voyage of the paper canoe-第53部分

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。　says：　〃Your　book　of　travels　possesses　the　merit　of　reality　in　the　faithful　descriptions　of　scenes　and　customs　as　they　existed　at　that　time。

〃It　has　delighted　me　to　follow　you；　step　by　step　by　the　side　of　the　ancient　and　　picturesque　carts　that　cross　the　vast　plains　which　stretch　between　the　Parana　River　and　the　base　of　the　Andes。　As　I　have　written　about　the　same　region；　your　book　of　travels　　becomes　a　valuable　reminder　of　those　scenes；　and　I　shall　have　to　consult　your　work　in　the　future　when　I　again　write　about　those　countries。〃　　〃Nathaniel　H。　Bishop；　a　mere　lad　of　seventeen；　who；　prompted　by　a　love　of　nature；　starts　off　from　his　New　England　home；　reaches　the　La　Plata　River　and　coolly　walks　to　Valparaiso；　across　Pampa　and　Cordillera；　a　distance　of　more　than　a　thousand　miles！　It　is　not　the　mere　fact　of　pedestrianism　that　will　gain　for　Master　Nathaniel　Bishop　a　high　place　among　travellers；　nor　yet　the　fact　of　its　having　been　done　in　the　face　of　dangers　and　difficulties；　　but　that；　throughout　the　walk；　he　has　gone　with　his　eyes　open；　and　gives　us　a　book；　written　at　seventeen；　that　will　make　him　renowned　at　seventy。　It　is　teeming　with　information；　both　on　social　and　natural　subjects；　end　will　take　rank　among　books　of　scientific　travel　　the　only　ones　worth　inquiring　for。　One　chapter　from　the　book　of　an　educated　traveller　（we　don't　mean　the　education　of　Oxford　and　Cambridge）　is　worth　volumes　of　the　stuff　usually　forming　the　staple　of　books　of　travels。　And　in　this　unpretending　book　of　the　Yankee　boy　　for　its　preface　is　signally　of　this　sort　…　we　have　scores　of　such　chapters。　The　title　is　not　altogether　appropriate。　It　is　called　'A　　Thousand　Miles'　Walk　across　South　America。'　It　is　more　than　a　mere　walk。　It　is　an　　exploration　into　the　kingdom　of　Nature。

〃Sir　Francis　Head　has　gone　over　the　same　ground　on　horseback；　end　given　us　a　good　account　of　it。　But　this　quiet　'walk'　of　the　American　boy　is　worth　infinitely　more　than　the　'Rough　Rides'　of　the　British　baronet。　The　one　is　common　talk　and　superficial　observation。　The　other　is　a　study　that　extends　beneath　the　surface。〃　…　Captain　Mayne　Reid。　　〃Regarded　simply　as　a　piece　of　adventure；　this　were　interesting；　especially　when　told　of　in　a　tone　of　delightful　modesty。　　But　the　book　has　other　recommendations。　　This　boy　has　an　admirable　eye　for　manners；　customs；　costumes；　&c。；　to　say　nothing　of　his　attention　to　natural　history。　The　reader　seems　to　travel　by　his　side；　and　concludes　the　book　with　a　sense　of　having　himself　trodden　the　Pampas；　and　mingled　with　their　　barbarous　inhabitants。　　So　far　as　writing　goes；　this　is　the　supreme　merit　of　a　book　of　　travels。　Let　those　explore　who　not　only　see　for　themselves；　but　have　the　rare　ability　to　lend　their　eyes　to　others。　Mr。　Bishop　is　one　of　the　few　who　can　do　this；　　the　graphic　　simplicity　of　his　narrative　is　above　praise。　　Meanwhile；　his　personal　impression　is　very　charming。　The　quiet　patience　with　which　he　accepted　all　the　hardships　of　his　position　without　the　slightest　parade　of　patience；　however　　is　beyond　measure　attractive。　　But　the　brave　youth　goes　on　quietly　enduring　what　was　to　be　borne；　and　not　ever　allowing　his　observation　to　be　dulled　by　the　infelicities　of　his　situation。〃　　Boston　Commonwealth　　BOSTON：　LEE　&　SHEPARD。　NEW　YORK：　CHARLES　T。　DILLINGHAM。




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