Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1856-02-16
DIR. KANE.
A skErcu by DIR. WILLIAM ELDER.

AsKErCu by DIR. WILLIAM ELDER.
When a mans life is heroic, and his name
has passed into history, the world wants to know
him personally, intimately. The grave and rev
erend chronicer," passing over his beginnings,
presents him abruptly in his Gull.grown greatness;
men render the admiration earned, but the sympH-
thetic emulation awakened is concerned to know
how he grew into his maturity of excellence, This
curiosity is not an idleness Of the fancy, but Il per-
sonal interest in the facts that spring out of those
aspirations which put every man upon the fulfill.
ment of his own destiny. How came this man to
excel--vhat was in him--what happened to deyel-
op M Some men are born great; sons achieve
greatness; some have greatness thrust upon them
How came this man by it! Is lit within my reach
also-and by what means? History proyokes us
with such queries as these; Biography answers
them.
Doctor Elisha Kent Kane is not quite 81 years
old, yet lie has done more than circumnayigate the
globe; he has visited and traverged India, Africa,
Europe, South America, the islands of the Pacific,
and twice penetrated the Arctic region to the high
est latitude attained by civilized man. He has en-
countered the EXTREMIST perils of sea and land, in
every climate of the globe; he has discharged in
turn the severest duties Of the soldier aud the sea-
man. Attached to the United States Navy us a
surgeon, he is nevertheless engaged Mt one time in
the coast survey Of the tropical ocean, and in a
month or two we find him exploring the frigid
zone; aud all the while that his personal experien-
ces had the character Of romantic adventure, be
was pushing them in the spirit Of scientific and
philanthropic enterprise.
As a boy his instructive bent ~impelled him to
the Indulgence aud enjoyment Of such adventures
as were beat fitted to train him for the work before
him. His c~ollcgiatc studies suffered some post
p%onement while his physical qualities pressed Tor
their necessary training and discipline. 1t was
alnios! in the spirit Of truancy that lac explored the
Blue Mountains of Virginia rs a student Of geolo-
gy under the guidance Of Professor Rodgers, and
cultivated at once his hardihood Of vital energy
and those elements Of natural science which were
to qualify him for his services III the field of ply
steal geography. But in due tim he returned to
the pursuit Of literature, and achieved the usual
honors as well as though his college studies had
suffered no diversion; bis muscles and nerves were
educated, and his brain lost nothing by tic indi.
%rectness of its development, but was rather corro-
borated for all the uses which it has served since.
lie graduated at the University Of Pennsylvania
first, in its collegiate, and afJerward in it's medical
department.. His special relishes i'll study indIca-
ted his natural GRAFT; chemistry and surgery; ma
tural science in its most intimate converse with
stance, and the remedial art in its most heroic
junction. lie went out from his Aiad Water II
good classical scholar, IL good chemist, mineralo-
gist, astronomer and surgeon. But he lacked, or
thought he lacked, robustness Of frame and sound
ness of health. lie solicited an appointment in the
navy, and, upon his admission, demanded active
service. lie was appointed upon the diplomatic
staff az a surgeon to the first American embassy to
China. This position gave him opportunity to ex-
plore the Philippine Islands, which he effected
mainly on foot. lie wasthe first man who descend
ed Into the crater Of Tacl; lowered more than n
a hundred feet by a bamboo rope from The over
hanging cliff, and clambering down some 100 feet
more through the scOri1, he made u Typographical
sketch OF the interior Of this great volcano, collec-
ted a bottle ofspl phureus acid from the very mouth
e a. 80. -. - ~
most secsless, he brought with him his portrait of
this hideous cavern, and the specimens which it
afforded.
Before he returned from this trip, he had ascend.
ed to Himaluys. and triangulated Greece on foot:
he had visited Ceylon, the Upper Nile, and all the
Hydrologic region of Egypt; taversing tho route
and making the acquaintance of the learned Lep-
sius, who was then prosecuting his archaeological
researches.
AT home again, when the Mexican war broke
out, he asked to be removed from the PHILADELPHIA
Navy-Yard to the field of a more congenial ser
vice; but the Governm mt sent him to the Coast of
4tfrica. Here lie visited the slave-factories, from
Cape Mount to the River Bonny, and through the
Infamous Da oOuGa, got access to the baracnons of
Dahomey, and contracted, besides, the coast. fever,
from the effects of which he has never entirely re.
covered.
From Africa he returned before the close of the
Mexican war, and believing that his constitution
was broken and his health rapidly going, he called
upon President Polk, and demanded an opportuni.
ty for service that might crowd the little remnant
OF his lille with achievements in keeping with his
ambition; the President, just them embarrassed
by a temporary non-intercoursG with Gen. Scott.
charged the Doctor with dispatches to the General
of great moment and urgency, which must be car.
rled through a region occupied by the enemv.-
Ills embassy was marked by an adventure so ro-
mantle, and so illustrative Of the character of the
man, that we are tempted to detail it.
On his way to tho Gulf he secured a horse in
kentucky such as a knighterrant would have chos.
EN- for the companion and sharer Of his adventures.
Landed at Vera Cruz, he asked for an escort To
convey him to the capital, but the officers in com.
mand haG no troopers to spare-h he must wait. or
he must accept. instead, a band of ruEian Meyi.
cans, called The Spy Company, who had taken 70
the business of treason and trickery fer n liyeli-
hood. lie accepted them and went forward. Near
Pueblo his troops encountered a body Of Mexieans
escorting a number Of distinguished officers to,
Crizaba, among whom were M~aior.General Gsono
Governor Of Puebla; his son Mammalian. and Gen.
eral Treonr who commanded the brilliant CHARGE
OF has horse at Buena Vista. The surprise was
mutual pat the Spy Company had the advantage
OF the ground. At the first Instant Of the discoy-
cry, and before the rascals fully comprebcndod
their Involvement, the Doctor shouted in Sponisb
'Brav0l the capital adventure, Colonel; form vour
line Tor the chargeH And down they went 1non
the eRemy; Kane and bis gallant KENTUCKY char
sei snea0' UhuerStatunlg the principle that sends
a tailow-candle through a plank, aud that the mo-
nentum Of Il body is its weight multiplied by lis
velocity, he dashed through the opposing farce.
md, farming to engage after breaking heir line, he
found himself surrounded and two Of the enemy
giving him their special attention. One Of these
was disposed OF IN an instant by rearing his horse.
who with a blow Of his fore foot foored his man
and, wheeling suddenly, the Doctor gave the other
a svord-wound, which opened the external lilac
artery, and pq. him ho;8 d ooUJat This snL;ect
q the Doctors military surgery was. the yo1nr
haximillan. The brief melee terminated with q