The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-08-14
Primitive Map Making.


A famous and learned man spent several
years. recently. among the big libraries OF
Europe. hunting in dusty and neglected
corners for specimens Of early map making.
The Arctic explorer. NoRDENsKloLD. made
new discoveries among these scattered and
unoared-for maps, bringing to light unique
and valuable specimens whose existence
had been forgotten.
NoRDENsKI0LD's reproductions OF these
maps OF the Columbian era are valuable not
only because they facilitate historical study,
but also because they illustrate the slow
and painful processes by which man in
creased his knowledge Of the world: and
his atlas could protitably be supplemented
by volume recording what Is known OF
more primitive map making Even at this
late day explorers derive considerable help
fulness from the efforts OF uncultured peo-
pies. knowing nothing Of the compass or tho
retinements of cartography. to express on
rude charts what they know OF the world.
ANAXIMANDER drew map $50 years be-
fore the Christian err, and the Greeks
called him the inventor Of photography:
but it is probable that very early in his his
tory man had some notions of map making.
has been identified by DR.. BIRCH as the to-
Biography Of a mining district in Nubia and
this map Is older by thousand years than
the map OF ANAxIMANDER. STRABO tells Of
ancient maps in the library OF ERATosT-
HENEs, in which the city of Meroe and tho
south end Of India We're placed in the same
parallel of latitude; and in Colchls. the
long mysterious country, now a part Of
Caucasia. wooden tablets were preserved as
heirlooms. on which land and sea. roads and
highways. were accurately delineated GEN.
turtles before the armies OF Rome overran
this mountain region.
1t Is true that, until the mariners COM
pass was introduced by Arab traders from
China. these maps were little better than
the rude sketches OF cartography made by
savage tribes: but peoples OF the lowest
stages OF culture have rendered valuable
service to geography. During Mr.. EDWARD
WILKINsoN's recent Investigations in the
Kalihari desert he found that information
derived from the natives, which he was able
later to substantiate. corrected some bad
blunders on the maps. The facts that Captain
BEAUDoIN obtained from the tribes Of Mo-
rocco are still almost all the authority we
have for tho geography Of large areas in
that country. The information impaired
by Arab traders, pilgrims, and camel drivers
supplied the most important material for
the early maps Of North Africa.
Some explorers like COQUILHAT have told
us that, before an upper Congo ma
tive answers geographical question.
he tries to find what answer is de-
sired and replies accordingly; and Won
FRANCOIS found in the same region that
information given In one village was often
contradicted In the next town. African
natives. nevertheless. have given many
sound geographical notions to explorers for
which they have had little thanks. Long
before the western Soudan was Familiarity
known to any European. the Fulah Sultan
OF Sokoto mapped for CLAPPERToN tho
course of the Niger River and the countries
along its banks. We are indebted to-day
for large part of our mapping OF southern
Arabia to the Arabs who. visiting Alden. fell
Into the hands OF a patient German gcogra-
pher. This map maker collected siftcd.
and critically compared an immense vol
ume of testimony. and it is believed the in
formation gathered from these casual Wis
itors has enabled our photographers to give
very fair idea of the mountains. valleys.
routes. wells. and towns of large area that
no explorer has over visited.
The British. In some OF their recent cam
palgns in tine Burmese Shan States. where
their columns penetrated regions that no
European traveller had seen. have often
induced the natives to make for them maps
In the dirt. showing in relief the noun
tains and rivers and indicating by various
devices the fords. forests. titled areas.
towns. and other facts OF value to march
ing army. II these natives never made maps
before. they certainly have now some val
liable ideas on the art OF topography.
The Polynesians In their rude way are
map makers OF no mean attachments. though
they have not the natural talent for cartog-
rnphy possessed by the Eskimos. whose
charts have been OF considerable assistance
to explorers. DR.. HALL greatly admired the
products OF the native photographers who
mapped for him largo regions in the north
ern part OF this continent. A map drawn
by an Eskimo woman assisted PARRY to
discover Fury and Hecla Strait. One OF tho
most interesting features OF the collection
brought home from East Greenland by
which he found among the Eskimos he dis
covered there. These carvings show not
only the contour OF the coast, but also the
aspect and form OF the mountains and val
| leys. the overland routes by which KAYAK
. or native boat, may beet be taken ACROSS