height, of a chocolate colour, 35 years of age, having a Herculean chest, with arms the length of a child's. An immense head, covered with a shock of hair falling on his neck in ringlets, a flat nose, and a mouth stretching from ear to ear. Add to all a light summer suit consisting of a palm leaf round his loins, and the picture is complete." Tokiakus afterwards accompanied our author to New Britain as ship-boy. The Germans have rechristened New Britain "Neu Pommern," New Ireland "Neu Mecklenburg," and Duke of York Island "Neu Lauenburg." Mr. Pitcairn landed on the last-named island, and inspected the plantation there of the Hamburg Plantation Company. Everything was of a substantial character, and in 1887 the profits of this one plantation were £1300. Copra (made from coco-nuts) is the principal industry carried on, though coffee is grown to some extent. After an exciting friendly race with a German cutter, the author's vessel reached New Britain; and there he saw a splendid plantation, the property of a lady, a most accomplished half-caste Samoan, who was the widow of an American. The scenery was magnificent, but the terrible earthquakes which had occurred in the vicinity depreciated the value of the district. Count Pfeil, the German Government officer there, censured the author for landing in Neu Pommern without first reporting himself to the Government authorities, and actually fined him £1, "that being the lowest amount he could inflict for our evasion of the German regulations." We can commend this book for its interesting account of a voyage in almost untravelled regions, which may yet become commercially valuable and important. "Unlike Australia," says Mr. Pitcairn, "New Guinea is never subject to periodic droughts, and when it becomes better known, British capital will be introduced. Industries will spring up, and the country will eventually be developed and become the home of many of our fellow-countrymen." A Description of the Shetland Islands, comprising an Account of their Scenery, Antiquities, and Superstitions. By SAMUEL HIBBERT, M.D., F.R.S.E., etc. Lerwick T. and J. Manson, 1891. Pp. x + 294. Hibbert's monumental work on the Shetland Islands is so well known as the standard work of reference for many questions connected with Ultima Thule, that any particular discussion of its contents is here unnecessary, and we may, accordingly, confine our remarks to the form and substance of this new edition. In the first place, it will be observed that the author's extensive notes on the geology of the islands are not included, nor is their absence very much to be regretted, for, although Dr. Hibbert was a keen and accurate observer and investigator, yet the science of geology has advanced so fast and so far since 1822, when the first edition was produced by the Constables, that they are now consulted more out of curiosity than for information. The very valuable chapter on the Udallers has been retained, and will be found, taking it all in all, to be one of the best and clearest expositions extant of the peculiar land tenures of the Shetlands,-tenures which first came into use with the building of St. Magnus Cathedral at Kirkwall by Jarl Rognvald, for which, and other good works, he was afterwards canonised. All the interesting matter treating of the scenery, antiquities, the people with their dress and quaint, Norse, old-world manners, customs, and language are given in full, with particulars of certain cases of witchcraft-not, by any means, the least instructive part of the work. The ministers of Orkney and Shetland were, at one time, celebrated above most others for their activity and for their relentless pursuit of old women suspected of a knowledge of the black art. The references to this subject present us with a picture of credulity, superstition, and cruelty as dark and sad as it is strange and engrossing. Some of the original illustrations have been reproduced, but as they were not successful works of art in the first edition, neither do they come out well here. The positions occupied by the notes, too, are not well chosen, as they will naturally be looked for at the end of the volume, and not at the conclusion of each iter. But such faults are trifles, and need not be insisted upon at length. A word of high praise must be given to the publisher for the beauty of the whole volume, whether as regards the good type, tinted paper, wide margins, numerous fly-leaves, guiltless of advertisements-something to be thankful for, surely-or the rich, sober binding. The book, not only in contents, but in general appearance, will be a valuable acquisition to any library. Murray's Handbook to Durham and Northumberland. London: John Murray, 1890. Third edition. This excellent Handbook has been carefully revised, and contains information supplied by many eminent authorities. Thus, Canon Greenwell contributes much regarding Durham Cathedral and other