12 DECEMBER 1885, Page 16

The Congo Rovers. By Harry Collingwood. (Blackie and Son.)— This

" story of the slave squadron " is a capital book of its kind. A young lad gets his appointment as midshipman to a new sloop-of-war, the 'Daphne,' and finds himself bound for the West Coast of Africa in general, and for the Congo in particular. There is a fine field for adventure here. A mysterious slaver, which masquerades in the character of a French war-vessel, and which takes in her pursuers, plays an important part. There are scenes on the river, scenes in the forest, and scenes on the sea, boat expeditions, broadsides, hoardings, shipwrecks, all the round of incidents, in short, that could happen to a young fellow very fond of adventure, and very lucky in meeting with it. Of course there is a love-story, which gives some

of harrowing suspense. In abort, the tale is a good one.