Pleasant Habit of Carving Rump Steaks From Humans

Radio Record, Volume VIII, Issue 39, 5 April 1935, Page 16

Pleasant Habit of Carving Rump Steaks From Humans

CCORDING to librarians and booksellers, travel books form a great proportion of the public’s reading matter. Small wonder, if the reading is as interesting as "Africa Calling," a recent book by Roger Courtney, who was formerly a bank clerk in Leeds. His first book, "Claws of Africa," ran into a second edition in no time, the readers writing letters to him asking for more. In his second. book, "Africa Calling," he tells of some of his experiences in Kenya, Uganda and the Belgian Congo, which are startling examples that truth is not only stranger than fiction but infinitely more interesting. Who, for instance, would believe that there are in Africa reputed cannibals who dig up newly-buried corpses and eat, them, or attack living people and carve off "rump steak" before they are dead? Other examples of barbaric practices are given which happen in this Dark Continent. in the present age, incredible though it may seem. Mr, Courtney also touches upon witeheraft, Although people in civilised countries are apt to scoff at such matters, the fact remains that there is undoubtedly more behind it than meets the eye. Levitation is generally attri-

buted to mass hypnotism, but Mr. Courtney gives an instance of the removal of a dead elephant from against the. wall of a missionaries’ station which requires more than hypnotism as an answer to an unsolved puzzle like that. The habits of insects, birds and. wild beasts mentioned by the author provides excellent reading, especially of the jigger flea and the honey bird. This bird will lead a man to the honey of wild bees in the jungle and if the man does not reward the bird with its: share of honey after the smoking, it will, at the earliest opportunity, deceive him and lead him to destruction. Among many incidents Roger Courtney tells of his race to a goldfield and hospitable and hostile attitudes shown towards him by savages, which would make a thriller yarn appear decidedly feeble. For sheer horror the chapter called ‘The Drum" would be hard. to beat. The chapters aré in the form of short stories, each:.one simply but effectively written .and abounding in interest, thrills, or quiet humour, all of which goes to make up one of thosé books that simply. can’t be dropped until. the last page has been turned. "Africa Calling,’ Roger Courtney. George G. Harrap. Our copy from the publishers.