56 BALCH— EVOLUTION AND MYSTERY 



to move into fresh fields and pastures new and by so doing they 

 open up new lands and new waters. 



The most potent cause acting on the individual to make him a 

 geographical explorer is the fascination of the unknown. Some 

 men seem impelled by the spirit of curiosity to pry into things 

 hidden from their ken. When more highly developed this changes 

 into the spirit of research and those smitten by it delve into the 

 unknown with the scientific purpose of adding to the sum of human 

 knowledge. In some men this spirit manifests itself in trying to 

 unveil the untouched parts of the earth, seas or lands, even if merely 

 some small untrodden mountain peak, to which the fascination of 

 the unknown lures them on with irresistible appeal. 



As a sequel to this, though in lesser degree, a good deal of ex- 

 ploration is due to the desire for adventure or sport which some men 

 are imbued with. Without any special curiosity to seek new parts 

 of the earth, they are driven by their nature to hunt or to fish. 

 And in their wanderings carried out to gratify other tastes, inci- 

 dentally frequently they make geographical discoveries which later 

 comers complete and verify. 



An extremely active and effective agent in bringing about knowl- 

 edge of the surface of the earth is commerce. Peoples search for 

 greater food supplies ; they search for new countries from which to 

 bring home useful products ; they search for new markets in which 

 to sell their own productions. Merchants put up the cash and sea 

 captains and sailors start off to make that cash fructify. Many 

 voyages have been made in past centuries in which geographical 

 discovery was entirely secondary to commercial gain and yet in the 

 pursuit of the latter some rich prizes in exploration have fallen to 

 traders who cared but little for them. Some men have sought new 

 fishing grounds ; others have followed fur-bearing animals ; others 

 again have gone to enslave their fellow men. Sometimes success- 

 ful, sometimes unsuccessful in their quests, these men, in a purely 

 accidental way, have revealed many a new land or sea to their 

 fellows. 



What we know of past geographical discovery depends mainly 

 on two sets of evidences : written records and maps. .V trifiing part 



