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+
+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76250 ***
+
+
+
+
+
+ON THE BORDERS OF PIGMY LAND
+
+[Illustration: _Yours heartily_
+
+_Ruth B. Fisher_]
+
+
+
+
+                              ON THE BORDERS
+                              OF PIGMY LAND
+
+                                    BY
+                              RUTH B. FISHER
+                             (_née_ HURDITCH)
+
+                       NEW YORK, CHICAGO, TORONTO:
+                        FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY
+                                   1905
+
+                       R. W. SIMPSON AND CO., LTD.,
+                                PRINTERS,
+                           RICHMOND AND LONDON.
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE
+
+
+To none of her many friends in England and Ireland does the writer
+of this book, whether as Miss Ruth Hurditch or Mrs. Fisher, need any
+introduction; but I gladly accept the opportunity offered to me of
+commending her graphic story of Mission life and work to a still wider
+circle, including the American Christian public, among whom we are
+assured the work will find ready circulation.
+
+No one can read it and not be impressed by the evidence with which
+it abounds that the same Gospel which conquered Europe, civilized or
+barbarous, in ages past is as potent to-day to transform the most
+degraded and dormant races into peoples of quick intelligence and
+spiritual consciousness, and has given them in a marvellously short
+time a measure of self-respect, a sense of the dignity of labour, and a
+devotion to the welfare of others, not always found in Christian lands
+or even Churches of ancient fame. At a time when the jaded faith of
+many at home is giving way before the incessant undermining of the old
+foundations, and when we are invited to recast the “details” of the
+Gospel, it is no small thing that the Bible is seen to be making new
+history again, and giving fresh evidences of its divine vitality. The
+Mission Field is paying back its debt to the Church at home. Africa,
+emerging from the night of ages, is bringing her treasures of grace to
+make up the “fulness of the Gentiles.” The pigmies themselves are worthy
+of a better lot than to be carried off by a traveller and be made a show
+for the sordid curiosity of holiday crowds.
+
+There are other reasons also why we welcome Mrs. Fisher’s journals. She
+has drawn with her pen pictures of the country and people as lifelike as
+the excellent photographs which adorn the book. She has enabled us to
+share her adventures without the discomforts. The tropical storms and
+glaring sunshine, the swamps of Semliki, and the snow peaks of Ruwenzori,
+the camps and caravans, the dispensary and the school, the good King and
+the gentle Queen, the Prime Minister and poor Blasiyo the pigmy are all
+as real to us as though we had seen them and known them ourselves.
+
+Mrs. Fisher has shown us how a devoted couple whose hearts are filled
+with a longing to win souls for the Saviour can face dangers, and cut
+themselves off from the common comforts of home, not only with patience
+but with cheerfulness. No one will feel the playfulness and the sense of
+humour with which she often describes the most trying situations to be
+inconsistent with the more serious purpose of her Missionary life, or to
+unfit her for the gracious ministry of comforting the sorrowful, teaching
+the ignorant, and healing the sick, in which she has been engaged.
+
+If each reader of these pages will let them raise before the conscience
+such questions as these, “What have _I_ done, and what can _I_ do to help
+such blessed work” or “Why should _I_ not follow in such steps myself,”
+and if such questions be honestly answered as in the presence of the
+Lord, I cannot doubt that results still more wonderful than those which
+this book describes will find a record in the near future,—that may be
+even the Coming of the Lord.
+
+May the Holy Spirit moving in many lives bring this to pass.
+
+                                                        H. E. FOX,
+                                                       _Hon. Sec., C.M.S._
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+    CHAPTER.                                            PAGE.
+
+      I. A JOURNEY ON THE UGANDA RAILROAD FOUR YEARS AGO   1
+
+     II. ON LAND AND LAKE                                 11
+
+    III. MENGO, UGANDA                                    22
+
+     IV. TORO, THE LAND OF THE MOUNTAINS OF THE MOON      31
+
+      V. THE COUNTRY                                      41
+
+     VI. HOME LIFE                                        50
+
+    VII. ROYAL LIFE                                       59
+
+   VIII. THE WOMEN OF TORO                                69
+
+     IX. CHILD LIFE                                       79
+
+      X. RELIGION                                         84
+
+     XI. LANGUAGE                                         92
+
+    XII. FESTIVITIES IN TORO                              97
+
+   XIII. TRAMP I. TO THE ALBERT EDWARD LAKE              106
+
+    XIV. TRAMP II. HOLIDAYS                              119
+
+     XV. TRAMP III. TRAMP THROUGH THE FOUR KINGDOMS OF
+           THE PROTECTORATE                              128
+
+    XVI. TRAMP IV. TOWARDS THE PIGMIES                   151
+
+   XVII. IN DARKEST AFRICA. THE PIGMIES (BATWA) AND
+           THEIR (BAMBUBA) NEIGHBOURS                    161
+
+  XVIII. A CLIMB TO THE SNOWS                            173
+
+    XIX. MISSIONARY WORK                                 188
+
+     XX. MEDICAL WORK                                    199
+
+    XXI. SCHOLASTIC WORK                                 211
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+
+    A GROUP OF BAGANDA.
+
+    A GROUP OF MASAIS.
+
+    A GROUP OF PIGMY WOMEN.
+
+    A MUBIRA LADY: AN AFTERNOON CALLER.
+
+    A NANDI FAMILY.
+
+    A NATIVE OF BALEGA: THE FIRST TO BE BAPTISED OF HIS RACE.
+
+    A PEEP AT THE SNOWS.
+
+    APOLO KIVEBULAYA.
+
+    A SCHOOL IN TORO.
+
+    A VIADUCT ON THE UGANDA RAILROAD.
+
+    BACK FROM THE SNOWS: BAKONJO PORTERS.
+
+    BLASIYO: FIRST BAPTISED PIGMY.
+
+    CROSSING THE MULUKU RIVER.
+
+    KICUCEI CAMP.
+
+    KING DANDI KASAGAMA OF TORO AND HIS CHIEFS.
+
+    MULUKU GLACIER.
+
+    NEW CHURCH, KABAROLE TORO.
+
+    OUR HOME IN TORO.
+
+    PORT OF MOMBASA.
+
+    SNOW PEAKS.
+
+    STIFF CLIMBING: A CLIMB TO THE SNOWS.
+
+    TABALA, CHIEF OF MBOGA, AND SUITE.
+
+    THE ALBERT EDWARD LAKE.
+
+    THE BA-AMBAS: NEAREST NEIGHBOURS TO THE PIGMIES.
+
+    THE BAHUKU: CANNIBAL RACE.
+
+    THE BAKONJO AT HOME.
+
+    THE BATORO AT HOME.
+
+    THE FOUR PIGMIES AT KABAROLE.
+
+    THE KIDONG ESCARPMENT.
+
+    THE MARKET PLACE.
+
+    THE NEW BOAT ON VICTORIA NYANZA.
+
+    THE SEMLIKI RIVER.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+A Journey on the Uganda Railroad Four Years Ago
+
+
+It was in the beginning of the year 1900 that a British India steamer
+cast anchor and set down on African soil a party of seven missionaries
+bound for distant Uganda. Six of that number might be termed “freshers,”
+for they were complete strangers to the “dark continent,” and absolutely
+uninitiated in the art of African travelling. It is a little difficult
+to define the feelings of a new arrival who has before him or her the
+prospect of life and work in that country. The memories of magnificent
+lives laid down for its people fill the heart with an intensely solemn
+sense of responsibility and dignity; records of travel and adventure
+kindle a love of daring, and a desire for opportunities of heroism; while
+the meagre knowledge that exists on the interior districts breaks the
+imagination of the traveller away from its leading strings.
+
+The port of British East Africa—the Island of Mombasa—is a typical
+foreign mercantile coast town, with its medley of craft, ships, yachts,
+tugs, boats and canoes manned by seamen of various nationalities,
+pushing, hustling and screaming in all the tongues of Babel. The
+handsome old Arab fortress that stands on its jagged rocky prominence as
+a sentinel at the entrance of the harbour, takes one back to the time
+before the port was taken over by the British, and when it was used by
+those who had carried on the terrible slave traffic in the interior. A
+little to the left is to be seen the British Consulate with its Union
+Jack fluttering from the mast as the emblem of liberty and justice to all
+who come under its jurisdiction.
+
+As we stepped from the ship’s deck on to the landing-stage the sun felt
+distinctly African. The dazzling white and somewhat congested streets
+seemed to singe our very boot leather. It was a relief to have pointed
+out a strip of bright green mainland which lay at the extreme end of a
+sheltered bay, as the place where hospitality would be offered me and two
+others of our party of seven, while preparations were being made for our
+journey up country. A short row brought us to this mission station of
+the Church Missionary Society—Freretown—the situation of which is very
+pleasing; in front stretches the transparent blue bay, beyond to the
+right the white minarets and red tiled roofs of Mombasa, and all around
+dense foliage—mango and banana trees, creepers and shrubs and flowers in
+tangled confusion. A warm English welcome awaited us from our missionary
+friends there who were domiciled in a solid two-storied brick house.
+
+The guest room delegated to me was evidently an afterthought, as it was
+constructed of corrugated iron with plaited grass stretched across for a
+ceiling. The room opened out on a broad balcony, and as it is the custom
+to leave open the doors at night to catch the least suspicion of a breeze
+that might blow in across the bay, the bats and rats made free use of
+my room until daybreak. The first night I found the rats had shewed
+an appreciative appetite for Cadbury’s chocolate, for they completely
+finished off my half-pound tin which had been tusselled for at a chess
+tournament on board ship.
+
+[Illustration: PORT OF MOMBASA.]
+
+The terrible famine up country had brought many half-starved folk to the
+coast. Bishop Peel had sent down some 30 to 40 girls and boys from the
+Wanika tribe to be clothed, fed, and cared for at the mission dormitory.
+Starvation had played frightful havoc with them. One wee babe of about
+two years, all skin and bone, had had her hands held in the fire by her
+mother because hunger had driven her to steal a banana. Her tiny fingers
+were twisted back and much distorted, some joints having entirely gone.
+Other children had no toes, these having been literally eaten away by
+the little insects known as jiggers, which are very numerous inland, and
+trouble Europeans as well as natives.
+
+On Sunday we went to morning service in the splendid brick native church.
+As it was conducted in the Swahili language we could only follow in
+silence the order of the liturgy. The church, holding about 500 people,
+was almost full. Colours were very pronounced among the women. The girls
+were dressed in white gowns with red handkerchiefs round the head;
+but the elder women adopted the most remarkable hues: orange-coloured
+sashes and violet head gear were the most conspicuous. They attended
+very devoutly, and as I knelt at the Communion rails with a native
+woman on either side, that text appealed to me with a new power “Other
+sheep I have ... and there shall be one fold and one Shepherd.” In the
+afternoon I delivered my first message to Africans. I had been asked to
+speak through interpretation to a class of women; it was not easy to
+stand up before one’s first audience of dusky faces and to try and adapt
+the message to their minds—an unexplored land as yet to me—to choose
+carefully words which would lend themselves to interpretation and to
+recollect the point stopped at between the sentences.
+
+The morning after our arrival we all met in the office of the Church
+Missionary Society’s agency. Before us were arrayed a dozen Swahili lads
+who were coming up country with us to act as our personal attendants.
+Each of us was to be allowed the sole service of one, the half of
+another, and a quarter of another; that is, one boy was to act as
+housemaid, two of us would share a cook, and four a cook’s mate. Minute
+instructions were given us as to travelling arrangements, which resulted
+in, for one thing, the re-adjusting of every one of our loads that
+weighed anything over 65lbs. It let me in for some days of arduous
+labour. If it had not been for my newly acquired “housemaid” Richard,
+who had attached himself to me after that morning in the office, the
+unpacking and re-packing would have proved an almost hopeless task
+in such melting temperature. The last load nailed down contained a
+heterogeneous collection of groceries, Monkey Brand soap, photos, a
+saucepan, and a few garments, all of which had been taken out of loads
+of overweight. Quite unexpectedly we heard that our start up country was
+to be made on the fifth day after our arrival at the coast. A breakdown
+was hinted at as being likely to occur on the railroad on account of the
+heavy rains that had fallen. Apart from this we were told that the train
+would accomplish the 364 miles of its journey in one day and night. At
+railhead our caravan of porters was awaiting us, as also the two donkeys
+and two jinrickshas, which would prove essential in case of sickness on
+the road. We speedily fixed our bicycles up on hearing of the immediate
+start to be made, which seemed to make us all desperately impatient to be
+spinning along the African roads to Uganda.
+
+On February 23rd we left Mombasa. A large party of missionaries met at
+Freretown Church at eight o’clock for united Communion. Then we hurried
+down to the shore where a boat awaited us to take us across to Port
+Mombasa. After getting together all handbags and other small baggage we
+were packed away in a ghari—a tiny truck for four persons, with shade,
+run on rails along the street. A curious party we looked; three gharis
+left the town, boxes, bags and rugs heaped up in a pile, a few natives
+scattered about here and there among us, and boys pushing behind.
+These vehicles simply fly along when going downhill; one box toppled
+over in one of these wild escapades, and the whole contents burst out
+and were scattered about on the road. Then a derailment of one ghari
+necessitated the passengers dismounting, and the cars that followed in
+the wake being carried round the obstructing car. The terminus of the
+railway is at Kilindini, which lies about two miles outside Mombasa. At
+the station a strange scene confronted us. People from various countries
+were rushing about in a state of great excitement, all struggling to
+crowd into the few compartments allotted to fourth class passengers. They
+were so jammed together that one could only expect to see the carriages
+burst apart with the pressure from inside. Our compartments were ever so
+much better than I had expected; two had been reserved for our party of
+seven. Perhaps some of us were a little disappointed that there was no
+“roughing it,” but we tried to console each other with the thought that
+there might be a breakdown on the line. Our feelings can be imagined
+when the train whizzed away and kept up a most respectable speed, in
+fact, behaved itself like a civilized being. We had armed ourselves with
+plenty of provisions, but found that good meals had been prepared for us
+at various long halting stations on the route. Wanting to lighten our
+supplies, however, afternoon tea was suggested, and as passengers could
+walk from one compartment to another by means of an outside foot-board,
+even though the train was running, we invited all the members of our
+party in to a social tea. My canteen was produced and efforts were made
+to boil the water, but the train was shaking so unreasonably that the
+small kettle needed to be constantly replenished during the boiling. We
+had to warn our guests to avoid the streams of water that were running
+down the carriage from the kettle spout, but the last arrival made a
+dreadful mistake by sitting on the top of the teapot just as the tea was
+made. This was not discovered until the whole contents were upset and the
+offender realized a scalding sensation.
