KANE, ELISHA KENT (182o-1857), American scientist and explorer, was born in Philadelphia on February 3, 182o. In 1842 he received the degree of M.D. from the University of Vir ginia, and in the following year entered the U.S. Navy as surgeon. In 185o Kane was made surgeon and naturalist under Lieutenant de Haven, who commanded the ships "Advance" and "Rescue" in the first Grinnell expedition. After an absence of 16 months Kane returned in feeble health, but produced an account of the expedi tion in 1853, under the title of The U.S. Grinnell Expedition in Search of Sir John Franklin. He was determined not to give up the search for Franklin, but travelled the States, lecturing to ob tain funds. The second expedition, financed by Henry Grinnell, set out in 1853 in the little brig "Advance," commanded by Kane. She passed up Smith sound at the head of Baffin bay and advanced into the enclosed sea which now bears the name of Kane basin, thus establishing the Polar route of many future Arctic expedi tions. Here the expedition passed two winters, accomplishing
much useful geographical as well as scientific work, including the attainment of what was to remain for 16 years the highest northern lat., 8o° 35' N. (June 1854). After enduring the greatest hard ships, it was resolved to abandon the ship, Upernivik being reached on Aug. 5, 1855. From there a relief expedition brought the explorers home. Dr. Kane published The Second Grinnell Ex pedition in 1856. He died at Havana on Feb. 16, 1857.
See Biography of E. K. Kane, by William Elder (1858) ; Life of E. K. Kane and other American Explorers, by S. M. Smucker (1859) ; The Love-Life of Dr. Kane, containing the Correspondence and a History of the Engagement and Secret Marriage between E. K. Kane and Margaret Fox (i866) ; "Discoveries of Dr. Kane," in Jour. of the Roy. Geog. Soc., vol. xxviii. (reprinted in R.G.S. Arctic Papers of 1875).