The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-03-07

Vera Cruz. AS they were approaching No
psluca, near Puebla. they were informed b,
a Mexican that a large body of Mexican sol
dlers were on their way to intercept them
and at that time were but short distanc,
Oil. Domncuez refused to proceed any fur
ther, and was about retreatins, when DR.
Name commanded HIM to remain with him
threatening the vengeance of his government
ii his company should leave him. Having
succeeded III preventing him from turning
his back on the enemy, he finally induced
him to attack them. PIacin. himself al the
head of his escort, Dr. Kane took ADVANTAGE
of a rising ground to sweep down uron the
.:itxlcans, who were thrown into confusion
by the lntrepidity of his charge. Rallyins
however, they made stout resistance. and i,
was not until after a severe skirmisn tha,
they were defeated, and tn. principle part of
them taken prisoners This consisted of a
number Of distinguished officers in the Mex
lean war, who were on their wsv to iDin
their commander. Among them was Gen.
lorreJon, who led the cavalry at Buena Vis-
ta and Major General Antonio Gaona and
his soa. The latter was dangerously wound
ed by DR.. Kane, who, in personal cncoun-
ter, ran him through the body with his sword.
When the shlrinish was over, the Doctor,
finding his antagonist was seriously injured.
had recourse to his surgical skill to save his
il'e, and The result proved that this skill was
OF no ordinary character. With no other
instrument than the bent prong Of a fork,
and piece Of pack thread, he tied up an ar
terry from which the life of the Young soldier
was fast ebbns, and placed him in condi-
ton that he could be conveyed safely to Pue-
b!a.
No sooner, however, had he concluded this
humane act, that he was informed by young
Gaona that he overheard Don,inrnez saw he
would take the life of his father, because he
had at one tine. M; him in prison Dr. Kane
instantly nserierel. placed himself between
his escort ana his prisoners, and threatened
10 shoot the first man who attempted the life
OF Mayor Gaona. Domins"cz became in.u-
rated, ordered BIS men TO charge; but the
ilrst man OF the company. named P.laseoz.
tel before the fire of Dr.. Kane, who piled
his revolver with fatal effect upon all who
came within its reach. With severe lance
wound IN his thigh, he managed to keep them
it bay, and saved his prisoners from their fu
ry, until he arrived in Puebla, where they
were rlaccI under the charge of Colonel
IA''is. DT. Name. whose wounds were very
>eripns. was detained here for MANY d,ys. dur.
lnr which he WIS attended and nursed with
the most tender care by the family of Major
6aona, who had since been one Of his most
ardent friends and admirers.
After his return from Mexico he wa. en-
rioyed fer while on the coast survey. and il
was while engaged in this service that he no.
came Interested, in tLe noble efforts of Lady
+ rankin IN behalf Of her husband, Sir John
Franklin lie was in the Golf of Mexico
when on the 18th Of Nav. 1850, he received
orders to repair Immediately to New York
and JOIN the Grinncll expedition to the Are.
lie regions under Lieutenant DslIayer or
this expedition he was :he surgeon. thu, nat.
nraliS' and the historian. lie was absent =.
bout fifteen months, during which he Jev.,.
oped those qualities whicl. so cmiuent,x G,,.a
I'm for Arctic search.
Scarcely allowing himself time TO rest af.
ter this cruise, he set on loci another .xne.
dltioE 70 explore the coast of Greenland.
passIng through Smiths Sound, towards tb. !
pole, where he expected to find an omen Po. |
lar sea. With the particulars of this vova,e
the public is familiar. Having only twenty
men IN one small vessel, with insufficient
stores, he braved the ricors of two Arc,;.
winters further North than a,v a,lventurer
had ever before wintered. The bar1<b;rs
ana su'iermSS attending this cruise taxed the
endurance of DIR. Krne and his companions
to the utmost. During the last wear they
were IN The Arctic regions death constantly
stared the adventurers in the face, and il wa,
only problemetcal whether his shafts won,d
be tipped with cold, disease or Starvation
1t was onl;' by the unfalterins energy of Dr.
Name that his party, diminished in numbers
extrlcated itself during the third season af
Ter aremarkable and perilous boat vov,oo
'f eighteen hundred miles, a large part of tho
way over and through ice. This exned;t;on
greatly extended the geographical know,
'dSe OF the northern coasts Of Greenland and
America, and verified, it is believed the ex.
stence OF an open polar sea.
oturvy made sad havoc with the const;tu.
ION Of Dr. Kane during this voyage, devel-
'plng tubuIous and scrofulous svmntoms f,o,,
when he never recovered. He went to Eno-
ana some months since for hi, health. and
vas received with high henors. But tho to,,
'e had contemplated was cut short BY the ..
armlng progress Of his disease. From En-.
and he went to St. Thomas and Cuba unde,
he advice OF his physicians, but his CONSTR, l
ION had been too much shattered to recpner
te. Dr. Kane has illustrated in his own
erson the powers of human endurance ., .
a'nst disease. He had the rice fever in tho
anton river, the plague ~ Egypt. the vol,