+
+The first day on the Uganda railroad was certainly not the most
+enjoyable; the heat was stifling and the dust so obtrusive that in spite
+of having the windows closed, in less than an hour everything had assumed
+a brownish-red appearance; the carriage cushions, our clothing, hair, and
+eyes were full of it, and if one did venture to open the lips to pass a
+remark, a mouth-wash was necessary. Mile after mile of country was passed
+where the grass was entirely burnt up, and almost all trees and shrubs
+dried and bleached. The land was in the grip of famine, whose hand of
+death had touched all nature. Some of its last victims dragged their
+exhausted limbs to the banks of the railroad as the train passed through
+their land of hunger. Poor wee children, their sharp bones standing out
+in a most ghastly manner, looked like skeletons moving. We gave them food
+which they voraciously seized, but alas, many had got beyond the power of
+eating.
+
+Our first halting place was Voi, which we reached at seven p.m., after
+a run of eight hours. As the train was not leaving again till eleven
+o’clock we were allowed time for a short rest after dining at the station
+bungalow. Native couches of woven grass stretched over wooden frames
+were given to us, but the need of mosquito nets and blankets drove all
+ideas of sleep away. The next morning we found the scenery had entirely
+changed; vast stretches of plain and gently undulating country extended
+for miles on either side. This district, known as the Athi plain, is
+thickly populated with all sorts of wild animals. There were scores of
+antelopes, zebras, and ostriches. The tracks of lions were pointed out to
+us, but these are the only animals that apparently do not venture near
+the trains in broad daylight.
+
+Nairobi, which has been named the “tin-town” on account of all the
+buildings being composed of corrugated zinc, is quite an important place.
+It is one of the headquarters and workshops of the railway company, and
+a large and rapidly increasing European, Indian, and Arab population has
+settled here. From this point we had to take up our porters, and this was
+not an easy matter. Instead of the 300 or so required, only about 150
+were procurable to carry all our loads of food supplies, clothing and
+household requisites for the road and our destination, besides various
+other boxes and literature for missionaries and mission work in Uganda.
+
+After leaving Nairobi another complete contrast opened out before us.
+Dense thickets, forests and jungle covered hill and dale, without a
+sign of human life. Truly the world seemed here as in infancy, and the
+railway a harsh discord of civilization. It is a rest to the mind and
+soul to pass through these world’s natural parks; the deep long silence,
+unreached by man’s babble, carries in its air a breeze from Home and
+one’s whole inward being rises on the wing to its God. I wondered why
+such miles and miles of uninhabited land existed when “He created it
+not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.” Was it that He might give
+us “the treasures of darkness and hidden riches of secret places” which
+God deposits in regions where, untrammelled by the footprints (not the
+results) of sin the Shekinah dwells revealed in such natural splendour?
+
+On Sunday at two p.m., we found ourselves at railhead. The train before
+ours had been derailed several times on account of the heavy rains
+washing down the new embankments, but as trains only run once a week,
+repairs had been temporarily completed, so we finished our journey
+without a single mishap.
+
+I wish you could have seen our plight as we arrived. To begin with, even
+in the finest weather the country would always appear somewhat dreary;
+nature has not behaved very liberally. The train drew up abruptly, not
+because of its having reached a station, but there was no more line
+on which to run. The only buildings were a few tents and iron sheds,
+the property of the six Europeans and score of Indians employed on the
+construction of the railway. The whole country was under water, and the
+rains were sweeping down in a deluge. Out of the waters appeared our
+two jinrickshas and a few boxes, and these indicated the spot where we
+were to camp. Our first inclination was to remain in the train, but as
+that had to return at once, we waded out and about, and did not quite
+know what to do next. Here the Europeans came nobly to our assistance
+and offered the ladies shelter in a tent called the post-office. It
+is remarkable what a lot it takes to make you depressed in Africa. In
+England I believe most of us would have felt rather despondent, but none
+of us confessed to those feelings. After a cup of tea, with condensed
+milk, had warmed us up, we gave a right good British cheer as a tapping
+at the telegraph wires in our tea room told us of a splendid British
+victory at the seat of war.
+
+Towards evening the rain ceased and as the ground was well digged round
+with trenches the water quickly drained off, so our tents were unpacked
+and erected. The railway officials kindly supplied us with a number of
+solid planks, which formed a firm flooring over the mud.
+
+The tents looked so warm and bright in the midst of such grey
+surroundings. Camping out was quite a new experience to most of us and we
+immensely enjoyed moving in to our new quarters. When we had got straight
+the whole party came together in our tent, squeezed round the tiny table,
+and we had a thanksgiving service. Through the goodness of God, things
+had marvellously adjusted themselves, considering the short time and the
+swamped condition of the country. We all sang the _Te Deum_ till our
+little tent rang with voices.
+
+[Illustration: THE KIDONG ESCARPMENT.
+
+_Photo by W. D. Young, Mombasa._]
+
+As we joined in the general thanksgiving and prayers I can truly say
+that no more heartfelt praise ascended into the courts of Heaven from
+any temple that Sunday evening, than from our little tabernacle in the
+wilderness.
+
+Outside, darkness reigned, except for the porters’ fires, burning in
+every direction, with the black figures squatting round, which gave the
+whole scene a weird and fantastic appearance.
+
+The next morning all our loads were hauled out for inspection, and owing
+to the lack of porters we were obliged to choose out such as would be
+required for more immediate use; the remaining boxes had to be stacked
+in a rather too well ventilated shed to await reinforcements of porters.
+This particular district was in rather a disturbed condition. The day
+before we had arrived some natives fired upon a European and killed
+him; in consequence a small detachment of soldiers had been sent out to
+see into matters and had shot two natives. We were warned at night to
+have our camp carefully guarded by askaris,[1] as thieves were about
+in addition to any unfriendly folk who might be prowling round. So a
+fire was lit just outside our tents, and sentries stationed at close
+distances. They accosted every passer-by in angry tones, and those who
+did not use the password “friend” stood a very poor chance of getting off.
+
+As we stood round the log-fire at evening, the thunder and lightning
+roared and flashed; and then down came the rain and pelted hard all
+night. One of the tents was quite flooded; the bed and furniture were
+rescued and the occupant moved into another’s tent pitched on slightly
+higher ground. We had arrived in the rainy season, and were told that
+we must not be surprised if we got a daily soaking. It rather damped
+one’s enthusiasm for camping out and cycling. This district is called
+the Kidong Escarpment, and is a ledge of land that suddenly drops some
+500 feet. The railway takes a circuitous route to avoid this drop,
+but at that time a most elaborate temporary line had been laid down
+the precipitous bank, the cars being worked by cables. One had here
+an example of the almost insurmountable difficulties that faced the
+engineers of the Uganda railway, difficulties emphasised by the fact
+that all material required had to be imported from India or England.
+Viaducts, some of which are of gigantic height, frequently connect rock
+to rock, and along these the train has cautiously to pass. At other times
+the brave little locomotive pants and gasps as it toils along with its
+burden; now and again it stops to gain breath, then it goes on again,
+climbing, ever climbing, till it has reached an altitude of 7,000 feet.
+
+After the burning heat of the dusty plains, along which the train rushes
+with hysterical speed, filling the traveller with misgivings and treating
+him to plenty of rough shakings, how welcome is the cold frosty air of
+these African Highlands, which have proved no barrier to the Uganda
+railroad.
+
+[Illustration: A VIADUCT ON THE UGANDA RAILROAD.
+
+_Photo by W. D. Young, Mombasa._]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+On Land and Lake
+
+
+We certainly set off for our first so-called tramp most professionally
+fitted out, but this only lasted for one day. The marching Norfolk dress
+was soon discarded for a loose blouse; the water bottle, which did give
+one rather a heroic aspect, was quietly given over to the “boy”; that
+wonderful compendium of knife, corkscrew, file, button hook, and so
+forth, which includes everything that you never want and nothing that you
+do, was likewise voted too heavy; even the puggaree that had offered a
+suggestion of trimming to the very unbecoming bald topee, was thrown out,
+and any consideration for personal appearance that might have secretly
+lurked within was superseded by the one desire for comfort, as we steamed
+along on our bicycles over good, bad, and indifferent roads, the sun
+beating down upon us all the time.
+
+Lake Naivasha seemed scarcely large enough to satisfy our inordinate
+thirst as we pulled up; we were not a bit polite when tea was generously
+doled out to us by the Europeans stationed there, for none of us refused
+a fourth and fifth cup, even when we saw the supply was running short.
+I got very behindhand in my journal while on the road. Never had I been
+successful in keeping one for longer than a week; on the seventh day it
+had become so intolerably dull that Dryasdust must even have yawned. Of
+course, Africa supplies you with plenty of material, but the methodical
+mind and will power are somehow wanting. Let me tell you why. At 4.0
+a.m. daily one wakes up with a start, for as the sun does not rise till
+6.0, night still seems to rest heavily on the land and on one’s eyelids.
+But the caravan leader is beating a drum, accompanying it with a shrill
+falsetto call to rise; and if one dares to stay rubbing the sleep out of
+the eyes, the porters are fumbling away at the tent ropes, and before
+there is time to complete one’s toilette, the whole tent flops down like
+a closed umbrella. A truly undignified exit is made by a dishevelled
+figure, and one turns up while breakfast is being served round the camp
+fire on tin crockery.
+
+In the dusk we push off; a real expert rider you must be to dodge in and
+out of the porters who are already filing along on the narrow path, and
+have a happy knack of swinging round at the sound of the bicycle bell
+just as you pass—the tent-pole carrier was a veritable man-trap, and
+more than once pitched machine and rider into the ditch. I am sure I
+shall never complain again of English or even Scotch roads; the ridges
+we have ridden over (often ending in a swamp) have helped to strengthen
+one’s nerves and powers of balance. We generally reach camp before our
+porters, and then seek out some shelter till our tents arrive. It is a
+quaint sight to watch the long line of the caravan coming in; the men
+become very excited at sight of the halting place, and as the first man
+who carries a drum beats it with all his might, swinging a zebra tail
+round and round his head, the men all break into song and a slow dance,
+which gradually increases in volume and speed until the 65lb. box on the
+head is quite forgotten, the body springs about in mid-air, and finally
+throws itself down with a shout of ecstasy and an eloquent outburst of
+self-praise and congratulation.
+
+[Illustration: A GROUP OF MASAIS.
+
+_Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa._]
+
+When tents have been pitched and bodily restoratives have been applied
+in the form of cool baths, a good meal and a sleep, the only possible
+hour for journalling has come. But who could resist the desire to peep
+outside the tent door, and then into the new and fascinating features of
+folk, animals, birds, and country that surround the colony of tents? So
+my pen remained idle for many days on the road, and as we were constantly
+going forward, it was not easy to go back and pick up broken threads.
+
+The day from Lake Nakuro must have a few lines to itself. The usual 15
+miles’ journey had appeared exceptionally short on account of the good
+roads, and there being no houses or even signboard to tell you “this is
+camp,” we rode past it unconsciously. While resting mid-day on the banks
+of a shady nook for a cup of tea and biscuits, two bicycles unfortunately
+fell over on my gear case and completely smashed it up. This made riding
+a little difficult for the remainder of the day, as the skirt would keep
+catching in the chain, and the gear-case strapped across the handle-bars
+did not allow much knee space. Very hot, dusty, hungry, and tired at 3.30
+p.m., we came across a small Indian encampment which had journeyed up
+country for railway survey with a large number of pack mules. The campers
+told us we had come 34 miles. This rather alarmed us, for we wondered how
+our porters could cover that distance. It was a ghastly spot. The ground
+was strewn with numbers of bleached skulls and bones, which we afterwards
+learned were part of an Indian troop that some time previously had
+travelled down country under Mr. Grant, and had died for want of water.
+
+After waiting some time scouts were sent out to search for our men,
+but as night fell they returned with the tidings that our caravan was
+camped some 15 miles away, and was too exhausted to push on. Having
+eaten nothing since 4 o’clock a.m., with the exception of that mid-day
+impromptu lunch, I must confess that our first consideration was for
+food. Fortunately one of our party had shot during the day a bustard.
+This was speedily prepared and cooked in a pot lent us by the Indians. A
+few biscuits and some tea still remained in our canteen, and so sitting
+round an ember fire inside the stockade constructed for the mules as
+protection from the lions, we enjoyed, perhaps as never before, a
+hearty, simple and crude meal, without chairs, spoons, forks, or even
+chop-sticks. We tried to effect further loans, and through the generosity
+of our new friends succeeded in procuring one small tent for the night.
+It _was_ small, 6 feet square, and we five ladies had to pack into it.
+We did manage it by strictly adhering to the agreement of sleeping on
+one’s side and not attempting to change over. There were no blankets,
+but certainly none of us felt the need of them! The gentlemen kept guard
+round the watch fires all night, but I think they got in more sleep than
+we did.
