The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-28
NEW hooks.
considerable disadvantage. But tho sssayist

considerable disadvantage. But tho essaylst
continues:
What enchantment binds them to that inconsid'
cradle spot1 What magic nXes their eyes upon the
point of a fishing rod as II it were the finger OK
destiny? II 10 the enchantment Of uncerainty' tho
same natural magic that draws the little surburoan
boys in the spring of the year with their strings ana
pin hooks around tho shallow ponds where daco
and rednns hide; tho same irresistible charm that
fires row Of city vamins. like ragged ana disreput
able nsh crows on the end OF pier where olear
eyed founders sometimes Turk in the muddy water
Let the philosopher explain it as he will Let the
moralist reprehsnd II II he chooses There 10
nothing that attfac human nature more power
fully III all the sport of tempting the unknown with
fishing line. Those ancient anglers haxtet out
upon an exodus from the tedious REALM Re den
mite tho fixed. the vnusi.certsinly COO ito pass.
They are holiday in the free country OF perad-
venture"
It will be observed that In all this time the
ancient anglers have caught nothing And
neither perhaps. for that matter. has the
reader. But that is but an instance OF
the proverbiai uncertainty OF "Fisherman's
Luck" which may bring to the adventurer the
reward OF a goodly string Of fish or the disa-
Rreeable alternative OF wet feet and an empty
basket"
Dr. Van Dykes chapters may at least appeal
to those followers Of old lzaak. who. in the
words OF their master. are lovers OF virtue;
and dare trust in Providence; and be quiet
and go Angling"
Mr.. Quiller-Couch is. in all that he writes. an
artist and it Is good now and then to get
book as well written as is THE Ship OF Stars
tScrIbner'sl pleasant, wholesome story
this full of the salt -bracing air OF the Cornish
coast: the beauty and color and risor OF lilo on
the open shore with some exquisitely poetic
opening chapters descriptive OF the spiritual
and intellectual development of a boy and
girl a good love interest and a hint OF tragedy
in the background.
small unpretentious paper covered volume
published by Mr.. Paul Drachel OF Milwaukee.
Wis. under the title Eight Years Among tho
Malays" gives an interesting series OF pictures
OF life in the wilds OF Sumatra among Malay
tribes similar in many respects to those now in
instruction in tho Philippines. The narrative
is put together from an oral account OF his adj
ventures in the Far East by former member
OF tho Dutch Colonial Army. and IL valuable as
being made up Of the actual experiences and
impressions OF one who has spent the best
years OF his life in that country and has seen
and thought foi himself Hence the reader
may gather from his ramblings. and rather dis
connected chapters. some new Impressions on
such matters as the Dutch methods OF colonial
ton. their treatment OF subject races and the
general conditions OF life under their rule:
impressions that are particularly Interesting
at the present moment, although the book was
actually written before there seemed to be any
probability that the United States would
acquire territory on that portion of the globe.
The island Of Sumatra, which covers an area
larger than that Of the State Of California. has
anative population of about four millions. con-
sisting OF Malays proper. inhabiting the
northern portion OF the island. the Achnese.
and tho Mohammedan and Cannibal Battahs.
or those latter. the Mohammedan Battahs.
have been weaned from their cam ibalistic
propensities. and have assumed the peaceful
qualities OF the Malays proper. but the real
canniba Battahs to this day make the large
island Of Ambarita the site Of orgies in
which their victims. whether prisoners
OF war. condemned criminals. captured
travellers. or strangers. are tied to the
stake. hack ed to pieces inch by inch and liter
ally eaten alive. The Achiuese are fanatical
and warlke. and skirmishes between them
and the Dutch ara still a matter OF everyday
occurrence. though the Government has al
ways tried to cast a veil Of secrecy over its
operations in that portion OF Sumatra in which
1t has not yet succeeded in wholly subduing
the natives. Altogether the Dutch forces in
the East Indies consist OF eighteen battalions.
about ten thousand white and twcnty
thousand native soldiers. the latter including
ha'i- oie ,e VI ""''e' pr"Wn' o'och OF 'ono"
races. These forces aided by the dissensons
", "n'Ne u,oee "''onI cav" o'"e,' "o'' 'i
e",uN 'o,n, p"l,''"''N'o VI moro ,""h 'h,i,
n'''',o"'' i"ous" 'h'''''sen' anu po"ce.u''
'he oa'ahese VINO n"H'oei ABOUT t"ehty-n'e
millions Of this total. are rigidly excluded from
n'' ''o "u'an'aseso " cinii""''on anu Aep' ny
Thor aro NO, .,o..o1 ~ 80. T,,.s,,an,, .Io,h.
49, ~ ~ %
,' ""u ~, Iuue"''Ni 10 '''' ~
'"e ha',t' Vi 'ai"''e"' 'i'"a,'''neu"h P'leS's
""'e 'heS are cohlpe"eu 10 pay
hea'y trlpnte' bulIn roads and DO
guard DUTY In the villages ut night without
recompense. In addition to all this the
Dutch have licensed the traffic in opium by SELL
ing to Chinese merchants the monopoly OF
vending the drug upon payment OF an annual
tax OF one million guilders for each district,
and their infatuation for the noxious narcotic
has made the Jayanese the s,ayes ~ tba
Chinese as we'll IA OF the Dutch since the
trsatv in the .arlv vs,rs of the canturv NV
,,hioh chir. economical uo,iana ~
a., 80. 49,, -,