Demoine courier., 1856-02-28

49, So W
Sir John ran exactly in De current, of one
OF his W en,husiasms-the service ol
natural science combined with heroic
personal effort; and, added to this, tina,
sor. Of patriotism which charges i,sell
with its own full share 10, the execution
Of ~aa,ional engagements oil honor;, and
besides. this. cordial assumption Of his
coun.ry's debt. and duties, there was no
liAlo. force in The appeal Of a nobIy brave
spirited woman 10 the chivalry Of The
American navy.
He was bathing. ia the ,spid. waters
of the Gulf Of Mexico. On the l2,h oil
May, $780, when he received his ,ele.
gaphic order to proceed forthwith TO
New York, for duty upon The Arctic ex-
pediion. in nine days from that date
he wal beyond the limits Of the Uoiled
S.a,es on bis dismal voy age to the
North Pole. Of,his first American ex.
pediuop, ne 10 well known 10 the public,
he was The surgeon, the naturalist, and
the historian. IL returned disappointed
Of its main opje:.. after a winter in the
regions Of eternal ice and q fifteen
months absence.
Scarcely allowing himself a day ia
recover from the hardships Of his cruise,
he set on loot the second attempt, from
which he has returned, af,es verifying
by actual observation the long question
ed existence Of an open sea beyond tie
latitude Of 90 . and hey ond the temper
AZURE, also, Of LOO below the freezing
point. His Personal Narrative pub;
lished early in 1853, recoun, The adven
lures Of The frs, voyage. and discover.
his diversified qualifications for .uch. an
enterprise. STaag7t raE
The last voyage occupied two win
tiers in the highest lati.udes, and two
years and a half Of unin.ermit,ed labor
with the risks and responsibilities auen
dan,. He is now preparing thu history
for publicanon. But thai part Of j.
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
il, but as ye, this is Impossible 10 Us
His journal is private properly. The ex::
tracts which we may expect will be on
ly too shy Of ego:ism, and his compan.
ions have not spoken yet. as some day
they will speak. Of his conduc. through
on. the terrible struggles which together
they endured.
To f,,m anything like an adequate es-
innate Of this las, aohieyemsI,, il is to be
recollecled that his whole company
amounted 10 bu, twenty men, and that of
this corrs or crew he was the comman-
der, in naval phrase; and when VI are
apprised tina, his portfolio of scenery,
ske.ched on she spo, in pencil, and in
water co:ors KEEP. fluid over a spirit.
lamp, mounts to over three hundred
sketches, We have a bin, Of the extent
and variety Of The Offices he filed on his
voyage. He was in fact The surgeon.
salling-mas,er, astronomer and natural
list, as welt as captain and leader Of the
expedition. sgas sH g
This man of all work, and desperate
daring aut successful doing, 10 in heigh,
about five fec, seven inches; in wsish hi,
say one hundred and thirty pounds or SO,
if healnh and res, would but give him
leave 10 fill up bis natural measure
Ills complexion is fair, his hair brown.
and his eyes dark gray, with a hawk
look. tia 10 . hua.er by every gil, and
grace and instinct that makes up the
character; an excellent shot, and a bril-.
liant horseman. He has escaped with
whole bones from ali his adventures, bu,
he has several wounds which are lroub.
lesome; and, with such general health
40 his, most msn would Call lhemselvss
lnvalids, and live on furlough from all The
active duties of life, ye. he has won the
distinction Of being The frs, civilized
man 10 stand in latitude 80 : 80 and gaze
upon the open Polar Ssa-,o reach lhs
uorihmost point o! land on The globe
TO report the loves. Temperature ever en-
dured-,he heaviest sledge Journeys eveI
periorued--and the wilds.i life ,ha, civ,
ilized man has successfully undergone;
and to relurn after al 10 tell The story oI
his adventures.
The secres spring o! al This energy j,
in his religious enihusiasm-discovered
alike in the generous spiri. Of his adven
lures in purshi. Of science. in his enlhu.
%sia,.ie fidelity 10 duty, aud in his heroic
n%ain'enance Of the point Of honor in oil
lns iniercourss with men.
ln his deportmsn. there is that mix.
sule Of shyness AID frankne.s. simpliei.
~ and fastidiousness, sandwicted rather
Than blended, which marks the man oil
genius. aud the monk Of industry. He
SCENE confident in himself bu. not d
himself. HIS manner is remarkable fol
CELEBRITY o.: movement. alert a%:ten,iveness,
~quickuess Of comprehension, rapidly Of
usserance aud ~senien,ious compactaess OF
dic.ion. which ariSs from a hsbitual
watchfulness against The Se,ray al OF his
own enthusiasms. He seems TO teal
liza, be is boring you. and is always dis.
covering his unwi,lingness 10 sir fol
your admiration. II you question him
abou, The handsome official acknowledg
menis Of bic services BY the British anc
American governments, or in any way
~endeavo, 10 turn him upon his own gal
lanl achievememen,s, he hurries yol
sway from the subject TO some point O