The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-05-14
TEE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
DR.. Elisha Kent Kane.

DR.. Elisha Kent Kane.
DR.. Elisha Kent Kane was born in Philadelphia.
on the Sd of February, 1922. As a boy he was adj
venturous, and his collegiate course suffered some
postponement while his physical qualities pressed for
their necessary training and discipline During his
| collegiate course he explored the Blue Mountains of
Virginia as a student of geology under the guidance
of Professor Rodgers. In 1913 he graduated, after a
seven years course of studies at the Pennsylvania
Medical University, and soon after entered the United
Navy as assistant surgeon. While acting in this
capacity he was appointed as physician IN the first
embassy to China from this country. His natural
adventurous disposition led him to project a visit to
the interior, but the difficulties were so numerous that
he could not accomplish his purpose as fully as he
desired. He, however, su :ceeded in travelling over q
large section of the country; and before his return
he visited the Philippines, Ceylon, and other islands
In that region, and even succeeded IN penetrating into
the interior of India. His travels through these re-
gions were full of adventures and perlls; but perllsto
n man of DR.. kane's temperament appear only to
have the effect of making them more attractive
While In India he descended the crater of the Tael OF
Luzon, suspended by q bamboo rope, from a project
ing crag which lowered above the interior scoria and
debris, over two hundred feet. This act of daring
nearly cost him his life, for the natives regarded it
as a sacriigious act, which could only be effaced by
the death of the impious offender. DIR. Kane, how
ever, escaped their pious vengeance, and afterwards
went to the Ladrone Islands with the celebrated Baron
Leo. of Prussia, where he was attacked by a whole
tribe of the savage inhabitants of those islands
Against these he successfully defended himself. but
the hardship he and his companion subsequently un
derwent were more than the latter could endure, and
he sunk under them. DR.. Kane alone passed over to
Egypt, assembled the Nile as far as the confines of
Nubia, crossing the desert on his camel, to the basis
of Jupiter Ammon, climbing at a break-neck risk to
the top stone of the sounding Colossus OF Memnon,
and exploring the tombs of the Pharaohs for q fort
night or three weeks with Professor Lepsus and his
associates. Wrecked again while passing down the
Nile, and wounded in an encounter near Alexandria,
he pushed across to Greece, and traversed every scene
of classic interest, climbing to the Hippocrene Spring.
and sleeping on the shore of Marathon.
He returned by Italy, France and England, only to
rest a few weeks before a cruise on the coast of Africa.
Renewing here some acquaintance which had been
formed in Brazil, he was allowed to inspect the entire
machinery Of the slave trade, and to pass up into the
interior under the frraan of Desousa, the great inter
mediary between the chiefs of the slave making dis
tricts and the Brazilian carriers. The coast fever
was his pay for his trip, and he was sent home by
Commodore Read, inyalided.,
Imperfectly patched up from the effect of this vlsi-
tation, he volunteered for service with the army In
Mexico, and was ordered with dispatches, on a dare
devil race. through the country our troops had left,
to overtake Gen. Scott. He was given as an escort
through Mexico the notorious company OF Col. Domln-
! guez, who started with him from Vera Cruz. A they
were approaching Nopaluca, near Puebla, they were
informed by a Mexican that a large body OF Mexican
soldiers were on their way to intercept them, and at
that time were but a short distance OF. DomlngueZ
refused to proceed any farther, and was about re-
treating, when DIR. Kane commanded him to remain
with him, threatening the vengeance OF his govern
ment if his company should leave him. Having sue
ceeded in preventing him from turning his back on
the enemy, he finally induced him to attack them.-
Placing himself at the head of his escort, DR.. Kane
took advantage of a rising ground to sweep down
upon the Mexicans, who were thrown into confusion
by the intrepidity of his charge. Railylng however,
they made q stout resistance, and it was not till after
a severe skirmish that they were defeated, and the
principal part of them were taken prisoners. There
consisted L of o number of distinguished officers in the
Mexican war, who were ON their way to JOIN their
mo fhop1 yaO nn nrrQ1O In
led the cavalry at Buena Vista, and Major General
Antonio Gaona and his son. The latter was danger
ously wounded by DR.. Kane, who, in a personal en-
counter, ran him through the body with his sword.
| When the skirmish was over, the Dr.. finding that his
antagonist was seriously injured, had recourse to his
surgical skill to save his life, and the result proved
that his skill was. of no ordinary character. With no
other instrument than the bent prong OF q fork, and
a piece of pack thread, he tied up an artery from
which the life of the young soldier was fast ebbing,
and placed him in a. condition that he could be con-
veyed safely to Puebla.
No sooner, however, had he concluded this humane
act, than he was informed by young Gaona that he
heard Dominguez say he would take the life of his
father, because he had at one time put him in prison.
DR.. Kane instantly interfered, placed himself between
his escort and his prisoners, and threatened to shoot
the first man who attempted the life of Major Gaena.
Dominguez became infuriated, ordered his men to
charge; but the first man of the company, named
Pallaseoz, fell before the fire of DIR. Kane, who piled
his revolver with fatal effect upon all who came within
his reach. With a severe lance wound in his thigh,
he managed to keep them at bay, and saved his pris-
oners from their fury, until ne arrived in Puebla,
where they were placed under the charge of Col.
Childs. DR.. Kane, whose wounds were very serious,
was detained here for many days, during which he
was attended and nursed with the most tender care
by the family of Gaona, who has since been one of
his most ardent friends and admirers.
After his return from Mexico he was employed a
while on the coast survey. and it was while engaged
in this service that he became interested in the noble
efforts of Lady Franklin in behalf of her husband,
Sir John Franklin. He was in the Gulf of Mexico,
when on the 18th of May, 1850, he received orders to
repair Immediately to New York and join the Grinnell,
expedition to the Arctic regions under Lieutenant
DeHayeh. Of this expedition he was the surgeon,
the naturalist and the historian. He was absent
about fifteen months, during which he developed those
qualities which so eminently fitted him for Arctic
search.
Scarcely allowing himself time to rest after his
cruise, he set on foot another expedition to explore
the coast of Greenland, passing through Smiths
Sound, towards the pole, where he expected an open
Polar sea. With the particulars of his voyage the
public are familiar. Having only twenty men in one
small vessel, with insufficient stores, he brayed the
rigors of two Arctic winters further North than any
adventurer had ever before wintered. The hardships
and sufferings attending this cruise taxed the endur-
ance of DR.. Kane and his companions, to the utmost.
During the last year they were in the Arctic regions
death constantly stared the adyenturers in the face,
and it was only predetermined whether his shafts
would be tipped with cold. disease or starvation. 1t