ancient churches; Sir W. Crossman, M.P., writes the account of Holy Island, of which he is the proprietor; and the description of Auckland Castle and neighbourhood is partly the work of the late Bishop Lightfoot. Maps of Northumberland and Durham, showing their Parliamentary divisions, are given. We should have desired to see either in these or other maps the orographical features of the counties more clearly indicated, and perhaps in a future edition this might be done, as the counties described lend themselves particularly to orographic mapping. A Summer in Kieff; or, Sunny Days in Southern Russia. By ISABEL MORRIS. Pp. 205. Illustrated. London: Ward and Downey, N.D. Price 10s. 6d. The searcher after fresh geographical information may at first be inclined to condemn Miss Morris's narrative as a feminine imitation of such humorous tales as those of Mr. Jerome. This would, however, be but a first impression, we think, as, the journey to Kieff safely accomplished, we are treated to a most interesting account of daily life in Little Russia during the hot season. No doubt the authoress's lively temperament and keen sense of the ludicrous cause her to introduce scenes which may seem irrelevant in the eyes of the scientist, but even these descriptions generally serve to show up native peculiarities, which are many and various. Miss Morris has something to say (pp. 163-4) on the subject of the Russian Jews, a question of present interest, and her remarks are worthy the attention of over-zealous philanthropists. It seems a pity that so careful an observer had no opportunity of visiting other parts of Russia, beyond the neighbourhood of Kieff, as it would have given additional value to her pleasing and instructive record. The book is handsomely got up and clearly printed; the illustrations are after the style of the humorous works already referred to. Armenia, the Armenians, and the Treaties. By M. G. ROLIN-JAEQUEMYNS, President of the Belgian Institute of International Law. London: John Heywood, 1891. Pp. xvii. + 104. This treatise and its anonymous preface furnish interesting details regarding an unfortunate and much-persecuted race. The Armenians are a Christian people, who still retain their vitality, although for five centuries they have been subject to the Ottoman yoke. They have overflowed their territorial borders and are found not merely in every part of Turkey but also in the chief commercial cities of Europe. Two-thirds of the nation, or 780,000 souls, still live in Turkish Armenia, and these seem to be in a peculiarly helpless and unprotected condition, a prey to Kurds, Circassians, and Turks. Diccionario Geográfico de la República de Bolivia. Tomo Primero: Departmento de La Paz. Por MANUEL V. BALLIVIAN Y EDUARDO IDIAQUEZ. La Paz: Isaac V. Vila. Pp. xvi. + 164. This is the first part of a projected gazetteer of Bolivia, and embraces all the section dealing with the department of La Paz. Of course, a good deal of the department is little known, but considerable pains have been taken, and the notices extend even to outlying haciendas. More attention, however, should be paid to the relative proportion of the several articles; the account of the department as a whole occupies 15 pages, while the capital has only a quarter of a page, and that tells nothing of the present city but its position, and that it is a bishop's see, and has a temperate climate; it is not much of a place, but it deserves better than this at any rate. A map is promised, and the work, if completed, ought to prove serviceable. Beiträge zur Geologie von Galizien. By Dr. EMIL TIETZE. Vienna, 1889-91. We have before us the fourth and fifth parts of a series of papers on the geology of Galicia, which have been appearing from time to time in the pages of the Jahrbuch der k.k. geolog. Reichsanstalt. The papers are devoted chiefly to questions relating to the geological structure of the regions traversed by Dr. Tietze -regions which are noted for their great salt-formation. The mineral wells and salt springs naturally come in for some notice; but the author's papers are largely occupied by discussions which are intelligible only to specialists, who will find much to interest and instruct them in Dr. Tietze's pages. We may mention that some account is given of those remarkable exotic blocks (erratics) which, occurring as they do in the Tertiary Carpathian Sandstones, have been a sore puzzle to geologists to account for. NEW MAPS. EUROPE. CENTRAL EUROPE, Touring Map of. By J. G. Bartholomew. Scale, 1:2,000,000, or 31.5 miles to 1 inch. Bartholomew's World Series of Travelling Maps. John Bartholomew and Co., The Edinburgh Geographical Institute, Park Road, Edinburgh. Reduced from the EDINBURGH, Plan of, with Leith and Suburbs. Ordnance Survey and revised to the present date. By John Bartholomew, F.R.G.S. Scale, 15 inches to a mile. John Bartholomew and Co., The Edinburgh Geographical