PREFACE -- CONTENTS. -- INTRODUCTION -- PART I. -- ELISHA KENT KANE. -- CHAPTER I.-Youth and Early Training of Dr.Kane -- CHAPTER II.-Oriental Wanderings,Discoveries,and Perils -- CHAPTER III.-Dr.Kane 's Adventures in Mexico -Sketch of Arctic Exploration -- CHAPTER IV.-Dr.Kane 's First Arctic Expedition -Scenes in Baffin 's Bay -- CHAPTER V.-Adventures and Discoveries at Beechey Island -- CHAPTER VI.-Winter Life in the Arctic Regions -- CHAPTER VII.-Dr.Kane 's Matrimonial Views -His Congressional Patronage -His Unconquerable Enthusiasm -- CHAPTER VIII.-Dr.Kane 's Second Arctic Expedition -- CHAPTER IX.-Researches and Adventures near the Pole -- CHAPTER X.-Concluding Labors and Return of the Expedition -- CHAPTER XI.-Dr.Kane 's Official Report of the Second Grinnell Expedition -- CHAPTER XII.-Dr.Kane 's Last Labors,Illness,and Death -- CHAPTER XIII.-Obsequies of Dr.Kane -Estimate of his Character -- PART II. -- JOHN CHARLES FREMONT. -- CHAPTER I.-Fremont 's Youth and First Expedition -- CHAPTER II.-Incidents of Fremont 's Second Expedition -- CHAPTER III.-Col. Fremont 's Third Expedition,and its Results -- CHAPTER IV.-Col. Fremont 's Fourth Exploring Expedition -- CHAPTER V.-Col. Fremont 's Fifth Expedition and Political Honors -- PART III. -- JOHN LEDYARD. -- CHAPTER I.-Youth and Early Education of Ledyard -- CHAPTER II.-Ledyard 's Voyage with Capt.Cook around the World -- CHAPTER III.-Adventures of Ledyard in France,Russia,and Siberia -- CHAPTER IV.-Further Adventures of Ledyard in Siberia -- CHAPTER V.-Ledyard 's Expedition to Central Africa -- PART IV. -- CHARLES WILKES. -- CHAPTER I.-Purposes of the United States Exploring Expedition -- CHAPTER II.-Explorations in the Southern Ocean and Chili -- CHAPTER III.-Explorations in Peru and the Paumoto Group -- CHAPTER IV.-Researches at Tahiti,and Discovery of the Antarctic Continent.

CHAPTER V.-Termination of the Expedition -Controversy with Col. Fremont -- PART V. -- MATTHEW C. PERRY. -- CHAPTER I.-Origin and Aims of the Expedition to Japan -- CHAPTER II.-Public Interview between Com.Perry and the Imperial Commissioners -- CHAPTER III.-Establishment of a Commercial Treaty with the Japanese Empire -- CHAPTER IV.-Concluding Labors of Com.Perry in Japan and Lew Chew.