The New York herald., 1922-03-05
The Romance of
North Africa

BARBARY: THE ROMANCE OF THE
NEAREST EAST. BY A. Maccallum
Scott. Dodd. Mead & 60.
IN OR five hundred years Roman
civilization as represented by
art. science and religion held
almost full sway in what we now
term the Barbary tates-that por-
ton Of northern Africa lying be-
tween the Sahara and the Mediter-
ranean. with which this volume is
concerned. Then came the Moham-
medan invasion. and almost at sin
gle blow all that Rome had built up
so faboriously was swept away. Un-
daunted by this. however. France
has undertaken to do what older
Powers tried in vain. and for years
has been steadily engaged in an ef-
Aoie " iSeialih @ehiS lOSt odtpoot oi
Europe" Progress has been made.
The effort continues. The inal re-
suit none may foretell. for Europe
has tried to conquer one or another
portion Of Africa since the begin
nings of written history-always to
fail in the end.
"The struggle is not a physical
one but a spiritual one" we are re-
minded. and In the authors belief
the great tropic heart of Africa can
never be Europeanized." We OF the
twentieth century apparently are
witnessing another stage OF that
eternal conflict between the organ
lied and conquering energy of Eu-
rope and the invincible. passive re-
sistance of Africa" It is this re-
fusal on the part of Algeria and
Tonis to become Europeanized which
makes 1t possible for the author of
"Barbary" to transport his readers
through land fragrant with ro-
nance. filled with picturesque scenes
and persons and having back
ground Of history magnificent in va
r1ety and proportions.
Through strange cities and towns
he takes us to a tiny community.
Cherchel. built upon the site Of an
cient Cesarea, "the Athens OF the
West. where once the descendants
OF the Ptolemies and the Pharaoha
lived amid a brilliant court: to IT,
pasa, now all but unremembered. vet
which once was a center OF imperial
power-"a ganglion in the vast svs.
tenn OF law. religion and military
force which held Africa and Ga,l
and Britain and the provinces of the
Danube. Thrace and Asia Minor In
subjcetion"; to tiny, winding streets
with their merchants, to a stranea
and unattractive Grande Fete Maui
rescue and to Biskra. made lannon's
to America as well as Eurone hv
Robert Hichens. "The Hichens nil.
grims come trooping to Bislra with
their copies of The Garden of Allah,
in hand. hoping to experience the
mystic thrills of Dominl. Alas. thew
often go back unsatisfied. The das-
ert Is but sand and sun. The eva
sees what the eye has brought with
it."
OF especial interest is Chapter x
dealing with the sweep OF Barbarv
through past centuries, the oncom.
ing waves of invasion and connnast
| and the final results. OF equal va,na
Is Chapter XII, wherein the autbor
gives the Information he has gath
cred about the dolmen builders wbi,a
for charm none surpasses chaptor
XIII, in the course OF which ,,o
takes his reader through the Street
OF Perfumes and introduces him to
the Perfume Wizard.
This volume is far moro thon q.
! modern guide book" for tourists IN
Algeria and Tunis as described in a
publishers announcement. In do.
tail and clarity of statement il nm
doubtedly is such. But for tbasa
| who never intend to visit the mvs.
terious Barbary States Mr.. Maeca,.
lum Scott has written a delightsuI
opA ,pforp,ipo~ Inea,;r.;.