Some -Books Of the Week SIR CHARLES -BELL, BELL, who
during his official career in Sikkim and Bhutan was brought into close relations with their mysterious Tibetan neighbours, has written a valuable book on The People of Tibet (Clarendon Press, 21s.), which supple- ments his well-known history of the country and is to be followed, we gather, by the volume on Tibetan religion that is obviously required to complete the picture. Sir Charles, one of the few Englishmen to speak and write Tibetan—Sir Frederick O'Connor is another—is keenly observant and thoroughly_ sympathetic. He gives a far more genial, account of the people than we have found elsewhere. Travellers hastening through the country probably do not see the Tibetan at his best. Sir Charles declares that the people are keen traders and hard workers, and that women occupy a good position and are influential in the Government though not in religious affairs. He describes the national diet and notices the Tibetan's preference for what may be called election eggs—" when fresh, they find them insipid." Ceremonial and etiquette are very complex and are fully described. Tibet is plagued by robbers, but " so strong within certain limits is the instinct for orderliness that even the brigands are gov- erned largely by rule," so that they steal for part of the year and trade honestly for the rest of the time. The book is well illustrated and will at once become a classic.
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