Year: 1879

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE GREAT


ARCTIC EXPLORER


DIR, Elisha Kent Kane was born in
Philadelphia on the third day of February,
1920. He was slight frail child, quick,
bold, impatient of restraint, and greatly
averse to regular studies There was
nothing remarkable in his boyhood, and
his parents, it seems, did not anticipate
any greatness for their eldest child. He
soon manifested love of enter prise, and
delighted in accomplishing feats of diff
Guilty and danger for the mere pleasure OF
accomplishing them. His biographer says
he earned the character of "a bad bot tn'S
because he was brave one, and would
not pocket an atfront from any body.
His first notable exploit, which seemed to
indicate his future achievements, was a
successful attempt to make the ascent of a
tall kitchen chimney, which arose tempt
Ingly above the roof sixteen feet high.
He had made up his mind that he would
seat himself upon the top of this towering
pile, ana, IN order to accomplish his pur


pose, ne persuaded his younger brother,
1om, TO assist him. After the family
were a-bed and asleep, he got out upon
the roof, and by the aid of clothes line,
which he had secreted for the purpose,
he succeeded in accomplishing the aim OF
his ambition, at the imminent risk of
breaking his neck; and having seated
himself on the chimney top he went back
to bed. He was then ten years old, and.
like the similar feat related of Lord Mel
son, it indicated only boldness of
character which might in time ripen into
hRr0--nr q 20 l. 49,


teenth year, he was an unpromising
school-boy, and, according to the testi,
mony Of the family physician, ''he mani
tested no extraordinary love OF learning. y
He had an extraordinary love for learn
ing, however, although it was not noticed,
because it was manifested in direction
different from what his teachers desired;
and hewas called refractory, " because he
would not seem to consent when he did
not mean to obey. He would only study
according to his own inclinations; and
refused to be driven where he did not
wish to 60 He was fond of chemistry.
geology, and geographical explorations,
and delighted in all kinds of field. sports !;
he had partiality for sketching and whit
Ting, and was fascinated by dogs and
horses. But he hated classical studies,
and took genially and fondly to Robinson
Crasoe and Pilgrims Progress. At the
age of sixteen he began to be sensible of
his deficiencies in study, and set himself
resolutely to make amends for his neglect
OF the classics; his father intended him for
civil engineer, and he had given more
attention to mathematics than to his other
studies, SO that when he was taken to
New Haven for the purpose of being
entered at Yale, he was found not to be
suff1clently prepared for college, and it
was thought that he would be compelIed
touevote himself to another year of pre-
paratory study. So it was determined
mat he should enter at the University of
virginia, where a greater freedom was
permitted. He remained here year and
a-half, and distinguished himself by his
proficiency In chemistry, having also
made considerable progress in Latin and
Greek. But the symptoms of the disease
which at last proved fatal, and which at
first manifested itself at New Haven. now
assumed so alarming form that his
father had to carry him home in a blan.
ket. For long time his life was des-
paired of by his family, and when he
recovered, it was only to be informed that
hc nhSHs at any nOuieHI idll as suddenly
al from musket-shot. He was now in
his eighteenth year, and about to com.
mence the serious business of life with the
knowledge that he had in his system a
fatal cisease, which might suddenly ter
inmate his earthly career, at moments s
warning, and which was sure to be always
source of pain and suffering. His
father said to him, Elisha, if you must
die, die in the harness. and he resolved
to act in conformity with the advice,
which was, in reality, matter of neces
slty, for inaction was more injurious to
him than constant exposure to dangers.
and he found that the only way to combat
with his enemy was to keep himself finces-
sanity employed There is the best