The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-11-08
Overland JOURNEYS.

TIE following honest comparison
!. two noted books upon the same sui
ject, now before the public, cne writ
ten by an American and the other
an English author, we cut from tn
'London Spectator of, September, IL
1t differs so entirely from the most o
such comparisons by the English crit
les, that we deem it worth republish
ing, not only in compliment to the &C
complished author of the American
book, but as an able review of a wor
of great value and interest:
The two travellers whose books w
have placed together, of whom one i
an American, the other an English
man, went over tie same ground dur
ing the latter part of their journey
but have very few features in common
The main difference in their routes i
that Mr.. Knox started on the Amool
River, while Mr.. Whyte began will
the desert'of Cobb but from Kiachts
they took the same course through ST
IBERIA, and both books end with the
arrival of st. Petersburgh. For the
honor of our country, we regret tc
say that Mr.. Whyte's book bears nc
comparison with Knox's. The Amer
lean traveller, no doubt, enjoyed his
trip more, ard was generally more for.
tunate than the Englishman, but it is
not this alone which makes his book
by lar most readable. Qickness of OBJ
servation, liveliness of style, and fund
of national exaggeration and charac-
teristic anecdote, keep US interested
through 600 pages. Mr.. Whyte's
book is much shorter, but is tame and
wanting in color The dreary journey
across the desert, with furious wind
blowing, the sufferings of the travel
lers in their miserable carts dragged
by stubborn camels, the piercing cold,
the want of food and sleep, can hardly
inspire very lively description. MIR.
Whyte, however, says that he is glad
to have made the Journey, and Mr..
Knox had originally intended to make
it. Probably, if the two writer's read.
each others books, Mr.. Knox will
find some reason to rejoice that lie
did not venture across the desert, and
Mr.. Whyte will verify his own remark
that American travellers have the ad-
vantage of Englishmen.
The chief incidents in Mr.. Whyte's
journey were his being left behind for
a whole night in the desert of Cobb,
and his meeting with one or two at
tempts at robbery. Mr.. KnoX's ex
perience were of a much lighter cast,
but are marked by greater variety
Instead of combining himself rigidly
to what he saw, Mr.. Knox borrows
freely from everybody he met, and is
always being reminded of American
stories which excel the points they are
meant to illustrate AprOpos of q
Russian game of cards, Mr.. Knox
tells of n Western actor who went to
a Australia, and who found that the on
ly drawback to his making large for
tune was the way in which all the re-
ceipts at the door were stolen by his
treasurer. Not being able to get
more trustworthy man in the coleny,
the actor did not discharge his treas
urer, but taught him an American
game of cards, borrowed five dollars
to start with, and then won back every
the money taken the night
before. Occasionally Mr.. Knox's love
Of telling stories leads to a repetition, !
as in the case of the two adventures
with wolves, which have very strong
family likeness. But there is no same
ness of his running remarks ON per-
sons or things, or in the quaint COM
parsons that are thrown out whenever
he meets anything novel. A few in !
stances of the kind will show what is
he nature of his book. Describing q |
night visit to a Mongol family, he
says, 'the lady of the house was hud-
He'd under coverlid about as large |
IS postage stamp, and did not ap-
,ear encumbered with much clothing. .
The delar in admitting ms was to per !
nit the head Of the house to dress in ,
costume, which he did by !
putting on his shirt" A somewhat
similar spectacle was presented a few
lays later on the shores of the Amoor:
Mr.. Knox met with some natives be-
onging to a wandering tribe, and he
hus describes their garb and appear
lnGe :-"One of the native gentlemen
vas near the bank of the river in the
lttitude of an orator, but not properly
lressed for public occasion. His
,nly garments were q hat and string
IF beads, and he was accompanied by
couple of young ladies' in the same
picturesque costume, minus the bat
md beads Both Mr.. Whyte and
dr. Knox give us description of a
russian bath, and neither seemed to
ave enjoyed the steaming part of
he process. But the reflection forced
II Mr.. Knox's mind was that lob
ter must be very unfortunate when
t went to pot and exchan ged its green
or scarlet. As an American accus-
omed TO travel on the Western rivers,
Ir. Knox was not struck by the alac-
ity of "wooding up on the Amoor.
after describing the leisurely way in
7hich each of the deck hands looped
piece of rope around a few sticks,
houldered the bundle and walked on
oard, twelve men taking an hour
nd half to ship four cords Of wood,
fr. Knox adds, "There was but one
nan displaying any activity, and he
ias falling from the plank into the
iver." The involuntary smartness of
his moment, which was merely a
ribute to the laws of gravity. shows
he value of the exception. Probably
Or. Knox finds more affinity to Amer.
,an ideas, at least as they are typifed