Most geographical discoveries were made not by professional scientists, but by travelers, conquerors, and adventurers. The path of discovery was pushed, in some cases, by the thirst for gold, in others by the search for a better life, patriotism, a sense of duty and the noblest of feelings - the desire to know the truth. The names of many discoverers were lost in history, while the whole world knows about others. This book tells how they made their discoveries.