Christmas Books
Profuse and admirable illustrations, taken from contem- porary engravings, are a feature of MI. Maurice Besson's The Scourge of the Indies (Routledge, 42s.), agreeably translated by Mr. Everard Thornton. This, a limited_ edition, is worthily printed, the only fault being the unpleasant texture of the paper. There are five coloured plates which achieve their object by means which some might think meretricious, but which are quite effective notwithstanding. M. Besson's introduction to the short bibliographies is admirable. He rightly distinguishes between Buccaneers, Corsairs and Filibusters, and shows how their customs and organizations differ. He tells once more of the boatload of women who helped to dissolve the already disintegrating Brotherhood of the Coast. We read of rare women filibusters and of the curious dual associations, reminiscent of Sparta, which both the filibuster and buccaneer codes enjoined. Well might these bold and dissolute filibusters sneer at the shipowners- " those podgy old fellows who sleep too comfortably in their beds." Yet even they could be tamed, for did not Jean d'Albarade, the Corsair, become the Minister of the French
navy ?
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