"Their straight walls rose far above our masts" . . . . . . . . . . 350 Captain John Ross . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352 Map of Victoria, discovered by James Ross . . . . . . . . . . . . . 355 "Two small sledges were selected" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359 Esquimaux family . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361 Map of the Arctic Regions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364 Rain as a novel phenomenon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365 Discovery of Victoria Land . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376 TABLE OF CONTENTS. FIRST PART. CHAPTER I. THE DAWN OF A CENTURY OF DISCOVERY. PAGE Slackness of discovery during the struggles of the Republic and Empire--Seetzen's voyages in Syria and Palestine--Hauran and the circumnavigation of the Dead Sea--Decapolis--Journey in Arabia-- Burckhardt in Syria--Expeditions in Nubia upon the two branches of the Nile--Pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina--The English in India--Webb at the Source of the Ganges--Narrative of a journey in the Punjab-- Christie and Pottinger in Scinde--The same explorers cross Beluchistan into Persia--Elphinstone in Afghanistan--Persia according to Gardane, A. Dupre, Morier, Macdonald-Kinneir, Price, and Ouseley--Guldenstaedt and Klaproth in the Caucasus--Lewis and Clarke in the Rocky Mountains--Raffles in Sumatra and Java . . . . 3 CHAPTER II. THE EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION OF AFRICA. I. Peddie and Campbell in the Soudan--Ritchie and Lyon in Fezzan-- Denham, Oudney, and Clapperton in Fezzan, and in the Tibboo country--Lake Tchad and its tributaries--Kouka and the chief villages of Bornou--Mandara--A razzia, or raid, in the Fellatah country--Defeat of the Arabs and death of Boo-Khaloum--Loggan-- Death of Toole--En route for Kano--Death of Oudney--Kano-- Sackatoo--Sultan Bello--Return to Europe . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 II. Clapperton's second journey--Arrival at Badagry--Yariba and its capital Katunga--Boussa--Attempts to get at the truth about Mungo Park's fate--"Nyffe," Yaourie, and Zegzeg--Arrival at Kano-- Disappointments--Death of Clapperton--Return of Lander to the coast--Tuckey on the Congo--Bowditch in Ashantee--Mollien at the sources of the Senegal and Gambia--Major Grey--Caillie at Timbuctoo--Laing at the sources of the Niger--Richard and John Lander at the mouth of the Niger--Cailliaud and Letorzec in Egypt, Nubia, and the oasis of Siwah . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 CHAPTER III. THE ORIENTAL SCIENTIFIC MOVEMENT AND AMERICAN DISCOVERIES.