FIRST PART.

CHAPTER I.

Hanno, the Carthaginian—Herodotus visits Egypt, Lybia, Ethiopia, Phoenicia, Arabia, Babylon, Persia, India, Media, Colchis, the Caspian Sea, Scythia, Thrace, and Greece—Pytheas explores the coasts of Iberia and Gaul, the English Channel, the Isle of Albion, the Orkney Islands, and the land of Thule—Nearchus visits the Asiatic coast, from the Indus to the Persian Gulf—Eudoxus reconnoitres the West Coast of Africa—Cæsar conquers Gaul and Great Britain—Strabo travels over the interior of Asia, and Egypt, Greece, and Italy

CHAPTER II.

Pliny, Hippalus, Arian, and Ptolemy—Pausanias visits Attica, Corinth, Laconia, Messenia, Elis, Achaia, Arcadia, Boeotia, and Phocis—Fa-Hian explores Kan-tcheou, Tartary, Northern India, the Punjaub, Ceylon, and Java—Cosmos Indicopleustes, and the Christian Topography of the Universe—Arculphe describes Jerusalem, the valley of Jehoshaphat, the Mount of Olives, Bethlehem, Jericho, the river Jordan, Libanus, the Dead Sea, Capernaum, Nazareth, Mount Tabor, Damascus, Tyre, Alexandria, and Constantinople—Willibald and the Holy Land—Soleyman travels through Ceylon, and Sumatra, and crosses the Gulf of Siam and the China Sea

CHAPTER III.

The Scandinavians in the North, Iceland and Greenland—Benjamin of Tudela visits Marseilles, Rome, Constantinople, the Archipelago, Palestine, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Damascus, Baalbec, Nineveh, Baghdad, Babylon, Bassorah, Ispahan, Shiraz, Samarcand, Thibet, Malabar, Ceylon, the Red Sea, Egypt, Sicily, Italy, Germany, and France—Carpini explores Turkestan—Manners and customs of the Tartars—Rubruquis and the Sea of Azov, the Volga, Karakorum, Astrakhan, and Derbend

CHAPTER IV.

The interest of the Genoese and Venetian merchants in encouraging the exploration of Central Asia—The family of Polo, and its position in Venice—Nicholas and Matteo Polo, the two brothers—They go from Constantinople to the Court of the Emperor of China—Their reception at the Court of Kublaï-Khan—The Emperor appoints them his ambassadors to the Pope—Their return to Venice—Marco Polo—He leaves his father Nicholas and his uncle Matteo for the residence of the King of Tartary—The new Pope Gregory X.—The narrative of Marco Polo is written in French from his dictation, by Rusticien of Pisa

Armenia Minor—Armenia—Mount Ararat—Georgia—Mosul, Baghdad, Bussorah, Tauris—Persia—The Province of Kirman—Comadi—Ormuz—The Old Man of the Mountain—Cheburgan—Balkh—Cashmir—Kashgar—Samarcand—Kotan—The Desert—Tangun—Kara-Korum—Signan-fu—The Great Wall—Chang-tou—The residence of Kublaï-Khan—Cambaluc, now Pekin—The Emperor's fêtes—His hunting—Description of Pekin—Chinese Mint and bank-notes—The system of posts in the Empire

Tso-cheu—Tai-yen-fou—Pin-yang-fou—The Yellow River—Signan-fou—Szu-tchouan—Ching-tu-fou—Thibet—Li-kiang-fou—Carajan—Yung-tchang—Mien—Bengal—Annam—Tai-ping—Cintingui—Sindifoo—Té-cheu—Tsi-nan-fou—Lin-tsin-choo—Lin-sing—Mangi—Yang-tcheu-fou—Towns on the coast—Quin-say or Hang-tcheou-foo—Fo-kien

Japan—Departure of the three Venetians with the Emperor's daughter and the Persian ambassadors—Sai-gon—Java—Condor—Bintang—Sumatra—The Nicobar Islands—Ceylon—The Coromandel coast—The Malabar coast—The Sea of Oman—The island of Socotra—Madagascar—Zanzibar and the coast of Africa—Abyssinia—Yemen—Hadramaut and Oman—Ormuz—The return to Venice—A feast in the household of Polo—Marco Polo a Genoese prisoner—Death of Marco Polo about 1323

CHAPTER V.

