The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-02-04
BOOKS GOLD BRICKS
RoSTON YOUTH SAID TO BE AN Ex-
PERT LITERARY BUNCO
ARTIST
EDITORS IMPOSED UPo

EDITORS IMPOSED UPON
Firm of Publishers Induced to Bring
Out an Elaborate Story of Travel
Which 1t Is Now Alleged Has No
M Foundation in Fact-ExplOlts Said
to Be without Parallel for So
Young Man.
Claiming to be an intimate Of the ex-
plorer, Henry M. Stanley, and other cele-
brated European savants and scientists,
as fellow of the Royal Geographical So
ciety, as the son Of a former editorial
writer on the London Times and alleging
generally the halo of MISUNDERSTANDING
distinction, a beardless, guileless looking
/ Boston youth has succeeded in selling to
a leading publishing house of that city
/. and to usually shrewd editors of mag
azines and newspapers throughout the
country accounts of explorations that are
remarkable, to say the least. Editors and
literary authorities who now know more
of this young man-William Jameson
Reid, of Boston-than they did few
months ago, express the opinion that his
career is the most amazing In the annals
OF American literature.
AT less than twenty-seven years Of age,
William Jameson Reid has recently had
6O0-page book issued by one Of the best
known firms of Boston publishers re-
counting a years alleged explorations in
1884 In Western China and Eastern Thu
bet, the volumes being advertised by the
firm as one of it's standard" books and
being promulgated, in short, as a volume
TO be read and valued because Of its
recording the personal observations Of all
explorer in a practically unknown land,
and possessing the nature of scientific
authority. The production contains ac-
counts of marvellous adventures, thrilling
experiences with bloodthirsty savages,
numerous delineations of tribal customs
and rites and hairbreadth escapes from
the clutches of wild beasts
STORY DOUBTED.
AS a matter of fact, 1t IS stated by
personal acquaintance of Reds the only
wild tribes he ever encountered, the only
lions, tigers, buffaloes wild yak boa con-
strictors, asps, centipedes, tarantulas and
scorpions he ever shot at or destroyed;
the only turbulent rapids he ever descend
ed, the only parched deserts he ever toiled
across; the only exploring expeditions he
ever conducted were evolved in his indus
trious pilgrimages between his conven-
tional home in Dorchester and the Boston
public library Amid musty tones con-
tanning the records Of individuals who had
actually consumed many pitiless years or
given up their lives in attempting to
traverse unknown fractions Of the earth's
surface; surrounded by government re-
ports and bulletins Of foreign scientific So
cities; embalmed in seclusion, with few Of
the curious to poke into his proceedings,
for a great metropolitan library often
contains other explorers" the indefa-
tigable Reid laid the plans for celebrity
that would make the names of Living
stone, Stanley, Burton, Gill, Whitman,
Columbus, Marco Polo, De Leon, Cortez,
Pizarro and Magellan pale into insignif-
Icance.
AS far back as two years ago the
Bicycling World Of Boston was sending
out some little cards calling attention to
the fact that the publication was to print
series of articles entitled "Awheel
Through a Forgotten Corner of Europe
by William jameson Reid. F. r.. G. s.,
author of London to Pekin Awheel,"
1.-THE Eastern Question" etc. This was
his first claim to great scientific honors.
After adopting this play Reid pitched in
to take advantage Of his fame for all
there was in It, His skyrocket flight
brought him to perihelion early the past
autumn, when those who knew the truth
: about the youth we're electrified by the
following announcement, appearing in
catalogue Of firm of Boston publishers:
Through Unexplored Asia" by Will
liam Jameson Reid, who Is a member of
the Royal Geographical Society of Lon
don, and who has spent several years in
exploring China and Thibet. 1t is a STIR
ring story of travel and exploration, and
gives in the most careful manner an ex-
cellent idea of the habits Of the various
tribes of people met with, besides many
interesting and instructive hitherto IN
known facts about this great unexplored
region. Illustrated with sixteen full page
half tones from wash drawings. Also,
numerous text cuts, besides maps and
plans of the country through which Mr..
Reid passed Royal 8vo, handsome COW
er design, gilt tops. $3.50
WORK WELL DONE
An inspection of this new volume in
question has to do with a sumptuous
production of the artistic printer and
bookmaker. The pages are large, the
type clear, and, mechanically, the book
is of notable excellence. An illustrator
has done his best. The story told in
the volume is labyrinthine and Is GER
tainly important If true
Through Unexplored Asia" purports
10 contain the narrative of William
jameson Reids experiences while In
company with one George Burton
making a series of explorations in
volving the whole Of the year 1894, in
Western China and Eastern Thibet in
the region of the headwaters of the
Hoang Ho and Yangtse Kiang. The
opening chapter begins thus:
I'm the summer of 1893 1 reached Pc
kin, after an arduous journey OF 5000
miles through the very heart of Central
Asia
Their, according to the text, Reid and
George Burton" spent many weeks in
fitting up their expedition, and on Jan.
TO-. 1894, they started to explore the re-
gion in Eastern Thibet about the head
of the Hoang Ho and Yangtse Kiang.
Thereupon follow weird and lurid tales
of tribesmen, savages and their modes
of life and the wonderful adventures the
explorers had with them and the wild
beasts. They got back, according to the
text, to near their starting point, Jan.
/, 1895.
In the preface Mr.. Reid declares that
one Samuel R. Phillips" was the man
7 to whose munifcence and public spir-
It the expedition was made possible" He
also extends thanks to the Salem His
torical Society and to certain alleged
officials of tho Russian government who
him