured-tt
q heaviest sledge journeys ever performed
a and the widest life that civilized man h;
A successfully undergone; and TO retur
!. after all to tell the story OF his adyel
y lures.
: The secret spring of all this energy
d in his religious enthusiasm-dscovered lib
. in the generous spirit OF his adventures
n pursuit of science; in his enthusiastic hdel
a ty 10 duty, and in his heroic maintenance
. of the point of honor in all his intercours
: with men.
In his deportmeh; there is the mixture
shyness and lrankness, simplicity and fast
diousness, sandviched rather than biende
which msrks the man oil genius, and II
"A monk OF industry. He seems confident
himsslf but not of himself His manner