Ibn Batuta—The Nile—Gaza, Tyre, Tiberias, Libanus, Baalbec, Damascus, Meshid, Bussorah, Baghdad, Tabriz, Mecca and Medina—Yemen—Abyssinia—The country of the Berbers—Zanguebar—Ormuz—Syria—Anatolia—Asia Minor—Astrakhan—Constantinople—Turkestan—Herat—The Indus—Delhi—Malabar—The Maldives—Ceylon—The Coromandel coast—Bengal—The Nicobar Islands—Sumatra—China—Africa—The Niger—Timbuctoo

CHAPTER VI.

The Norman cavalier—His ideas of conquest—What was known of the Canary Islands—Cadiz—The Canary Archipelago—Graciosa—Lancerota—Fortaventura—Jean de Béthencourt returns to Spain—Revolt of Berneval—His interview with King Henry III.—Gadifer visits the Canary Archipelago—Canary Island or "Gran Canaria"—Ferro Island—Palma Island

The return of Jean de Béthencourt—Gadifer's jealousy—Béthencourt visits his archipelago—Gadifer goes to conquer Gran Canaria—Disagreement of the two commanders—Their return to Spain—Gadifer blamed by the King—Return of Béthencourt—The natives of Fortaventura are baptized—Béthencourt revisits Caux—Returns to Lancerota—Lands on the African coast—Conquest of Gran Canaria, Ferro, and Palma Islands—Maciot appointed Governor of the archipelago—Béthencourt obtains the Pope's consent to the Canary Islands being made an Episcopal See—His return to his country and his death

CHAPTER VII.

Discovery of Madeira, Cape de Verd Islands, the Azores, Congo, and Guinea—Bartholomew Diaz—Cabot and Labrador—The geographical and commercial tendencies of the middle ages—The erroneous idea of the distance between Europe and Asia—Birth of Christopher Columbus—His first voyages—His plans rejected—His sojourn at the Franciscan convent—His reception by Ferdinand and Isabella—Treaty of the 17th of April, 1492—The brothers Pinzon—Three armed caravels at the port of Palos—Departure on the 3rd of August, 1492

First voyage: The Great Canary—Gomera—Magnetic variation—Symptoms of revolt—Land, land—San Salvador—Taking possession—Conception—Fernandina or Great Exuma—Isabella, or Long Island—The Mucaras—Cuba—Description of the island—Archipelago of Notre-Dame—Hispaniola or San Domingo—Tortuga Island—The cacique on board the Santa-Maria—The caravel of Columbus goes aground and cannot be floated off—Island of Monte-Christi—Return—Tempest—Arrival in Spain—Homage rendered to Christopher Columbus

Second Voyage: Flotilla of seventeen vessels—Island of Ferro—Dominica—Marie-Galante—Guadaloupe—The Cannibals—Montserrat—Santa-Maria-la-Rodonda—St. Martin and Santa Cruz—Archipelago of the Eleven Thousand Virgins—The island of St. John Baptist, or Porto Rico—Hispaniola—The first Colonists massacred—Foundation of the town of Isabella—Twelve ships laden with treasure sent to Spain—Fort St. Thomas built in the Province of Cibao—Don Diego, Columbus' brother, named Governor of the Island—Jamaica—The Coast of Cuba—The Remora—Return to Isabella—The Cacique made prisoner—Revolt of the Natives—Famine—Columbus traduced in Spain—Juan Aguado sent as Commissary to Isabella—Gold-mines—Departure of Columbus—His arrival at Cadiz

Third Voyage: Madeira—Santiago in the Cape Verd Archipelago—Trinidad—First sight of the American Coast in Venezuela, beyond the Orinoco, now the Province of Cumana—Gulf of Paria—The Gardens—Tobago—Grenada—Margarita—Cubaga—Hispaniola during the absence of Columbus—Foundation of the town of San Domingo—Arrival of Columbus—Insubordination in the Colony—Complaints in Spain—Bovadilla sent by the king to inquire into the conduct of Columbus—Columbus sent to Europe in fetters with his two brothers—His appearance before Ferdinand and Isabella—Renewal of royal favour

