Excerpt from The World's Wonders, as Seen by the Great Tropical and Polar Explorers The great and universal need of an encyclopedia of travel and discovery, and a compendium of the most remarkable natural wonders of the world, has prompted the production of this book. In it I have attempted to combine the discoveries and adventures of all the noted travelers and explorers in Tropical and Arctic fields, and in so doing to also furnish a history and description of the animals, reptiles, birds, and savage races of men, in all parts of the world, not omitting the natural phenomena peculiar to the Tropics and the Arctic regions. In the restless and ambitious disposition of mankind there is more than curiosity, or a misdirected desire for familiarity with remote or insular phases of nature, for there is also that more wisely considerate wish for such extended knowledge as not alone gratifies curiosity, but which stimulates and energizes an ambition to extend the domain of civilization, with its attendant resources and comforts. In the preparation of a work so comprehensive in scope, it was necessary to give careful perusal to scores of standard publications, and to collate with critical discrimination from them all; for condensation was imperative, and yet every interesting or valuable incident found in the histories from which this is compiled, must needs find place in its appropriate narrative. About the Publisher Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works.

This book is an encyclopedia of exploration, discovery, and adventure in all parts of the world. It covers the major expeditions and discoveries of the great tropical and polar explorers, including their adventures, hardships, and accomplishments. It is illustrated with engravings and photographs, and provides a fascinating glimpse into the history of exploration. This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important, and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the "public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.