+
+In case such a thing should ever happen again, the men of our party were
+evidently determined to be prepared, for on the following afternoon we
+saw them shouldering their guns, and after hearing a few distant sounds
+of shot, two zebras and three antelopes were carried into camp; and
+before we had finished admiring and pitying these splendid fallen lords
+of the country, they were carried off and skinned. The next sight we
+caught of them was in the form of long, gory strips festooned from branch
+to branch of a tree close by. The porters, hawk-like, were standing
+round, as hungry East Enders outside fried fish bars. Perhaps they
+can be partially excused when we consider the monotonous, unpalatable
+millet which constitutes their daily diet. At 7 p.m. a drum was beaten,
+and every man presented himself in as famished a condition as he could
+assume. They stood like soldiers waiting to be decorated with the V.C.
+In a few minutes the tree was quite cleared, and outside each tiny tent
+was fixed on sticks venison and wild beef roasting over the fires. The
+sounds of revelry had scarcely died away when the morning call drum
+sounded.
+
+[Illustration: THE NEW BOAT ON VICTORIA NYANZA.]
+
+The people who live in the district through which we had hitherto passed
+are called the Masai tribe, a nomadic folk who travel about from one
+place to another, according to the pasture the land offers for their
+goats and sheep. They have distinctly warlike propensities, and a warrior
+chief is often met having a few armed followers, who, like their master,
+smear their bodies with grease and red earth, only wearing a small strip
+of cloth, or an animal’s skin over the shoulder, and sometimes a few
+feathers in their matted and oiled hair. The fierce opposition they
+showed to the pioneer Missionaries is now no longer displayed; in fact
+they appear somewhat timid and reserved.
+
+The general physical feature of the land is soft, gently undulating
+country. But for the lakes Naivasha and Nakuro, and the River Gilgal,
+there is a marked scarcity of water. Not until we reached the Eldoma
+Ravine did we pass anything worthy of being called a forest. At that
+point we had risen 7,000 feet above sea level, and exquisite stretches of
+tangled forests of cedars and bamboos afforded a welcome relief after the
+dried up and treeless track we had been accustomed to. Cycling was quite
+impossible owing to the many trees that had fallen across the road, and
+the deep ruts made by the ox waggons which had passed along in the wet
+season; one waggon, carrying along parts of a new boat to be floated on
+the Victoria Nyanza, was overthrown and broken up by one of these ruts
+the day we passed through the forest.
+
+In spite of the weariness that often overcomes one travelling day after
+day under such a fierce sun, how glad I am that the railway had left
+us 300 miles of tramping before we reached the lake! Those who come
+up country now the railroad is completed will never experience the
+fondness, and shall I call it proprietorship, that one seems to feel for
+the land when each step has involved labour, every little change from
+the prairie grass and thorn bushes been noticed and welcomed, and each
+new district and tribe prayed and longed over to be claimed for Christ.
+How can I describe the scene that stretched before me as I stood on the
+Nandi plateau overlooking the tranquil silver lake, the Victoria Nyanza,
+lying 3,000ft. below. The sun was slowly sinking towards the west, and,
+as it did so, drew the attention to the other side, our land of promise,
+Uganda. As the distant horizon and sky were flooded with a gentle red and
+golden light, salvation and victory seemed written in the handwriting of
+God upon the walls of that country.
+
+Turning round towards camp what a contrast the scene presented. Hundreds
+of natives had congregated together dressed in animals’ skins, and armed
+with shields and spears, which they were flourishing in the air with
+wild dancing and shrill war song—they were going out to fight with a
+neighbouring tribe. In the morning I had had an undesirable encounter
+with some of them. Having taken my writing case and pocket Bible to a
+hill a short distance away from where we were encamped to get a view of
+the wonderful panorama of plain and lake beneath, I had been somewhat
+startled by a number of men suddenly appearing from what at first were
+quite undistinguishable grass huts. Void of clothing they had painted
+their bodies with bright red earth, and had made various designs with
+grease on their limbs. Their hair was long and twisted into streaks by
+means of goat’s fat, and each man carried a spear and shield. Soon a
+small crowd had gathered round, and I must confess to a certain feeling
+of uneasiness at the isolation of my position. However, I determined to
+evince no fear and tried to make the best of it. I undid my writing-case
+and showed it to them, and my watch. They literally shrieked with
+delight and surprise when they saw the hands run round. The gilt edges of
+my Bible attracted them, so handling it reverently I tried to tell them
+it was God’s Book, and drawing one of the children to me by signs, sought
+to convey to their minds that God loved us. I do not know if they caught
+my meaning, but I do know that God caught up the prayers that ascended
+for them.
+
+[Illustration: A NANDI FAMILY.
+
+_Photo by W. D. Young, Mombasa._]
+
+The same evening a violent storm broke over us. One of our tents was
+literally washed out, not having had a deep ditch digged round in case of
+emergency.
+
+After moving off again and descending very precipitately to the level of
+the lake, the heavy rains were found to have made marching exceedingly
+difficult. We had to plough through thick black mud till we reached
+Port Florence, a distance of twenty-one miles. At one point on the road
+a stream about thirty yards wide had to be waded, as our porters were
+unavailable for carrying, having all gone on in front. The water in some
+parts was a foot deep, and it was by no means an easy thing getting
+through it when there were inches of mud from which the boots very
+reluctantly parted.
+
+News had reached us that the steamboat _Ruwenzori_ which had been sent
+to meet us and take us across the lake had been wrecked on the way, so
+we had to put off in an Arab dhow, a sailing boat used for transport
+purposes only, and one that offered no passenger accommodation.
+
+Three thousand square miles! Can you imagine a lake about that size? And
+yet on our maps it is no larger than a boot button. Quiet and peaceful
+as is its normal condition, there are times when its mighty waters are
+lashed into uncomfortable anger, and casting up foaming crests break on
+the shore with the force and roar of an ocean’s storm. Abundant in its
+resources, it can afford to be generous in its supplies; with prodigality
+it pours its fulness into its offspring, so that distant Egypt subsists
+on its benevolence—the Nile.
+
+Although only 7 p.m., darkness had already set in as we made our way down
+to the rough landing-stage to be shipped for Uganda. The dhow looked
+uncomfortably small for its crew, seven English passengers, twelve
+“boys,” and all their cargo. It could not get up to the little wooden
+pier, so we rowed out in dug-out canoes by the light of a hand lamp. This
+took time, and it was nearly midnight before everything was on board.
+
+A small portion towards the stem had been reserved to our use for
+sleeping, feeding, and living purposes. One of the ground sheets of the
+tent was fixed up on four insecure poles to form an awning over us.
+
+Our sacks containing camp beds and blankets were placed about to act as
+bolsters as we lay down on the bare boards in the vain hope of sleeping.
+But they were the most bony bolsters I have ever known, for on whatever
+corner you took up your position, there was a point of the bedstead
+running into you. We were all glad when a sharp breeze sprang up in the
+early morning, and the sails that had been nodding all night braced
+themselves together for work.
+
+Mid-day we passed a small island which is inhabited by fisher folk. They
+trap the fish by means of baskets with inverted necks like a safety
+ink-pot. Someone suggested pulling into shore in a canoe that was passing
+at the time for the purpose of buying some fish, but the people had
+misinterpreted our intentions and had armed themselves with spears, and
+were waiting for us entrenched behind large rocks. So it was decided to
+lunch off tinned sausages that day! Our prospects of landing and enjoying
+a change at night from the hard boards of the dhow were shattered by the
+captain assuring us that he could not possibly waste such a splendid wind
+as was blowing, but must push on. Accordingly, mattresses and pillows
+were pulled out and spread on the deck, so that our couch might be a
+trifle more comfortable than on the preceding night.
+
+The wind did blow, and the dhow pitched to and fro like the tub of
+Diogenes. He must have been a better sailor than most of us were, else he
+could never have steered his craft.
+
+It was wonderful how the food was cooked. The Swahili boys are prodigies,
+and can somehow manage under any condition. Finding a large iron tray
+they built up their wood fires on it in the bow of the boat and with the
+usual three stones they boiled their kettle, saucepan or other kitchen
+requisites.
+
+The scenery round the shores of the lake is exceedingly pretty. The land
+gently slopes upward. Here and there a belt of forest stretches down to
+the water’s edge; the grass huts huddled together in small communities
+just appear peeping out from the creeks and woods, and birds of gorgeous
+colours fly about or build their nests in the branches overhanging the
+water’s edge.
+
+On the third day of our trip we were becalmed, and it was decided to
+land on an island for the night so that we might get a complete change
+of toilet and rest. There was no canoe at hand to take us ashore, so a
+raft was constructed of poles and two large Masai hide shields which had
+been given me up country. We crossed over, two by two, carefully balanced
+in the centre of the raft, with shoes and stockings in our hands. The
+men managed to get a few things across, but the raft would not bear the
+weight of the tents. A ground sheet was once more utilized by tying it
+to branches of trees to form a covering over our camp and beds at night.
+Looking through the mosquito net I saw the stars peeping down, and the
+fireflies and glow worms lighting up the air and shrubs, and heard the
+croaking of the frogs and the night bird cooing in the trees. It seemed
+like a page out of childhood’s fairy book.
+
+There was no chance of getting off in the morning, and we made a tour
+of the island. It chanced to be the one on which the _Ruwenzori_ had
+been wrecked. The captain and his native crew had succeeded in getting
+safely to land, but were in a sad plight without shoes and socks and
+provisions. It was most fortunate our party happened to have lighted
+on that particular island, and so were able to replenish the meagre
+stores of these shipwrecked mariners. The natives flocked together when
+they heard of the arrival of white men, and begged them to shoot the
+hippopotami that had been destroying their cultivation. They showed us
+round their village, in the centre of which was their devil temple. The
+head priest alone was allowed to enter. Round the courtyard were placed
+flat and upright stone slabs; these were the seats of the priests, who
+sat round in a semi-circle when their head priest was inside invoking the
+evil spirit. The only one in our party who knew their language spoke to
+them, and they all united in asking that teachers might be sent to them
+to instruct them in these “good words.” Now there is no need to send to
+them, for since then the island has been depopulated by the sleeping
+sickness. Not one inhabitant remains—and they died with their request
+unanswered!
+
+On the morning of the eighth day we were all eagerly examining the
+fringe of land lying straight ahead. The opera glasses spied out a few
+dark figures moving about close to the landing stage. In imagination
+and Pears’ Soap advertisements I had often seen the picture, the blue,
+transparent water, a stretch of sandy shore—the background of banana
+trees and palms, a few grass huts, and a dark-skinned figure standing
+out in bold relief with the broad smile displaying a row of white teeth.
+“Otyano Munange” (How do you do, my friend?) and a prolonged exchange of
+grunts greeted us as we stepped from the dhow on to the shores of Port
+Munyonyo.
+
+During the few minutes of waiting for our boxes to be unloaded I moved
+toward a little hut from which the sound of voices was coming. Peeping
+in at the low doorway, I saw a man dressed in white linen (evidently the
+head of the household). He was sitting, reading aloud to a group of men
+and women gathered round him. The Book was the Gospel of St. John.
+
+Surely this was Uganda, where the people who sat in darkness have seen
+a great light. It is wonderful what the Bible has done for them. Its
+influence penetrates the entire country, and its very utterances are the
+language of the people. Its expressions of greeting and farewell are
+used, and with reverence.
+
+How our bicycles did run away with us over those seven miles to Mengo.
+After mounting them, we were followed by numbers of natives, and from
+every direction they came out of their shambas to greet us, falling down
+on their knees and saying, “You are our prayers, thank you.”
+
+On hearing of our arrival, our missionary friends had all started off
+to greet us. They described it as a little bit of England to see seven
+cyclists coming along with an impress of home which the five weeks’
+knocking about had not quite obliterated. The first one to meet us must
+have been guilty of scorching, as he was far ahead of the others, and
+he was determined to give us a real taste of Uganda right away, for he
+produced from his pocket some bananas (shall I own it, rather squashy)
+wrapped up in a newspaper; they were good!
+
+Next came along a mule, bearing towards us Bishop Tucker, who had come
+out to welcome his new recruits. I do not remember quite distinctly
+the other faces, for we were literally hemmed in by scores of excited
+natives, hustling, bustling, clapping, and chattering, seizing our hands
+and thanking us for having come so far to them, while tears of gratitude
+glistened on some of their splendid, intelligent, brown faces.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+Mengo, Uganda
+
+
+Judging from the view obtained from this, the native capital of Uganda,
+Mengo, the country seems composed of hills. On one of these stands the
+cathedral and missionaries’ houses, and the splendid hospital, then just
+ready to be opened (but since burnt down), and holding fifty to sixty
+beds. The Roman Catholic Mission commands another hill, while on the
+highest is the King’s palace. The head man of the district builds at
+the top of each hill, and his dependents live round, their site being
+determined by their social position. The whole district is densely
+populated, but this is difficult at first to see, as the huts harmonize
+with the vegetation around, or are hidden by the large banana plantations
+that surround each dwelling. What strikes a new arrival are the very
+wide, well-made roads that have been cut in various directions, quite a
+novel feature for Africa.
+
+Living out here is necessarily very simple. The English houses then
+resembled bungalows constructed of poles and light, long reeds sewn
+together by means of a black fibre: two layers formed the walls, with
+dried leaves stuffed between, the roof being thatched with grass. The
+floors were beaten earth, with skins or grass mats thrown down in
+place of carpets. There were only outside doors, pieces of terra cotta
+coloured bark cloth being hung as curtains between the inside doorways.
+The apertures made in the walls for windows were closed in at night
+by shutters of sewn reeds. The rooms looked distinctly rural, with
+bookshelves, wardrobes, and cabinets made with packing cases of uniform
+size stacked one upon another. A few native curios and chairs placed
+about were rather more useful than ornamental.
+
+[Illustration: A GROUP OF BAGANDA.
+
+_Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa._]
+
+Each missionary’s house was fitted up with a spare room, but visitors
+were expected to bring their own furniture and attendants, even though it
+might be but a Saturday till Monday visit. If you were not a bonâ-fide
+fresh arrival you had to bring your cow as well. The European’s staff of
+domestics consists generally of small boys varying from eight to thirteen
+years of age. These cook, wait, clean up, wash, in fact will do anything
+you want them to do and a great deal more besides. As we passed the
+little cook shed one evening the chef was rubbing up the roast chicken
+with his grimy little hands to give the final touch before sending it to
+table. The ladies employ female labour, and the girls range from three
+to fifteen years of age, after which they marry. One small thing of five
+years was “parlourmaid” to their household at the time of our arrival.