Fourth Voyage: A Flotilla of four vessels—Canary Islands—Martinique—Dominica—Santa-Cruz—Porto-Rico—Hispaniola—Jamaica—Cayman Island—Pinos Island—Island of Guanaja—Cape Honduras—The American Coast of Truxillo on the Gulf of Darien—The Limonare Islands—Huerta—The Coast of Veragua—Auriferous Strata—Revolt of the Natives—The Dream of Columbus—Porto-Bello—The Mulatas—Putting into port at Jamaica—Distress—Revolt of the Spaniards against Columbus—Lunar Eclipse—Arrival of Columbus at Hispaniola—Return of Columbus to Spain—His death, on the 20th of March, 1506

CHAPTER VIII.

Covilham and Païva—Vasco da Gama—The Cape of Good Hope is doubled—Escalès at Sam-Braz—Mozambique, Mombaz, and Melinda—Arrival at Calicut—Treason of the Zamorin—Battles—Return to Europe—The scurvy—Death of Paul da Gama—Arrival at Lisbon

Alvarès Cabral—Discovery of Brazil—The coast of Africa—Arrival at Calicut, Cochin, Cananore—Joao da Nova—Gama's second expedition—The King of Cochin—The early life of Albuquerque—The taking of Goa—The siege and capture of Malacca—Second expedition against Ormuz—Ceylon—The Moluccas—Death of Albuquerque—Fate of the Portuguese empire of the Indies

SECOND PART.

CHAPTER I.

Hojeda—Americus Vespucius—The New World named after him—Juan de la Cosa—Vincent Yañez Pinzon—Bastidas—Diego de Lepe—Diaz de Solis—Ponce de Leon and Florida—Balboa discovers the Pacific Ocean—Grijalva explores the coast of Mexico

Ferdinand Cortès—His character—His appointment—Preparations for the expedition, and attempts of Velasquez to stop it—Landing at Vera-Cruz—Mexico and the Emperor Montezuma—The republic of Tlascala—March upon Mexico—The Emperor is made prisoner—Narvaez defeated—The Noche Triste—Battle of Otumba—The second siege and taking of Mexico—Expedition to Honduras—Voyage to Spain—Expeditions on the Pacific Ocean—Second Voyage of Cortès to Spain—His death

The triple alliance—Francisco Pizarro and his brothers—Don Diego d'Almagro—First attempts—Peru, its extent, people, and kings—Capture of Atahualpa, his ransom and death—Pedro d'Alvarado—Almagro in Chili—Strife among the conquerors—Trial and execution of Almagro—Expeditions of Gonzalo Pizarro and Orellana—Assassination of Francisco Pizarro—Rebellion and execution of his brother Gonzalo

CHAPTER II.

Magellan—His early history—His disappointment—His change of nationality—Preparations for the expedition—Rio de Janeiro— St. Julian's Bay—Revolt of a part of the squadron—Terrible punishment of the guilty—Magellan's Strait—Patagonia—The Pacific—The Ladrone Islands—Zebu and the Philippine Islands— Death of Magellan—Borneo—The Moluccas and their Productions— Separation of the Trinidad and Victoria—Return to Europe by the Cape of Good Hope—Last misadventures

CHAPTER III.

The Northmen—Eric the Red—The Zenos—John Cabot—Cortereal—Sebastian Cabot—Willoughby—Chancellor

John Verrazzano—Jacques Cartier and his three voyages to Canada—The town of Hochelaga—Tobacco—The scurvy—Voyage of Roberval—Martin Frobisher and his voyages—John Davis—Barentz and Heemskerke—Spitzbergen—Winter season at Nova Zembla— Return to Europe—Relics of the Expedition

CHAPTER IV.

Drake—Cavendish—De Noort—Walter Raleigh

CHAPTER V.

