New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-25

men most needed. and Miss Macnab leaves her
reader convinced that in Ill Africa there Is no
more vexatious state OF affairs than In the
southernmost colonies. At the same 'ne 'ha'
she writes with grave concern about the prob
lens in the TransvaaI and the neighborng
regions, and supplies us with abundant statisti-
cal information .be has contrived TO produce a
very engaging book of personal adventure
Nothing exciting happened to her. and she made
no important discoveries. but she Is opserVaht
and well-informed; Just for the wide spaces OF
the veldt in her pages and the strange African
Landscape that she depicts, her narrative would
be valued She has packed her volume with
solid information and serious students OF South
African economics will rejoice In her labors, but
she enjoyed her "trekking,' her camphres and
her Kaffir friends, and the public VIII enjoy
these things with her.
But the most dverting OF all these Alrlcah
travellers is NJ Felix Dubois, whom Miss WHITE
has translated with such skill that he loses
none Of his vivacity and charm To him. writ
ing more as a man OF letters than Is the case
with most explorers, has fifty fallen the task or
describing region which appeals to the MIND
in a fairly poetic way. NJ. Dubois has not been
content to trust his own eyes alone upon MS
journey along the Niger He sought out the ola
men Of Jenne and Timbuctoo got hold OF a copy
of the "Tarik Soudan" or native history OF the
Sou LAM and with the aid Of the wise old mara
butts" translated much Of that precious oriental
document. gathering light on TlmDuctoo the
Mysterious" Having done this it must he adj
mitted that he nearly transfers the reader IN
terest TO Jenne. town in which the survival OF
Egyptian features In the architecture STARTS d
profoundly suggestive train or thought as 10
the origin OF some OF the tribes In the valley OF
the Niger. That question has appealed stroney
to NJ. Dubois. and he views the Songhols WIN
a sympathy for their traits and customs, whlch
lends glow of enthusiasm to his pages In one
respect his book presents curious contrast 10
those of the other authors discussed above: ne
persuades us, without trying, either, that the
French have been much maligned by those VINO
doubt their capacity as coonizing nation
France cannot compete with EEglahd' OH INC
whole, in this special field OF human ehdeaVor,
but il is unnecessary to belitte what she mas
already accomplished, to assume that because
she cannot transform Madagascar into miracle
of wealth in year. that she has no GIT Tor pant
ing her sons on alien soil. She can DO that' ana
something better: she can win the natives TO her
side in a manner which other nations might
envy.
splendid resources just the land for which the
natives might be expected to fight until the bit
ter end But Timbuctoo was rendered up 10 the
French without shot, the Soudan, IN so rar az
they OCCUPY It, Is not only tractable but happy
and the sketch NJ. Dubois gives is OF a region
being civilized at a remarkably rapid rate. Inc
regroes are evidently pleased with their new
rulers pleased and willing to help them IN put
ting lawlessness down. handful OF frenchnen'
Infinitely smaller in numbers. in proportion. imam
the Engishmen occupying oriental lanos unuer
British rule keep the Niger Valley In order. me
ferocious Touregs have ceased TO despoii the IN
habitants Of Timbuctoo, as they were wont 10 90
before the French occupation NJ DupoiS sees
in his minds eye a railway across or around the
desert from TimbuctOo to Algiers, and then. ne
with pxh
uerranean will be joined to those OF the Niger,
and commerce will spread out over the French
Soudan until the power and the arts or EuropN
arc as firm fixed at JENNIE : at Paris. II is
beautiful dream and NJ Dubois offers persuasive
arguments for its realization. HIS text mas peen
beautifully illustrated, and there Is not dull
page in his book. 1t is relinquished with the re-
Election that after all, the nation of which least
has been expected In African colonization bias
fair TO do some Of the hest work there that ne
wears can bring forth. They have fertile terri
tory tribes often troublesome. but. on the whole
ductile and open to civilization. and they seem
to be going about their business in the right way.