Evening star., 1937-07-07
NEW BOOKS
AT RANDOM
BY MARGARET GERMOND.
NORTHWEST PASSAGE. BY Kenneth
Roberts. New York: Doubleday,

A page from American Colonial his
tory is in this volume revitalized and
romanticiZed by Kenneth Roberts in
novel that reconstructs from the frag-
ments OF knowledge concerning him the
character and career of an heroic SOL
dler OF French and Indian War fame
whose praises have somehow never been
oVersung beyond the limited boundaries
OF his native New England region.
Perhaps the reason for the dearth of
authentic biographical material relating
to Major Robert Rogers is attributable
to the sentimental disposition of later
generations to clothe its heroes with
many virtues and rob them of their
vices. And the major, when judged by
the prevailing rules of conventional con-
duct, was more famous for his vices
than Tor his virtues. But in measuring
the 1ull value Of the man as he is pre-
sented by Mr.. Roberts, it is the better
part of wisdom to recall Mark Twain.
as does the author:
I have no special regard for Satan,
but can at least claim that I have no
prejudice against him, 1t may be that
l even lean little his way, on account
OF MS not having fair show. All re-
llglons issue bibles against him and say
the most injurious things about him, but
we never hear his side. We have none
put the evidence for the prosecution, and
yet we nave rendered the verdict. To
my mind this is irregular. 1t is un-
English, 1t is un-American, it is French,
or course, Satan has some kind of
case, 1t goes without saying. 1t may
be poor one, but that is nothing: that
can be said about any of u.s."
1t is with the fairness of Mark TWain's
evaluation of Satan that Mr.. Roberts
approaches the task of recounting the
fantastic career of a man born in an
era when only those who were capable
OF attunlng themselves to violent living
could successfully combat the forces
that leaders such as Rogers were called
upon to conquer.
The story. which is in two parts and
covers the two important phases of the
majors life, is told in the person of
Langdon ToWne of Kittery, a Young
scapegrace whose ambition to paint pic
lures of Indians leads to his flight from
Harvard to Portsmouth in the COM
pany of two rough -hewn, whole hearted
friends where the three of them gather
more trouble and are compelled to flee
for their lives from political enemies,
Young Towne and Hunk Mariner seek
refuge In the service of the crown and
become members of the famous COM
pany OF rangers under the command
OF Major Robert Rogers. Thus is estab-
llShed, through an imaginary character,
the contact which makes possible the
intimate picture of the frontier hero of
1859.
Langdon ToWne's arrival in the camp
OF the Rangers is timed to coincide with
preparations for the historic expedition
which lett Crown Point on September
Is, 1853, for the long northWard march
against the stronghold of the enemy at
st. Francis. The first section of the
BOOK is devoted to this particular expedi-
ton, and with meticulous detail the
history Of that famous forced march is
recounted in terms which bring back
TO reality the rigorS, the hardShpS and
the personalities of century and q half
ago. Continuous action marks the
story OF the treacherous trek of the
Rangers through the wild region between
Lake Champlain and the St. Lawrence
River with the French in pursuit and
their Indian allies supporting flank
movements from all directions.
Mr.. Roberts is gifted with the power
to give life to his historic heroes, and
his description of the compelling, dy-
manic forces merged in the indefatigable,
cold-blooded, hard-bitten, Immoral yet
somehow noble character, makes vitally
alive the fighter whose keen knowledge
of his enemies and whose accurately
timed strategy engineered the swift,
devastating attack which wiped out the
stronghold from which the savages of
the north set forth to conduct their
barbaric raids upon the villages and
settlements of New England Thrilling
indeed is the description Of the historic
conquest of st. Francis, and equally as
realistic is the record of the homeWard
journey over Zigzag trail studded with
tragedy and checkered with hardships
and sufferings beyond the imagination
OF a generation whose conception of
hardship is to be unable to possess a
high powered motor car.
1t was the ambition of Major Rogers
to discover the great Northwest Passage
to the Pacific. A handsome reward had
been offered by the British government
for the discovery of such passage and
Major Rogers believed that it was pos
sible to chart route over land by fol-
loNlIlS UIic 1IlOldI1 IldllS WeSG 1TOI1 Ulle
st. Lawrence River. He also believed
that vast territory beyond the western
frontier would be opened for settlement
If northwest passage became reality
Having little regard for the bungling
inefficient English officers sent over by
the British government to lead the Co.
lonials against the French, Major Rogers
financed his own expeditions. This
drain upon his resources, plus his un-
heroic character when not leading his
Rangers against the enemy. kept him
continuously in debt. Winning the re-
ward was therefore highly desirable.
This dream of conquest and fortune,
however, led to the difficulties which
resulted in the spectacular episodes
which brought the indomitable hero into
disrepute and disgrace.
It is with this later phase of his life
that the second part of the book deals,
and it is here that the lack of knowl-
edge concerning the unpublicized side
of his life becomes apparent. He went
to London to seek the aid of influential
men in furthering his plans to open
the northwest passage. He succeeded in
obtaining the governorship of Michili-
mackinac-the territory which then
marked the western frontier of the
British Empire and which now is the
State of Michigan-and returned to
America. He organized and sent forth
an exploring party which played him
false, plotted against him and caused
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