PREFACE. THE Nineteenth Century has been one of strenuous expansion and of restless activity in the search for geographical knowledge. The records of this ex- pansion and of this activity are unusually full, but at the same time scattered and chaotic. In writ- ing this volume, the object which I have chiefly kept in view has been to afford a clear and comprehensive, yet sufficiently compact, presentation of the progress and results of these activities. I have endeavoured to treat my somewhat cumbrous subject in a man- ner popular and entertaining but I have not been willing to sacrifice accuracy in the effort to be pic- turesque. The labour of sifting, systematising, and digesting the vast and confused masses of detail bearing upon this subject has been very great, and I dare to hope that the result may be a convenience to rnanv readers. If so, their thanks will be due, with mine, to all those who have generously favoured me with advice and facilitated my acquisition of material, among whom I must do myself the honour of nam- Dr. T. ing particularly the distinguished scholar, Scott Keltic, Secretary of the Royal Geographical --This text refers to the Paperback edition.