Institute, 1891. Messrs. Bartholomew and Co. deserve the highest commendation for their enterprise in bringing out this handsome Plan of Edinburgh, and for the technical skill with which it has been produced. The sheets are beautifully printed and coloured. The Plan consists of 12 sheets, the work on each measuring 183 inches square, which, with the extension to the west, make the complete map 6 ft. 4 in. deep by 5 ft. 2 in. broad. The basis of the Plan is the recent Ordnance Survey of the city, on the scale of 5 ft. to a mile, consisting of no less than 56 large sheets. These have been reduced to the 12 sheets of the present Plan, on a scale of 15 in. to a mile, with such care and precision that no important detail contained in the large sheets has been sacrificed. The sheets have, moreover, been brought up to date by special surveyors, whose work has afterwards been revised by competent authorities. In atlas form the Plan has a very attractive appearance; but we think its value would have been greatly enhanced by the addition of an index to the sheets. ISLAND, Die Vulcane im nordöstlichen Von Th. Thoroddsen. Massstab, 1: 800,000. Mitteilungen der K. K. Geographischen Gesellschaft in Wien. Band xxxiv., Tafel 6. Wien: R. Lechner's K. K. Hof-Buchhandlung. MAR JONIO, Carta Batometrica del—, cogli Scandagli a grandi profondita eseguiti dalla Regia Marina. Disegnata del Guido Cora. Scala media, 1: 2,100,000. Cosmos, vol. x., 1890-91, Tavola v. Nach der preussichen Generalstabskarte, MASURISCHEN SEEN, Die grossen- Deutsche Rundschau für Geographie und Statistik, xiii. Jahrgang, Heft 10. MORAVIA, Das Höhlengebiet bei Brünn. Gezeichnet von Professor R. Trampler. SCOTLAND, The Tourist's Map of—. By John Bartholomew, F.R.G.S. Showing the new County Boundaries so far as settled by the Boundary Commission. Scale, 1: 633,600, or 10 miles to 1 inch. John Bartholomew and Co., The Edinburgh Geographical Institute, SCOTLAND, Bartholomew's Reduced Ordnance Survey of Sheet 7 Glasgow and Clyde; Sheet 11-Oban District; Sheet 12-Central Perthshire. ZANTE, Originalkarte der Insel Auf Grund der Englischen Seekarte und der Beobachtungen des Prof. J. Partsch entworfen und gezeichnet von Dr. Karl Peucker. Massstab, 1:100,000. Petermann's Geographische Mitteilungen, Jahrgang 1891, Tafel 12. Gotha: Justus Perthes. ASIA. KWEN-LUN, Uebersicht des Von Dr. Georg Wegener. Massstab, 1 : 7,500,000. Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin, Band xxvi., Tafel. 5-6. Berlin: W. H. Kühl. MINDANAO, Karte des östlichen Auf Grundlags der Karte von Montana-Hansen und der orohydrographischen Karte der Philippinischen Jesuitenmission. Von. Prof. Blumentritt. Massstab, 1: 650,000. Mitteilungen der K. K. Geographischen Gesellschaft in Wien. Band xxxiv., Tafel 9. AFRICA. AFRICA, Die flächentreue Kegelprojection für die Karte vonAlois Bludau. Massstab, 1:90,000,000. Von Dr. Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin, Band xxvi., Tafel 3. DEUTSCH OST-AFKIKA, Kettler's Schulwandkarte von Weimar: Geographisches Institut. EAST-AFRICA, Dr. W. Junker's Rückreise vom Victoria Njansa über Tabora nach Bagamojo August bis November 1886. Nach dem Tagebuch im Massstab von 1: 185,000, construirt und auf den Massstab, 1:750,000 gezeichnet von Dr. B. Hassenstein. Petermann's Geographische Mitteilungen, Jahrgang 1891, Tafel 13. Gotha: Justus Perthes. EASTERN EQUATORIAL AFRICA, to illustrate Dr. H. Schlichter's Paper, A.D. 150, A.D. 1890. Scale, 1: 12,672,000. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, Sept. 1891. MAROCCO-NORD, Carta di una parte interna del- -, secondo le esplorazioni di Tissot, de Foucauld, di Boccard, des Portes e.a. costrutta di disegnata da Guido Cora. Scala, 1:300,000. Cosmos, vol. x., 1890-91, Tavola vi. TADEMAYT, Mission au Itinéraire de F. Foureau. Echelle, 1: 1,000,000. Bulletin de la Société de Géographie, Paris, 1891. 1 Trimestre. THE KEBBI RIVER, from its junction with the Benue to the Bifara Marshes. Reduced from a drawing by Capt. A. E. Mockler Ferryman. Scale, 1:253,440. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, August 1891. NORTH AMERICA. THE SELKIRK RANGE, Part ofdone in 1890 from Glacier House. British Columbia, to illustrate the climbing From Surveys and Photography by Messrs. Emil Huber and Harold W. Topham. Scale, 1 : 126,720. Proceedings of the Royal Geographical Society, Sept. 1891. SOUTH AMERICA. BRAZIL, Itinerar des Weges von Cuyaba über Goyaz nach Leopoldina am Araguay, vom Mai bis August 1888. Von Dr. Paul Ehrenreich. Massstab, 1: 1,000,000. Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin, Band xxvi., Tafel 4. Berlin: W. H. Kühl. RIO GRANDE DO SUL, Geologische Uebersichtskarte, Uebersichtskarte der Pflanzendecke, Besiedelung und Verkehrswege, Uebersichtskarte der Bevölkerung. Von Dr. A. Hettner. Massstab, 1: 7,500,000. Zeitschrift der Gesellschaft für Erdkunde zu Berlin, Band xxvi., Tafel 2. Berlin: W. H. Kühl. |