New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-01-26
Netp4lork Daaw Gsibmu
NEW PUBLICATIONS
LIFE or DR.. KANE.

Pm v
Yort Sheldon. Blsienaa CO.
No biography of Dr. Kane can equal the oa'ern
ps.hos and beauty OF the almost UNCONSCIOUS pes'
soual revelations which gem the records of his vo5-
aces in the Arctic seas He there appears to usn
the maturity Of his intellectual strength-hls iran
body inspired with fresh life BY the impulses Oh q
noble purpose-with feminine sensitiveness Of
character. Drawing perls before which the stoutsst
heart might shrnk-losing sight of his own person
atty in devotion to humane !mission-snd IN tao
darkest hours of a polar night, not only preserving
his trust in heaven, but alive to all genial sym
psthe., and with indomitable gayety of spirit, en-
liyening the gloomy scene by his cheerful presence
Apart from the Arctic Expeditions the hie OF DIR.
Kane. though fertile in stirring incidents presents
no features which might not have been found IN tue
career Of far inferior men. From the hrst' hseh-
hibited a certain independence of character-at
times, almost amounting TO recklessness-ne WIS
also tormented with sn Unsuitable love OF aa'ea-
ture-he regarded the routine OF common con'en-
tonal life as intoleraby dull-and was restless ana
unhappy, when not pursuing some erratic aim; but
the noble manliness, which was an Unborn element
of his nature was not fully quickened into activity
until he assumed the perilous responsibility oil the
Arctic search.
DR. Kane was born in Philadelphia, Feb. 3, lSD.
His boyhOod gave little promise OF the rare qushss
of the man. His exuberant activity set domestic
rule at defiance Though not OF q quarreisoms
disposition he had certain rude sense OF Justicc
which kept his little fists pretty constantly at WORK
in asserting its claims both for others and himself
He took no - sauce" from anybody. lie couldn't
understand why he should, and it was hard AMI
risky to make him know that he must Tor ne VI"
equally fertile in expedients and bold IN execution.
On the wharf, one day, when he was not yet twelve
wears old. an nsoant rutfian, big enough aud wick
Ell enough to break every bone in the lads body,
aroused his wrath by an intolerabe piece OF rude
ness. Resistance and redress seemed impossible,
but submission was completeyso lie saw bis OPP
pottunity; a rope fixed to the end of crane hung
within his reach and the rutfsn stood fairly in the
track of its swing He seized it, and running back
ward till il was tightly stretched, he made bound
which gave him the momentum of a sling, and
planted his knees like shot in the fellows face,
Ieyelnc him handsomely, and with spring he put
himself under the protection of the bystanders, who
had witnessed and admired the performance. He
soon earned the reputation of bad boy, and OBJ
stiuatey resisted all attempts to " veneer his young
life with the properties are supposed to shape
il into goodness" He becameso addicted to daring
and desperate enterprises that heseemed - like one
possessed
At ten years Of age, he studied the weather.
watched the moon and scanned the chances of tho
night for scaling fences, cambering oyerout houses
and getting into the tree-tops, round the square
which was overlooked by his dOrmtory. One in
stance will illustrate.
The back building was two stories high, the front
three and the houses which anked the kitchen were,
also three stories TO relieve the draft of the kitchen
chimney from the eddy of the buildings which en-
bayed II, it carried up like shaft sixteen feet
above the roof There stood at the gable, in pro-
vokingly tempting atade and the point that con
cerned our little hero was how to get to the top of il?
How should he get to the top! Bless me-" ex-
claims some considerable parsonage OF correct habits
and cautious Judgments, why should he 7" Elisha
would have answered him, II must, and wonder
why should notl' Very certainly there would have
been two opinions the matter, if any wise body had
been consulted But the little desperate needed NJ
advice. The thing was to be done, and done. II
required some engineering butt all the better
for that. II is not mere muscle and hardhood that
will carry man TO the North Pole. He must
have some science and tackling along with
him. and the boy that is practicng upon chimney
top for Arctic service must put his wits 10 work quite
as much as his muscles and his courage. He made
his observations and his calculatlOns-his determine
tion long made The preparations perfected.
and his younger brother taken into the enterprise.
When all in the house were asleep, and the stars
gave just light enough TO guide, and none to expose
the performance, with prevention and punishment
among the chances, the two little fellows left their
bed and desce nded the roof of the front building till
they dropped themselves upon that of the kitchen.
Here the clothes-ine, provdeny slowed away during
the day for that purpose, was lying ready in COIL with
a stone securely tied at one end.
"What is the stone for Elsha2'
"Why, You see, Tom the stone is dpsey. call
il dpsey Ia young science of exploration. and
nomenclature to match, Already because I'm going
into the old furnace, carrying the line down with it.
and then can slip down and fasten il there. Now
FOR heave The chimneytOp ID almost too high for
me. II Is pretty near twenty feet should think but
I'll do it,"
Failures to reach the hight then failures 10 direct
the dip OF the falling stone followed in long success
SION; but this gave practice, and practice makes per-
feet At last throw more lucky than the rest and
the rumble In the chimney and the run Of the line an
nouneed success. Down through the trap-door went
Elisha and alter securing the end ut the furnace he
assembled to the roof again and was ready But stOp
httle-the chimney is very stack it stands
outside OF the gable and there is a chance that m,
climber may swing out and get forty or fifty feet Of
clear air between him and the pavement below. Thi.
must be cared for; and little Tom is duly instructed
and planted firmly with the slack of the rope in hand
to keep Elisha on the right side of the Chimney an
that the bricks on the edge give way and tumble
betde, he may come down all safe and nice upon the
root All these arrangements made, and the contin.
gences 80 well provided for, the rope is seized the
feet planted against the chimney and hand over hand
up goes the asprant till the top is within reach but
the perch IL not so easily attained even when the full
hight Of the stack is mastered One hand on a top
brick to draw himself up by it, and it yields in its
loOsened bed! That won't d. With a hard strain he
he adj and .,,sabn oft Ia