FOR THE SOUTH LAND 
29 
umpire. But an even greater difficulty is introduced by 
the diametrically opposite views arrived at by different 
geographical experts after critical study of all existing 
data. If one could believe all the evil that has been 
spoken of the early explorers, and of some of the later as 
well, the only possible conclusion would be that the 
most detestable scoundrels of all nations and they alone 
were hardy enough to undertake maritime enterprise. If 
one were to believe all the good that is spoken of these 
same men by authorities equally high, they were without 
exception high-souled heroes of whom the world was not 
worthy, animated by none but the loftiest motives, 
incapable alike of error in their observations or of exag- 
geration in their statements. The truth must lie between 
the two extremes, and we shall follow the views which 
appear the most reasonable in setting out a chronological 
narrative of the attempts to reach that ghost of an 
antarctic continent which the fancies of cartographers 
had conjured up. We have no prepossessions in the 
matter, are ready to revise our opinions on obtaining any 
fresh evidence, and not prepared to take up the cudgels 
of controversy in respect of any of the views set forth. 
All through this period the means of publicity were 
small, and as a rule the desire for publicity on the part 
of explorers was even smaller. The balance of power 
in Europe depended so intimately on the possession of 
exclusive information that authentic charts were jeal- 
ously guarded as State documents of the highest value, 
the communication of which to a foreigner was an act of 
treason. There is reason to believe that false reports 
were sometimes deliberately made public in order to 
deter rivals, and there can be no doubt that malicious 
slanders were circulated as to persons whose knowledge 
