rojects, its speedy defeat, and
the calamitous sufferings which its members were forced to undergo. But
ill-fated as it was, the rich and most amusing personal incident with
which every step of its progress appears from this book to have been
crowded, commends it most forcibly to our admiration. We cannot say that
we should have been quite willing to accompany our friend KENDALL through
all the severities of his adventurous journey; nor can we refuse our
sincere sympathy with him and his brave companions, in the terrible scenes
through which they passed. But he has told all these adventures in so
pleasing and interesting a manner, and has so sprinkled through the
narrative sketches of personal incident, abounding with wit and humor,
that the volumes must be read with a delight as keen as the sufferings
recorded were real and severe. Mr. KENDALL writes in a style admirably
adapted to the narration of just such a history as he has given; it is
simple and clear, aiming at nothing more than to give a plain statement of
actual occurrences; and yet it is remarkably spirited, and distinguished
at times by great felicity of expression. He is a capital traveller, never
shrinking from any danger or difficulty, close in his observation, and
gifted with a love of fun, and a 'touch' of humor which no extremity,
however terrible or threatening, can wholly repress. The reader of the
work must be continually surprised at the repeated instances which occur
where this disposition is strongly manifested; and while it must have
relieved to a considerable degree the sufferings which he was forced to
undergo, it gives to the book increased and attractive interest. We should
be glad to follow Mr. KENDALL through his journey, and present copious
extracts from the account he has given of its progress and incidents; but
this our limits will not allow; and we can only glance at the general
history of the expedition, and copy a tithe of the passages we have marked
in reading the two excellent volumes he has given us.

At the opening of his book, Mr. KENDALL gives us a statement of the
motives which induced him to join the expedition, and an introduction to
the persons of whom it was composed. His purposes, of course, were
entirely pacific, growing out of a desire to recruit his health, a wish to
procure new materials for writing, and a love of adventure in general. He
took care to provide himself with passports from the Mexican authorities,
which h