every conceivable danger, and surmounted
obstacles unknown to modern civilisation.

"Now strike your Sails ye jolly Mariners,
For we be come into a quiet Rode."

For the most part we are struck with the light-heartedness of the olden
sailor, the shout of gladness with which men went forth on these
hazardous undertakings, knowing not how they would arrive, or what
might befall them by the way, went forth in the smallest of wooden
ships, with the most incompetent of crews, to face the dangers of
unknown seas and unsuspected lands, to chance the angry storm and the
hidden rock, to discover inhospitable shores and savage foes. Founded
on bitter experience is the old saying--

"A Passage Perilous makyth a Port Pleasant."

For the early navigators knew little of the art of navigation.

Pytheas, who discovered the British Isles, was "a great
mathematician." Diego Cam, who sailed to the mouth of the Congo, was
"a knight of the King's household." Sir Hugh Willoughby, "a most
valiant gentleman." Richard Chancellor, "a man of great estimation
for many good parts of wit in him." Anthony Jenkinson, a "resolute
and intelligent gentleman." Sir Walter Raleigh, an Elizabethan
courtier, and so forth.

It has been obviously impossible to include all the famous names that
belong to the history of exploration. Most of these explorers have
been chosen for some definite new discovery, some addition to the
world's geographical knowledge, or some great feat of endurance which
may serve to brace us to fresh effort as a nation famous for our seamen.
English navigators have been afforded the lion's share in the book,
partly because they took the lion's share in exploring, partly because
translations of foreign travel are difficult to transcribe. Most of
these stories have been taken from original sources, and most of the
explorers have been allowed to tell part of their own story in their
own words.

Perhaps the most graphic of all explorations is that written by a native
of West Australia, who accompanied an exploring party searching for
an English lad named Smith, who had been starved to death.

"Away, away, away, away; we reach the water of Djunjup; we shoot game.
Away, away, away through a forest away, through a forest away; we see
no water. Through a forest away, along our tracks away; hills ascending,
then pleasantly away, away, through a forest away. We see a
water--along the river away--a short distance we go, then away