Distinguishing characteristics of the Seventeenth Century—The more thorough exploration of regions previously discovered—To the thirst for gold succeeds Apostolic zeal—Italian Missionaries in Congo—Portuguese Missionaries in Abyssinia—Brue in Senegal and Flacourt in Madagascar—The Apostles of India, of Indo-China, and of Japan

The Dutch in the Spice Islands—Lemaire and Schouten—Tasman—Mendana—Queiros and Torrès—Pyrard de Laval—Pietro della Valle—Tavernier—Thévenot—Bernier—Robert Knox—Chardin—De Bruyn—Kæmpfer

CHAPTER VI.

William Dampier; or a Sea-King of the Seventeenth Century

Hudson and Baffin—Champlain and La Sale—The English upon the coast of the Atlantic—The Spaniards in South America—Summary of the information acquired at the close of the 17th century—The measure of the terrestrial degree—Progress of cartography—Inauguration of Mathematical Geography

CHAPTER I.

Cassini, Picard, and La Hire—The Meridian line and the map of France—G. Delisle and D'Anville—The shape of the earth—Maupertuis in Lapland—Condamine at the Equator

Expedition of Wood Rogers—Adventures of Alexander Selkirk—Galapagos Island—Puerto Seguro—Return to England—Expedition of George Anson—Staten Island—Juan Fernandez—Tinian—Macao—Taking of the vessel—Canton river—Results of the Cruise

CHAPTER II.

Roggewein—Scanty information respecting him—The uncertainty of his discoveries—Easter Island—The Pernicious Islands—Bauman Islands—New Britain—Arrival at Batavia—Byron—Stay at Rio Janeiro and Port Desire—Entrance into Magellan's Strait—Falkland Islands and Port Egmont—The Fuegians—Mas-a-fuero—Disappointment Islands—Danger Islands—Tinian—Return to Europe

Wallis and Carteret—Preparations for the Expedition—Difficult Navigation of the Strait of Magellan—Separation of the Dauphin and Swallow—Whitsunday Island—Queen Charlotte's Island—Cumberland and Henry Islands—Otaheite—Howe, Boscawen, and Keppel Islands—Wallis Islands—Batavia—The Cape—The Downs—Discovery of Pitcairn, Osnaburgh, and Gloucester Islands by Carteret—Santa Cruz Archipelago—Solomon Islands—St. George's Strait and New Ireland—Portland Island and the Admiralty Islands—Macassar and Batavia—Meeting with Bougainville in the Atlantic

Bougainville—Changes in the life of a Notary's son—Colonization of the Falkland Islands—Buenos Ayres and Rio Janiero—Cession of the Falkland Islands to Spain—Hydrographical Survey of the Straits of Magellan—The Pecherais—The Four Facardins—Otaheite—Incidents of stay there—Productions of the country and manners of the people—Samoan Islands—Tierra del Santo Espirito or the New Hebrides—The Louisiade—Anchorite Islands—New Guinea—Buotan—From Batavia to St. Malo

CHAPTER III.

The beginning of his maritime career—The command of the Adventure entrusted to him—Tierra del Fuego—Discovery of some islands in the Pomotou Archipelago—Arrival at Otaheite—Manners and Customs of the inhabitants—Discovery of other islands in the Society group—Arrival off New Zealand—Interview with the natives—Discovery of Cook's Strait—Circumnavigation of two large islands—Manners of the people and productions of the country

Survey of the Eastern Coast of Australia—Botany Bay—Wreck of the Endeavour—Crossing Torres Straits—Return to England

CHAPTER IV.

Search for the Unknown—Second stay in New Zealand—Pomotou Archipelago—Second Stay at Otaheite—Survey of Tonga Islands—Third stay in New Zealand—Second crossing of the Pacific—Survey of Easter Island—Visit to the Marquesas

Fresh visit to Otaheite and the Friendly Archipelago—Exploration of the New Hebrides—Discovery of New Caledonia and the Island of Pines—Stay in Queen Charlotte's Strait—South Georgia—Accident to the Adventure

CHAPTER V.

Search for lands discovered by the French—Stay in Van Diemen's land—Queen Charlotte's Strait—Palmerston Island—Grand fêtes at the Tonga Islands

Discovery of the Sandwich Islands—Exploration of the Western Coast of America—From thence to Behring Straits—Return to the Hawaian Archipelago—History of Rono—Cook's death—Return of the Expedition to England

SECOND PART.

