PRESENT PROBLEMS OF GEOGRAPHY 659 



partially solved problems of the past; the second, ultimate and essen- 

 tial, dealing with the great problem on the solution of which the whole 

 future of the science rests. 



The residual problems inherited from the past represent the work 

 which should have been done by our predecessors, but, not having 

 been done at the right time, remains now to bar our progress. It has to 

 do only with ascertaining and accurately recording facts, and involves 

 infinite labor, but comparatively little geographical thought. 



To begin with, the ground should be cleared by wiping off the globe 

 the words terra incognita. Such unknown parts of the Earth now cling 

 about the poles alone, and that they should even do this is something 

 of a disgrace. If common terrestrial globes were pivoted on equatorial 

 points, so that the polar areas were not covered with brass mountings, 

 the sight of the bare patches would perhaps have been so galling to the 

 pride of humanity that they would long since have been filled in in de- 

 tail. Again and again, and never more splendidly than in recent years, 

 polar explorers have shown courage and perseverance, and have cheer- 

 fully encountered hardships enough to have enabled them to reach the 

 poles, and they would have done so, not once, but many times, were it 

 not for the want of money. Of course, all polar explorers have not 

 been competent for the task they undertook, but most of the leaders, 

 if they had had more powerful ships, more coal, more stores, more 

 dogs and sometimes if they had had fewer men could have 

 solved these perennial problems of exploration. With a competent 

 man in command, and competent men abound, a sufficiency of 

 money is all that is required. A million dollars judiciously spent would 

 open the way to the north pole, a few millions would reach the south 

 pole ; but far more than this has been spent in vain, because the money 

 was doled out in small sums at long intervals, sometimes to explorers 

 with no real call to the quest, and working in accordance with no 

 scientific plan. 



The grand journeys over the polar ice of Nansen, Peary, and Cagni 

 in the north, and of Scott and his company in the south, promise 

 well for an early solution of this particular problem. 



The other residual problems of exploration and survey are hi the 

 same case. If those who control money saw it to be their duty to 

 solve them, they would all be solved, not in a year, but in due time. 

 Though a great deal of exploration remains to do, the day of the 

 ignorant explorer is done. The person who penetrates a little-known 

 country in search of adventures or sport, or in order to go where no 

 one of his color or creed had been before, is, from the geographical 

 point of view, a useless wanderer; and if he be a harmless wanderer, 

 the true explorer who may follow in his footsteps is uncommonly 

 fortunate. Exploration now requires, not the pioneer, but the sur- 

 veyor and the student. 



