Evening star., 1939-02-19

They are about our only source OF
information. There is little that
we can do but take them at their
own word. Mr.. Mowers book, at
any rate, will make heartenins
reading for all well-wishers OF
China.
Indian Covolcode
By Clark Wissler. New York:
Sheridan House.
The author of this book is the
curator in chief of the department
Of anthropology of the American
Museum of Natural History and
author Of the authoritative text
"The American Indian" His pres
ent work, however, is not a scientific
study. 1t is a popular thing-Dr
Wissler's personal memories of old
days on Indian reservations. It is
mellowly and sometimes humor-
ously written and full of good anec-
dotes. 1t makes smooth, absorbing
reading and can be recommended
either as history or as entertain
ment.
DR.. Wissler takes his own expert
ence for the basis of his book. He
made visits to various reservations
10 in all-during the years between
1900 and 1905, but he says of this
time that the conditions which he
saw were also typical of the decade
of the 90s. He writes of the duties
and problems of the old time Indian
agent. he tells of the exploits of the
Indian police, he reminisces about
the Indian traders. Toward the In
dians themselves he takes a friendly
but not sentimental attitude; there
were fine men and women among
them, he says, and there were also
high-grade rascals. In the main, he
found them simply childlike in their
dealings with the whites.
The book covers a part of Indian
history of which little is written. at
least little that is realistic. It is the
period which came after the bitter
ness aroused by Indian wars had
somewhat subsidized and before the
more recent Standardization of
the public's attitude toward the red
men had become prevalent. Indian
affairs then were in the main OBJ
scure. They were carried out by Of
ficials who did not seek publicity
for their efforts, and the public, for
its part, was not seeking informa-
ton. 1t cared little or nothing about
Indians, now that 1t was sure that
they were definitely pacified.
Abuses naturally grew up in this
atmosphere of indifference, and DR..
Wissler mentions them. But he does
not give the old officials the un-
mitlgatedly bad name which sensa-
tionalists have since bestowed upon
them. Instead, he opines that life
on the reservations was not worse
than life in the average American
town OF the time" His book is sane,
accurate and, as said, entertaining.
1t can certainly be recommended.
Supereorgo>
By Earl Whitehorne. Ne1p
York: Funk G. WagndHs Co.
This is novel based on an actual
incident, mutiny which took place
on the barque Cayolte in the wear
1868, and which, for a time, resulted
in a seemingly insoluble mystery,
1t is told here by the son of the man
who solved the puzzle, the clerk on
the United States sloop-of-war Iri-
quois, which was sent to investigate
after the Cayolte had turned up
drifting in Japanese waters. Mr..
Whitehorne says that he heard his
father tell the tale many times and
that he became fascinated by it until
he had to write it down. He is not
a professional writer, and his novel
has an unmistakable amateurish-
ness but the story is still quite read
able.
In sum it is this. The Cayolte set
out from Callao, Peru, for San Fran
cisco, carrying a load Of coolies. A
little out Of port the coolies broke
out OF the hold where they were
confined, murdered the crew and
the officers and took possession Of
the ship. Only one white man was
spared. That was q passenger, or
"supercargo," a young American
business man and former Army OH
Ger. He was allowed to live because
his Chinese servant pied for him,
representing to the coolies that they