4 AUGUST 1923, Page 19

TWO NOVELS ON SOUTH AFRICA. * Two very different books on

South Africa are Mary of Many Loves,' by Amy J. Baker, and Bayete ! " Hail to the King ! "2 by G. Heaton Nicholls. The only link between these books is the charm of the veld, to the descriptions of which Mrs. Crawford contrives to give a distinctly poetic turn. Much the most interesting thing in her story is the account of the trek which the heroine makes to Namoya, Princess of the Matabele. This leads her across the bush veld or Low Country, and the readers of this chapter will wish with all their hearts that they too might make the journey. The rest of the story is more commonplace, and, frankly, the return of Mary to the convent and her profession arc quite unconvincing.