3 DECEMBER 1904, Page 13

Morocco. Painted by A. S. Forrest, and Described by S.

L. Bensusan. (A. and C. Black. 20s. net.)—This is an excellent book of its kind, and eminently modest ; neither traveller nor artist offends with aggressive garishness. Mr. Bensusan's attitude towards the folk whom he came across may be gathered from this allusion to the shepherds he met in Dakola : "I note with pleasure the surprising dignity of the herdsmen, who make far less comment upon the appearance of the stranger in these wild places than we should make upon the appearance of a Moor or Berber in a London street." Mr. Bensusan and Mr. Forrest Penetrated into South Morocco, visiting the coast and going to the city of Morocco itself at a time when the recent trouble was just beginning, although it was bad enough. Mr. Bensusan almost apologises for the fact that his record is that of only some two or three hundred miles of inland travel, and says that in time to come, when the French are in full enjoyment of their free hand in accordance with the entente cordials between them and Britain, and "when Morocco has been purged of its offences of simplicity and primitiveness," the tourist will be able to "accomplish in forty-eight hours the journey that demanded more than a month of last year's spring." Mr. Bensnsan is so enraptured with the beauties of "Marrakesh," perhaps because these are unfolded gradually, that he devotes himself almost exclusively to the enumeration and description of them, and has practically no time to preach political sermons, or even give political hints. Yet the truth has been forced upon him by his travels "that Morocco is nearer the brink of dissolution than it had ever been—that instability is the dominant note of social and political life." Mr. Forrest's illus- trations, whether they deal with scenery or character—take as examples "Moonlight in the Argun Forest" and "A Patriarch" —can hardly be praised too highly. Altogether, this is in many respects the best and most entertaining book on Morocco which has been published for many years.

M. GRENARD ON TIBET.