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Progress of Geography in 1836-7. 



[Aprix 



2.—^ S/ce/ch of the Progress of Geography ,-—and of the Labours of tht 

 Jioyal Geographical Society, during the year 1836-7. By the Secre- 

 tary.—Read at the Anniversary Meeting. 



Seven years have now elapsed since the foundation of the Geogra- 

 phical Society of London,* and at the close of its first septennial period 

 we may perhaps be permitted to recall the chief geographical dis- 

 coveries that have marked each year of its course, before proceeding 



to the more general subject of the progress of geography during the 

 past year. 



The first year of the Society's existence was signalized by the sola- 

 lion of that remarkable geographical problem, which had already 

 caused the sacrifice of many valuable lives, and which may be charac- 

 terized as the greatest geographical discovery since that of New Hol- 

 land—namely, the course and termination of the river Niger, or Quorra, 

 by the brothers Richard aud John Lander, who navigated its stream 

 from Yaoori, in lat. 1 1 ° north, to the sea in the Bight of Benin— 

 a distance of 600 geographical miles. 



The year 1832 was remarkable for discoveries in the Antarctic Ocean- 

 effected by Mr. Biscoe, R. N., who, commanding the brig < Tula,' in 

 the employ of those spirited merchants Messrs. Enderby, of London, 

 succeeded in reaching a high southern latitude, where he discovered 

 two considerable tracts of land — ^^viz. that justly named Enderby's Land, 

 in long. 47® E., and Graham's Land, with Adelaide Island, &c. in 67° 

 W. — all nearly on the Antarctic circle. 



In 1833 we had to turn our eyes to the opposite pole, where Ross, 

 and his gallant band of British sailors, had passed three years amidst the 

 ice of the Arctic Seas — and then unexpectedly returned to their country, 

 bringing accounts of their close approach to the magnetic pole, and of 

 the discovery of a large tract of hitherto unknown coast-line of the 

 peninsula of Boothia, — and not less in importance, a proof of the moral 

 courage displayed by this band of sailors, under circumstances of 

 privation and hardship almost unexampled in the annals of discovery. 



The year 1834 was marked by a successful and important journey 

 across central Asia, by Lieutenant A. Burnes, E. I. C, ; during which 

 he obtained much information on his route from Cabul, across the 



* Yet be it remembered that tlie African Association had existed since the year 1788— 

 and the Palestine Association since the year 1804, and these were purely geographical 

 societies, and many important discoveries were made under their auspices. 



