In Farthest Burma. By Captain F. Kingdon Ward. (Seeley, Service.
25s. net.)—Captain Ward describes in this book a long journey which he took in the summer of 1914 in the wild hill-country beyond Myitkyina, on the Burmo-Chinese frontier. He was in quest of rare plants, and he describes the wonderful flora of this little known region with knowledge and enthusiasm. He writes well, too, about the hill-tribes—primitive but not unkindly people—and about the Chinese traders who cross the hills from Yunnan to cut coffin-planks from great juniper trees which are valued for their strong scent. There are no roads in this region, and the rivers have to be crossed by perilous swinging bridges of cane and rope. Captain Ward seems much concerned about the possibility of Chinese incursions ; but even if the Chinese were aggressive, it is hard to believe that they would covet a district which produces nothing but timber, or that serious military operations could ever be undertaken where Captain Ward and his little caravan had a most arduous march. The two or three small forts on the frontier ought to be a sufficient safeguard.
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