Daren

Easter Island is an interesting place, and this book is a pretty tidy summary of events up to around 1975, when it was published. To be honest, I don't know how much of the information in here is now superseded, but with the way it is presented, it doesn't really matter, as it sets out to summarise each visit by Europeans and what they learned from their visit - right or wrong.

While translated it has been translated to English, it reads excellently, so I assume the original does too.

It covers visits to Easter Island by the Dutch (1722), the Spanish (1770) and the British (1774), all very short visits where they learned little. It next covers visits by the French (1786), then the Russians (1804), then the return of the British (1825) again learning little but all distributing gifts and receiving fruit and vegetables while losing much else to the light fingered locals.

Intermingled through these visits are minor facts the visitors learn and explanations recorded of the language and behaviour of the people encountered. Some expeditions saw no females at all, and saw few people, others were visited by many. They were mostly peaceful encounters, but on occasion a handful of natives were killed by the visitors. There was worse to come.

There are then some chapters outlining folk stories, legends and origin stories from the island.

In 1863 we next we come to Brother Eyraud, a Frenchman who volunteered to come to the island and found a mission to help the natives. The chapter explains his long and troubled experiences with the natives, and his relative successes before his death (natural causes) in 1868. As is often the case ,after the missionaries came the traders and exploiters. In the case of Easter Island they were one in the same as they arrived, annexed land and set about enslaving the islanders and trapping them in indentured labour contracts to pay off debts for goods taken. Many Easter Islanders were taken to other islands as slave labour, but these people generally died within a short period of time when taken from their homes and worked - they had a very sedentary lifestyle on Easter Island and had no history of physical work!

In 1888 Chile officially annexed Easter Island and a new exploiter took over restricting access to land and water and so the islanders were again forced into indentured labour.

It was only after this period commenced that scholars began taking interest in the vanishing (vanished?) culture. This was a messy era to describe other than to say many visited, many took away relics, small statues and carved tablets what preserved the ancient script of hieroglyphics. The large statues for which the island is so well known have always fascinated, but luckily due to their immense size they have not be plundered (much). There were many expeditions and archaeological visits some staying long periods, and making interesting discoveries. Americans, the British, a French/Belgian, and then the Viking of the Pacific - Thor Heyerdahl, of course. By this time Heyerdahl had completed his raft journey and came to Easter Island to excavate and solve mysteries. Not always the most well thought of man, for this non-academic approach, I have a bit of a soft spot for him.

Each chapter reveal the new findings, presented them well and in relatively simple terms.

At the end is a chapter describing the three contrasting theories of the origins of Eater Islands inhabitants. Even now Wikipedia states that expert opinions vary. I am sure modern science has taken the history further since this book was published, but for me it was an enjoyable read, and I learned plenty of new information, however I wouldn't use this as the only source of data.

4.5 stars.

Upfield's #19 Inspector Bonaparte mystery.

This time in the Western Australian outback, where Bony happens to be passing through as he learns the body of a police constable has been found in his vehicle on a remote road. His Aboriginal tracker is also missing, with his swag and the constable's rifle - and it appears he is the culprit. But of course, that would be far too straight forward, and so Bony takes on the case, outranking the local police and in equal parts confounds and amuses them with his approach to solving the case.

As anyone familiar with these books would know, the story rolls out gently. At first there are things that can't be explained, little progress seems to be made. Some of the outback characters are strange...

But the police are not the only ones looking for a killer. It become apparent that the Aboriginal tracker was not the killer, but also a victim, and his tribe are seeking vengeance. Do the police or the Aboriginals get to the killer first?

Anyone who has spent time in the Australian outback would more than likely have come across those considered strange. Usually they are not, they are just not used to socialising or interacting with people - strangers at least. Social skills require practice, and they don't get a lot of people to practice with! But I digress.

Bony soon narrows down a few possible suspects but has to untangle the web before he can solve the riddle, but can he do so before the Aboriginals?

I like these books, perhaps a little more than they deserve.

An entertaining 4 stars.

Previously I read another of Calder's books about Northern Africa. They were similar in style, but the Northern Africa book was hands down more engaging. In that case he was appointed by UNESCO to report on scientific advances in the countries he visited, and the United Nations organisation again stumped up money for this journey. Published in 1957 the travel takes place the year prior I believe.

Calder obviously has the ability to convince people (officials mostly) that his ambitions are worthy - many go far out of their way to help him, from flights to accommodation, from assisting him with ground or sea transport to putting him up for weeks at a time when the weather demands it, or just going out of their way to show him things.

