BOOKS

Northern Advocate, 22 April 1939, Page 2 (Supplement)

BOOKS

The Real Arabs

A GRAPHIC AND THRILLING STORY

Yesterday ?,nd To-day in Sinai by Major C. S. Jams, Governor of Sinai (Blackwood, 5/).

Palestine, and the'lands of the Bible generally, are “in the news” to-day. The wide popularity of Mr H. V. Morton’s books —“In the Steps of the Master,” “In the Steps of St. Paul,” and “The Lands of the Bible” are evidence of a profound interest among those who recognise in the sixty-six books that compose the Bible a volume of matchless literature and immortal history, as well as the depository of those great truths that inspired the unique spirtual experience of the Hebrew race and gave birth to the Christian Church.

This interest is supplemented to-day by the part which Bible lands ai*e playing in political events of worldwide importance. The phrase, “the unchanging East” is not quite exact. But it is true that any trustworthy book that describes conditions*of life to-day in the area between the Red Sea and Damascus will constantly illustrate and interpret conditions of life in that same area two thousand and more years ago. Governor Jarvis had unique opportunities to observe the conditions

By “Caxt

of life in the southern part of this ai’ea, and “Yesterday and To-day in Sinai” is an uncommonly graphic story of his observations and experience.

Vivid All-Rcund Story

It is a recent book, but not a “just cut” book. Lent to me, I began it with a slight misgiving that it might be Sinaiatical —that is occupied with biblical identifications and limited to a narrow outlook. It was a pleasant surprise to find a vivid all-round narrative of life in the Sinai region, obviously the work of a man whose official position, long residence, keen eye for the indisputable facts behind plausible appearances, and good sense in judgment, joined to an enviable gift of expression, enabled him to present a wealth of fascinating information. Arab life, laws and customs are intn'guingly set out. Sport—good and bad—is realistically described by an author with an experienced English sportsman’s contempt for meanness and cruelty. There is an illuminating chapter on history, and a theory of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea that accounts for the event within the limitations of natural causes and physical features of the land, without, in the author’s opinion, departing from the Old Testament story, though it would make havoc of certain Negro songs that rejoice in the drowning of Pharaoh. He is quite indisposed to see miracles where they are unnecessary. Moses striking the rock and water gushing forth was quite reasonable. He actually saw an instance.

Water from Rocks

Some of the Sinai Camel Corps had halted in a wadi and were digging in the loose gravel to obtain water. The Colour-Sergeant took a shovel from one of the men and began to dig with great vigour, which is the way with N.C.O.’s the world over when they wish to show their men what they can do, and have, incidently,, no intention of carrying on for more than two minutes. One of his lusty blows hit the rock, when the polished hard face that forms on weathered limestone cracked and fell away, exposing the soft porous rock beneath, and from the porous

rock came a great rush of clear water. It is regrettable that these

Sudanese Camel Corps who are not particularly devout, hailed their N.C.O. with shouts of “What ho. the Prophet Moses!” The author’s cheerful spirit and

bright gilt of humour lights up his narrative all through, and now and again flows out of hard rock as in some of the grim stories from which he extracts a laugh.

Rivals to Black Trackers

He makes clear that he correctly uses the word “Arab” .of natives of Arabia. "The real Arab is the Arabian Beduin (there are three spellings in use. The correct word is Ecdawai, and properly Beduin should be the plural). In Palestine in newspaper reports and official communiques the Mahommedan population are almost invariably described as Arabs, whereas the inhabitants of the villages and towns have for the most part very little or no Arab blood, but are the original Philistines, Jebusites and Canaanites.” The true Arab is found in Southern Palestine, and this is the Arab met with in the desert of Sinai, and throughout this book. He has many remarkable traits of character.

Smugglers Trapped

It was the duty of his police patrol to catch the smugglers of hashish. A large consignment was on its way across the desert. A patrol finding their tracks, gave chase, and captured the lot. The Arabs denied all knowledge of ownership, but a police officer remembered seeing at a wayside station near where the consignment had been landed a merchant who could have no real business at that spot. An Arab tracker was sent to examine the tracks and he reported “seven fishermen, fourteen Arabs and one person barefoot who usually wore boots.” Two more trackers were sent, separately and they reported likewise, unknown to the other reports. The merchant was arrested. He loudly protested. An identification parade was called, a patch of swept sand prepared, and ten persons barefoot walked over it, the merchant being one of them. That’s the Man “The‘first tracker was brought out, and, with the air of a Master of Arts, asked tej do a simple addition sum. pointed at once to a suspected man’s track. He was removed and the second * tracker brought out, with the same result: and when the third tracker followed suit, the merchant confessed.”

The Sixth Sense of the Desert

“These men” (Sinai Arabs), says Major Jarvis, “possess what amounts to a sixth sense, as they can tell at a glance whether tracks in the desert have been made by smugglers or ordinary wayfarers. They know at once from the footprints the speed at which camels and men have been travelling, if the men have been turning round and watching the country, if the camels are heavily or lightly laden; and from these details draw their conclusions.” Other instances given illustrate this remarkable power of detection.

