THE BLIND SHIP. By Jean Barreyre. Translated by Heckles Willson.
(T. Fisher Unwin. 7s. 6d. net.)—Mr. Heckles Willson provides an entirely adequate translation of 1d. Barreyre's Le Navire Aveugle, a work which for sheer cumulative horror it would be difficult to beat. The story is that of a ship which, setting out into lonely seas, finds in the hold a stowaway dead Of a mysterious disease. Shortly after- wards first one, then another, member of the crew suffers from agonizing pains in the head and finally loses his sight, until at last the whole ship's company 'gropes and stumbles about like the characters in Maeterlinck's Les Aveugles. The culminating moment is when the last man is going blind and the crew are merciless in their endeavours to keep him awake, for should he sleep, how would it be possible for them to hail a passing ship for rescue ? The end is pure tragedy. We have ' read nothing more powerful or moving for many years.
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