If I am honest, this one wore me down pretty quickly. Perhaps it is the location - the Canadian north, but I don't think it was this. Calder is the king of the information dump. He burns through statistics and facts about people I have never heard of and will never hear of again. He recounts side stories while narrating his own, he covers topics far and wide as they cross his path. It reminds me of another author I read a bit too much of, Frank Clune. Once the information dump begins my eyes grow heavy unless it is specifically something I want to read about.

Broadly speaking, his goal was to inspect and report on the Canadian Arctic - deemed an under-developed territory - to review and catalogue its successes and where further development is likely yo yield best results. How the rest of the world's experiences can be used to extend the frontiers of agriculture, atomic energy and the like. What are the effects of a gradually warming northern hemisphere on the vast timber forests? etc.

With generous support of the RCMP (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) and the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) as well as many other individuals and companies, he is whisked around Canada. Dog sled and snow tractor also feature as he covers off a vast array of topics including the Inuit people (still referred to as Eskimo back then), the Hudson Bay Company, the Canadian Arctic islands of Cornwallis, Melville, Sommerset & Bathurst, uranium and gold mines, Animal breeding stations, spends time with Arctic doctors and geologists, he flies to the North Pole with the Air Force, and visits everyday people. He spends time with the Mounties and the Air Force in remote bases, pursues Caribou and attends an Arctic survival course (one of the more interesting sections), sees the aurora, reindeer and vegetable farms raising successful crops.

There is a lot to take in, and yes there is a travel narrative running through, but it wore me down, and as such sits with a three star rating, which may be generous by half a star!

This book opens with the author about $300 short of what he wants, but packing his car and leaving New York for Guatemala anyway. His reasoning? if he didn't go now he might never. His goal? To explore lost Mayan ruins - he knew there were many more than on the maps, and he wanted the adventure of finding one! This book was published in 1968, so reasonable to assume the journey occurred in the year or two prior.

This is a book divided into five parts.

The Long Drive The authors journey from New York to the Mexican border, through Mexico to the Guatemalan border, and through Guatemala to the city of Quezaltenango, the setting off point for his jungle adventure. This was no easy trip, an inappropriate vehicle choice, a car which broke down with painful regularity, a journey with very little money, spent mostly sleeping in his car, and a journey down roads which became worse the further he got from New York. Realistically this was an adventurous enough undertaking, yet was only the means of getting to his starting point!

Appropriate now to outline the story around the ruins at Machaquila. It is not 100% clear whether Alberto Lisi read about a ruin in the jungle near Poptun or whether it was just an area he identified as being a possible location. He spent plenty of time planning the location he set out for (Poptun), but it wasn't really until his arrival there when he was able to talk to the locals he found out that around 1957 a group of petroleum geologists undertook an expedition to test a lot of the river for mining potential. While they had not visited the site of the ruins they were nearby, and it was suggested local men who accompanied the geologists knew where the ruin was. After tracking down various people, Lisi found a man who claimed he had been to the ruin, and that he guided another gringo there some two years before (he was known as Don Juan, but Lisi subsequently found out his name was Ian Graham). This didn't put Lisi off, but reinforced his ambition to reach the ruin.

Into The Jungle The first part of the expedition to find the ruins. Lisi has enrolled two men (Carmen and Pablo) and a mule (Alcira) to accompany him. His plan - to cut a trail through the jungle, following the route Pablo and Don Juan took, as far as necessary in order that the river is navigable (it runs underground for some distance due to the local geology). From there Pablo and Lisi will continue by inflatable boat; Carmen and Alcira will return to Poptun). This section of the journey is hard, but as the mule is carrying all the loads, and the men have all their food and equipment, it is manageable - even easy, compared to later stages!

The Rio Upon reaching the navigable river, the plan is enacted. The boat is inflated, gear stowed and Carmen and Alcira depart. This becomes a crash course in white water boating with untold dangerous rapids and cataracts and waterfalls as well as many trees fallen over the river. There is a lot of lowering the boat, portaging and of course a capsize in which much of their food and equipment is lost. Here turning tail and trying to get back to Poptun was the obvious choice - they didn't of course. Most people would suggest that without machetes or boots any attempt to travel through the jungle would be impossible. Lisi thrives on impossible, and hey continued on the boat downstream until Pablo lost the plot. This jungle man was never comfortable on the river, and came right up to the point of a nervous breakdown, threatening to leave after some 50 waterfalls had been worked around. Lisi finally agreed to leave the river and go on by foot to the ruin.

