Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-06-23
Arctic Explorations.

The Second Grnnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin, 1853, '54, 'o5, by Elisha Kent Kane, NJ. D., U. S. N. Philadelphia: chids & Peterson. 2 vols Svo. Supurbly H. lustrated.
 We nlace before our readers the title of anoth- er book "Arctc Explorations in the years 1855
 1e54 and 1855, by Dr. Kane," partly because + is tbe latest record of discovery in the phy- sical geography of the sea, partly because thls record is contained in one ot the most interest ino and pathetic narratives It has ever fallen to our lot to peruse The discovery itself has close kindred in many ways with others before made in the same stern regions of lee, winter, darkness and desoation What had been be- fore described as closed inlet of the sea, at the northern extremity of Baffins Bay, was found to be strait leading due northwards, and followed bv Dr. Kane's party-with ship and sledoe and human eye stretching beyond--to latitude 82 deg: leaving distance thence to tho North Pole scarcely exceeding that between London and Aberdeen. At this remote point if is that we obtain the great result of this peri Ions and nainful voyage-the spectacle of wide onen sea. stretching northwards beyond the dense barrier of ice, which jams up the en- trance of the strait; and giving the best evidence we may possess that such sea spreads freely forwards to the pole. We are bound to say, however. that this notice of an open polar sea still awaits confirmation. Dr. Kane himself, retained-bv illness in his vessel, was not of the exploring party which achieved the result just stated. One of the most intelligent of his crew, Mir Morton, who had previous expenence Tn Arctic Seas and young Esqumaux taken up at the Danish settlements, were the two persons who, in June, 1854. from promontory 400 or 500 feet high, looked upon what they concelv- ed to be the open ocean towards the north. It is Morton's affirmation that in the wide horizon thus obtained, mot a speck of ice could be seen;" and marne4irds appeared in great num- bers which are rarely found except where there is sufficient eXpanse ot open water to yield them food. Morton adds in his report of this extremely high latitude, " cannot imagine what becomes of the ice. A strong current sets it almost constantly to the south; but from attitudes of more than 500 feet 1 saw only mar row strips of ice, with great spaces of open water from ten to fifteen miles in breadth be-
 tween them. It must therefore either go to ar open space in the north or dissolve" " This re- markabe observation corresponds with passage of Lieutenant Maury's book on the currents which force their way through or beneath the ice to the Polar Sea. It must, however, be re- membered, that all distant ocular observations | on fields of ice or water in the Arctic reigons | are fallac;ous. The atmosphere generally rem ders it difficult if not impossible to distinguish ice from water at distance of more than ten or twelve miles, and there is no proof of open sea but actual navigation.
 The publication of these most interesting and most painful volumes has occurred at d seasonable moment to warm the British Gov ernment and the public against the further prosecution of these inhuman and abortive ex- petitions; and we rejoice that the admrality l have refused to sanction d fresh search for the remains of Frankin's ships But meanwhile | Dr. Kane himself has added another i!ustri0us
 name to the list of Arctic victims, having sunk
 under the effects of the frighttui sufferngs he | had to endure. It is atflictiug to think of the courage and skill which has been wasted in | these efforts pr. kaucs narrative betOkcns | throughout those peculiar qualities of head and
 heart which pre- emueutly it a man for such an undertakin4-hi5h intelligence great firm \ ness and patience, and kind and genial tenn ! perament The harlships he and bis seventeen ! companions underwent during the eighteen
 months they were pent upin theice, from which | they only escaped by the abandonment of their
 vessel, exceed perhaps those of any living nav i gators in these regons:-we rccon from aasoci- ating them with the imagination of what m,y | have been the condition of ourown brave couu- | trvmen whose loss we have too much reason .
 believe in and deplore. These volumes are | Illustrated with degree of taste which does | credit to American art and they have the merit | oi cicar,- ,-unattected style, with much power of graphic narrative, whether applied to the scenery of these Arctic reigons, or to the tolls and dangers undergone, or to the social state of
 the small body of men Dr. Kane commanded. i fl we may So speak of the strange life of dark
 ness, cold, sickness, and starvation which was ! endured during the two long winters of this
 voyage e.-El'nJngb ReUew
 AN OLD EDITOR GONE Wool GATHERING.- | A travelng correspondent of tae NeuCe. NaIlev
 a Texas newspaper, lately in his wanderings
 came across the rancho pr plantation of an old southern editor, who las located near New | BraurfeIls, in that State, and has gone into the
 wool business. He writes:
 \ have visited the rancho of George W
 Kendall, of the Pjcayuue who is now located
 with his interesting family, five miles from | here, aear Bear Creek and Post Oak Springs. | both of which places ne owns. He aid two other gentlemen are associated in rais, Z sheeu.
 and have rever seen so fine jo, of ,Ar frr,t
 class If Mcrnoes from tAe best stock of the ' eastern continent He has about two thou,Anl lambs, of the finest quality. Somcof L;s bucks, l shear twelve, fourteen, and seventeen pounds,
 aud wool is worth from 60 to 70 cents George ' deserves to have mtut for he can eniov i'd | and think he has 1t m his sheep This s d | fine section for sheep. Mr. K informed me
 he iad )ust by casualties, sickness, etc., but sixteen ln the last twelve months