CURRENT LITERATURE.
GIFT-BOOKS.
The Orchid-Seekers in Borneo. By Ashmore Russan and Frederic Boyle. (Chapman and Hall.)—It is rarely we find botany and adventure combined in so interesting a manner as in The Orchicl-Heekers. Occasionally we have a little too much of it, though few will chafe at it, compared to the many who will be bored by the long speeches and conversation of the orchid- collector, Hertz, which are all rendered faithfully into Germanised English. We have far too much of Herr Hertz's English. But this is the only fault in the book, which contains a quantity of interesting matter, local, technical, social, and descriptive of Borneo, skilfully worked into the story. The description of the orchids and their habitats, the Malays and Dyaks, the Tien-ti Hue Secret Society, and Sarawak and jungle life, are realistic and often fascinating. The illustrations are good ; and obviously true to life, we may add. For all this local colouring Mr. Frederic Boyle is responsible, and very good it is, too. There is plenty of adventure, and a rebellion and a Rajah are worked into the story, —both facts, as indeed most of the story professes to be. The appearance of Sir James Brooke adds greatly to the interest of the story, and his portrait is evidently painted with care and appreciation. The Orchid-Seekers is evidently the book for young readers, and a capital story, too.
Previous page
