THE BOOKSHELF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 33, 8 February 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE BOOKSHELF.

NEWS AND REVIEWS.

IN THE DAYS OF THE PHARAOHS. ' EXPERIENCES IN NYASSALAND. Rossetti wrote a poem and called it "The Ballad of Jan Van Hunks." -He gave it, manuscript, copyright and all, to hie friend, Theodore Watts-Dunton, the man who protected Swinburne against himself and the world. Watts-Dunton gave it to Mr. Mackenzie Bell, who has written an introduction to the poem, which is now published by. Messrs. Harrap in a limited edition. No. 134 of the Travellers' Library (Jonathan Cape) is "Miiltary Memories," by Capt. G. Carleton. It is an old, old war book (1672-1713), but such deeds as are recounted here live a long time when recounted in a vivid and truthful manner. This history of campaigns in Spain is a lively account of travels and adventuro and much close fighting, and contains so many remarkable things that at one time it was held to be fiction. EGYPT THROUGH SWEDISH EYES. So many books have been written about Egypt that anyone would require a good deal of courage to-day to go into print about that fascinating country. In "The Land of the Sun God" (Allen and Unwin, Ltd.), Haima Rhyd, a Swedish doctor of philosophy, goes over the same ground and one cannot say that she adds much to the story. The translation is by Anna Barwell. Hanna Rhyd writes with enthusiasm (which is the one thing absolutely essential for a traveller), and peoplo who are well up in their Egypt will bo able to read a great deal into her descriptions. She is best in describing her own experiences, such as her visits to the bazaars in Cairo, her descriptions of some of her native friends, and she is also good when telling about her visit to I the Cairo Museum, and her enthusiasm over the amazing treasures dug up from the tomb of Tut-Ankh-Amen. She is an excavator herself, and therefore perhaps rather prone to take it for granted that her readers know all about those ancient kings and queens who figure in the heiroglyphics and cartouches; for some readers certain pages read rather like catalogues of names. The book is profusely illustrated with photographs, evidently taken for the occasion. They catch the very spirit of the land and the people. One cannot say that the translation from the Swedish into English is perfect. Most of the Arabic words are cobrectly rendered, but "Ajoua, ana koajesa?" would puzzle anyone not acquainted with Scandinavian spelling. An Englishman would spell it, "Aewa, ana kuwais," or "quice." It means "Yes, do you think I'm pretty?" and was the answer of a girl the authoress asked permission to photograph. In a footnote the value of a piastre is given "2d-od," but anyone who has been in Egypt a couple of days knows it is worth 2Jd. \

A VERY DARK AFRICA.

SLAVE TRADE HORRORS RECALLED.

"Africa As I Have Known It," by R. C. F. Maugham, C.8.E., FH.G.S., F.Z.S., etc. (John Murray), is a narrative of the life's work of an English civil Bervant, who joined the Administration of .British Central Africa, 35 years ago. The area dealt with is now known a 9 the Nvassaland Protectorate. Incidentally the author deals with his official experiences in East Africa, Liberia and Senegal. In the early part of the book the author traces the travels atfd discoveries of Dr. Livingstone, and shows how this noted explorer went to England to plead for the suppression of the slave trade which was carried on with the connivance of the Portuguese authorities. He explains in detail how powerful Arab raiders decimated whole tribes, killing the old and the young and carrying the others away to be sold into slavery. The cruelties perpetrated are graphically described, and as the narrative proceeds, the author details the penalties and punishment which overtook the e ruthless men. His own experiences were full of adventure and he presents elaborate descriptions of early incidents and gruesome fatalities, providing ah insight into the hardships, and privations endured by the early officials, and pioneers of settlement. These people had only a email undisciplined force to rely upon. They were in the same position as General Gordon at Khartoum. They had to rely upon themselves in great emergencies. Punitive expeditions were sent against the slave dealers, with calamitous results. A description of an Arab raid on the defenceless blacks is arresting. He describes; the rush to the huts and how the terrified inmates seek egress; how the old are shot down' and young children and babies hurled high over the crops. These bloodthirsty ruffians then Bet fire to the village and lined up the captives; the unfit, or wounded were put to death and the remainder marched off. Slavery was finally abolished 21 years after the great Livingstone appealed to the British authorities. <

The author states that in the history of British Central Africa some of the gravest offences against law and order have been committed by natives brought up and educated in the bosom of one or other of the local missions. There are many examples of irresistible reversion to type. He criticizes the methods employed in educating the native. He contends they have lamentably failed, and says that the opinion of the highest, authorities is that the result may be traced to the destruction of family and tribal discipline. The educational system has been described as "wholly unsuited to native needs, and is positively pernicious,. leading the native to a dead wall over which he ia unable to rise, and becomes a ready prey to the agitator." He goes on to say that "education has brought only discontent, suspicion of others and bitterness which masquerades as racial patriotism and the vindication of rights unjustly withheld." The author's description of official life in Liberia is entertaining. On one occasion a salute was fired from an ancient, cannon mounted on the wall of a government building, and the. concussion knocked down the main entrance arch. Those in whose honour the gun was fired had to scramble for safety. The book abounds in anecdote, experiences with cannibals, African legends, and customs. ] Opinions are expressed on political subjects, but with tact. The volume has; great historic interest, and is. a valuable i contributions, to African literature. ' It I contains information on the method of dealing with native tribes which might well be.studied by those in charge, of; mandated territory. The illustrations are excellent. I

A first edition of Mr. Bernard Shaw'e "Cashel Byron's Profession" has been sold for £102; it was originally published' at one shilling.

