ELISHA KENT KANE. 77 



stated at length his plans, his resources, and the 

 extent of what was yet requisite and indispensable, 

 to John P. Kennedy, at that time Secretary of the 

 Navy, and succeeded in obtaining his approbation 

 and assistance. Additional help was derived from dif- 

 ferent sources ; from Mr. Grinnell, Mr. Peabody, the 

 Smithsonian Institute, and others.* The doctor was 

 placed on special duty by Mr. Kennedy, in the Navy 

 Department; so that his projected voyage secured 

 the advantages which would result from an official 

 Government connection. Of the crew which sub- 

 sequently sailed with him, ten were thus obtained 

 from the naval service. His greatest toils and his 

 severest disappointments, during this anxious and 

 laborious interval, were connected with his efforts 

 to obtain an appropriation from Congress. The 

 distinguished representatives of the nation listened 

 to his glowing appeals and his unanswerable argu- 

 ments in reference to the importance, value, feasibi 

 Kty, arid glory of the proposed expedition, whereby, 

 as he confidently anticipated, the lost navigators 

 would be found, and the whole civilized world 

 would ring with acclamations and plaudits of Ame- 



* See Arctic Explorations : The Second Grinnell Expedition in Search 

 of Sir John Franklin, in 1853, '54, '55, by E. K. Kane, M.D., U.S.N., 



?ol. i. pp. 15, 16. 



7* 



