Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1856-01-26

tior, as is well known to the public, he was
the surgeon, the naturalist and the historian.
1t returned disappointed of its main object,
after winter in the regions of eternal ice
aud fifteen months absence.
Scarcely allowing himself a day to recover
from the hardships 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 $40, and beyond the
temperature, also, Of 1000 below the freezing
point His Personal Narrative" published
early in 1853, recounts the adventures Of the
first voyage, and discovers his diversified
qualifications for such an enterprise.
The last voyage occupied two winters in
the highest latitudes, and two years and
half of unintermitted labor. with the risks end
responsibilities attendant He is now prepa-
ring 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 suppress
sed. We would gladly supply it, but as yet
TINS IS impossible to us His journal is pri-
vate property. the extracts which we may ex-
pect will be only too shy Of egotism and bis
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 esti-
mate Of this last achievement, it is to be re-
collected that his whole company amounted
to but twenty men, and that of this corps or
crew he was the commander, in naval phrase:
and when we are apprised that his portfol
of scenery. sketched on the spot in pencil,
and in water colors kept fluid over q spirit
! lamp amounts to over three hundred sketch
hnya Of h. ton nd iatx
of the Offices he filed on his voyage. He was
in fact the surgeon, sailng-mastel. astrono-
mer and naturalist, as well as captain and
leader of the expedition.
| This man Of all work, and desperate daring
and successful doing, is in height about five
! feet seven inches in weight, say and hun
drcd and thirty pounds or so, if health and
rest would but give him leave to fill up his
natural measure. His complexion is fair, his
hair brown, and his eyes dark gray, with
hawk look. He is hunter by every gift and
grace and instinct that makes up the charac-
ter; and excellent shot and brilliant horse
man. He has escaped with whole bones
! from all his adventures, but he has several
wounds which are troublesome; and, with
such general health as his, most men would
call themselves invalids, and live on iurlough
from all the active duties Of life; yet he has
won the distinction of being the first civilized
man to stand in latitude $40 80 and gaze
upon the open Polar Sea--to reach the
northermost point of land on the globe-to
report the lowest temperature ever endured
the heaviest sedge journeys ever performed
and the widest life that civilized man has
successfully undergone and to return after
all to tell the story Of his adventures.
The secret spring Of all this energy is in
his religious nthusiasm--dscovered 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 irankness, simplicity and fastidi-
business, sanhwiched rather than blended,
which marks the man Of genius, and the monk
of indastry He seems confident in himself
bu, not Of himself. His manner is remarka-
ble for celebrity Of movement, alert attentive
ness, quickness of compression, rapidlty OF
uttcrance and sententious compaCtuess OF
diction. which arise from habitual watchful-
ness against the betrayal of his own enthusi-
asms. He seems to fear that he is boring
YOU and is always discovering his unwilling
ness "to sit" for your admiration. If you
question him about the handsome official ac-
and American governments, or in any way
endeavor to turn him upon his own gallant
achievements, he hurrics jou away from the
subject to some point of scientific Interest
which he presumes will more concern and en-
} gage yourself; or he says or does something
that makes you think he is occupied with his
own inferiority in some matter which your
conversation presents to him. One is obliged
to struggle with him to maintaln the tone o
respect which his character and achievement
deserve and when the interview is over q
feeling Of disappointment remains for the
failure in your efforts to ransack the man d!
you wished, and to render the tribute 0hicl
; you owed him.
! We wish we could be sure that he will no
in his forthcoming work, give us the dram'
without its hero; or We wish the expedition
aud its hero had a chronicler as worthy as u,
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 Philadelph phia
Will embrace the important discoveries mad,
in the frozen regions far beyond the reach o
: all the predecessors of the American explor
ing party, and their perilous adventures
, crowded with romantic incidents, which il
the language OF the Secretary of the Navy
, mot only excite our wonder, but borrow
novel grandeur from the truly benevoen
considerations which animated and nerveC
, him to his ."-GraAam's Magasine
2 Feb, 1856.