+At afternoon tea she strolled into the room with the teapot balanced on
+her head; in the same exalted position were the vegetables brought in at
+dinner served up in a large plaited basket shaped like a Japanese hat,
+with leaves placed under the unsweetened cooked bananas or potatoes.
+
+The kitchen, like the servants’ quarters, is built apart from the
+houses. There are no ranges or stoves. The cooking-pot, saucepan,
+kettle, or frying-pan sits on three bricks or large stones between which
+the firewood is rammed. The cooking-pots make successful ovens for
+bread-making if a tray of fire is placed on the top.
+
+The day after our arrival being Sunday we had an early opportunity
+of witnessing a little of what Christianity has done for Uganda. The
+unreached tribes we had passed through in their nakedness and savagery,
+propitiating demons, and offering human sacrifices, are what these
+people were before the Gospel reached them. Now, as the huge church
+drum, echoing from hill to hill, called to morning prayer, a continual
+stream of people was seen pouring into the large “basket” cathedral. As
+we entered at 9 a.m. what an impressive sight awaited us! Perhaps the
+first thing that attracted one’s attention was the veritable forest of
+poles that supported the roof; but, then, looking down, the eye travelled
+over a sea of black woolly heads—of about two thousand men dressed in
+spotless white linen on one side, and of women draped in the bark cloths,
+so soft and restful to the eye, on the other. There were no chairs or
+pews, but each one brought a goat skin or grass kneeling mat. With no
+muffled, inarticulate voice did they join in the service, but as they all
+united in the Lord’s Prayer a noise as of thunder sounded throughout the
+building. When the time for reading of the Scriptures had come, there
+was a general unbandaging of Gospels or Testaments, which their owners
+securely bind round in strips of calico to protect them.[2]
+
+In the afternoon we paid a visit to the young king Daudi Chwa. His palace
+is approached by passing through an endless number of courtyards formed
+by woven cane fencings ten feet high. In some of these are circular
+reed houses for his courtiers and servants; the last one is the royal
+enclosure. Three round buildings stand here, coloured grass plaitings
+over the entrance distinguishing them from others. In one, the audience
+chamber, sat the King, then aged four years.
+
+There was no furniture in the apartment; fine grass was carefully and
+uniformly laid on the ground, over which mats were placed on a slightly
+elevated reed dais. He was an important-looking little lad; his curious
+get-up made him appear twice his age. In spite of the great heat, a man’s
+European shirt fell in folds to his feet, and over this was an English
+greasy black morning coat, made to fit a man of abnormal proportions.
+Five women and two chiefs waited upon him. Not a word did he speak, but
+stared uninterruptedly, and when on leaving we had reached the last
+courtyard, I was peremptorily recalled. It was my velvet collar band he
+wanted to inspect.
+
+The form of native government is very highly developed and remarkable,
+for a tribe that had had no contact with the forms of government adopted
+by civilized nations. The feudal system is practically that in vogue
+throughout the country, which is divided up into shires or districts
+placed under a chief called the Saza, who has his own sub-chiefs. He
+has the power of settling trifling local questions, but everything of
+importance has to be transferred to the King.
+
+The English Government had recently levied upon the whole Protectorate
+a hut tax of 3 rupees yearly. This creates a new demand, and has had a
+salutary effect on a people whose needs are so few, and these so easily
+supplied, that they have had little necessity for learning the dignity of
+work.
+
+Tourists could easily spend some days profitably in Mengo, where there is
+much of real interest to be seen. I will give my few days of excursion
+trips, as there is no Baedeker on the subject.
+
+First day.—Grand reception by natives.
+
+Second day.—Visit to Cathedral, Schools, and Industrial Department of the
+Church Missionary Society, open each day from 8.0 to 4.0. Pay respects to
+His Majesty Daudi I., King of Uganda.
+
+Third day.—Uganda “Picture Gallery” in the Bishop’s Palace (constructed
+of mud and wattle). Every picture produced by the Bishop’s own brush
+while journeying through the country. They were so beautiful and give
+such a faithful idea of the country I simply longed to despatch the whole
+lot home.
+
+Fourth day.—Three miles’ walk to the ruins of Mackay’s Church and house.
+Banana plantations now extend over his once carefully cultivated garden,
+a few scattered bricks (the first and only introduction of bricks up to
+that time in Mengo) point out the place where the foundation of the great
+invisible Church of Uganda was laid. As one stood there one almost felt
+surrounded by that crowd of witnesses of whom the world was not worthy.
+Just to the front is that sacred spot where the first native converts
+were martyred for their faith.
+
+Fifth day.—Visit to the Hospital. I went with the doctor to observe and
+take notes for future use. The day’s work commenced with a half-hour’s
+service held in an open outside court. The gate was closed then against
+those who might come for the medicine without the morning prayers. Some
+150 patients were seeking attention this day, and they were allowed into
+the tiny consulting room five at a time. They evidently have a good idea
+of anatomy, for they have a word for nearly every bone and gland. Their
+faith in the white doctor speaks eloquently of the cures he has effected.
+One man was quite hurt because the surgeon would not take out his liver.
+
+On the same day can be fitted in a bicycle ride to the native potteries.
+Outside a small hut we found two men squatted moulding the soft clay
+with their hands; a well rounded flint gave a polish to the pot, while a
+strand of coarsely plaited grass stamped on the soft clay gave a border
+impress. A huge wood furnace was burning in an adjoining court into which
+the vessels were placed and baked. We were so interested in this process
+that the sun had set before we were aware of it, and our ride home was
+in pitch darkness over the deep rutted roads. I had a nasty fall which
+suggested that it might be wiser to walk our machines the remainder of
+the distance. When we reached Mengo sharp pain and swollen ankle told
+of a sprain. This kept me a prisoner for three days. It was rather
+providential, for the mail from England came in, and as no letters had
+reached us since leaving the home shores, just ten weeks ago, a very big
+budget was handed in to me. Only those who have really experienced it can
+enter into the awful home-sickness that sometimes a girl feels on her
+first long separation from England. After some amount of tossing about
+and roughing it, to be suddenly carried back by a letter into the peace
+and quiet of the home, and to read all the interesting little natural
+bits which make you feel once again among the home circle, for a minute,
+when no one is looking, you may behave like a big baby.
+
+The destinations of our party of missionaries were soon definitely fixed;
+I was asked to go as one of the first women to Toro, a separate and
+independent kingdom nearly 200 miles further inland to the north-west of
+Uganda. It involves a journey of 12 to 14 days, as the road is rather
+tough and there are no conveyances. The wonderful growth of the work
+there dates from the conversion of the King Kasagama at the beginning
+of the year 1896, who was the first monarch to be baptized in the whole
+Protectorate. In 1897 he wrote the following letter to the C.M.S.:—
+
+                                             TORO, February 1, 1897.
+
+    To my dear Friends the Elders of the Church in Europe.
+
+    I greet you very much in our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us
+    on the cross to make us children of God. How are you, sirs?
+
+    I am Daudi (David) Kasagama, King of Toro. The reason why I
+    commence to tell you that is because I wish you to know me
+    well.
+
+    God our Father gave me the Kingdom of Toro to reign over for
+    Him, therefore I write to you my brethren to beseech you to
+    remember me and to pray for me every day, all the days.
+
+    I praise my Lord very very much indeed for the words of the
+    Gospels He brought into my country, and you my brothers I
+    thank you for sending Teachers to come here to teach us such
+    beautiful words.
+
+    I therefore tell you that I want very much, God giving me
+    strength, to arrange all the matters of this country for Him
+    only, that all my people may understand that Christ Jesus He is
+    the Saviour of all countries, and that He is the King of all
+    kings. Therefore, sirs, I tell you that I have built a very
+    large Church in my Capital, and we call it “The Church of St.
+    John.”
+
+    Also that very many people come every day into the Church to
+    learn the “Words of Life,” perhaps 150, also on Sunday they
+    are very many who come to worship God our Father in His holy
+    Church and to praise Him. I also tell you that in the gardens
+    near here we have built six Churches. The people of this place
+    have very great hunger indeed for the “Bread of Life,” many
+    die every day while still in their sins because they do not
+    hear the Gospel. The teachers are few and those who wish to
+    read, many. Therefore, sirs, my dear friends, have pity upon
+    my people, in great darkness; they do not know where they are
+    going.
+
+    Also I want to tell you that there are very many heathen
+    nations close to my country—Abakonio, Abamba, Abahoko,
+    Abasagala, Abasongola, Abaega, and many others in darkness.
+    We heard that now in Uganda there are English ladies; but,
+    sirs, here is very great need for ladies to come and teach our
+    ladies. I want very very much that they come.
+
+    Also, my friends, help us every day in your prayers. I want my
+    country to be a strong Lantern that is not put out, in this
+    land of darkness.
+
+    Also I wish to make dear friends in Europe, because we are One
+    in Christ Jesus Our Saviour. Now good-bye, my dear friends. God
+    be with you in all your decisions.
+
+                I am your friend who loves you in Jesus,
+
+                                                     DAUDI KASAGAMA.
+
+How well I remember the deep impression that request made on me as I
+read it, little realizing at the time that God would send me out in
+answer to it. Mr. and Mrs. A. B. Lloyd were also located to Toro, and
+Miss Pike, who had arrived in Uganda six months previously.
+
+As soon as we knew our location we went off to Kampala, the market
+place and Government station of Mengo, to lay in a stock of oil, wheat,
+matches, bark cloths; also cowrie shells, beads, and calico, which are
+the currency of the Toro district. Our purse took the shape of two large
+sacks, each weighing 65lbs., and these needed two men to carry them.
+
+Kampala was very different from Namirembe. Swahilis, Indians, Arabs, and
+natives crowded the narrow, stuffy street called a market place. Open
+booths extended down either side, and on shelves were displayed various
+native grains and vegetable produce, while gorgeous coloured prints and
+calicoes, beads, and brass wire adorned the outfitters’ shops. As we
+passed along, small amused crowds followed us to see the “tall ladies.”
+
+The law court would have shocked the members of the profession of Fleet
+Street. It was a barn-like structure built of reeds; there were no
+benches and witness boxes, the only official item being a coat of arms
+wrought on an enamelled iron plate over the judge’s seat and table.
+
+We heard there was a nice little white-washed mud house awaiting us in
+Toro, but there were no windows or doors. The European missionary already
+working there promised to make these when we supplied him with wood from
+our packing-cases.
+
+Toro was still in its very dark state, but the people were willing and
+eager to learn. The Uganda of the present has been the result of years of
+labour, the cost of noblest lives, the scenes of grandest heroism, the
+patient, untiring, lonely work of such men as Mackay, Pilkington, and
+many others. Toro appeared to have few physical dangers, but the moral
+and spiritual difficulties were just the same. A fortnight’s journey
+seemed a long distance to the nearest European station, especially to
+one straight out from the roar and bustle of London life, the noise and
+rattle of a large family of brothers and sisters.
+
+We felt very incompetent implements, but remembered the prayers going up
+for us in England, and believed that they would have power with the great
+Master-Builder, the Architect of the ages—so that the habitation being
+builded together for God in Toro might be “all glorious within.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+Toro: The Land of the Mountains of the Moon
+
+
+On Tuesday, April 10th, 1900, the start was made for Toro. Our caravan of
+porters had been sent on before to have our first camp in readiness on
+our arrival.
+
+Bishop Tucker, who was coming our way for two days on a visit to an
+out-station, set off on his mule, with Miss Pike mounted on a most
+apologetic-looking donkey. The Lloyds and myself arranged our departure
+two hours later, as our cycles promised a quicker method of locomotion.
+Having said the last good-bye to friends, I went away for an hour’s
+quiet to get strengthened for the journey. Taking out my “Daily Light” I
+looked for its message, which was the promise given to Israel while in
+captivity, “Thy renown went forth among the heathen for thy beauty, for
+thou art perfect in the majesty (R.V.) that I have put upon thee, saith
+the Lord.” What a glorious responsibility through the graciousness of God
+to be allowed to proclaim the renown, beauty and majesty of Christ among
+the heathen.
+
+At 3.0 three cyclists could have been seen scorching down the hills from
+Mengo with a crowd of boys and men as bodyguard, all the twelve miles to
+camp. Africans seem to be possessed with an extra breathing reservoir,
+for they can run almost any distance without stopping to regain breath.
+It was dark or semi-obscure in the small forest opening where we found
+our encampment. Miss Pike was unceremoniously seated on a big box
+swallowing pints of tea! The porters had tried to erect our tent, but had
+not learned the knack, and we had to creep into flabby folds of canvas.
+It looked like a native who wants his one daily meal—it sadly needed
+inflating. Oh, dear! How did we manage that night! It became dark so
+soon, everybody had to fish about with candles among a medley of boxes,
+porters and food. Our Baganda boys were certainly not trained like the
+Swahili attendants who came up with us to Uganda, in the mysteries and
+arts of camping out. European equipments were unsolved conundrums to
+them. Our four youths looked hopelessly vacant, jabbering about round the
+tent, doing nothing but getting into one’s way. When we did sit down to a
+personally-superintended cooked meal, the “waiter” knocked the wash-hand
+basin of water over my pillows, which had to be round a fire all night to
+dry. The “boys” can learn to do things fairly nicely if you have patience
+to allow them plenty of time for an idea to filter through their minds.
+They wanted an hour for preparing our table at each meal, which was only
+furnished with the simplest and most limited number of things. Sitting
+down before the food box they took out every tin and contemplated each
+one for some minutes before deciding whether salt was eaten with tea, jam
+with meat, and so on.
