30 APRIL 1937, Page 52

In Sand and Gold (Michael Josepl., I2S. 6d.) Mr. Terry

tells of two gold- prospecting ,expeditions which he led into the Dry Lands of Central Australia. He has written what can best be de- scribed as a rattling good yarn, full of exciting and humorous incidents. There are some camel stories which may upset the squeamish reader, but will delight the real men for whom the book is obvi- ously intended. It is, in fact, a book by a man for men : hearty, uncompro- mising, tough (vide the wrapper photo- graph of author and companions !) and sentimental in a tight-lipped way. The country they crossed was rugged, too, but, unlike our adventurers, revealed no heart of gold. Although they failed in the main object of their journey, they dis- covered an unmapped mountain-range which the author intends to explore when, and if, he can raise sufficient back- ing. They also came across some relics of Lasseter, that almost legendary pro- spector who perished in an attempt to lead a party to a gold-reef he claimed to have discovered. Mr. Terry is one of those who doubt Lasseter's story, and see him as a pathetic rather than a heroic figure.