CHAPTER I.

Discoveries by Bouvet de Lozier in the Southern Seas—Surville— Land of the Arsacides—Incident during the stay at Port Praslin—Arrival off the Coast of New Ireland—Surville's death—Marion's discoveries in the Antarctic Ocean—His massacre in New Zealand—Kerguelen in Iceland and the Arctic Regions—The Contest of the Watches—Fleurien and Verdun de la Crenne

Expedition under command of La Perouse—St. Catherine's Island—Conception Island—Sandwich Islands—Survey of the American Coast—Fort des Français—Loss of two boats—Monterey and the Indians of California—Stay at Macao—Cavite and Manilla—En route for China and Japan—Formosa—Quelpaert Island—The Coast of Tartary—Ternay Bay—The Tartars of Saghalien—The Orotchys—Straits of La Perouse—Ball at Kamtchatka—Navigator Archipelago—Massacre of M. de Langle and several of his companions—Botany Bay—Cessation of news of the expedition—D'Entrecasteaux sent in search of La Perouse—False News—Strait of D'Entrecasteaux—The Coast of New Caledonia—Land of the Arsacides—Natives of Bouka—Stay at Port Carteret—Admiralty Islands—Stay at Amboine—Lewin Land—Nuyts Land—Stay in Tasmania—Fête in the Friendly Islands—Details of La Perouse's visit to Tonga Tabou—Stay at Balado—Traces of La Perouse's Voyage to New Caledonia—Vanikoro—Sad end of the Expedition

Voyage by Captain Marchand—The Marquesas—Discovery of Nouka-Hiva—Manners and Customs of the people—Revolution Islands—The American Coast and Tchinkitané Port—Cox's Straits—Stay in the Sandwich Islands—Macao—Deception—Return to France—Discoveries by Bass and Flinders upon the Australian coast—Expedition under Captain Baudin—Endracht and De Witt Lands—Stay at Timor—Survey of Van Diemen's land—Separation of the Géographe and Naturaliste—Stay at Port Jackson—The Convicts—Pastoral riches of New South Wales—Return of the Naturaliste to France—Cruises by the Géographe and Casuarina to Nuyts, Edels, Endracht and De Witt Lands—Second Stay at Timor—Return to France

CHAPTER II.

Shaw in Algeria and Tunis—Hornemann in the Fezzan—Adanson in Senegal—Houghton in Senegambia—Mungo Park and his two journeys to the Djoliba or Niger—Sego and Timbuctoo—Sparmann and Le Vaillant at the Cape, at Natal, and in the interior—Lacerda at Mozambique and Cazembé—Bruce in Abyssinia—The Sources of the Blue Nile—Tzana Lake—Browne's Voyage in Darfur

CHAPTER III.

Tartary according to Witzen—China according to the Jesuits and Du Halde—Macartney in China—Stay at Chu-Sang—Arrival in Nankin—Negotiations—Reception of the Embassy by the Emperor—Fêtes and ceremonies at Zhé Hol—Return to Pekin, and Europe—Volney—Choiseul Gouffier—Le Chevalier in the Troade—Olivier in Persia—A semi-Asiatic country—Russia according to Pallas

CHAPTER IV.

The Western Coast of America—Juan de Fuca and De Fonte—The three voyages of Behring and Vancouver—The exploration of the Straits of De Fuca—Survey of the Archipelago of New Georgia and a portion of the American Coast—Exploration of the interior of America—Samuel Hearn—Discovery of the Coppermine River—Mackenzie, and the river named after him—Fraser River—Journey of Humboldt and De Bonpland—Teneriffe—Guachero cavern—The "Llaños"—The electric eels—The Amazon, Negro, and Orinoco rivers—The earth-eaters—Results of the journey—Humboldt's second journey—The Volcanitos, or Little Volcanoes—The cascade at Tequendama—The bridges of Icononzo—Crossing the Quindiu on men's backs—Quito and the Pinchincha—Ascent of Chimborazo—The Andes—Lima—The transit of Mercury—Exploration of Mexico—Mexico—Puebla and Cofre de Perote—Return to Europe