Mr, Augustus Muir has given us quite a number of thrillers in the past, but his latest effort, "The Silent Partner," published by Methuen, eclipses all previous efforts. It is so packed with villains, crimes, violence and hair-rais-ing escapes, that the reader lives temporarily in a regular brain-storm. The author has presented us with several forms of torture new to the ordinary "shocker," for which we are grateful, whilst the daring driving exploits with which the book abounds, seem to be undertaken by anyone just handy at the moment. The hero, Richard Hepburn, is handsome, wealthy and clever; the heroine is lovely and fascinating, and of course all ends well.

It is news indeed that Colonel LawI rence is writing another book. Few living writers can have had so exciting and romantic a life. Hidden in the remotest parts of Arabia, Colonel Lawrence did mors than any other man to control the destinies of the Allies on those Eastern fronts during the war. He lived as an Arab among Arabs, was respected and loved as a wise counsellor, and kept the unruly, wandering tribes loyal to England by making them loyal to himself. His book "Seven Pillars of Wisdom," which was printed at his own direction and' expense, is now worth hundreds of pounds, and early copies of "The Revolt in the Desert" are also eagerly sought by rich collectors. There are several characteristic stories of Colonel Lawrence in Mr. Robert Graves' "Good-bye to All That"; his shyness is well known, but his tact and kindness are shown by Mr. Graves' story of the gift of a copy of "Seven Pillars" at an opportune moment, with a note written on the fly-leaf: "Please sell when read." It fetched £300.

Papua is a land better known to Australians than to New Zealanders, and less known to the public than New Guinea, for talk of gold has brought this last t more into the newspapers as "newßi" "In the Land of Dohori" —the land of "no hurry" —by Mrs. A. J. Keelan (Angus Robertson) will give to any reader a good idea of native life and the trials, tribulations and advantages of white settlers in the first named country of snakes and lizards and teeming insects, of grass skirts, and bird of paradise plumes.

Mrs. Iveelan is not a lady of much merriment. She smiles, endures, and makesshrewd comment, but is even anxious and never really laughs. She is full of sympathy for both natives and settlers, but there is an undercurrent of , impatien'ce throughout her descriptions; which are vivid, detailed and laboriously accurate. Her personal experiences were always those most uncomfortable for an Englishwoman, her own health and that of ner husband preventing any detached and coldly critical valuation of adventures arid any real enjoyment of the strangeness of their surroundings. As a record of daily life when each hour was unrestful it iannore a warning than an invitation, and, of course, clashes with all the "Blue Lagoon" and other ideas fostered in England by poet novelists. CHINA IN TRANSITION. "An Adventurous Journey," by Mrs. Alec-Tweedie, of which Thornton Butterworth /published a cheaper edition, does not belie its title. It is full of alarums and excursions. The authoress, who claims, and, perhaps, justly, to be the most travelled woman in the world, made up her mind to reach China, then (May, 1925,) comparatively quiet, by way of Soviet Russia and Siberia, and in face of endless delays and difficulties succeeded in doing so. She describes fully her efforts to start from Moscow and of the dangers of the journey across Siberia. Hardly had she reached China when anti-foreign demonstrations started, and for months she remained in Peking unable to continue her journey further south. Finally she was able to reach Shanghai and later Hongkong. It was her second visit to China and some of her earlier experiences are told in this book. Mrs. Alec-Tweedie is no stylist and her methods of writing are often very exasperating to the reader. They are like the present-day China, chaotic. She seems to lack the quality of being able to write consecutively, and stick to one point at a time. Often in the middle of some description or discussion, she will go off at a tangent into something else which occurs to her. This makes her book very difficult reading. Moreover, there is a lot of quite unnecessary writing, and often numberless vain repetitions. One feels like a small boy picking plums out of a cake. One knows the plums are there, but they take a lot of looking for. The book, however, abounds in vivid descriptions of places and scenes in China, and of ancient buildings and still more ancient customs. In the parts of the hook devoted to' political matters, the authoress is dominated by two great ideas, the greatness and soundness of the British Empire and the wickedness of Soviet Russia.

A NOTABLE FRENCHWOMAN.

In the forest of Nieppe, not far distant from Yprea, St., Eloi, Meesinea, Bailleul, Armentieres, and Nenve Chapelle— names of peculiar and poignant interest to New Z^alanders —stands the chateau of L*, Motte au Bois. Throughout the Great War it waa within, sound, of the guns, and in 1918 it was heavily damaged by shell fire, but its chatelaine, the Baroness Ernest de La Grange,. refused to leave her historic home.. She remained to calm the people of the nearby village, and to be hostess to a long succession of British officers. Now, under the title of "Open House in Flanders," she has published the diary ehe kept in those years. It makes a considerable volume, but there is little in it that the reader feels disposed to "skip," The Baroness reveals herself a woman of the noblest type. Her bearing was aristocratic, and the extent of her generosity and charity wag seemingly infinite. She received and 1 entertained King George and the Queen of the Belgians as a great lady; she stood up for her rights against the_ most formidable generals of thai British Army; and she protected young officers from the wrath of officialdom as if she had been their' mother. Among those- whom she billeted in the chateau; were Generals Birdwood and Godley, and ehe- writes with aincere; admiration of the- Australian and New Zealand soldiers. She >was in Paris on July 14, 1919, the day of the triumphal entry into Paris: victorious Allied armies, and: as the British group passed her Field-Marshal Haig and his 6taff> and' several other generals, saluted her. It was an honour such as few women had; it was a tribute to a I vital personality. Many New Zealand j ex-officers will like, this book. It is pub- | liehed hy John Murray, London.