New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-04
NEW PUBLICATIONS
ANTSING TRAVELS.

TRIP THRoUGH EGYPT. SYRIA AN II - TIE
svo DIP. 397. 6. p. Putnams sons.
Mr. Reeve is spokesman for a party OF Mnnesotans
which appears to have been organized upon sudden
impulse for purposes Of travel, and which, boldly
committed to the manag cement Of Mr. Cook reaped Sig
nal advantages from that confidence. The notes of
travel in this volume are less interesting than the by
MAY of personal adventure and criticism. Mr.. Reeve
and his friends appear to have set out rather TOO
strongly imbued with that scepticsm which lmpcs
travellers not only TO challenge every statement made
IN them but which, in the absence of unCOmmoNlv
full previous knowledge, renders them liable to refuse
credence where 1t is really due on the other haad.
hook of travels written by determined TO take
nothing for granted, and to follow in no wel-worn
ruts merely because they are welwOrn, promises
much original and untrammelled observation. In this
case moreover, the writer has good deal Of that
humor which has come To be recognized Is distinc-
lively Western, and his odd phrases and rCllckng
exaggcratlon often produce very amusing effects. rs
an example his style will cite from an account
OF tho partys experience of the Austrian Loyds
steamers plying between Trieste and Naples, and
which they boarded at Brindsi. This Is Il sample
of Mr. Reeves revenge for unmerted suderings:
The boats, judging from the Ettora. on which
we for three days imprisoned. small dirty.
badly ventilated. heated, with frs;-cabn accom-
modatiOns which would disgrace thu Storage Of most
any transatlantic line; all the emlgranis. Degs'rs'
cattle and filth generally located the forward part
OF the ship, whence the complication of smells waited
aStcrn would put to shame Chinese sunhpot'
general air Of llsessness and inatention character
izing the entire outfit from the stewardc>s. who was
the best fellow board and will except her. down
TO the captain. The boat has strange history. she
was ancient Carthagenian iriremc which having
escaped the destruction of the fleet by the Romans,
was purchased by the Austrian Lloyds for hundred
sestercn, encountered with engine and some other
tbo Iipah etv and
Alexandria. This craft left Trieste on Thurs
day and was to have reached Brndisi Friday night at
S 80. She had head wind on Friday, and
although she passed man, a few miles nOrh OF
Bari who started at the time to walk, VIC heard
before leaving Drndlsi saturday afternoon thirteen
hours late, that the had reached Naples at !
O'Clock. She had to take coal at Brndi,i. ard
although the agent knew this. not move was made
TO load lcr bargeS, by the Of hand-haSkets con
tanning about bushe cach until the steamer pat
In an appearance. This looked like negligence. but
it is possible that the agent, not really expecting
her to arrive at oil, thought it useless 10 load any
coal to barges which, being of still more ancient
construction than the steamer would doubtless sink
in q few hours time"
Mr. Reeve pays his respects to the butter served on
the Ettore in a which shows how deeply the
subject impressed him. The first meal is thus de-
scribed AT O'Clock in the evening we had tea
bread and BUTTER The butter curiosity. Com
analysis, of condemned macaroni, taOw, crude pc
troleum and sand it was about the consistency Of
Frazer's Axle Grease for which II might be used as
possible substitute il not for two important de-
fects the sand would the aXles and the smell would
kill the horses" The following charge against the
skill Of the ships officers in navigation may perhaps be
suspected as stretch Of the Imagination: They kept
up the appearance Of navigating the ship according t.
modern usagcs pretty we'll the last dav. for about 80
p. m, after clOudless noon saw gentleman in !
uniform standing the tarbOad side Of the trremc.
thouehdully regarding the through the wrong end
of a rusty sextan! The observation must have been
satisfactory for he Immediately went TO the galley and
communicated the result the cook wheIeupOn beth
INDUCED in triumphant pecan. The fact that |
Mr. Reeve and his friends did not like the Austrian
Lloyds steamer may probably be safely inferred from
these casual remarks
of course they visited all the regular Sights in |
Egypt. and travellers account OF the ascent of the
Great Pyramid is worth quoting at length, had we but
the space for it, According to Mr. Reeve. the swarm
ing Arabs nfest the place and poster every
who makes the ascent that it is quite impossible T.
secure even moments silence and secu>on in which
N appreciate the magnihcence Of the view from the
summit or to mediate upon the historical associations
of the pile itself. All the description Of this cX-
cursion including the visit 10 the Spynx. j. racy in
the extreme, and speedily appears that this typical
Western American party were above all things deter
mined to see everything with their own eyes. and
bv others. so Mr.. Reeve never hesates 10 say so
plainly when he is disappointed in view or a show
place will he makebelieve in the beauty or maj
esy Of what struck him ugly or s0rdid lie
Acknowledges absolute Inability to put himself in the
past to restore" mentally the places among tie
ruins of which he wandcrs, t. cast from his mind
al, perception Of the actual aanOyanrcs and daUl aclS
the sand, the dust, the sitting heat. the eternal cA-
asperang cry Of backsheesh" and Tie Ardb SIN u!
The result is that he gives Incorporating photo
graphic views. 10 the literal fatiulncSs Of which
dealitv has added no mitigahons ornaments, and !
which probably represent the Egypt seen by tic
average tourist very closely. Almost The only Eat
ern CITY which seems to have completely satisfied the
travellers expectations Damascus, where week
was spent principally devoted. it Wond seem, T. tie
examination and purchase Of rugs. The charm ana
beauty of Damascus were, however too much for even
the wild West and Mr. Reeve coniesses tha he never
left place with much regret.
lie makes one curious statement To the effect that
Orentalsm is no longer to be found among The
Orientas but il should have been apparent II IAN
that his opportunities altogether to- IeStp -
enable him to form an accurate judgment upon such
a question. As rule, Orcntas are very shy oi IL
wiling Europeans or Americans into their homes aid
A man must usually have lived years among them,
have learned their language and adopted their habits
before he is admitted to such intimacy as would AFFORD
him the knowledge requisite to the formation o an
opinion on this point that would be OF any weight
The idea that tie Eastern people do not understand
comfort a. il is known in western America j. another
one of a kind 10 provoke smile from the initiated
old races are not be summed up thus hastily upon
the strength Of the impressions derived from lying
tim under tine guidance even Of the great ana
,,hioui,ous Cook Mr.. Reeves notions concerning
the ancient religion OF Egypt advanced with more
confidence than the extent and of his researches
rerhaps warrant, but they have the merit Of fNsi
ness and they are not without support In archaeology
Throughout the book. however there runs breezy |