TRAVELLERS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26599, 8 December 1951, Page 3

TRAVELLERS

C ” ar Geor^ t J - H - L Cnmpeon. 195 pp House. Melbourne.

By his dramatic and profitable expeditions, by his courage and fortitude, by his selfless and upright character, Charles Sturt has gained a permanent place in the history of Australia. The story of Sturt’s life had already been told fifty years ago by Mrs Sturt in her “Life of Charles Sturt.” The present author, in his preface, justifies the presentation of this “twice told tale” thus, “while the beliefs, ideals and aspirations which for centuries have inspired man’s nobler efforts have become temporanly submerged in the struggle for I survival, a book like this, which tells I tne story of a man whose ideal was ' service, and who was prepared to die m that service, might be timely, and might even be welcomed lay a large body of young readers.” This book must certainly be welcomed by that body of young readers”—indeed by readers of every age—not only because it tells the story of one whose ideal was service, but also because of the extremely competent way in which person has been portrayed. This biography is comprehensive, precise in detail, yet attractively presented Maps showing Sturt’s journeys and photographs of the places which he visited make the book even more mterestmg for the reader outside of Australia. To-dav Australia is just a few hours away from us and our interest in the continent must inevitably increase. There can be no more pleasant way to gain an insight into the early exploration of it than to read a book which depicts so well the life of one whose name stands perhaps highest in the • history of Australian exploration.

To Africa for Chimpanzees. Bill Westley. Gollancz. 256 pp. Suffering from angina, and given six months to live by his doctor, Bill Westley set out for Africa to search for chimpanzees for the Anthropoid Ape Research Foundation of Florida. The story of his search for them is excitingly told in his “To Africa for Chimpanzees.” The author does not confine himself to the details of the search itself, but throughout the book one can find shrewd comment on British, Portuguese, and Belgian colonial policy. A vein of humour rims through this lively story. Westley tells us of the habits of the British Army in Freetown. ‘‘Apparently to become a major in that exclusive organisation, one of the prime requisites was that you had to learn to eat glass . . . the crazy beggars would bite chunks out of their glasses. The manager . . . soon learned to give them old jelly glasses and jars. These were tougher, but they ate them just the same.” In the course of his travels the author had some amazing escapades—he was chased into the Congo river by infuriated baboons; he had either to kill, or to be killed by, a full-grown leopard loose in a dark cellar; and, on top of it all, three native wives were “wished on to him”—all these episodes are recounted in a racy manner. “To Africa for Chimpanzees” brings the jungle to one’s own fireside. Negley Farson, in his foreword, has aptly described the book as being “packed with real, even startling, adventure.” As he says, ‘Bill Westley is the real thing” and “To Africa for Chimpanzees” is a book which certainly is worthwhile adding to any reading list. Peking Diary. A Year of Revolution. Bv Derk Bodde. Jonathan Cape. 292 pp.

Dr. Bodde was sent to China as a Fulbright Scholar in 1948 to translate a history of Chinese philosophy. He was no stranger to China, since he had lived in Peking during the six years of 1931-37. Aware that the period of his second visit would be a crucial one he kept a diary extending over the six months before and after the Communist forces marched into Peking. Speaking and reading Chinese well, he was able to keep in contact with the Chinese people, as well as the newspapers and propaganda of both sides. He records the disintegration, both physical and moral, of the Kuomintang, and describes the improvements as well as the disadvantages that the Communists brought to Peking. He takes the point of view that there is “idealism and mental flexibility” in Chinese Communism, and prefers to think that the question of Russian aid for the Chinese Communists “remains unproved.” But some of the stories he relates and official Communist propaganda he quotes hardly support these views. What one does perceive from reading this book is that a fierce Puritanism is one of the strongest animating forces behind Chinese Communism, and that the sophistry of their propaganda almost surpasses that of Moscow. Rome Alive. By Christopher Kinin.month. Lehmann. 208 pp.

In “Rome Alive” Christopher Kininmonth takes us into every corner of that ancient and honourable city. This is not a record of a fleeting visit, but a close observation of the city throughout all the seasons. In “Rome Alive the author takes us from cafe to palace and from church to carnival. Mr Kininmonth’s style is uninspired but nevertheless competent. Occasionally he attempts fine writing as in his description of a • group of nuns, * their habits billowing like water under a weir, and making, with their demure and rippling walk an advance like that of a flotilla under sail on a choppy sea ’ .” Forty photographs taken by John Deakin give the book an added interest, while both the format and binding are extremely attractive. Many New Zealanders have visited Rome lately to participate in the Holy Year celebrations. For them Rome Alive” will be a- useful notebook (for this is how the author subtitles his book) to keep their memories fresh; for those who. have not been lucky enough to visit Rome, this book will provide a useful introduction to the contemporary life of the ancient city. Ont of This World. By Lowell Thomas, jun. Macdonald. 238 pp.

Son of Lowell Thomas, famous American radio commentator, Lowell Thomas, jun., gives us an interesting picture of present-day Tibet in Out of This World.” Thomas and his father were the seventh and eighth Americans ever to be admitted to Tibet, a country almost entirely cut off from the influences of Western civilisation. Whv were the Thomases so lucky as to be invited to Tibet? 'pie author gives as his reason. “Tibet fears Communism (The Tibetans) wanted America and all the world to know that they are now and have always considered themselves an independent na Lowell Thomas, jun., is not just the average traveller, but an accomplished observer. Nor are his observations limited to the landscape and people of Tibet, for the author writes with authority on Anglo-Tibetan relations, religion in Tibet, and especially interesting, the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and his predecessors. Mr Thomas writes with an infectious enthusiasm. H»s description of the party’s approach to Lhasa, the capital of Tibet is typical of the enthusiasm which pervades the whole book. “Late that evening, as we splashed along, we suddenly caught a glimpse of our goal—Lhasa, far oft, under a range of dark mountains—sparkling in the sunset; and the Potala, standing out above the city, its golden roofs beckoning like a far-off beacon. With great excitement we hurried on. Both father and son are renowned as photographers, and there are over 60 photographs in the book. Some are reproduced in colour, while many of the black-and-whites are exceptionally fine. As a useful appendix the author adds a list of equipment for anyone who contemplates a journey into Tibet. Altogether the book is an attractive publication, with arresting dust jacket and unobtrusive but. serviceable binding. Few have told us of travels in Tibet: still tewer have provided us with such competent commentary on every aspect of presentday Tibet a country which is truly “Out of This World.”

In Paris, Sartre is having the ambiguous experience of seeing the movie version of “Les Mams Sales picketed by some Communists ana his play “God and the Devil picketed by some Roman Catholic*.