The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-03

80 eat men: what b In diTersncs;' A,
one chief. pAFodying unconsciouslv
Roman emperor. exclaimed. All. ~.
! could eat everybody on earth
In contrast To Grenfell We vii
an example OF Sir Harry lohnsaA,a
style. which may serve at the s7r.
as a deterrent to a rush 10 Af-i'a
speaking OF mosquitoes Inid-o-
tsstss flea. he describes tho Wid.r boz.
life % the Congo: There arc r'-
stunted little flies (Simuliu,n dAr.....-
most appropriately named D.. ru'i, f..-
than the nudge. with short bla,
(about one eighth Of an inch kHa
settle On the hand and leave h-.
blood az every withdrawal ct a.
prOboscis. injecting also slIHe Col.
which long rema ins 10 irri;ats aud
There are on or near the waite . ...
hippo flies with gfeen eyes and to-.
bodies that drive through cloIh-,
skin a veritabls stiletto. other flies ~ I...
with their OvipOsitOrs deposit an egg ID,
the wound that grows into a grub sr,i
will only issue through its sslf-msd,
abscoss; house fllss in myriAds where -
cattle are bred-odious with their ssupsl
intrusiveneas; GG9ers or borrowing @eas
predatory blOOdthirsty driver ants. mlnut.
brown ants that want TO substitute them
selves for your sugar and bisoIita. large
ants that stink profoundly. small blAcs
ants intent on devouring natural
history specimens; cockroaches two
inches long. lOcusts four inches long.
mason wasps which mess svery prominent
article Of furniture with their ebay ne~ta
containing q grub and half dead spider
gray glistening wasps with almost deadlv
sting. beetiSs that burrows into tho raftaF.
and reduce them TO dust, oateFpillAFs that
produce q skin disease by slightest contact
with their poisonous hairs. aromatic bugs
shrieking locustids. bouncing oTiOkets Of
hideous aspect and mAntises with long
necks and fat bellies which after having
unnecessarily flown from the lamp on ~
your neck will nip the timid finger sdvanc-
ing TO dislodgO them
After this chronological rhapsody
he assures us that these are the real ter
rors Of animal life in the Coago: 'thsss
tiny insect poets: not tho crocodile whS
has all the fascination Of an antediluVian
monster; not the leopard. buffalo. els-
plant. OF snakes who did not interfere
with you IL you did not call them 90 order
nor gwen the unwieldy. wrAthful hippo
80 easy 10 shoot and 50 toBchingly remi-
niscent OF the PliOcsne.- He Proceeda IN
enumerats many other unpleasant poe
sibilities, lightning. storm. food and 81
on. II will be perceived that Sir Harry
Johnston writes entertainingiy. even
IL he shows signs OF haste and M over
great respect for the English language
The second volume is more distinctly
scientific in intention. In IL the Cong
people are described in great detail ami
much interesting matter has be-n ac-
cumulated regarding Anthropology
diseases. artificial adornments. inclui-
ing mutilation. food. reli gion. burial and
marriage customs. slavery all the sub
jeots dealt with 10y sthnograI h. There
are chapters on housing. warfare and
trade. industries. the econo-
mic conditions. and the foiklore 10 ais
touched upon. Finally there are impor-
tant notes on the languages spoken ia
the Congo basin and chapters ou the
geology. botany and zoology
Much Of this il taken from the op-srva
tons 81 GrsnfelI and other misSi ona nee.
but SlT hhTTl btnhnton mas KMLnsftTl
wherever he could ind .
and has put it all here. Il will be found
Ia be Of deep interest aud drawn fruis
sources. even II Il may Ls d,-
iic,If to quote the precise authority for
statements.
The book IL illustrated with mauy
hundreds Of pictures. some taken nv
Grenfell and other missionaries. some by
ihs author or from other sources. Their.
are good maps too. An interesting rac'.
and language map on a large scale IL at
the snd Of the second volume: the hand
acme map Of the Congo. at the end o. the
first. would he more seryiceabls IL more
II the place and river names mentioned
IN the text were marked upon IL. Sir
Harry Johnston has turned out a pretty
good book. better perhaps than could
~ eAp.ctsd from a man of has varied
interests; a book that will be Of value
10 I'll Interested ia Africa and that gives
some idea Of the great work that George
Iirenfell did