The Pools of Silence. By H. de Vere Stacpoole. (T.
Fisher Unwin. 6s.)—The author of this book frankly acknowledges in a note at the beginning that it is a novel with a purpose, the purpose being once more to draw attention to the British Consular Reports on the horrible state of the Congo under the existing Government. Certainly the chapters which deal with the hunting expedition of Captain Berselius in the Congo are horrible enough. The whole thing is seen from the point of view of tIme hero, Dr. Paul Adams, a young American whom Captain Berselius takes with him as the doctor to the expedition. It is unfortunately only too true that the atrocities spoken of are by
no means exaggerated, and the author describes them with all the art of a practised teller of stories. The portion of the book which deals with Captain Bergeline's blow on the head and loss of memory is not quite so interesting. The reader will hope that the hero lost courage in his negotiations with the Govern- ment rl of Britain and America a little too soon. No one who shirks looking the facts of life straight in tho face should read this novel, but it should bring many recruits to the Congo Reform Association.
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