28 JANUARY 1893, Page 11

to read another book about African affairs. Unless they are

under a bond of this kind, which it would trouble their conscience to break, we recommend this volume. Romolo Gessi served as an interpreter with the English Staff in the Crimea. Here he made the acquaintance of Charles Gordon. Some years later the two met again in Roumania, where the family of G-essi's father-in-law lived, and whither Gorden bad come on the busineee of marking out the frontier between Turkey and Russia. In 1873, Gordon (then appointed to the Government of the Egyptian Soudan), offered a post to his friend. Gessi accepted, and reached Africa early in 1874. He explored the Nile at Gordon's request, resigned his commission on account of a quarrel with the authorities, and then took to exploring on his own account. Some little time after, Gordon sent him against the rebellion headed by Ziber Bey. Gesei performed his mission, inflicting a severe blow on the slave-trade. His friends think that he was badly treated by the Egyptian Government. However that may be, there can be no doubt that he was a very capable and high- minded man.