GEOGRAPHY AND EXPLORATION IN 1886. 



By William Libbey, Jr., 

 Professor of Physical Geography, College of New Jersey. 



There appear to be few great regions left for tbe valiaut explorers 

 of inoderu times except those lying at the i)oles. A great deal still re- 

 mains to be done in the way of working up the details that are needed 

 to fill in the outlines of our globe's structure, which are now pretty well 

 known. This is very clearly seen when we contrast the two species of 

 activity at work in the study of Europe and Africa ; the former might 

 almost be said to be known so well as to preclude all further investiga- 

 tion, and this is true v,ith regard to its general features, but we find 

 more written about its details in every way, than of any other conti- 

 nent. In the case of Africa this sort of minute study has only begun, 

 but the long lines traversed by so many intrepid men are rapidly 

 producing a net work which will give us a true idea of this enormous 

 portion of our globe, concerning which it has been well said that it is a 

 dark, mysterious, and sealed continent. 



Europe has been properly retired from the list of the continents 

 which are subjects for exploration, but the exploration of its resources 

 and enterprises are in the first full flush of develojiment; in other 

 words, the history of man's modifying effect on nature has but fairly 

 begun to be written. 



Asia and Africa have received most attention during the past year, 

 though there is no lack of expeditions of note in all the quarters of the 

 globe.* 



Asia. — The greatest explorations which have been carried on in this 

 continent during the past year have been those of General Prjevalski, 

 who returned to Moscow in January, 1886, after his fourth journey into 

 the interior. This is but one of a series of trips undertaken by him, 

 commencing in 1871, and he was at that time the first explorer to pene- 

 trate these unknown regions, all other attempts having been repelled 



* I have been aided very materially in the preparation of these notes by the excel- 

 lent sketches of the progress of geography which have been published by Maunoir, 

 Dnveyrier & Kaltbrnnner; not only in the verification of facts already known, but 

 also for many records, which their greater facilities have enabled them to give. 



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