A TALE BY MR. MANVILLE FENN.*
WE do not know whether Mr. Fenn has ever gone sporting or botanising up a tropical river, but he certainly writes as if he
had. It would not, indeed, be easy to find a more vivid and effective piece of local colouring. The critic has, of course, to take it very much on trust ; he can but compare what be
reads with the descriptions of professional travellers. So far. Mr. Fenn's work stands the test well. One can, too, judge by the effe-t on ourself. In this respet it is quite beyond doubt that The Grand Chaco is an uncommonly interesting, we way say exciting, story.
The plot may be very briefly outlined. An enthusiastic botanist, in search of new species, voyages up a South American stream. His guide is a veteran boatman. and he has an Indian crew. His companions are a nephew and a young Italian, son of the captain of a trading vessel, who is anxious to see more of the world. and to improve his English. Everything at first goes well. There is sport in plenty, and the naturalist is almost overwhelmed with the wealth of the natural king- dom which he is exploring. Mr. Fenn gives us, among other things, a description, which will make every angler's mouth water, of the capture of a dorado, a fish magnificent in size and in the brilliance of its golden scales. Such descriptions are, as we remember of old, a speciality of our author. We can remember to this day the details of the taking of a huge pike in one of the Sussex ironwork pools, as Mr. Fenn told it.
Then misfortunes gather round the adventurers. A thoughtless taunt from the English lad gives mortal offence to his young Italian companion, and when the latter disappears. the pleasure of the expedition is sadly marred. The naturalist, in the enthusiasm of his discoveries, strays from his party in the tropical wilderness, and their search for him is carried on with agitating vicissitudes of hope and fear. The boat dis- appears. carried off, it is thought. by the Indian crew, and the diminished party is confronted by a deadly peril. But the climax of trouble. and, at the same time, of Mr. Fenn'a de- soriptive powers, comes with a flood that sweeps over the country with a tropical fury. Among the exciting scenes which result, the moat striking, perhaps, is the comb .t between the anaconda and the jaguar, both driven by the rising waters to take shelter in the same tree, but still unable to forget their enmity. In contrast with the ferocity of the jaguar, we have a carious picture, for which, doubtless, go .d authority could be given, of the playful and amiable
ways of a puma, which makes friends in a delightfully spontaneous fashion with the young Englishman. We are quite sorry when the playful creature disappears into the wilderness. However, he would have been out of place iu civilisation.
Mr. Feun's tale is just what such a story should be. There is no sentimentality and no bloodshed ; and these two things are more and more the prevailing faults of gift- book literature.
• The Ur nd Ciki00. By tieurge cam. Luadon: S. W. Partridge and Jo. DOA
Previous page
