Breaking the Wilderness. By F. S. Dellenbaugh. (G. P. Putnam's
Sons. 14s.)—This is the story of the gradual opening out of Western America and the conquest of the aborigine. It has a fascination, though we must confess that it is only that appertaining to all stories of adventure and exploration, and is in no wise due to Mr. F. S. Dellenbaugh's treatment. His style is too abrupt, and the separate phases of the history have the appearance of being thrown together. The real interest of the book consists in tales of the pioneers, of the country at the head-waters of the Missouri, and all that wild "no man's land " which marches with the Rockies from New Mexico to the International Boundary. The Western pioneer represented a marvellous type, which was never daunted, never acknow- ledged defeat, and has left splendid examples of adventures, daring, and almost superhuman endurance. But with much that exalted him to honoured memory, the frontiersman was capable of atrocities and conduct that cannot be forgiven. Mr. Dellenbaugh returns with some emphasis to this point, and the subsequent completion of the same degrading policy by means of the equally deadly, if less dangerous, weapon, the whisky-bottle. He is an authority on the "Indians of yesterday," and is at his best when describing the tribes of the South-West. A good map, in addition to the excellent little contour page maps, would have been a useful adjunct to the volume. There are some interesting pages and a few good photographs in the book, which, however, is chiefly remarkable for its weight avoirdupois.
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