New-York tribune., 1912-04-06

ALONE IN VEST AFRICA. BY, Mary
Gaunt Illustrated; Svo' pp' XIX 44'
Charles Scribner's Sons
THROUGH TIMBUCTT AND ACROSS
THE GREAT SAHARA An Account
of an Adventurous Journey OF ENplora-
ton from Sierra Leone to the Source OF
the Niger, following It's Course 10 the
Bend at Gao and thence across the
\. H. W. Haywood, +. +. G. S, Royal
ARTILLERY With A. illustrations and a
map. Svo. PIP. xii, $40. Philadelphia. The
+. B. Lippincott COMPANY
Mrs. Gaunt comes of a typical English
family of globe trotters and empire
builders. Her grandfather was an official
Of the East India Company; her father
Il government warden in the Australian
gold fields. where she was born. When
she and her brother and sister were
Young. she says, they generally regard
ed money as a means Of locomotion We
have hardly got over the habit as vet
The ITGHdcrlUSt was in her veins, where
fore. when confronted with the necessity
Of earning her own livelihood. she de-
cided that the best way for her to earn
it was 70 go travelling in Africa and
write a book about her travels. An Eng
lish publisher gave her commission to
write the book. and his confidence has
been justified. for a most delightful book
It is.
one reads with undiminshcd delight,
for this woman alone in West Africa
saw with observing eyes and a nimble,
practical mind that Yet was fully alive
to the beauties Of nature and the pictu-
resQucncss Of the selyedce OF civiliza-
ton. In this day of depreciation Of the
stronger sex by aggressive womanhoOd
il is pleasant to find her paying whole
hearted tribute 10 the chiyalry, courtesy.
care and unfailins service bestowed upon
her by the men Of her race, English,
French and German She talks scnsiblN
Of the potential riches of the region, Of
commerce and agriculture, of rubber and
gold. but-doubt seizes upon her when
she compares French and German meth
DDS of colonization and administration
with those OF the English. The Liberians
made p deplorabc impression upon her:
The Llberan, the descendant Of the freed
slave deSpises work. He aspires 70 be
gentleman OF leisure, to serve in the gov
crnment service. or I'm the church.
There are, believe, exceptions. But
taken as a whole the Iberians, after close
on ninety years OF self-govcrnment. must
strike the stranger as an effete race, bla-
tant and arrogant OF speech. an Arrogance
that il only equalled by their appalling
ignorance race that compares snOCklnfIH
with the Mandingo, the stately AShahu,
or the busy agricultural YOTuba. These
men are gentlemen In their own simple,
way. courteous and dl6nlAed.
The LibeTan IS only traYcstE OF lhe
European. arrogant without proper dlS-
nifty bOastful with absolutely nothing IN
the world 10 boast about, unless IL be the
amazing wealth OF the country he mlsman-
ages 50 shamefully.
The book is packed with information,
but throughout it has the charm or
voyage through an unknown and beauu"
fuI country in the company Of an eXcep-
tionally interesting woman.
Captain Haywood like Mrs. Gaunt'
started from Freetown, Sierra Leone
atsthis town, he utilized a six
months leave Of absence not in recuper-
ating in England, but in exploring the
of the middle and upper
Niger and in crossing the Sahara from
rimbuCtoo almost directly north to Al
riers. His account OF the rip across tn"
desert is The best part OF his narrative
impressive IN It's realism. II is n peril
,us Journey, whose perils arc such that
even the best Of preparation and equip