+
+The next morning at 4.30 we were all astir again, and as soon as our
+belongings were packed up, were on our way. How I wish I had the power
+of descriptive writing to enable others to peep into one of the many
+exquisite belts of forest that crossed the road at constant intervals.
+They surpassed any Kew tropical greenhouse. Unlike the tangled disorderly
+forests passed on our way to Uganda, date palms, trees, climbers, flowers
+such as orchids, sunflowers, wild pea and tomatoes flourished there in
+perfect life and vigour.
+
+Emerging from the cool shade of these trees, our track passed through
+stretches of papyrus and pampas grasses eight to fifteen feet high. It
+was almost impossible to see the path of about one foot wide which had
+become overgrown and covered by broken tiger grass. Cycling was anything
+but easy. We had to butt our sun helmets into the long, wet waving grass,
+blindly careering forward. There is absolutely no level ground between
+Toro and Uganda, but a succession of hills over the tops of which the
+road has been cut. The descents, sometimes very steep are dangerous on
+account of the thick muddy swamps that frequently wind round the bases
+of the hills. The bridges over these swamps often get washed away in
+the rainy seasons. One almost feels the treacherous malaria, as heat
+waves sweep heavily along, while being carried through these “Sloughs of
+Despond” on the shoulder of one of the strongest porters. I suppose one
+of these was responsible for the heat sickness that I woke up with one
+morning. A long tiresome march lay ahead, so the hammock was insisted
+upon, and six men, lent by the chief of the village, came as carriers. It
+was rather ludicrous to watch the sympathy of the natives. I could have
+imagined myself dying; but the shock they sustained when the first little
+bit of decent road was reached! In half-a-minute the awe-struck men stood
+gasping as, calling out to be lowered, the poor, dying “Mukyala” (lady)
+coasted down a tempting hill. They looked quite relieved when they found
+her awaiting the hammock at the foot of the next climb.
+
+In one camp the chief came to pay us his respects and brought six old men
+with him and several folks to whom he wanted to show the white ladies,
+none having passed along that way before. I could do nothing more than
+greet them with an extenuated string of grunts, but this pleased them
+immensely. Mr. Lloyd asked if I would let down my hair, as they had
+never seen anything different from their own cropped, frizzy pates, and
+the short hair of a few white men. Out came the hairpins, and as the
+hair tumbled down a loud laugh of delight and surprise came from every
+onlooker. A lesson in hairdressing followed, and each twist, turn and pin
+was watched with lively excitement. A spoonful of salt was given round
+to every visitor before leaving. Their eyes glistened, their hands were
+lifted to their mouths, the tongues protruded, and, oh, the delight of
+that moment! They smacked their lips and relished it as much as I enjoyed
+sherbet in girlhood’s days. The remaining dainty morsel was tied up in a
+piece of banana leaf.
+
+The roads proved too much for my poor wheel. Until it could be
+attended to by a London specialist it had to be regarded as a chronic
+displacement. The strain on the fork had been too incessant and heavy
+with only a front rim brake. The ruts, ditches, and obstacles had given
+it a terrible shaking, and finally succeeded in literally tearing the
+fork away from the bar. The remainder of the journey, about 140 miles,
+had to be covered on foot. Miss Pike was in the same predicament, as the
+donkey gave in even before the bicycle.
+
+On the sixth day from Mengo we reached Lwekula and put up at a European
+fort, vacated now, but built and occupied at the last Soudanese rebellion
+when the Nubian troops and Mohammedan population were up in arms against
+the British Government. It is a square fenced-in enclosure with sentinel
+boxes at each corner and a deep, dry moat surrounding it. Two or three
+reed sheds stand inside, one of which we made use of instead of our
+tents, which are intensely hot during the day time. Unfortunately, Mrs.
+Lloyd was taken with bad fever as we reached here, and as her temperature
+remained at 104 on the third day a special runner was dispatched to Mengo
+asking Dr. Cook to come out to her. The six following days of waiting
+for his arrival were anxious times to us all, and we watched by her
+bedside day and night. When he did come the fever refused to yield to
+treatment. After a fortnight spent thus it was decided that she should
+be carried back to the nearest European station three days away. Before
+leaving, the doctor had an opportunity of relieving several poor native
+sufferers. One was a tubercular case, which necessitated amputation of
+the finger. In lieu of an operating theatre the patient was laid on the
+ground and given chloroform! We enjoyed a few regular out-patient days of
+hospital life again.
+
+The knowledge that our two travelling friends must return had come to us
+on my birthday, and a new weight seemed added to my quarter of a century
+of life. They had been like brother and sister to me ever since leaving
+England, and now it was like going away from everything that connected
+one with the old land. Then I turned to my Bible, and Psalm 22 was the
+birthday portion—“The Kingdom is the Lord’s” stood out as written in
+gold. I could never get beyond God’s country, God’s territory. It brought
+such peace, comfort, protection. No longer was it one person almost alone
+in a big strange land, but a child of a King who reigneth in Africa as in
+England, and never sends without Himself going, too.
+
+The doctor left at 12.0 p.m. on April 30th to get ready the camp for the
+Lloyds, and at 4.0 p.m. we fixed the invalid up in the hammock and left
+the Fort with them. It was a sad and silent procession, and a talk with
+Mr. Lloyd showed us how bitter was the disappointment to them both. At
+sunset we stood and wished them good-bye, and it just needed all the
+strength we could command to keep back the hot tears that wanted to fall
+with those that shook the poor little patient. Neither of us could speak
+as Miss Pike and I returned to the desolate Fort. Already two of our
+companions has been obliged to turn back, and we two girls were left to
+go on with a missionary who had come out to escort us to Toro.
+
+At midnight my companion was seized with violent sickness and slight
+temperature. Donning slippers and enveloping myself in a blanket, I
+ran out across the Fort to rouse one of the boys for hot water. It was
+awfully uncanny. The starlit sky was entirely shut out by angry clouds,
+and the darkness was intolerable. Only the shrill shriek of the hyenas
+broke the stillness, and I half expected the faint light from my candle
+lamp to fall upon a leopard or reptile.
+
+After two days, however, she so far recovered as to be able in a hammock
+to take up the journey once more.
+
+I am quite sure Heber had never visited Uganda when he wrote:—
+
+    “Where Afric’s sunny fountains
+    Roll down their golden sand.”
+
+If he had done so it might have run:—
+
+    “Where Afric’s swamps and mountains
+    Meet one on every hand.”
+
+Our experience next day especially proved this. At 6 a.m. a cloudless
+sky greeted us, and damp white mists were sleeping in each hollow. At
+the foot of the first hill we were confronted by a long swamp with tall
+papyrus grass growing on either side. We had recourse to the hammock,
+and as the water reached the carriers’ waists, one felt the canvas was
+some inches in water and that it was a case of floating through the
+dirty, stagnant river. I wondered if poor little Moses in the bulrushes
+ever felt as we did among the papyrus. The second swamp gave us a little
+variety, as the reed bridge had been broken down and the step down into
+the swamp was so steep that we felt uncomfortably like sliding over the
+front carrier, while the climb up at the other end gave us our first
+sensation of standing on our heads.
+
+At 11 o’clock we halted under a tree and feasted on sausages (tinned),
+sweet potatoes, cornflour, biscuits, and tea. Sausages are a great
+treat out here, and we only indulged as we were doing a double march to
+reach Toro that day week. We then waited till 2 p.m. so as to allow the
+sun to cool down a bit, and enjoyed reading an English newspaper, the
+“British Weekly,” of February 16th date. After that we felt quite ready
+to continue our march, reaching camp at 4 o’clock, only to find our tents
+had been pitched on such a disgustingly dirty old camping ground that
+they had to be taken up and erected some hundred yards further on.
+
+Diary-making that day was impossible. Our tent, from the bottom to the
+top, was literally lined with mosquitoes, and their singing quite put
+in the shade the Royal Choral Society at the Albert Hall. In the two
+previous camps they had covered the roof, but evidently never tasted the
+joys of European flesh and feared to descend. These others were more
+initiated.
+
+Arriving at Butiti, which is only 30 miles from Kabarole, the capital
+of Toro, we found a most prosperous work going on among the people. Our
+kind escort from Lwekula, Mr. Ecob, was stationed there. A marriage was
+solemnized in the Mission Church on the day of our arrival. We went
+out of curiosity and to get a peep into the native customs. Never have
+I disgraced myself by such uncontrollable laughter. First of all, the
+pair were not forthcoming, and so the parson organized a search party.
+A hilarious sound from the porch warned us of the bridegroom’s arrival.
+He was a lanky stripling of about 17, dressed in a long white gown. His
+best man wore a very hole-y shirt, Jaeger-coloured for want of a wash. An
+unwound turban was thrown over his shoulder till required. The bridegroom
+went forward and squatted on a grass mat in front of the chancel to await
+his betrothed. Soon a slow, solemn procession coming in at a side door
+brought in view the belated bride, accompanied and surrounded by about
+thirty maidens. How can I describe that picture! She was ugly—as ugly as
+the imagination could picture; somewhat advanced in years; her face was
+marred by cutting and branding, and she was reeking with grease which was
+amply smeared over face and shoulders. On her head sat a red Turk’s cap
+worn as a sign of marriage or high station. This, on account of its size,
+had the appearance of a candle extinguisher. Then her body was swathed in
+all sorts of coloured prints and beads. After the ceremony, the couple
+left by different doors, the bridesmaids holding an old torn “brollie”
+over the retiring bride, who was weeping copiously. The women regard
+marriage in rather a philosophical light. They say it has two arms. One
+brings a home, protection, and presents of clothing and rejoicing. The
+other shuts the door of liberty; it brings work, and that means sorrow.
+The thought of the latter predominates on the wedding day.
+
+When six miles away from Butiti we got our first view of the Mountains
+of the Moon. I can never forget the sight that was suddenly opened up as
+we turned a sharp bend round a high hill. It was 4.30 p.m. Huge peaks,
+sharp and rugged, stretched from north to south in an unbroken range of
+sixty-nine miles long. Heavy black thunder clouds rolled over some of the
+summits, while the lightning shot out angry tongues of fire. Torrents
+of rain were sweeping away to our right, while the sun beat down in
+full strength upon the valleys. Above all, calm and serene, shone the
+region of snow. For all ages the sun has directed its equatorial power
+against that ice fortress. Storms have thundered and crushed against
+its foundations, but it has ever stood as the one impregnable and
+unsullied witness of holiness and purity to God, in a land where darkness
+has reigned, and the storms of passion, vice and barbarity have laid
+desolate.
+
+Descending to the forest just beneath us, we sat under the shade of its
+trees, keeping well in view of glorious Ruwenzori. While tea was in
+preparation we just gave ourselves up to the influences of environment.
+For a moment we even dared to feel poetical. Long forgotten stanzas lived
+again in the memory, but were all put down as original and momentary
+genius. My turn having come round, I made a rush at something with a
+guilty conscience of poaching on another one’s preserves, and it ran
+something like:—
+
+    “Mountains on whose rugged breast
+    The labouring clouds do often rest.”
+
+But I got no further, for who should appear but someone suspiciously
+like a tourist. So unusual a sight made us forget English customs, and
+we waited for no introductions. We received a real warm welcome straight
+away from our companion-designate and only co-worker in Kabarole.
+
+Next morning we rose at 5.0 and saw the sun rise on the snow peaks and
+then started on our last walk.
+
+Almost immediately runners met us bearing letters from the King and
+Queen, the Namasole (the King’s mother), the Prime Minister, and chiefs,
+all welcoming us in words of warmest thanks. These men scarcely waited
+for our verbal answer before rushing back. In fact, the road for a long
+way ahead was defined by men and boys rushing toward and from us with
+messages. As we drew nearer a few teachers and others came to prepare
+us for the reception that awaited us, and informed us that the women
+of Toro were congregated just beyond our next hill. We little guessed
+what an army lay entrenched there. As we approached, one moving mass of
+fluttering white and crimson gowns came bearing down upon us, rushing,
+clapping their hands, and shrieking. Then crowds of black arms were
+thrown wildly round our necks, and as many pates placed from one shoulder
+to the other.
+
+We talked as well as we could to them, but our progress was slow, as
+every now and again they stopped us and repeated their demonstrations.
+Over the next hill the male force had rallied, and here a no less hearty
+though more formal welcome awaited us.
+
+We made for the church, which was crowded, and a few impromptu prayers
+and hymns of praise went up on our behalf. Then we inspected our future
+white-washed home, and from that moment, all day long and every day, we
+were crowded with visitors.
+
+The royal band was sent down by His Majesty to play outside our house.
+It was composed of six drummers and twelve fifers, whose instruments
+are able to produce about five notes, and with these they produce
+indistinguishable tunes. Their appreciation of music seems to depend on
+the volume of sound produced, so in order to give us a proof of their
+welcome they blew to bursting pitch. All day long we were serenaded and
+at night, too. It went on into the second day, and thinking the bandsmen
+might prove to have stronger lung power than we had of endurance, we set
+a polite message to his Majesty asking that they might be allowed to rest
+at night till daylight.
+
+So at last we had reached our journey’s end. The sixteen weeks that had
+run out since leaving home had been long and eventful. As the evening
+fell on our first day in Toro, we gathered round our log fire and sang
+together “O God our help in ages past.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+The Country
+
+
+Toro is one of the four Kingdoms that comprise the Uganda Protectorate
+and lies on the North-west boundary. The present outlook would lead one
+to think that it will remain unaffected longer than the other three
+neighbouring States by the inroads that civilization is making in Uganda,
+which the railway has brought into such close proximity to the outside
+world, while traders pass along the splendid caravan roads through
+Bunyoro up to the Nile, and to the Southern cattle-rearing Kingdom of
+Ankole. There is nothing to attract them to Toro, as the journey is a
+real physical effort, and there is no commercial prospect of mineral
+wealth or remunerative industry to justify the long journey. The ivory
+that formerly brought the Arab traders into the country is now almost
+entirely preserved by the British Government. So, unless Toro is visited
+by more successful prospectors than those who have already casually
+looked round, who shall discover some hidden mine of wealth, in all
+probability it will remain undisturbed in its present state of rusticity.
