Page 6 - Bulletin 8 2004

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same general form for nearly 200 years, appeared in 1819 and was written by Murdock
Mackenzie. This had been preceded by an Atlas of the Southern Coast of the Spanish

Peninsula, published by Tofino, and an 1802 Atlas on Morea, Marmara, Bosporos,
Karmania and parts of the African coast. Many other less professionally produced products

were also available.

As the requirements for this type of hydrographic and charting service grew and became an

essential aspect of every navigator’s equipment, so the personnel involved became more
professional and dedicated to these fields of operation. The publications took on an official

character.

Southern Africa

Arabs

It is generally accepted that navigational information of the southern African region became
important and was first collected and collated on a regular basis by the Portuguese.

However, although there is no direct evidence, many authors, including Dr. O. Norwich and
Dr. V. L. Bosazza, are of the opinion that earlier voyages of exploration were undertaken

by Arab and Chinese mariners and explorers. It is even possible that attempts by

Phoenicians to circumnavigate Africa around 600 BC may have been more successful than
history gives credit for today.

Herodotus records that Necho, King of Egypt, sent out a fleet manned by Phoenicians to

sail south and to then round Africa, if this was found possible. Much has been written about
the fact that Herodotus himself discounted the record of the voyage for the fact that the

record said that, when turning to the west and then to the north, the mariners found that the

sun was then on their right hand side. If the voyage had been successful this should have
been the case as the equator had been crossed and the sun was therefore to the north, but

this would not have been obvious to Herodotus at that time.