Captain Musoftr's Rambles in Alpine Lands. By Colonel G. B.
Malleson. (W. H. Allen and Co.)—Under the name of " Musafir " (the Persian word for " traveller "), Colonel Malleson describes his experiences of journeyings made some years ago in Switzerland, Bavaria, the Tyrol, &c. Part of the book has appeared before in an Indian periodical. Favourably reviewed on that occasion, it is now republished with additions. These experiences of travel have, it is true, nothing particularly noticeable about them. They show us a man who knows the country well and thoroughly enjoys it. This, of course, makes them readable in the first place, and in the second place helpful, so far as any one can be helped by another in attaining these two necessities of travel. But the brief preface contains a sketch of two remarkable careers. Colonel Malleson's first tour in Germany was made before he could speak German ; he found his ignorance so great a drawback that he determined to learn the language. Curiously, he found tutors in two privates of the 38th Regiment. These were two German friends, by name Blochmann and Jakel. Blochmann had acquired French, Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Arabic. Jakel was a clerk in a merchant's office at Breslau. The two agreed to enlist in the English Army (the mutiny was then at its height). They arrived in London absolutely ighorant of English. Sir Harry Storks, who was then at the Horse Guards, heard their story and sent them to his own regiment, the 38th, then at Colchester. Bloch- mann had bought a Hindustani grammar, and studied it on his voyage. He was appointed to instruct the officers. Arriving in India, he passed in six months' time the "higher standard" in native languages, bought his discharge, and became Principal of the Madrasah. He died of cholera in 1878, when his reputation for
Oriental learning was beginning to spread. Blochmann never was in the ranks. Jakel was so for a time ; but in the course of a year he was made schoolmaster-serjeant. He wearied of this life, and contrived to buy his discharge, his friend and Colonel Malleson, who procured for him a post in the military audit office, helping hint. From this he got a clerkship in a merchant's office, then an appoint- ment in the Bengal Police Department, then the post of super- intendent of a tea plantation in Assam. Assam did not snit his health ; he returned to Europe; went out with Maximilian to Mexico, and came back with the Empress when she left the country. These were two romantic careers for two privates in the Army.
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