TRAVELLERS

Press, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 27065, 13 June 1953, Page 3

TRAVELLERS

jftere Winter Never Comes. A Study of Man and Nature in the Tronics By Marston Bates. Uollanee. 316 PPTne author of this book is Professor 0 [ Zoology in the University of Jfichigan but his heart is in the tropics, where he has spent a good deal of his adult life. He is. as he lays •to rebellion against the toplofty attitude that the Western world is ant to take of the tropics;” and his book is a general description of the characteristics of men and nature in the tropical environment, designed to rid us of some of our less pleasant

illusions about the tropics. Much tropical climate is delightful, he insists, if we wear the right clothing for ft. There may be tropical diseases, but proper precautions can keep these at ta y. And if we want culture (though he is doubtful of the advantage of this) then he can at least prove to us that all our modern cultures probably originated in the tropical areas. In fact, Dr. Bates is determined to demonstrate that there is little of real value in “civilisation”—“Western culture has brought little to tropical Africa except disease, administrators and missionaries”—and that we might all well throw most of it away, except what science and technology has brought, and go and find out from the peoples of tropical lands how to live. His book provides plenty of straight information, but it is an emotional and biased piece of work full of moral relativism and loose radicalism. Congo Pilgrim. By Mcrlyn Severn Museum Press. 216 pp.

The ugly activities of the Mau Mau in Kenya and the racial tension within the Union of South Africa make sharp contrast to the stability, prosperity and progressiveness in the Belgian Congo, according to this account of a journey within the colony. Medicine, education, housing and agricultural research are but some of the benefits that have been made available to poor, backward, diseased tribes. But security and comparative material prosperity are not all that are needed. A forward looking policy must provide something to take the place of the broken tribal structure. For this much time and patience will be needed in order that the Africans may meet as well as possible the conditions in which they have lived since they

came into contact with the outside world. Among the interesting tribes visited by Miss Severn were the Batutsi whom readers will remember appeared in the film of King Solomons Mines. The lives of these tall Karaites revolve round a breed of long horned cattle. They wear their hair in a peculiar style involving twin crescent moons and are culturally well above their neighbours. Another tribe bind the heads of their children while they are still very young and thus shape them lengthways. According to local authorities this does not impair but rather' helps mental development. Many other interesting customs and tribal rituals were encountered by Miss Severn on her interesting journey in this little known part of the world. The Amazing Amazon. Willard Price. Heinemann. 220 pp. Willard Price is a much travelled person; his latest travels have taken him to the Amazon and he has told an exciting story about them. Not until we have read Mr Price’s book do we realise how very much we depend on Brazil and the Amazon river valley. From here we get quartz crystals, mica, vegetable oils and industrial diamonds. “The Amazing Amazon” is not mere description of just another river such as we have been used to in the books of lesser travel writers—it is a penetrating account of a region which is a keystone in the arch of the world’s economy, given by one who has travelled the world over and whose opinions are worthy of consideration.

The Island Beyond the Horizon. By Sverre Holmsen. James Barrie. 143 pp. Sverre and Margit Holmsen with little other than enthusiasm set out from Sweden to make a home and a living for themselves in Tahiti. Despite difficulties in finding suitable land they eventually settled in an undeveloped valley and created for themselves a home, planted some fruit trees and gathered together some domestic animals. The normal difficulties of getting established in a foreign land were overcome by this brave and enterprising couple Who adapted themselves as much as possible to native ways. A child was born, a second one, delivered by Sverre unaided, died a few months later from influenza. With this tragedy fortune turned against the Holmsens. A hurricane flattened their hard won fruit farm. Mrs Holmsen’s health failed and she and the surviving child were forced to return to Sweden/Facing ruin and desolation alone, Mr Holmsen found his courage once more through the help of native friends and a fire walking ceremony in which he was prevailed on to take part. The friendship and concern shown by the Polynesians towards the • sorrowing stranger in their midst did much to re-establish his confidence. Having regained a balance and cleared his debts Mr Holmsen followed, his family home to Sweden determined that one day they would return to the island beyond the horizon. Grass Beyond the Mountains. Richmond P. Hobson. Bell. 256 pp.

Written in a style which is at ones racy and entertaining, “Grass Beyond the Mountains” Is an excellent book. In it Mr Hobson gives us more than a glimpse into the British Columbia which he writes about. His is a story of resource and endurance, of energy and courage, told in. the simple unaffected language of the frontiersman. He tells us that it took him 13 years before he reached his fina t objective, to own a ranch of his own. In those years he suffered hardship parallelled only by that suffered by those who go to war. But this hardship has not soured his spirit. A brightness and humour come from every page °* *ne book*—every page of a book which is notable for the utterly, sincere way in which its author writes. For all who love adventure, and for those who have not tasted it yet, this is a book

not to be missed. Florence and Ito Story. By G. Gardner. Illustrated with line drawings by Nelly Eirchsen and Antony Lake, and with four pages of photographs. Dent. 304 PP* A new edition of this excellent book in the Medieval Town Series is very welcome. It supplies a good history of Florence in such a form tnat it can be used as a gtiide-boofc Mr Gardner tells succinctly the turbulent s ‘ory of the City of Flowers, and follows his brief history with accounts of her most famous streets, buildings '"d artistic treasures. No reader of •’is book, visiting Florence, but would 'nd his pleasure many times |ncreas( b ■y the sense it imparts of the historical Atmosphere of the city and her monu■nnnts. The book has been brought up *.o date by the inclusion of accounts or the more serious damage done to in city during the German retreat in tne Second World War. The Gallic Land. Len Ortaen. Phoenix Bouse. 240 pp. In “The Gallic Land” Len seeks to present a picture of. Franc somewhat different from that wnicn most of us already know. He avoids describing such well-known places as Paris, Versailles, or even tne Riviera, but instead concentrates ms attention on country life in • a J He succeeds in giving a good picture of life in a typical French village—of life as it is lived by typical French country men. Our Alaskan Winter. By Constan?® Harmon Helmericks. With illustrations. Museum Press. 2fo pp* The American couple who have written this pleasant and entertaining book are experienced Arctic travellers and authors; they have- already Published “We Live in the Arctic, “We Live in Alaska," and Our Summer with the Eskimos.” Their new book tells the story of their winter spent among the Eskimos which ended

when the Arctic Ocean opened to boat travel and they could canoe their way back from Alaska to Canada. It is dedicated to Ruth and Ook-sook, the young Eskimo couple who lived with thorn in their combination tent-igloo Kgh the winter and taught them SO much about Eskimo ways—as well S providing no some annoyance. The Helmericks cnceeed in giving tne reaaei a Xd idea of daily life in the Arctic its grandeur and loneliness, as well as its practical problems and tions, and the appealing and childlike character of its inhabitants.

rar STANFORD-BINET SCALE AND ITS SUITABILITY FOR NEW ZEALAND (N.Z. Council for Educational Research 32 pp.) by A._ B Fitti discusses the efficacy of these scales for the measurement of intelligence, based on a series of tests made at Auckland, Wellington and Christohnrch Modifications in the American &are suggested, so may better conform to tne New z»eaianu scene- the matter discussed and the manner of its presentation is mainly of interest to specialists.