The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-12 00:00:00

LITERATURE.

Four Months in a Dahabeel ; or Narrative of a
Winter's Cruise on the Nile. By M. L. M.

Carey. Booth.

We have before us a goodly volume of handsome
appearance, illustrated with some half-a-dozen
beautiful sketches, recording a four months' cruise
in a Dahabeeh (or river boat) upon the Nile. The
travelling party consisted of five Earopeans—tha
fair author of the narrative, "Cousin Phil" and his
daughter Selina, to whom conjointly the work is
dedicated, Find Thomas and Sarah, the man-servant
and lady's maid—objects of unmitigated astonish-
ment to the native dragoman, whe, when he found
they were each to have a cabin on board the Daha
beeh, regarded them as "very great personages
indeed." This dragoman, Mahommed el Adleek,
with El Abi,:d and Ali, two of iris com,Danions, are
depicted in the frontispiece, seated on the deck of

.‘ tae Caire," as the Dahabech is named. Very pic
turesque do they appear in their oriental costume,
as displayed in the coloured engraving. There is
also a picture of the crew of the Cairo" at breaf-
fast on the bank, and views of Boulak, the port of
Cairo, the island of Pei:ae, and other scenes, very
charmingly drawn, we 'resume, by the hands of
the authoress and " Selina." The narrative is for
the most part in the form of a journal, end possesses
some of the advantages and aiso some of the dis-
advantages of that style of composition. It is
easily and pleasantly written, and we realise the
scenes and take part in the adventures detailed to
us; but, at the same time, a great deal of very
trivial and unnecessary matter is occasionally in-
troduced, and the style at times becomes too collo-
quial and undignifiLd. With the exception of these
blemishes the journal proves very pleasant to read,
and introduces into very unaccustomed scenes. There
is an amusing account of a visit paid by the ladies
to the house. of Sheik Abool Gowad, at Girgeh.
Under the auspices of the invaluable Mohammed
.hey are introduced to the Sheik and his mother.
Selina wore dark gloves and gauntlets, and her
" black hands," compared with her " white face,"
caused a great deal of whispering and specu-
lation among the hosts, and she was finally
requested by Mohoratned to pull eff her gloves,
and to show that hands and face were suitably
alike. The gloves they had never seen before.
The visit to the Bazaar is very interesting, and the
account of the Eastern mode of embroidery is
given in detail, and will be attractive to lady
readers. The cover of the book displays some
splendid specimens of the mosquito chat
plague of the East, and very pitiful are
the writer's complaints of the misfortune which
occasionally befalls the unwary, who, shutting close
the musquito curtains at night, sometimes shut in
the musquitoes, with very direful results. The
"Cruise in the Daheheeh" will :on acquaintance
prove, we doubt not, as entertaining to its readers
as it has done to the fair journalist and her com-
panions.

