KANE, Eustin KENT (1820-57). An Ameri can Arctic explorer. He was born in Philadel phia. received an aeademie training in that city, and entered the University of Virginia with the intention of fitting himself to he a civil engi neer. Ill health, however, caused him to change his plans. and lie pursued a course in medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, graduating in 1812. In July, 1843, he was appointed an as sistant surgeon in the United States Navy, and sailed for China on the Brandywine with Caleb. Cushing, United States Minister to that coun try. At Peking lie acted as legation surgeon late in 1844, when, after an expedition to the Philippine Islands, lie practiced privately in China until 1846. Ile served for sonic time on the west coast of Africa in 1846-47, and returned to the United States in time to take part in the Mexican War, in which lie distinguished himself by his personal bravery. Special service on the Mediterranean statism, and with the Coast Survey in the Gulf of _Mexico, occupied his time until 1850. In May of that year lie sailed fur the Arctic Ocean with the first expedition sent out by Henry- Grinnell (q.v.), of New York. under the command of Lieut. E.J. De )larch, in search of Sir John Franklin (q.v.). The t WO ships, the it/ranee and the Rescue, were held fast in the ice fur months oil• the coast of Greenland, and the expedition accomplished little besides the discovery of a new island at the head of Welling ton Channel, which they named Grinnell Land. The ships filially drifted southeast into Baffin Bay, extricated themselves from the ice, and re turned to New York in September, 1851. Kane. who had become impressed with the idea that great results might be accomplished by a Polar expedition scientifically planned, Mune diately began to interest others in his scheme.
Henry Grinnell and George Peabody came to Ilk aid, and on May 30, 1853, he sailed northward in command of the Adranee, accompanied by Dr. Isaac I. Hayes as surgeon. lie proceeded directly up Smith Sound to latitude 43' N. De•e further advance was impeded by the ice, and he whilered in Van Pensselaer Harbor, from which point he and Dr. Hayes conducted expe ditions on sledges in various directions, as a result of which much valuable geological and geographical knowledge was obtained. One of these sledge journeys led to the discovery of the famous Humboldt glacier (79° 12' N.). In June, 1854, another party reached Cape Constitu tion, in latitude 80° 35' N., from which open sea was seen to the northward. In May, 1855. the Adranee was finally abandnned, and the party after a sledge journey of 1200 miles reached Upernavik, whence they returned to the United States. The expedition resulted in adding more to the knowledge of the Arctic regions than any single expedition previously and Dr. Kane received medals from Congress, and also the Founder's Medal of the Royal Geographical Society and the gold medal of the Societe de Geographic. He published accounts of both ex peditions in which he took part: The United Ntates Grinnell Expedition (1854) ; and The Second Grinnell Expedition (1850). Consult also: Elder. Biography of Elisha Kent Kane (1S57); and “reely. American Explorers and Trarclers (189-1).