IN THE STEPS OF THE HOST OF MOSES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23631, 15 October 1938, Page 4

IN THE STEPS OF THE HOST OF MOSES

LOUIS GOLDING'S IMAGINATIVE JOURNEY

“in the Steps of Moses the Conqueror.” By Louis Golding. Illustrated. London: Rich and Cowan. 9s 6d.

This is the direct sequel to “ In the Steps of Moses, the Law-Giver.” The first book took us to Mount Sinai and the giving of the Tablets of the Law. This one takes us the rest of that long journey, from Sinai even to Mount Pisgah, where Moses looked upon the Promised Land that he mignt not enter, and was then, according to the delightful version in the Talmud, causht up to the very foot-stool of God. The title indicates the difference in the two books. This is the story of Moses, the military leader, conducting a migrating people with remarkable generalship through the midst of a hostile countryside. It does not, however, deal with the trek from the military point of view. The records are too vague to make such a survey possible. As before, Mr Golding approaches his task in a mood of imaginative recreation. He tries to get inside the minds of his ancestors, to realise the mood of their journeying. In this he is, as

before, not unsuccessful. It might be said that he is almost too emotional. He sometimes raises himself to a height of ecstatic communion which the reader is not quite prepared to share. When he thus soars out of reach the narrative loses something of its quality. A light fog dims the otherwise sharp outline.

The plan, however, is clear, and is followed relentlessly, sometimes through appalling difficulties of terrain and climate. It is, as far as possible, to follow in the very steps of the host In consequence, as in the earlier book, a great deal of very. interesting surmise on the various Biblical stations is necessary, and Mr Golding’s reasoning is always lucid, and, to one who has no contrary theories to support, suraciently convincing. Here, again, he is concerned to find, not so much the certain place where the host rested each time, but a place inherently likely, and not conflicting with what slender evidence there is. lo> his aid he calls etymology, and when that uncertain guide fails, topography and distance, in day’s marches, as days marches went for so cumbered multitude. Every step of the journey is interesting. The country of Tran»

Jordan, barren though it is, is impregnated with history, and the steps of Moses turn out repeatedly to be also the steps of that later conqueror, Lawrence. The descriptions will do much to change the minds of those who think of this region as uninteresting desert. Petra, the city hewn from the rock, Shobek, the castle on the hill, the Wadi Mojib that cuts across the Transjordanian massif, all these are described by a man with a seeing eye, who can translate his vision. The people of the countryside are likewise depicted for our information and entertainment, in their more and less pleasant guises, the latter predominating. The author had many tense moments during the journey. Being Jew, he had been told that he would be ill-advised to venture into Transjordan. In one way this added spice to the journey. The first Jews were also ill-advised to travel into Transjordan, in the view of the local inhabitants, so that right at the start the journey was achieving the correct atmosphere. There was a little trouble about the correct answer to the eternal question fired at all strangers. “ Inta Yehud? ” Mr Golding’s spirit revolted at deceit. The problem was finally surmounted by a little casuistry. Jim and Lucas, the faithful companions. always answered with extreme vigour, “English, English,” while the author remained silent. Thus he never denied his race, but never needed to admit it. For all that, there were some anxious times, as when he showed some Arabs a letter from Sir Ronald Storrs to the Emir Abdullah, forgetting that his race was mentioned in it. Luckily the Arabs in question were illiterate, and were merely properly impressed. Throughout the story there are recurring moments of fear and danger, probably a trifle heightened to bring the modern journey nearer in spirit to the ancient. Whether that is so or not. there is no doubt that the re-creation succeeds. When the reader puts down the book, he will feel that he, too, has trod where Moses and Miriam and Aaron once trod, sometimes in fear or weariness, and sometimes, not too rarely, in joy or triumph. He will have in his mind’s eye a picture skilfully drawn of a strange and perilous countryside inhabited by strange and suspicious men, who commonly distrust foreigners only a little more than they do their next-door neighbours. And at the end. when, with the author, he " goes over to the other side.” he will only be sorry that the wanderings have ended so that there wi no reason for a further book to take him out of the present into the past when very weird and wonderful things might happen at the bidding of magicians and men of God, when giants walked the earth and angels were close at hand to comfort and reward the dying. The illustrations of this volume are better taken than those in the previous book, and given an excellent idea of the nature of the country, though the viewpoints are often unfortunately chosen from a technical point of yiew. The photographer almost invariably fails to appreciate the value of the sky as a background. Our copy of the book is from Messrs Whitcombe and Tombs. P. H. W. N.