Beyond the Mexican Sierras. By Dillon Wallace. (Hodder and Stoughton.
7s. 61. net.)—Mr. Wallace begins his book with a brief historical introduction. For the most part it is a record of failure. Spanish rule was such, and such was Mexican independ- ence till Porfirio Diaz came along. He restored the balance ; he has been a success which it would not be easy to parallel. Then Mr. Wallace tells us about his travels, which extended to regions seldom visitel, and still more seldom described. The city of Mexico is familiar enough; but the land "beyond the Sierras" is strange indeed. How many of our readers, we wonder, have heard of the " Mexican Venice "1 Indeed, our travellers were told that only once or twice before in living memory had " white men" been seen in the place. One of the two visitors was an American, who came to get aigrette plumes. This fellow nearly exterminated the bird in that region single- handed,—the feather merchants solemnly assure US that their trade is rather a protection to the bird tribes than anything else. The general impression left by Mr. Wallace's account of the people is not a pleasing one. For one thing, their moral con- dition is appalling. Eighty-five per cent. of the births are illegitimate. The Government refuses to recognise any but civil marriage, the Church any but religions. Each charges a fee that the peon at least regards as high: as he has to pay it twice over, he avoids it altogether. In other matters their con- dition is not Dane satisfactory. "I like him particularly," said a German storekeeper to the travellers of his servant, "because he steals nothing bat money." On the other hand, the coantry is
full of interest, both as regards natural objects and the curiously primitive methods that survive in many places. And it is a very paradise for the sportsman.
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