+
+But it is a wonderful country, and one that must ever fascinate a lover
+of nature and its freaks. The mountains are in themselves a unique
+feature. One can scarcely reconcile the co-existence of an equatorial
+sun and eternal snows, yet so it is. Strange mountain tribes in quite
+primeval state live among its forests and creeks, while just on its other
+side extends Stanley’s Great Forest with its pigmy inhabitants.
+
+On all sides one sees the results of the operation of mighty unseen
+forces. Numbers of extinct volcanoes are visible from our hill, the
+craters of which form the beds of lakes now, with vegetation and forest
+growth stretching down their sides to the water’s edge.
+
+They must have enjoyed a good long sleep, as no hints of their activity
+are traced in the native traditions, which go back to a corresponding
+Adamic period. There are quite a number of legends, however, which
+invariably associate them with evil spirits that are supposed to live in
+the craters. This is believed even still by some of the raw peasants.
+One day a woman told me that her two little boys had been playing in the
+courtyard while she was at work, and the “Muchwezi” (evil spirit) from
+the Crater hill two miles away had come and run off with her elder child.
+For two years he had remained lost to them, when suddenly he returned
+clothed in a strip of bark-cloth and a charm round his neck peculiar to
+that evil spirit. He was sworn to divulge nothing of what had happened to
+him while being with the evil spirits in the crater, under the penalty of
+being caught away again by them.
+
+[Illustration: THE MARKET PLACE.
+
+_Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa._]
+
+Here let me recount a rather unique picnic we had at one of these crater
+lakes three miles away. It happened on a Monday—the Missionaries’
+off-day—when general repairs and washing are usually done, or visits paid
+to neighbouring villages. We started off on our bikes in high spirits
+which managed to survive a heavy thunderstorm that overtook us half way
+and soaked us through. We hung ourselves out to dry round a fire in the
+hut on the lake shore, and having warmed ourselves with tea made for the
+lake in search of wild-duck. We baled the water out of the dug-out canoe
+and set off with three boys as paddlers. You never met with anything more
+aggravating than an African dug-out; they are so badly balanced that the
+least movement threatens to overturn the skiff; and as for steering,
+that is out of the question. Anyhow, when we were far away from our
+landing point, the canoe refused to move, except in complete circles.
+We could make no headway; the united efforts of all—barring myself, who
+did not row—failed to move the boat except in rapid revolutions. Then a
+storm blew up and darkness seemed to be suddenly settling down on us.
+One of our party, who knew from experience our danger, was in a terrible
+fright. I tried hard to tune up to “Excelsior” and “Midshipmite,” which
+eventually evidently appealed to the kind heart of the elements, for
+the boat moved and we were safely landed. But the return home was the
+difficulty. The moon went in as soon as it appeared, and as it was so
+dark a different route was suggested, in order to escape the river which
+we had to cross on our way out. About half way we found out that the
+recent storms had washed away the bridge we had relied upon to get us
+across the river and so were obliged to trust to other means. Miss Pike
+headed the procession on a boy’s shoulder, but as the water came up to
+the lad’s armpit her position was far from enviable. Then I ventured on
+the donkey, sitting in a sort of tailor fashion, but, alas! the water
+refused to let me off scot free. After that, in a miserably drenched
+condition, with our flapping skirts like reservoirs of water, we trudged
+on through long grass and thick mud, and at last reached a succession
+of deep swamps. One of these looked so tragic and interminable that the
+men insisted on crossing hands and taking me through in dandy-chair
+style. I shall not forget that experience. Like Christian of old, one
+of my carrier’s strength and courage failed him, and half-way I became
+suddenly aware that he was rapidly disappearing under water. A violent
+yell brought small boys to the rescue, who, supporting me, managed to
+extricate him from the mud depths, and a second start was made; but just
+as we were reaching the other side the same poor, unfortunate man landed
+in more mud, into which he sank. Before I could release my hold, I saw
+him go completely under the water, and felt myself rapidly descending
+into the depths over his head. The situation was so ludicrous that the
+awful after-effects were forgotten in the peals of laughter which no one
+could restrain, in spite of the poor man’s miserable condition and my own.
+
+To resume our description—on the east of Ruwenzori the land presents an
+unbroken stretch of undulating country; on the west side the land falls
+rapidly and forms the Semliki plain, so called after the river that winds
+zig-zag through it, uniting the Albert Edward Nyanza on the south to the
+Albert Nyanza on the north.
+
+Descending to this plain round the north end of the mountain range, the
+configuration of the land indicates two distinct ancient water levels;
+this is confirmed by the quantities of small shells that are often found
+in scattered heaps among the sandy soil, similar to those now found on
+the Lake shores.
+
+With the exception of the fringe of the Congo Forest that enters the Toro
+boundary, and the Bamboo Forests that grow so thickly on the slopes of
+the mountains, Toro is not abundant in trees and timber. Wide veins of
+woodland winding along the river courses, however, form welcome relief to
+the prolific elephant grass that covers hills and valleys. Looked down
+upon from a distance these extended forests present a rich variety of
+tints. Winter is never seen, for when old age strikes the branches, the
+tree breaks forth into its second childhood under the influence of the
+sun’s rays. But on entering beneath the shade of these tempting oases,
+one realizes a feeling of disappointment, for everything appears to have
+outgrown its beauty. Powerful and unkempt creepers and rubber plants have
+wound their long bare limbs like poisonous snakes round the barks and
+branches of the trees till the vegetation has ceased to breathe in their
+grasp, and has withered away. Then the mischievous little monkeys as
+they frolic and scamper about leave such litter behind!
+
+Toro is almost entirely void of isolated trees. The annual grass fires
+that are lighted to clear the country for the sowing of the crops have
+given them no chance of an existence.
+
+Banana groves are gradually springing up over the country, for the Batoro
+are emulating the example of the Baganda in adopting the unsweetened
+banana called “Matoke” as their staple food. Formerly they lived entirely
+on “Bura,” a small millet which possesses a very low percentage of
+nutritive quality. The only thing that commends it is the infinitesimal
+amount of labour needed for its cultivation, and this is the chief
+consideration of these folk. They grind the grain between two stones
+which gradually crumble away in the process, making the food when cooked
+hardly distinguishable from boiled sand.
+
+Ruwenzori gives the whole kingdom of Toro a very plentiful water supply.
+The streams, flowing down from the ever-melting snow and ice, unite
+and form clear and swift rivers which provide the land with pure cold
+water, but at the same time make the country difficult for travelling
+about in. The crude bridges made by the natives get washed away in the
+rainy season, which often monopolises nine months out of the twelve.
+The mountains seem to attract every cloud that rises above the horizon.
+Nature indulges in most phenomenal pranks out there. There may be a
+perfectly bright cloudless afternoon, when suddenly it looks as if
+all the clouds of heaven had been unchained and let loose. From every
+direction they gather in impenetrable blackness, then girding themselves
+with fury, they burst forth and, with a hurricane in their wake, menace
+Toro with a few angry tears of passion and break with roars of thunder
+and tongues of fire on Ruwenzori’s side. Failing to shake that mountain
+ridge, they rebound and empty themselves upon Kabarole. In a few minutes
+the whole country is a wash-out; the hills send down sheets of water, and
+so do our thatched roofs. Unless these are under constant repair, all our
+little black boys, when they see a storm coming, are armed with pots,
+pans, basins, and dishes, and stand about in the rooms to catch the rain
+water, and so save themselves the trouble of going to the spring.
+
+One afternoon a terrible thunderstorm broke over Toro; the force of
+one clap, which was simultaneous with the most vivid lightning, was
+indescribable. A thunderbolt seemingly had fallen just over our heads and
+sounded as if a million dynamite explosives had burst over us. Scarcely
+had one recovered from the momentary shock, when the dreaded sound “Tera
+enduru” was heard; this is a fire alarm which the natives produce by
+clapping their lips with the palm of their hand. Hastening outside, we
+saw clouds of smoke issuing from Mr. and Mrs. Maddox’s house, which
+adjoined ours. Not waiting for hats or umbrellas, we hurried across to
+the yard, where boys and girls were rushing frantically about; Mrs.
+Maddox was in bed with fever in the very room where the fire had broken
+out. Her room was blazing away, while she was asleep, unconscious of her
+danger. Wrapping her in blankets, we managed to have her carried across
+to our house. The lightning had struck the corner of the room, instantly
+igniting the thatch, poles, and bamboo ceiling; the flash had travelled
+through the room, just escaping the bed, but singeing a little Bible on
+the table close by. Really, her escape was nothing less than a miracle.
+In a very short time the Katikiro was on the spot with his men, and we
+all worked hard at carrying out the things. To save the house was an
+impossibility. It was merely a fight with time and fire—pulling down
+packing cases and books, carrying out stores, boxes, bedding, clothing,
+crockery, tables, and chairs, and feeling the flames were quickly
+devouring all that lay in their way. When almost the last item was out,
+we were ordered away, and with a crash the end of the roof fell in, while
+the flames ascended in one solid, angry mass. Meanwhile, the King had
+posted an army of men to guard our house, and fan away all sparks with
+large banana leaves. All this had taken but fifteen minutes, so you can
+imagine the rapidity with which everyone had worked. The only things
+burnt were a tent and camp-bed, which had been stored in the roof, and
+were quite unreachable.
+
+Fortunately, this happened just ten days before they were due to leave
+for England, so they were not homeless for long.
+
+The whole of Toro seemed to crowd into our court, congratulating us
+all on our escape, and thanking God for protecting us. You will easily
+imagine how dead beat we were when the day was over, and how we welcomed
+sleep; but this was not to be for long, for at 12.0 midnight the same
+alarm of fire awakened us, and tearing on our dressing gowns and
+slippers, we found Mr. Fisher’s women’s house a conflagration. This was
+truly terrifying, as it was in such close proximity to his own house;
+while, as the house was entirely built of grass and reeds, the flames
+were more rapid and dense. Black figures, silhouetted against the flaming
+background, were seen wildly scrambling up on to these two roofs, beating
+away the flames and sparks. It really seemed an impossibility to save
+either, especially when you heard people shouting “Muije okutukonyera
+enju yahya” (“Come and help us, the house is on the point of burning.”)
+But I am glad to say the God of Deliverances was again with us to save,
+and to show forth His power. Nothing was lost but the women’s house, and
+the possessions and clothing of the seven women. In the morning, this was
+found to be a case of incendiarism; a small girl, who had recently left
+through stealing, had set fire to the house to revenge herself on the
+women.
+
+These things are a little bit upsetting to one’s nerves; the constant
+earthquakes and terrific thunderstorms keep one always girded for flight.
+One afternoon the missionaries had met together for afternoon tea, and
+suddenly there was a slight underground murmur, and the house shook as if
+it trembled. There were three windows and one door to the room, and out
+of them the three men instantly disappeared; they looked rather shaken
+when they came back for their tea. It was agreed not to let out names!
+
+On the western wide of Ruwenzori, and close to the base of that mountain
+range, are boiling springs containing a considerable proportion of
+sulphur. The natives have discovered their medicinal properties for skin
+diseases and have digged channels so as to divert part of the water
+into trenches or pits where they can sufficiently cool it for bathing
+purposes. They also carry their food down to the springs, and in a short
+time the plantains or potatoes are cooked and ready for use.
+
+Lying as it does on the Equator, Toro experiences scarcely any change
+of seasons all the year round, and in consequence of its being some
+5,000 feet above sea level, the temperature scarcely rises above 75-80°
+Fahr. in the shade, while the nights are often cold enough to justify
+the log fires that the Europeans indulge in. The prodigious and constant
+rainfalls just rob the country of a reputation it might have held for
+possessing an ideal climate for the colonist and for agricultural
+purposes. Except in the low-lying marshy districts, Toro is exceptionally
+free from mosquitoes and malaria, and, up to the present, not one case of
+sleeping sickness has been known.
+
+The soil is abnormally rich. Eucalyptus seed sown in the open produces
+trees of 12-15ft. in 18 months. Strawberries yield two and three
+plentiful crops annually, in fact growth has often to be checked, as in
+the case of cauliflowers, which need transplanting three times if fruit
+is to be obtained. Excellent coffee is grown in the country, and a very
+limited amount of inferior wheat. There is no reason why rice should
+not be successfully cultivated in the swampy soil, and tea on the sides
+of the mountains. The great obstacle to the developing of industries
+at present is the difficulty of transport to the districts where there
+is a profit-yielding demand. No minerals have yet been discovered with
+the exception of an appreciable amount of iron, which the people have
+instinctively learned to work; they are able to turn out good spear
+heads, hoes, knives, and even rough needles of clumsy proportions.
+
+This is undoubtedly one of the world’s natural zoological gardens. Huge
+herds of elephants, sometimes numbering 200 or 300, trundle through the
+tiger grass; leopards and lions may be heard at night roaring after their
+prey, sometimes even round the capital; crocodiles and hippopotami infest
+the lakes; monkeys and chimpanzees scamper about the forests; snakes lie
+coiled up in the long grass; and everywhere teems insect life, from the
+infinitesimal jigger to the locust. Lions are feared less by the people
+than leopards. In Bunyoro, where lions showed a leaning towards human
+flesh and blood, the King or Chief of the infested district used to send
+out two black cows or calves, and the lions, after having tasted their
+blood, no longer troubled the people, but dieted from that time on pigs
+and hyenas.
+
+Toro is still in the infancy of its development; the land, its resources,
+the people, and their possibilities are fields that give promise of a
+harvest of rich fruition to those who go to labour with mind and will.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+Home Life
+
+
+Life in Africa offers as sharp a contrast as is possible to imagine
+to the rush and bustle of the old country. Perhaps this is one of the
+earliest impressions that strikes one when coming straight from a large
+and noisy household in the Metropolis. The keynote of this country is
+“mpora, mpora”—“slowly, slowly,” and its effects are seen and felt
+everywhere. Time is of no consequence or value to the people. The wheels
+of life revolve so slowly that I felt as if my whole being had been
+pulled up with a jerk. The clockwork of activity had to be allowed to run
+down gradually, in order to fall into correspondence with things around.