Adventures and Researches Among the Andaman
Islanders. By Dr. Mou9.t. Hurst and Biackett.
The Andaman Islands, situated in the Bay of
Bengal, are little, known even by name in this
country, and their inhabitants hold about the very
lowest rank among the diversified races of the
human family. Nevertheless, Dr. Mcuat's book on
this unpromising theme is full of interest, and we
loubt not that many who open its pages will, like
ourselves, be surprised to find its contents so gene
rally attractive. In the course of the year 1857.
immediately after the Indian mutiny, Dr. Mouat,
then in Calcutta, was summoned to join an expedi-
tion to the Andaman Islands, in order to examine
how far they were adapted for the establishmen:
of a convict station, and to select a suitable site for
such a settlement"—his colleagues being Dr.
George Play fair, of the Royal Army, mac.'
e evidentlyto
n beautyoPwpossess
severer l
e
Lieutenant J. A. Heathcote, of the Indian Navy.
My last evening in Calcutta," writes 1)r. Mouat,
" was spent in the society of the Governor-General
and his kind-hearted and accomplished lady. Alas !
it is only a few years since, and they are now both
no more ! To my certain knowledge they are both
mourned throughout our Eastern Empire with a
depth and intensity of sorrow, with feelings of such
deep personal regret as are seldom felt for those
who have occupied a station so exalted." We must
transcribe the following beautiful and evidently
heartfelt tribute to Lady Canning :
"I can scarcely trust myself to speak of the lamented
Countess Canning. Her -popularity in India was, as it
deserved to be, unbounded. Every one who has ever had
an opportunity of coming in any way in coatact with her
can only have words of praise to b. stow in speaking of her
personal character. All were immediately attracted by the
matchless grace and elegance of her manner, and the kind-
ness beaming in her eye at once won the homage of every
ssde
g sae vipsnsdatthu
dignity
icelehisdg hastnteerdrore
herself
strengthens
fthdc
hoe
amasseswemni pst
hi
femalei
asnnh do
t-
r accomplish-
ments; eeanetht:.c
,ttoaehfNir and
Not
a,
tt
but
euaonttnh sl
diligenceane dcei
b usefulda i she
t
h k
character,
zeal
elevates the mind. Every one who was admitted into her
presence she received with the most refined courtesy; and
none could converse with her long without perceiving
that all the other excellencies of her mind and heart
were enhanced by that Christian grace which is the
crowning beauty of an elevated female character. The
virtues she manifested in her intercourse with society
were evidently not assumed, as mere means of attraction iu
he circle in which she moved; but were the natural out-
growth of her character, the root of all that was beautiful
in her life and intercourse being within. Never will the
memory of her inexpressible sweetness of disposition fade
from the memory of those whose misfortune she endea-
voured to alleviate, and the smile with which she showed
her sympathy in the happiness of the more fortunate is im-
pr,:ssed indelibly on their hearts. No doubt, like all
human creatures, she had her weaknesses, but she knew
how to conceal, :,to overcome, or extirpate them. Never
did her innate kindness more delight in alleviating the
sorrows of the unfortunate than during that fearful mutiny
which overwhelmed so many once happy and prosperous
families with uuexp'cted calamiti s. The sympathies of
her noble nature were a source of joy and comfort to all
during that period of trial and probation, and in many a
grateful
heart is the recollection of her unwearied goodness
cherished with a devotion equal to that with which the
pious Catholid regarde•the patron saint whom he believes
to be his constant
feutrd and guide amidst all the
temptation, sin, and sorrow tiL7flugh which ho must pass on
his way to a better and higher life."
At the close of the volume, Dr. Monett again re-
turns to Government House, bringing with him an
object ,f universal curiosity—a real live Andaman
—who, dressed in unaccustomed clothes, is pre-
sented to Lord and Lady Canning. " Most of the
time Jack spent in their Vresence, he was
greatly absorbed in self-adtuiratit,ini Ob
serving his figure at full length ;it! the
large pier glasses with which the apartment
was adorned, he stationed himself before one and
regarding his own image with undisguised satis-
faction, Le continued grinning at himself with e
leer expressive of the utmost self-admiration, con-
s'antly repeating with a strange chuckle, " Jack!
Jack !" and then bursting out, in violation of all
good manners, into an irrepressible fit of laughter,
in which we found it difficult to prevent ourselves
joining." Jack proves, however, more teachable
and tractable than the majority of his tribe, but his
health suffurs from the confinement and the climate,
and he is obliged to return to his native town. He
is put on shore and left there, divested of his costume
in order that he may be received back by his savage
brethren, who are singularly rude and inhospitable.
Speaking of the Andaman Islands, Dr. Mouat ob-
serves that they form "an almost invisible dot on
the map of the world, the civilisation both of the
East and of the West has passed them by
without in any way affecting the condition of their
inhabitants. In these islands man is probably still
in the same condition in which he was when they
were first settled.''
"Their inhabitants acknowledge no law to restrain and
guide them in life. Not only have they no knowledge of a
supreme Being, but they are even destitute of such a rude
system of religious faith as is generally found even amongst
men in the most savage state. Their language is harsh
and disagreeable, in an imperfect state of development,
barely sufficient for the expression of their few
and simple wants. Totally ignorant of agriculture,
they have no means of making provision for the future, and
must be satisfied with such fruits and herbs as the earth
spontaneously produces, or with the shell-fish they pick up
on the shore."
Thanks to Dr. Mouat's explanations, we become to
a certain extent acquainted with the manners of
this uncultivated people, and we find, in addition,
in the pages of this volume a variety of anecdotes
and details on matters of general interest, For