The Ruin And so after making shoes from a leather bag and tying them to their feet they began cutting a trail with a 6 inch hunting knife and a Swiss Army knife! The on to El Final (the last camp of the geologists) was thankfully only another day and a half. At this point Lisi had given up hope of continuing downstream to another town (the ruin was equidistant between Poptun and that town). Pedro insisted they must depart the following day by 10am. And so Lisi makes a rushed visit to the ruin he travelled so far to see, locates with Pedro's assistance the carved stellae, climbs some temple mounds, and is away, in a return journey that comes close to taking his life.

The Return I have elected not to even outline the return journey. Some readers may choose to find the entire expedition unrealistic or embellished. The description of the men on their return to Poptun puts them very close to death. Lack of food and equipment, the weather, the lack of trail and hardship of travel, the challenge of navigation, and poor decision making due to extreme weakness are all factors deal with in this section.

By necessity, this book was all about the journey and little about the destination. I enjoyed it, read it over two days, and it certainly held my attention.

5 stars!

According to Wikipedia the ruin was excavated in the early 21st Century by by the Atlas Arqueológico de Guatemala in collaboration with the Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Google maps shows a town of Machaquila, albeit very rural looking town!

I also found a link to the article by Ian Graham, published in 1963:

https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/across-the-peten-to-the-ruins-of-machaquila/

This is very interesting as a comparison to Lisi's journey. It took Graham 24 days to cut a trail to the ruin, with many men and mules, and he stayed just under 3 weeks to investigate. Pablo is mentioned by name. While it sounds a hard expedition, Graham had finances to employ men and buy food. He sent a man back for more food to be brought on a mule at least twice. The left the ruin and heading back on day 42. By comparison Lisi's journey as 21 days, the entire return trip with very little food, the last several days without any. However it is apparent that Lisi made his expedition hard for himself by lacking funds - Graham made is all sound pretty easy - This gave me plenty to think about after already giving Lisi the 5 star review!

On google I found another article on the Stelae recovered from Machaquila: https://traffickingculture.org/encyclopedia/case-studies/machaquila-stela-2/

Described as the classic Australian outback yarn, Hell West and Crooked by Tom Cole lives up to the billing. As a youth Tom Cole emigrated from Britain to Australia in 1921 to chase a more exciting life and quickly found his feet in droving and mustering cattle. He fitted in well with the characters of the outback, can obviously tell a story well and is an excellent collector of tales. This was written much later in life, with the assistance of his diaries.

"Hell west and crooked" is defined at the start of the book as 'A cattleman's expression meaning all over the place. 'The horses are hell west and cooked - it'll take a week to muster them' and as well as a good name for his autobiography, it goes some way to explaining the hectic lifestyle and experiences of Tom Cole.

From droving (moving mobs of cattle from the stations to sale, usually to the larger towns) and mustering (rounding up all the cattle running loose on a station for yarding, where ear-tagging, branding, castrating and other things are undertaken, usually precedes droving the steers of saleable quality to market) Tom moved in to managing a few stations as the head stockman, usually in the short term, and horsebreaking (training and making fit for riding) before venturing into buffalo hunting (for skins) and crocodile hunting (also for skins) when the markets were good for that.

As well as a mostly linear timeline explanation of that progression, Cole weaves in the stories of the people he interacts with in the outback. He names hundreds of (mostly) men he meets, works with and drinks with, and tied up in his tales are some of the more well known outback stories. Many of these cross over with other authors anyone who follows my reviews will have heard of, particularly Ion Idriess, but also Frank Clune and Peter Pinney. These included Aboriginals Wonngu (the Caledon Bay murder of Japanese fishermen, as well as a failed police patrol searching for him) and Nemarluk (associated with the murder of prospectors Stephens and Cook), plus good background on the overland telegraph, Sidney Kidman (the Cattle King) who set up a vast number of stations, and even the original flying doctor who was precursor even to John Flynn and his flying doctor service in the outback.

Cole's tales cover the period from his arrival in Australia in 1921, his brief time in the Queensland Outback before his found his place in the Northern Territory Outback. The book ends at the outbreak of World War II, and has a short paragraph on completion which simply states he did not see Arnhem Land again for 45 years.

I understand there is a sequel which covers time he spent in New Guinea hunting crocs.

This is 5 stars, and was going to be from the first page. If you have any interest in this genre then do yourself a favour and go find a copy.

A quote in hindsight. P167

Reflecting, fifty-odd years later, on what was without doubt an idyllic lifestyle, it is difficult to find anything or anywhere today that is remotely like it. Motor vehicles tearing across bitumen roads day and night, cattle mustered with helicopters, aeroplanes landing almost daily at the homesteads, radiotelephone communications, massive road trains shifting cattle a couple of hundred miles in a day... undreamed of in 1930. (from 1988 when the book was published).