+
+Having left England just after Christmas, with its memories of busy
+thoroughfares streaming with lights from the gaily decorated shops, and
+teeming with folks big and small all chattering and preparing for the
+festive season, I had scarcely had time to forget all this noise and
+rattle before arriving at the antipodes of existence. Step out of the
+house one evening with me at about 8.0. Miles and miles of country lie
+faintly outlined by the phantom light of the moon—that orb of death. No
+other spark or ray breaks the long, wide expanse of darkness, and all the
+land and nature lie in profound sleep: no song of mirth or infant’s cry
+reaches us, everything is mute and everywhere is sleeping.
+
+Suddenly a shrill shriek from the hyena or a leopard’s low growl drives
+us indoors. Oh for the rumble of a London ’bus or the rush of the Irish
+express as it passes the old home in a mad hurry night after night. There
+is the faithful companionship of a scratchy pen, so that is how one
+generally turns out a voluminous correspondent in these parts of silent
+Africa.
+
+Now let that same pen tell something of our home and various domestic
+odds and ends. Our house was built of wood and mud daub with a roof of
+thatch. The rooms, five in number, were lofty and fairly large, with
+walls which could be called neither straight nor smooth—in fact they
+rather reminded me of “Uncle Podger’s” wall that looked as if it had been
+smoothed down with a garden rake after he had been hanging a picture.
+But ours were white-washed, and this, at least, gave them a clean and
+cheerful appearance. The fact was that a violent storm had slightly blown
+the walls out of gear before the ground had sufficiently hardened round
+the framework poles. The windows were ingeniously made of wood with
+calico nailed across as a substitute for glass. We had only one door to
+start with—the front door—made of the unpolished and unplaned material
+of two packing cases, ornamented with the names and destinations of the
+owners of the boxes. There was a verandah all round the house which kept
+it cool from the mid-day sun.
+
+Really, it was a marvellous building when you consider that the workmen
+had never built anything different from the round beehive grass and reed
+huts in which the people live. The poles had all to be brought in from a
+forest seven miles away, and were carried in on men’s heads. The mud was
+beaten by their bare feet. They had to be overlooked at every point and
+turn as they have no idea of work, or even a straight line, unless the
+European is actually on the spot to show them. And when that European
+was absolutely alone and endeavouring to act as pastor, teacher, and
+schoolmaster to hundreds of eager and teachable people, the question is
+how he ever squeezed in time to build this and his own house.
+
+Our tent furniture was far too diminutive and scanty to fill our five
+rooms, so we turned cabinet-makers, and produced some highly creditable
+articles, all things considered.
+
+Piling up six packing cases of uniform size, and nailing round strips of
+native grass matting, we had a splendid “Liberty” bookcase.
+
+A “cosy corner” was made out of two more boxes turned upside down,
+stuffed with shavings and covered with cretonne. It _looked_ very
+comfortable but rather belied its name.
+
+Our dining-room table consisted of the lids of cases joined up and nailed
+to four posts planted in the mud floor. After a few weeks the legs took
+root, and the young branches supplied novel decorations.
+
+We framed a few large photographs in reeds and hung them where the walls
+were flat enough.
+
+The nights in Toro are cold, for although we are only 1·5 degrees lat.
+North, the capital is 5,000 feet above sea level. In consequence the
+houses are built with brick chimneys. With a bright log fire burning in
+the open hearth and a comfortable arm chair our sitting-room looked very
+cosy and bright. It is quite remarkable the amount of enjoyment one can
+derive out of things which cost nothing but a little hard work and a good
+deal harder thinking out.
+
+One learns sometimes from rather trying experiences that several things
+which have been regarded as absolute essentials in England can so easily
+be dispensed with out here.
+
+A lot of things brought out from home reached me in a hopelessly wrecked
+condition. As I have said before, on account of the scarcity of porters
+we had been obliged to leave several boxes behind. Three of the
+twenty-three I had left were never again heard of. As these were food
+supplies I hoped they nourished some of the half-famished natives we
+passed up country. But the cases that did arrive had been exposed without
+protection from the rains, and were absolutely rotten when they reached
+me; the zinc linings had been destroyed by rust, and the contents reduced
+to pulp. In a sort of mechanical way I sorted out the different things,
+throwing aside books, letters, clothing, and nick-nacks on the rubbish
+heap. Some things could never be replaced—little recollections of the
+past and home-links. How reluctantly were these cast out!—but God showed
+me that this was known and allowed by Him, and when once He shows us
+this, the sunshine bursts forth and the heart rejoices. It strengthens
+one all round when sometimes the temporal is shattered to allow the
+Invisible and Eternal to appear. I should not be at all surprised that
+our missionary example St. Paul had had all his loads spoilt by shipwreck
+when he wrote: “I have learned in whatsoever state I am therewith to be
+content; not that I speak in respect of want.”
+
+On another occasion when our annual supplies from England were within one
+day’s march of Toro the porters’ shed was burnt down and all our loads
+but two were destroyed.
+
+Now, as to food, there are just three items you can buy out here: goats,
+or sheep that have not an ounce of fat except in their tails. These cost
+about 2s. 8d. Chickens, which provide sufficient flesh for one person’s
+meal of very normal appetite, can be purchased for fifty cowrie shells
+(1¼d.), twenty eggs for the same price, but these are not often cheap, as
+very frequently they are brought for sale when they will not hatch.
+
+Of course our store room, furnished from England, is our grocer; the
+garden answers to greengrocer and fruiterer, for it produces nearly
+everything; crops can be had in constant succession if care is taken to
+sow systematically. We also have from our cows a constant supply of fresh
+butter, cream, and milk which is churned on the premises in a native
+gourd. Besides this we are our own bakers. Flour is grown in limited and
+fluctuating quantities in the country. This is ground up, mixed with
+carbonate of soda and buttermilk, baked in a native pot with fire above
+and under, and in less than an hour a very decent wholemeal loaf is ready
+for afternoon tea.
+
+The only drawback is that most of these departments of industry have to
+be worked by one’s self. It is rather curious the number of professions a
+European holds out here, simply because he must, there is no one else to
+do it. The natives have such exalted ideas of the powers of a white man,
+that they appeal to him in every difficulty.
+
+The first week we had brought to us an umbrella to be re-covered, one
+watch with broken mainspring needing repair, a lamp to be soldered, all
+sorts and conditions of sick people wanting medicine, and one raving
+madman!
+
+The servant question was one that had to be faced immediately on our
+arrival, so we decided to write up to the King and Namasole. In reply,
+four young girls were sent down who did nothing but weep in spite of
+our kindly assurances of friendliness. They had never seen white ladies
+before, and were literally scared at us. They all ran away during the
+first night! So we had to keep on our road-boys until we had won the
+confidence of the women. We sometimes wondered if we should live to see
+that time; for one day a cabbage was sent to table that had been cooked
+in about one pound of soda. The cook had seen the European put a pinch
+in the water, and judging the diminutive quantity was with an eye to
+economy, determined on giving us a liberal treat for once!
+
+Our best “cosy” was served up at another meal as a dish cover to the
+roast chicken!
+
+It is not often, however, that they knowingly deviate from the model
+lesson given them; they sometimes err too faithfully on the other side
+by reproducing the European’s mistakes and never improving on them. If
+you have once taught them a heavy pastry, your pies will always have
+that same unfortunate crust in spite of a more successful second lesson.
+They believe absolutely in reverting to original type. However, this is
+a one-sided view of the little black cooks. Imagine an English lad of
+twelve serving up a six-course dinner as these little fellows can, after
+some training; and with such a kitchen range, three bricks or stones and
+some twigs, and a very limited storeroom. Give a Toro cook a leg of goat
+and he can turn out a most satisfying meal of varieties—goat soup, goat
+curry, goat stewed, goat boiled and roast; and then if you want one more
+course, give him flour, eggs, milk, and a little butter, and he could
+send you in goat pie and goat pudding, or pancakes, boiled or baked
+batter, boiled or baked sponge pudding.
+
+If you live on poor food in Toro, you must not blame the country or your
+cook, but yourself, that you did not arm against the future by occasional
+visits to your English kitchen. That is by far the best way of learning;
+cookery lectures and cookery books are not much use for a country like
+this; they generally tell you to “take” something you have not got and
+cannot get, and on that seems to depend the success of the recipe. Often
+have I recalled the long, tiring hours spent in learning to knead bread,
+and then the patience of waiting for it to rise; we should be eating
+tinned biscuits (like our predecessors) till this day if our bread
+depended on that method out here.
+
+Vegetables form rather an important part in the daily diet; in fact,
+one is inclined to be a vegetarian where vegetables are so plentiful
+and meat very tough and tasteless. On some occasions fifteen different
+kinds have been sent to table at a meal. They are all cooked in one large
+earthen pot, each vegetable being tied up in a large banana leaf with
+water—the leaf is waterproof and made soft and pliable by passing it
+through the fire.
+
+The white ants and snakes show marked appreciation for the Europeans’
+houses. In spite of digging deep trenches round outside, the ants, which
+are supposed to travel only a few inches under the surface soil, manage
+to get at the poles and so gradually undermine the safety of the walls.
+They are the most indefatigable workers. In one night the floor of a
+room will be covered with little heaps of soil which they have carried
+up; a mackintosh coat was half eaten away by these little pests that
+had discovered it on a peg behind the bedroom door. Sulphur, hot water,
+Keating, pepper, thrown down proved quite ineffectual in driving them
+off. The natives advised a European to leave the little ant-heaps for a
+few days until a crop of small mushrooms appeared on the ant-heaps, and
+that would satisfy the ants and off they would go to begin their work
+elsewhere. The experiment was tried, with the result that on the third
+day the floor was covered with tiny white fungi, and the ants really
+did disappear after that. I will not attempt to explain the reason
+scientifically.
+
+More stringent measures than passive resistance were needed for the
+snakes that came and built under the sitting room floor. Their appearance
+was first discovered by one of them leaving his top coat behind him in
+one of the rooms.
+
+One evening we were roused from our peaceful occupations hearing two
+rifle reports and a regular stampede outside our house; we rushed to
+the door, but were quickly told to shut it up, as a leopard was rushing
+about. Two shots had been fired, but missed it. A large search party
+was formed of excited, frightened natives with spears, rifles, and long
+torches, but all their endeavours were in vain. Three nights after that
+another and even larger leopard prowled round the houses, entered the
+donkey stables and dragged out a small baby donkey. In the morning an
+awful sight met our gaze on the path outside the stabling. The two hind
+legs had been completely eaten and the body torn open; the ground was
+covered with blood, and many claw marks were visible. The war drum was
+beaten, and, according to the law of the country, all the men turned out,
+from the chiefs to the poorest peasant, armed with spears and clubs.
+The excitement was intense, the King’s Hill was thronged with dancing,
+rushing natives, singing war songs and making dashing onslaughts toward
+imaginary foes. They all danced and rushed in step, accomplishing the
+curious body dance in perfect order. They tracked the beast and Mr.
+Fisher, who had led out the party, shot it as it gave one spring from its
+lair. The return home was a yell of victory, all assembling under the
+large tree on the top of the King’s Hill to salute the Katikiro (Chief
+Minister), who sat in state to wait the arrival of the prey. Afterwards
+all the wounded were brought to the dispensary for surgical attention;
+one arm was so severely cut with spears and torn by the leopard’s claws
+that I had to stitch it up. Leopard’s claws are very poisonous, and
+inflammation immediately sets in; many cases prove fatal on account of
+blood poisoning.
+
+Just one word more before closing this. Life out here is not one of
+constant “roughing it.” No girls in England could have been happier than
+we were, and there are heaps of things that make up for some left in
+Merrie England.
+
+For instance, a punt down the Thames is not to be compared to a paddle
+in a dug-out canoe or a sail in the same by a square of calico hoisted.
+There is a delightful lake right away among the mountains, only five
+miles off, and no one ever enjoyed a lunch like the one we had in the
+little reed bungalow on the shore. Our first picnic there was unique.
+The lunch was provided by the Government officials, and really, I had
+never imagined men were so domesticated. They superintended the culinary
+arrangements. The Administrator made a meat pie, the crust of which
+might have been improved; another produced a sort of trifle; while a
+third manufactured scones; and we tried not to notice the lack of baking
+powder. But we survived all three.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+Royal Life
+
+
+Kabarole, the capital of Toro, may be described as a city of hills. On
+the highest of these, commanding a panoramic view of the country north,
+south, and east of Ruwenzori, stands the palace of King Daudi Kasagama.
+The Uganda Protectorate differs from Nigeria and the other west coast
+districts, in that it possesses no old-established cities and towns.
+The custom of the Kings of each of the four independent Kingdoms of the
+Protectorate formerly was to remove the capital as each succeeded to the
+throne. This involved a constant exodus of the people, who cleared out
+bodily in order to be close to their King. Scarcely any traces can be
+found of the previous capitals, as the houses were constructed merely of
+reeds, poles and thatch, which offer no resistance to the destroying hand
+of time; occasionally a worn grinding-stone or a broken cooking-pot is
+met with among waving elephant grass that immediately assumed mastery of
+the ground on the removal of the people.
+
+In 1891 Kasagama succeeded to the throne of Toro, which was then being
+plundered and ravaged by the Kabarega, the neighbouring and powerful
+King of Unyoro. For some years the whole district was distressed by the
+merciless tyranny of the raiders, and the people were obliged to flee to
+the shelter of the mountains. Now peace and order reign, the security and
+authority of the King and his counsellors have been established by the
+British Government, and the country sown on all hands with the seed of
+Christianity which has effected a complete reformation in the lives and
+condition of the people.
