MOUNTAINEERING DIPLOMATS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 37, Issue 940, 16 August 1957, Page 17

MOUNTAINEERING DIPLOMATS

THE FOUNTAIN OF THE SUN, by Douglas Busk; Max Parrish, English price 25/-. AN ARTIST AMONG MOUNTAINS, by Victor Coverley-Price; Robert Hale Ltd., English price 21/-. OTH of these authors have roamed over mountains in the course of leave from their duties as diplomats. Ambassador Donald Busk is an enterprising mountaineer as well as a fine photographer. He is also a perceptive traveller and good narrator. His tales of unfinished journeys in Ethiopia and the Ruwenzori are as interesting for their historical background as for their action and humour. He records native customs vividly. His passion for mountaineering spurs him to excellent chapters about "The Mountains of the Moon," as the Ruwenzori group was called, till their existence was proved by Stanley’s party in 1888, Dense jungle and stormy weather were their natural defences; indeed, one explorer of. Ruwenzori had only one fine day in six expeditions. Busk had better luck on his first trip, with memorable results for the climbing and photographic ambitions of the expedition. The illustrations to his book are outstanding, Colour as well as black and white shots are worthy of the text.

The art of Mr Coverley-Price is familiar to readers of the London Sphere His many illustrations are all reproduced in monochrome. They are topographically accurate, but aesthetically dull. His wide experience embraces many contries: Britain, Europe, North, Central and South America, Japan, and South Africa. His writing, like his pictures, lacks sparkle and depth, His travels emerge merely as personal gossip. Perhaps the author should have concentrated on less variety and more detail, and the impression of flitting would have given way to appreciation. His adventures in the Amazon, for instance, do not receive the narrative of an articulate traveller. He has enjoyed himself. but mav not give vicarious en-

joyment to his readers.

John

Pascoe