Evening star., 1938-01-16
By Mary.Carfer Roberts.

BY M0ry.Carter Roberts.
TRANsGREssoR IN THE TROPICS.
BY Negley Farson. New York:
Harcourt Brace g. Co.
THAT brilliant paragrapher. Mr..
sssa Seslsy aops psrion, 50 sss sesmS His mere 70
book, "Transgressor in the
Tropics" while slight thing when
placed beside his best-selling auto
biography of a couple of years ago,
still ought to approximate its predeces-
sors popularity. 1t is little more than
q series of vignettes taken from some
months of travel in certain South
American countries-Colombia Ecua-
DOR Peru and Chile-but it is fas-
cinating and persuasive piece Of work.
Mr.. Farson has fine taste in anec-
dates. The patness of some Of his
stories, to be sure, may arouse Sus-
picion that. in their telling. they have
not been without minor adjustments
But whether or no, they combine to
make most amusing book.
1t would seem that one fine morn
ing Mr.. Farson took steam from Eng
land for Cartagena. Colombia, having
from somewhere the vague promise
that. when he arrived, there would be
a job of sorts waiting for him. More
than that concerning his motives for
going to the continent to the south he
does not offer, unless one take the
following few sentences for explana-
ton:
Il had deliberately selected South
America because (a) I had never
been there before: (b) in something
over 20 years trying out what life
was like in other parts of the world,
had always steered clear of South
America. had a strong hunch that
that part of the world would bring
me bad luck. And in this idea I am
not sure even yet that I was not
quite right. At any rate, I can speak
with feeling when I say that If you
want strictly emotional adventure to
test, or re-orient, yourself. South
America is the right spot to go for II"
A DVENTUREs began for him even
on the boat train, where a young
woman whom, from the color Of her
garments. he called the Parrott, un-
dertook to borrow funds from him
and began to tell him the story Of her
life; events of like divertng char
acter did not cease when he boarded
the Dutch "stoomboot" and found
that he had drawn an English bishop
for cabin mate. Instead, they con-
tinued through the full tale OF his
peregrinations.
And 1t is such trifles as these which
occupy him. He does not write of
his travels in order to oblige a long
ing public with accounts OF the seem
cry or the history of the lands through
which he passes. He does not convert
himself either into verbose and
pantingly earnest interpreter OF poll
Tics, as do so many of our travel writ
ers at this particular moment in the
history OF the world. He writes, ap-
parently, simply to express himself,
and his expression in this book is in
terms OF human absurdity. He went
the length of the west coast of the
continent, alternately sweltering in
the terrible coast towns and gaspin1
Tor breath in the well-celebrated An
dean SHOWS, and at every stop he saw
people behaving ridiculously-not, be
1t understood. because they were in
South America, but because that is
the way he sees people behave. And
VINO Is to take issue with him?
The recording of human sbsurdity
can be. OF course. the Just occasion
TOR profound volumes. But Mr.. Far
son has not made it so. He writes
lightly. dryly, detachedly. And for a
light, dry. detached commentator. he
writes extremely well.
HAS long seemed to the reviewer
that travel writer's fall altogether
WITHIN two classes-there are those
who see what they expect to see in
foreign lands (these are lady travellers
generally and there are those who
earnestly debunk or, that is, refuse
TO see any Of the expected things. Mr..
Farson belongs to the latter class.
He found South America practically
devoid OF Senoritas, moonlit settings
tor dalliance, romantic beachcombers,
soldiers of fortune, picturesque pa
triots and the usual stage props for
the South American opus. He found
It so extraordinarily devoid of these
nxtures, in fact, that reader may be
pardoned for wondering if he has not
leant over little to miss them. But.
II one has to choose between the
gushing lady writer's (some of them
are masculine. of course) and the de-
bunker let us have the latter by all
means. Be it said for Mr.. Farson
that few Of his debunking colleagues
can do a job anywhere approaching
his for neatness, conviction and des-
patch.
At any rate, his book is recon-
mended without reservations. The re-
viewer cannot remember when she
has been able to say as much for any
other travel volume. It has been q
long time, she is certain Of that.
TWO WARS AND MORE TO COME.
by HERBERT l.. Matthews. New
York: Carrick G Evans.
THE author of this book covered the
Ethiopian war for the New York
Times and, more recently, has been
on the scene of the Spanish trouble
for the same journal. In Ethiopia
he was with the Italian forces; he ac-
eompanied Gen. Mariotti's column in
Its march across the Danakil Desert
and entered Adds Ababa with the
army of Marshal Badoglio. He was,
throughout the adventure, enthusi-
astic over the Italian cause and heart
lily In admiration of the conduct Of
the Duce's troops. He records, indeed,
that the praise he gave the expedi-
aonary forces caused him to be
charged with being in Fascist pay.
In Spain, however, his sympathy was
entirely with the Loyalist side and he
excoriates the rebels in the most ap-
nrovod "a rhion r. ie thu d{e-;x. Ia ,s4.,