1820-1857

American arctic explorer who in 1850 led an unsuccessful mission to northwest Greenland to search for British explorer Sir John Franklin, missing since 1845. A trained physician, Kane became a naval surgeon in 1843. He led a second, very difficult arctic expedition in 1853, during which he and his team accomplished much geographic, meteorological, geologic, and other scientific research. Icebound for a year and a half, Kane and his crew abandoned ship, were rescued by a relief expedition, and returned to New York City. Kane died the following year.