The Mighty Deep 



later Vasco de Gama sailed round it. These 

 two explorers were only a little in advance of 

 two greater voyagers. In 1492 Christopher 

 Columbus started on his first cruise into the 

 unknown West and touched Land. Less- than 

 thirty years later, Magellan's famous voyage was 

 accomplished to those Straits, between Patagonia 

 and Tierra del Fuego, which bear his name. By 

 that time the existence of the American Con- 

 tinent had become an established fact. 



But that Continent had to be searched out. 

 And the Ocean, though its limits were widened 

 in men's imaginations, was very far from being 

 mapped and fenced around with definite bound- 

 aries. Years of exploration still lay ahead ; and 

 many a valiant explorer had to fall a martyr 

 in the cause of Science, before mystery should 

 yield to knowledge. 



Doubtless, in those days as in these, there was 

 always somebody to ask, " But what is the use ? 

 What good can it do to us to learn that there are 

 lands beyond the sea? What shall we gain by 

 it all?" ' 



Time alone, with its developments, with the 

 growth of the human race, with the enormous 

 possibilities then undreamt-of, could answer such 

 questionings. Happily, brave explorers have 



8 



