TRANSACTIONS OF SECTION E. 787 



he would not have reached the utmost limits of the earth, traversing it in his 

 imagination.' Herodotus, to whom we are indebted for furnishing us with the 

 earliest knoion system of geography, also held the same view concerning the earth ; 

 but it is worthy of remark that he speaks in his day (450 B.C.) of there being 

 another view, as to the world being round, which he considers to be exceedingly 

 ridiculous, and therefore it may be surmised that even at that early period there 

 were minds that had arrived generally at the conclusion which now obtains as to 

 the shape of the world. The idea that the sun, moon, stars, and planets revolved 

 round the earth was the view in early days, and continued up to quite a recent 

 period, and even now we are unable to prove that the generally received system is 

 correct, and only use it as being more convenient than that which makes the earth 

 the centre of the universe. 



When we come, however, to consider the progi'ess of discoveries on the surface 

 of the earth itself, the strides in latter years appear to be enormous, but yet we 

 must not forget that there is an ebb and flow constantly going on. Discoveries 

 are made and lost sight of, and again are brought forward as new. Sometimes 

 after an account of discoveries has been published a second account differs most 

 materially from the first, and the public have to wait for further examination. 

 Cases have occurred, as in the early Portuguese discoveries in Central Africa, in 

 which the plans and accounts have been laid on one side and forgotten, and the 

 territories rediscovered and surveyed years afterwards. Again, sketches of new 

 countries have been made, and the surveyor has omitted to show what is conjecture 

 and what is from actual observation, and his plans throughout have been dis- 

 credited. In some cases these mistakes have retarded discovery, in some they 

 have directly led up to it — as, for example, in the gigantic geographical error in 

 placing on the globes of the fifteenth century the eastern extremity of Asia no less 

 than 150 degrees of longitude too far east, which prompted Columbus to endeavour 

 to reach Asia from the west, and thus led to his discovery of America. 



In gauging the progress of our knowledge of geography we must not, however,, 

 simply take into account what has been made by ourselves, but by the known 

 world generally ; for example, although the Portuguese circumnavigated the Cape 

 and proved that it was practicable to do so, it is still a moot question whether they 

 were attempting what was known or unknown. At any rate it seems certain that 

 in the thirteenth century — not to go back earlier — the Arabians were aware of the 

 fact that Africa on the south was surrounded by the ocean, and the geography of 

 Abulfeda clearly points this out. 



It is, then, a difficult matter to decide what is a discovery in geography. AVe 

 may possess an exact description of a town and know its position, and yet it may 

 never have been visited by a traveller from what we term civilised Europe. 



What we require, however, is precise and accurate information of the earth's 

 surface, however it may be obtained, and to train the minds of our youth in tho 

 power of observation sufficient to enable them to obtain this information ; and if 

 in so doing our countrymen continue to be stimulated to deeds of daring, to enter- 

 prise and adventures, to self-denial and hardships, it will assist in preserving thu 

 manhood of our country, which is more and more endangered year bv year in con- 

 sequence of our endeavour to keep peace within our borders and to stave off strife- 

 with our neighbours. 



Probably many of us here to-day of mature age, on looking back at our early- 

 acquaintance with geography, will recollect little but a confused list of proper 

 names and statistics, learnt by rote, and only imperfectly carried in the 

 mind, so that only a few portions stand out still visible, and those probably 

 connected with plea.surable and, in some cases, painful accessories ; perhaps those 

 particular lessons which we may have assisted some school friend to master still 

 remain as clear as ever ; or, again, those learnt under the terror of the rod. 



Taking schools and subjects all round, nothing probably has ever been worse 

 taught than geography was only a few years ago, and very little progress towards 

 a good system has even yet been introduced into higher class schools, though in the 

 schools of the people an effort has been made to render the subject more palatable 

 and instructive. 



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