3 I2 PIONEERS OF SCIENCE IN AMERICA. 



cious, and managed the affairs of her home and family during 

 her husband's long absences at sea with rare judgment and 

 tact. 



As Captain Dana's residence was not confined by his call- 

 ing to any particular place, he changed it twice for the benefit 

 of his boys. In 1804 he removed to Exeter, N. H., in order to 

 give them the educational advantages of Phillips Academy, 

 and five years later, when the two oldest had been prepared 

 to enter Harvard College, the family removed to Cambridge. 

 Samuel passed through college in the same class with his 

 older brother, graduating- in 1813. From a pamphlet privately 

 printed, containing memoirs of several members of the Dana 

 family, it is learned that the two brothers were endowed with 

 the same love for natural science, and entered upon the study 

 of certain branches of it with great enthusiasm. They often 

 made excursions together on foot through the country lying 

 within thirty miles around Boston, for the purpose of examin- 

 ing its geological structure and collecting mineralogical speci- 

 mens. The result of these researches was a volume on the 

 Mineralogy and Geology of Boston and its Vicinity, published 

 by the brothers about the time they completed their medical 

 studies. 



The younger brother also employed himself upon these 

 excursions in searching for entomological specimens, and 

 formed quite a large collection of beautifully prepared in- 

 sects. This was afterward given to the Linnsean Society of 

 New England, of which the brothers, if not the founders, 

 were among the earliest members. Another taste which 

 formed a strong bond of union between them was their 

 love of music. In college they belonged to the same musical 

 societies. 



On graduating from college Samuel began reading law with 

 his uncle, Judge Samuel Dana, then residing in Charlestown, 

 Mass. The War of 1812 was in progress, and young Dana 

 caught the prevailing military spirit. He applied for a cadet- 

 ship at West Point, but received instead a commission as first 

 lieutenant in the First U. S. Artillery, with which corps he 

 served in New York and Virginia until the close of the war. 

 In June, 1815, the army was disbanded and Dana resigned 

 his commission. 



A younger brother, Nathaniel G. Dana, was a cadet at 



