The Press.
London, England, 1855-12-15 00:00:00

1198

herself by journeys into the interior of the prosperity
and admirable effects of Rajah Brooks's government ;
and continuing her course to Java, explored the Dutch
settlements in the Indian Ocean, of which she has given
us a particular and curious account, more favorable
to Dutch government than previous travellers have
allowed. From Batavia she crossed the Pacific to
California, saw San Francisco in the height of its
prosperity, and made many excursions in the ne gb-
bourhood ; then sailed, or rati,er steamed, to Tana na,
went still southward to Lima, of which an aurae ive
description is given, and left it to proceed no' thw Ord
by sea to Guayaquil, whence she travelled iverlind
to Quito, crossing the cordillera of the Andes, waere
the famed Chimborazo rises 21,000 feet ab( vs the
sea-level. She had intended to proceed from Quito,
through the Indian country, to Loretto, on the Ama-
zon, but failing to meet with any countenance from
the authorities of Ecuador, she was forced to abandon
her purpose and return to Guayaquil; thence she
went again to Panama, crossed the Isthmus, and
sailed to New Orleans ; went up the Mississippi, left
the main stream for the Arkansas, and made an in-
cursion into the territories of the Cherokee Indians.
Returning to the Mississippi, she ascended that mag •
nificent watercourse to the Falls of St. Anthony ;
made the tour of the North American Lakes to
Niagara; travelled onward to Montreal and Quebec,
and from the latter place by rail and river to New
York. She made a journey to Boston ; visited num-
berless other places ; crossed the Atlantic to Liver-
pool; and as a final trip sailed to the Azores, and
returned by way of Lisbon. In all her four years'
travel she observed with a quick eye, and listened
with an attent ear. Her own estimate of her
merits as a writer is modest and near the mark :

I am by no means to be counted among the fortunately
gifted of my sex, but am a most simple and unpretending
person, and can claim as a writer no merit whatever,
beyond that of describing truly and without exaggeration
what 1 have seen and experienced.

Not the least curious part of the book is the sim-
plicity of the lady's preparations for her long and
sometimes perilous journeys. She was alone, and
rarely cared to engage an attendant. She thought
no more of a voyage or journey of some thousands of
miles than a Londoner does of going to Brighton.
We read of her " carpet-bag," but rarely of any im-
pedimenta 'beside. From the Dutch authorities she
received a cordial welcome and valuable assistance,
and through their kindness was enabled to extend
her travel far beyond her first intention. In general
the name of Ida Pfeiffer secured her a welcome
wherever she went, and franked her passage across
seas, or by rivers or railways. The Americans were
particularly—not gallant—bat really generous in this
respect, and while in the States she could travel as
she pleased free of charge. We are sorry to say all
was changed when she visited Canada, and when she
found herself in England. Her two volumes are full
of variety and information. The best parts are those
descriptive of the Dutch colonies in India, and of her
travels in South America, but her narrative is always
sensible, intelligent, and agreeable. That a lady
whom we presume must be elderly should alone
travel so long and so far is very honourable to her
spirit and enterprise, and also a gratifying proof that
the world she encircled has made of late years
marvellous progress in commerce and civilisation.
The work would be improved by dates being more
precisely marked. In the first volume, page 424,
first line, August is printed for April, and the error
is repeated from page 433 to 440. We notice
the error, as it creates confusion in the narra-
tive.

The White Chief. A Legend of Northern Mexico.
By Captain Mayne Reid. Three Vols. Bogue.
THE style and subject of Captain Reid's romances
are sure to make them popular among a large class
of readers. They are full of wild adventure and
picturesque effect. " The White Chief " bears some
resemblance to the Indian novels of Cooper, but is
quite distinct from them in time and action. The
narrative relates incidents supposed to have occurred
in a district of Northern Mexico a hundred years
ago, resulting in the destruction of a Spanish settle-
ment. The theme, admitting of daring deeds, hair-
breadth escapes, desperate conflicts, and revengeful
excesses, is exactly suited to Captain Reid's talents.
The scene in which Carlos perceives from his prison
the outrage inflicted on his mother and sister excites
in the reader both terror and pity. The whole nar-
rative is exciting and rapid, and belongs to the or-
thodox school of adventurous romance.

German Rending Book. By Dr. M. M. Fischel.

London : Nutt and Co.
THIS book is arranged on quite a new principle, in
order to facilitate the study of German; and it
seems to us that if all first reading-books were so
arranged, languages would be much more easily
and agreeably acquired. The dullest student may