392 THE FUNCTION AND FIELD OF GEOGRAPHY. 



scope for the study of mauy problems in physical geography — past and 

 present glaciation and the work of glaciers, the origin and regime of 

 lake basins, the erosion of river beds, the oscillation of coast lines. 

 Happily, both in Canada and the United States there are many men 

 competent and eager to work out problems of this class, and in the 

 reports of the various surveys, the transactions of American learned 

 societies, in scientific periodicals, in separate publications, a wealth of 

 data has already been accumulated of immense value to the geographer. 



Every geologist and geographer knows the Important work which 

 has been accomplished by the various surveys of the United States, 

 as well as by the various State surveys. The United States Coast 

 Survey has been at work for more than half a century, mapping not 

 only the coast but all the navigable rivers. The Lake Survey has 

 been doing a similar service for the shores of the Great Lakes of North 

 America. But it is the work of the Geological Survey which is best 

 known to geographers — a survey which is really topographical as Well 

 as geological, and which, under such men as Haydeu, King, and Powell, 

 has produced a series of magnificent maps, diagrams, and memoirs of 

 the highest scientific value and interest. Recently this Survey has 

 been placed on a more systematic basis; so that now a scheme for tlie 

 topographical survey of the whole of the territory of the United 

 States is being carried out. Extensive areas in various parts of the 

 States have been already surveyed on different scales. It is to be 

 hoped that in the future, as in the past, the able men who are employed 

 on this survey work will have opj'ortunities of working out the physi- 

 ography of particular districts, the past and present geography of 

 which is of advancing scientific interest. Of the complete explora- 

 tion and mapping of the North American continent we need have no 

 apprehension; it is only a question of time, and it is to be hoped that 

 neither of the Governments responsible will allow political exigencies 

 to interfere with what is really a work of national importance. 



It is when we come to Central and South America that we find amj)le 

 room for the unofficial explorer.^ In Mexico and the Central American 

 States there are considerable areas of which we have little or only the 

 vaguest knowledge. In South America there is really more room now 

 for the pioneer explorer than there is in Central Africa. In recent 

 years the Argentine Republic has shown a laudable zeal in exploring 

 and mapping its immense territories, while a certain amount of good 

 work has also been done by Brazil and Chile. Most of our knowledge 

 of South America is due to the enterprise of European and North 

 American explorjers. Along the great river courses our knowledge is 

 fairly satisfactory, but the immense areas, often densely clad with for 

 ests, lying between the rivers are almost entirely unknown. In Pata- 

 gonia, though a good deal has recently been done by the Argentinian 



'I am indebted for much of the iuforniation relative to Soutli America to a valu- 

 able memorandum by Sir Clements R. Markham and Col. G. E. Church. 