Flame Throwers in Defence

The war against locusts is described in a thrilling chapter of night and day battling against the menace of this pest. Trenches, poisoned food, flame throwers on a ‘frontage of miles. It is a tremendous and thrilling story. Over 2500 soldiers were employed in 1930 for two and a half months, together with the camel corps, the police, all the inhabitants of El Arish, a large number of Arabs (at £5 a month) and 500 labourers from the Nile Valley. It cost the Government £200,000, but it saved the crops of Egypt which are worth millions, for “once the millions of ‘hopper’ locusts that lay over Sinai like a black carpet had been allowed to grow to maturity they would have swarmed into Egypt and every green thing would have disappeared in a week or so and with it the livelihood of the nation, and the chief source of revenue of the Government.’’

He Wanted to Live, by Cecil Roberts (Hodder and Stoughton, 7/6). Readers of “Victoria, Four-Thirty,” by Mr Roberts, will remember the porter Jim Brown, at London’s Victoria Station, who attended the daily departure of the great Continental trains. By these trains the rich and famous people of the world leave for their holidays at expensive Continental holiday resorts, lor diplomatic missions to European Courts and conferences, for important business trips, and for all manner of secret destinatons and negotiations involving the

finance and perhaps the fate of nations. To all kinds of eelebreties. artists, ac-

tors, statesmen’ princes and kings, Jim

Brown was at hand to wheel luggage and render required service. He had seen honeymoon couples away by that train and dreamed some day of taking Lizzie, his sweetheart waitress, on some such trip. His imagination loved to

ream while his hands were toiling. One day, out of the blue, comes the news that he has won a football pool! His dream can now come true.

Not All Gold That Glitters They are married and leave for Paris.. Dreams that come true are not often as satisfying close up as when seen from a distance. Jim was solid and sensible. The money did not turn his head. He soon discovered that it was harder work doing nothing than working hard. He was a misfit in an idle existence. He even sighed at times for his porter’s badge again. Betty was different. She liked to think this was the life she was born to. She loved it all; and enjoyed the flattery that circulated in the higher and higher social groups to which new made friends secured their entrance. Blinded by Flattery It's all very delightful and cleverly done—Paris, Vienna, Budapest, the round of fashionable hotels, cafe and night club life, and finally guests in an Hungarian castle. Betty was pretty, could wear her lovely frocks, and adapt herseif to courtly surroundings. Jim couldn’t. Betty hates poverty and all that she has escaped from. Jim begins to hate the money, and longs to get back. Betty’s admirers blind her to the impendnig tragedy. Jim cannot endure it. He returns to London — alone.

Betty, wounded in a border clash, lies ill in the Prague Hospital. Jim is wired fcr, goes and finds her there —dying. All the futility of the life she had tried to live comes home to her. She becomes the old Betty again, telling and highest joy in having work his forgiveness, before the last curtain falls. Back in London Jim returns to his work at Victoria Station. His money makes his mother comfortable. He himself finds life’s deepest meaning an dhighest joy in having work to do that he likes doing. And he gets a kick out of doing it well. Bitterly he spoke once; when sick of their - expensive useless Continental life—“ Money gets a stranglehold on you.” Back at his job he gets a stranglehold on money, and never lets go. A dangerous master, but a useful servant. He would agree with Bernard Shaw: “This is the true joy of life, being used for a purpose recognised by yourself as good, as the only real tragedy in life is being used by personally minded men for purposes you recognise to be base.” Yes, it’s a jolly good Roberts story, though one wonders how many porters suddenly coming into big money, and marrying, would drift so far into the unchartered seas of fashionable life. Roberts might answer: “Well, if you don’t like the story that way, toll a better one yourself.” But I do like the story, and I don’t want to argue the point. Puzzle for Players, by Patrick Quentin (Gollancz, 7/6) is refreshingly new in its theme. A brilliant theatrical producer is hoping great things from a new play. It means marriage and a career if he makes good, and the play looks an absolute sure winner. However, danger looms up, threatening the whole production. A syndicate arranges for it to go on at an old theatre with an unlucky reputation. During rehearsals there queer things begin to happen, mysterious, ghostly and fearsome. Everyone knows how this kind of thing affects the theatrical fraternity. His backer is a psychologist and decides to investigate. The excitement grows breathless. The first night is sensational.

The world of back-stage is made alive. The reader shares the tense feeling that prevails. What will happen? Will the play be ruined? The story is skilfully developed, and interest keyed to a climatic pitch. Seme New Books Interest is awakened by the announcement of new books by best-sell-ing authors. Somerset Maughan published with Heinomann, in February, his first full length novel since “Theatre." It is entitled Christmas Holidays. Cassels present a new story by Sheila Kaye-Smitli under the stirring titie The Valiant Woman. Miss E. M. Delafield lias a now book Three Marriages (MacMillan, 7/G). She deftly contrasts the marriage of “Rose Barlow" (1857): "The Girl of the Period” (1897) and "Wo Meant to be Happy” (1937). A now book by Christopher Lloyd (Longman. 15 '-) is regrettably dear for a book that deserves popularity. It has for its title Capt. Marryat and the Old Navy. It is announced as a thrilling story of the Navy and Midshipman Easy, reviving the exuberant vitality of Marryat at his best. Philip Lindsay publishes a new book with Hutchinson dealing with medieval England. It is entitled The Nutbrown | Maid, and belongs to the class of : stirring romance stories in which the j author has already achieved distinc- J lion. j

Likely to attract a lot of attention from those who love a good crime story in which humour and humanity are naturally blended, is R. and D, Lambert’s Crime in Quarantine, published at 7/6 by Nelson.