New-York tribune., 1921-11-06

| owen Rowe ONell. Published by
| Century Company.
/ DOWN THE COLUMBIA. BY Lewis r
Freeman Published by Dodd, Mead &
| Co.
~ f. ONEIL and Mr.. Freeman
certainly succeed in getting
y away from the beaten paths
frequented by globe trotters.
DR.. o'Neil, who, despite his suggestively
Gaelic name, was born and bred a
Boer, penetrated the forbidding jun
giles of South Africa and hobnobbed
with the princes and witch doctors of
Swaziland. Mr.. Freeman claims to
have made the first boat trip down the
Columbia River from its source in
the mountains to the Pacific Ocean.
Both books are crowded with exciting
and picturesque episodes.
AS boy DR.. O'Neil persuaded his
uncle, shrewd merchant who acted as
agent of the Boer government in it's
dealings with the Swazis, to take him
to the court Of the famous King Buno.
Here he witnessed strange and revolt
ing sights. The savage king, drunk
with the gin which had been given him.
practiced craftsmanship with q new
Mauser rifle on his own warriors.
whom he slaughtered by scores. The
boy and his uncle were compelled by
Buno to take part in the butchery, al
though they attempted to kill as few
victims as possible
Dom Tugs, the uncle, made a prac-
tlce of wrestling with Buno for the
gold which he received from the Boef
government. DR.. O'Neil asserts that
his uncle seldom failed to make away
with sizable portion of the indemnity.
The author attended Buno's funeral,
which was as barbaric as his life. Ten
Of his bravest chieftains were chosen
to follow their ruler in death and we're
put to death by the chief witch doctor
amid wild beating of shields and
spears by the assembled warriors.
After Buno's death his mother,
Labotsibeni, ruled as regent for his son,
Sebuza. AS the time for Sebuza's com
ing of age approached, DR.. ONcil COL
lected party of American motion
picture experts and journeyed to Swazi-
land in the hope Of filming a savage
coronation. But it soon became cvi-
dent that the succession would not
take place without struggle. The old
Queen Regent objected to giving up
her power because, according to Swat
custom, this meant that she must die
After fruitless negotiations the issue
was settled by battle, in which Sebuza
was victorious.
In order to bind their allegiance to
the new regime more firmly DR.. O'Ncil
and his companions were compelled to
submit to the high but painful honor
of being initiated as Swat "indunas,"
or chieftains. This experience com
PEELED them to wander scantily clad on
the hills for number of days, subsist
ing on such food as they might find
and constantly obsessed with fear of
the bite of some poisonous snake.
The book abounds in striking pict-
ures of Swazi habits. Particularly in
teresting is the authors description
OF the technique practiced by the witch
doctors, who play most important
part in the life of these primitive
tribesmen. These witch doctors act as
priests, judges, physicians and coun-
sclors of state. The author is inclined to
credit them with some genuine knowl-
edge of the medicinal properties of
African herbs. OF course, their chief
stock in trade is hocus pocus of
solemn, mystical rites, calculated to
overawe the ignorant people.
From the gloomy jungles of Africa
Mr.. Freeman transports us to the clear
cold stretches of the Upper Columbia
River, as it comes tumblng down the
Canadian Mountains in its course to
the sea. The Columbia is distinctly
not stream adapted to pleasure
cruise. 1t is full of rapids, whirlpools,
submerged rocks and other perils to
the incautious hoatman.
Mr.. Freeman ACCOMPLISHED tAo nri1ra