+
+The King’s house is the only brick building at present in the country.
+It is two-storied, with walls two and a half feet thick. The staircase
+is roughly constructed of bricks and runs outside. On the ground floor
+are three rooms. The centre one, into which the front door opens, is
+the reception room. The walls and ceiling are gaily hung with bright
+printed calico strips of varied design and colouring, stitched together.
+Over these are large, coloured Bible pictures illustrating the life of
+Christ. On the floor are spread grass mats and leopards’ skins, which
+are the sign of royalty. An Indian rug is placed under a table and chair
+in one corner where His Majesty sits and receives his guests. The room
+is supplied with no other furniture. A waiting-room leads off from this,
+which is unfurnished, with the exception of a native divan made of reeds
+for important or sick attendants; the others lounge about on the fine,
+soft grass strewn on the floor.
+
+Kasagama’s study is on the other side of the reception-room, and that is
+where he does most of his business and carries on his correspondence.
+Upon the rows of shelves fixed to the wall are to be seen small piles of
+documents and letters received from his chiefs in the outlying districts,
+who are just learning to write. The boxes at the end of the room contain
+all his treasured presents received from the Government officials,
+missionaries and friends in England. If you call in any afternoon
+about five o’clock and are a friend of His Majesty you would perhaps
+be allowed into this sanctum, and there might find him working away
+at his typewriter or dictating to his typist, who can run his fingers
+very rapidly over the keyboard. Kasagama is now hard at work writing a
+history of the country. To prevent any unauthentic references to the past
+he has two old men, well versed in ancient lore, to refer to.
+
+[Illustration: KING DANDI KASAGAMA OF TORO AND HIS CHIEFS.
+
+_Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa._]
+
+The Council Hall, in which Parliament assembles every Monday, is in an
+adjoining country, and this is a large reed structure decorated inside
+with coloured calicos like the reception room. The railed off partitions
+are intended for the King’s chair, and for the Queen Mother or Sister,
+either of whom is expected to attend each week. The Ministers of State
+are arranged in straight rows down the building, and the people involved
+in the various cases brought up for trial come and kneel in the wide
+aisle which leads up to the King’s seat.
+
+I only attended once, as women are generally debarred the privilege, but
+the first thing that struck me was how very civilised is the House in
+Toro and much in advance of one’s own native land, for we were not put
+up in a third gallery behind wire caging to merely catch a glimpse of
+the Speaker’s head, but had seats given us next to the King! However,
+there was a sad need of an Opposition or Nationalists’ Bench, to add a
+little gusto and sensation to the proceedings. To make up for this at
+the conclusion of each case, the Royal band broke out into uproarious
+melodies, and the bandsmen accompanied their instruments with caricature
+Irish jigs.
+
+A visit to the King must always include an inspection of his flower
+garden, of which he is very proud. It dates back to our arrival in Toro.
+As he used to drop in for afternoon tea, he would often find us armed
+with rake and spade, just ready to tackle the patch of weeds outside our
+house. It was a matter of surprise to the natives when they heard that
+the white ladies were “cultivating,” and a still greater wonder when
+they learned that they were not sowing food but flowers. Whatever was
+the use of flowers? However, Kasagama thought it must be the correct
+thing, so one day ventured to beg a few flower seeds to start a garden
+for himself, and then very hesitatingly and half apologetically he asked
+what was the exact use of flowers, as he wanted to have an answer ready
+to give to questioners. However, the beauty and fragrance of our English
+flowers have spoken to these people and awakened in their hearts a real
+admiration and love, so that outside many a Toro homestead now can be
+seen borders of carefully tended flowers; and often prettily-arranged
+bouquets will be brought by them as greetings or offerings. At Easter
+time one result of this is seen in the Church. On the Saturday each one
+is asked to bring in the decorations and to help arrange them. The first
+time this was done the chancel was simply banked with bouquets, wreaths,
+and bunches of wild or cultivated flowers; palm leaves and papyrus grass,
+fixed to the columns of reeded poles down the church, made continued
+arches right along each aisle, while the open window sills were festooned
+with wild clematis. Most of this was done entirely by the natives.
+
+Court life in Toro has a very attractive home side to it. One can
+scarcely wish for a more touching picture than when, the affairs of State
+being over for the day, Damali, the young Queen, comes into the Royal
+Palace with the little Princess Ruzi (Ruth). The Queen first bows before
+her husband-King, and the tiny child follows her mother’s example, and in
+baby language greets His Majesty. Then Kasagama for a time lays aside his
+regal dignity and clasping the child in his arms fondles her and talks
+and romps like a big school-boy.
+
+The old custom of the men and women feeding apart has disappeared in the
+King’s household, and every evening Kasagama and Damali dine together.
+The menu never varies from one year’s end to another. Each day the King
+has his own particular cut from the goat, namely, the chops and cutlets,
+and the Queen has a leg. They generally manage to finish their joints,
+besides the quantities of boiled plantains and various native vegetables
+served up with the meat.
+
+Kasagama has recently developed distinct sporting inclinations, and
+although it cannot be said that he has made his name, certain it is he
+has made his mark at them. Tennis was the first pastime he indulged in.
+One court was enough to allure anyone! A space was thoroughly cleared
+of vegetation in the mission compound and beaten by foot in place of a
+roller; two posts were firmly planted in the ground, a rope stretched
+across and strips of banana pith knotted on to it, hanging down like
+kippers put out to dry. The King was rather too powerful with his
+racquets; scouts had to be posted like fielders at cricket. Seeing the
+ball coming he made a desperate plunge toward it and either missed it
+altogether or slogged it as if intended for Ruwenzori’s snows. So he
+gave that up for football; the dimensions of the ball I suppose appealed
+to him as being more adapted to his size. He is now a great player; his
+grief is that he has never experienced the excitement of a scrimmage, as
+the men are afraid of hustling their King; the only member of the team
+who apparently does not mind doing so is Blasiyo, the pigmy! Another
+reason is that there is little chance of getting too close, as he is
+followed about the field by one attendant who holds an umbrella over his
+head and another man careers about with a chair, so that His Majesty can
+rest when the ball goes in an opposite direction of the field to where he
+happens to be.
+
+In all Church work, Kasagama has been a leader and example to his people.
+Almost daily, at 8 a.m. as the people gather from all directions for
+Bible Classes or school teaching, a procession may be seen slowly issuing
+out from the reed enclosure that surrounds the royal palace. With a large
+company of retainers and an armed bodyguard at the front and rear, on his
+bay steed rides the King, a fine majestic figure, 28 years of age, and
+6ft. 3in. in height. The Katikiro and other important Chiefs, with their
+attendants, if they have not already started, come out from their houses
+on their side of the King’s hill, and fall in behind His Majesty. They
+are bent on no Ministerial business, but if you were to ask the King,
+he would say “to learn wisdom from God, for how can I rightly rule my
+country without having first received that.”
+
+When the drum beats for Sunday services, Kasagama is nearly always at
+his place in the church to join with his people in prayer and worship.
+Besides encouraging his young men and chiefs to offer themselves as
+missionaries to the neighbouring villages and districts, he helps in
+every possible way to supply the necessary means in order that the native
+organisations shall be supported by themselves. When the large reed
+Church showed signs of old age, Daudi Kasagama, like his namesake David,
+King of Israel, set his heart to “build a house unto the name of the
+Lord.”
+
+Calling together his Christian Chiefs, he conferred with the Missionaries
+as to the quantities of material needed for a large Church, and when the
+approximate number of poles was given, he divided it up asking his Chiefs
+each to be responsible for a proportion.
+
+The new “Temple” was not to be built of carefully-hewn stone, prepared
+bricks, or granite pillars, but of forest poles brought from long
+distances, many needing fifty men to carry them in; bamboos from the
+forest-clad heights of snow-peaked Ruwenzori; grass brought in by the
+women for thatching; reeds fetched from the swamps by men and children,
+and red mud for the walls. Every morning the King came down to work with
+his people in the erection of the building, and when the framework was
+completed, helped to bring in the grass which was cut up and beaten with
+the mud to form a kind of solid brick wall.
+
+[Illustration: NEW CHURCH. KABAROLE TORO.]
+
+At 8.0 a.m. the Katikiro, Chiefs and others made their way down to the
+mud pits, into which there was thrown red earth, straw and water. About
+twenty men then would jump in, clasp arms in a circle, yell a native
+air and stamp the mud with their bare feet till the right consistency
+was reached. By that time they had become splashed and disfigured into
+fearsome representations of painted Red Indians. The mud was then put
+into baskets and shouldered by a body of carriers, who marched single
+file to the scene where the building operations were being carried on,
+while a drummer always went on before to give a spirit of militarism to
+the work.
+
+With shirt sleeves rolled up, Kasagama and an army of mud-layers were
+ready to receive the mud and slap it into the walls with a whoop and
+occasional mutual congratulatory exclamation “Wehale”—“well done.”
+
+In this manner the Church, holding eight hundred people, was completed
+in six months free of debt and not having caused any expense to the
+Missionary Society!
+
+When it is remembered that until the advent of Christianity six years
+previous, the King and Chiefs had never done one day’s manual work, one
+can only regard this Church as a standing testimony to the reality of
+a religion that can call forth such a spontaneous demonstration of the
+sincerity of its disciples.
+
+One day while watching the unmistakable earnestness of the men at their
+toil, I turned to Kasagama and said: “King, your people are really
+enjoying their hard work.” He replied: “Oh no, my people have not yet
+arrived at liking work, but they are rejoicing because this is God’s
+house.”
+
+Pending the arrival of the Bishop, an informal dedication service was
+arranged on the first Sunday of its completion. The Church was packed
+from end to end, the men on one side led by their King, the women on
+the other with the Queen Damali. A great stillness fell on that large
+congregation as King Daudi, who scarcely ever takes an active part in the
+services, rose and offered up a prayer of Consecration. In it he said: “O
+God, we know Thou dwellest not in temples made with hands, but this House
+has been built with our hearts’ devotion; therefore come down and take up
+Thy dwelling place, that sinners entering may be saved by Thy presence.”
+
+Kasagama in his time has played several “parts.” Two days after the
+opening of the new Church, he was called upon to fill a position in a
+novel function for Toro, namely, the first European wedding. A great
+deal of excitement had prevailed for some time among the people, and
+whisperings of the unique event had filtered through to the villages,
+bringing a large number of people into the capital out of curiosity. It
+was a beautiful clear morning, and before sunrise the bride designate was
+needlessly reminded of the day by a loud shuffling and scurrying going
+on outside her calico window. The Katikiro’s loud baritone was heard
+commanding a regiment of workmen, and by way of creating an excitement in
+the proceedings, he accompanied his orders by eloquent aerial cracks with
+his whip of hippo hide.
+
+In order to have a share in the festive preparations they had come down
+to strew fresh cut grass all round the house, in the courtyard and along
+the road to the church. On the preceding days, the chiefs’ wives, headed
+by the Queen, had been with their spades levelling the mud floor in the
+scarcely completed church and carpeting it with soft green grass. It was
+a welcome substitute of nature for the customary red felt drugget, and
+no one would have exchanged for canvas awning the archway of palm leaves
+and bushy papyrus grass heads that adorned the verandah and porch leading
+from the house.
+
+All the Europeans in Toro were invited—they numbered five—and each had
+an allotted task. One performed the ceremony, another stood as best
+man, the organist pedalled away nobly at the portable baby organ and
+even persuaded it to produce the Wedding March creditably. There was one
+bridesmaid, and the fifth took the part of “guest.”
+
+At 9.0 a.m. the church drums beat, and King Kasagama, dressed in a cloud
+of white and elaborate silk draperies, came down to act “father” to the
+bride. His Majesty looked almost pale with the responsibility of his new
+position, and scarcely trusted himself to speak as he took his “child’s”
+hand and led her from the house along the road lined with crowds of his
+excited people. The church presented a sea of black faces and white
+linen garments freshly washed for the occasion. Everyone was standing,
+for there was no room to sit down. A Lunyoro hymn was sung, and then the
+service proceeded in English till the close, when the faithful old native
+deacon Apolo offered prayer in the language of the people.
+
+The usual carriages and greys had to be dispensed with as the livery
+stables were a little too far off! But a regulation reception took place
+and about seventy guests crowded into the very limited space of the
+European’s sitting room. A real iced cake specially imported, was mounted
+on a stool draped with trails of wild clematis. Heaped up dishes of
+thick sandwiches, stodgy jam tarts, cakes and biscuits, that suggested a
+Sunday School treat for at least some hundreds of hungry English bairns,
+proved a scarcely adequate supply for the visitors, who started on the
+cake, then tucked in sandwiches, jam tarts and sandwiches again, and so
+on, in a hopeless mix up. The tea was served round time after time, till
+the guests, out of sheer inability, had reluctantly to refuse further
+supplies. One chief, with a sigh, regretfully eyeing a dish of cake,
+exclaimed: “Okwongera nukwo kufa”—“Any more would be death.”
+
+As the guests departed, timidly limped forward old Mpisi, the first
+dispensary patient. He had been silently waiting his opportunity to slip
+in and give the bride his little wedding gift of five cowrie shells:
+their value was one-third of a farthing, but they were all he possessed.
+
+The honeymoon was spent “on the Continent”—the dark continent of
+Africa, a trip of about 700 miles, across lake and over land, visiting
+a continual succession of mission stations. It included a visit to the
+Government Capital of Entebbe, where an official repetition of the
+marriage service had to be performed. Fancy being married twice within
+one month!
+
+As the happy pair rode off on mules, actually the customary rice followed
+them. A mob of natives enjoyed this part immensely; but some of the women
+ran up, and tearing the bracelets and necklaces from their own wrists and
+necks, gave them to the bride with sympathetic tears!
+
+Even the slipper was not wanting; it was delivered to a native to throw
+at the couple as they turned off at cross-roads, but not quite seeing the
+point, and having a respectful regard for the shoe, he solemnly presented
+it as a parting greeting from the Europeans!
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+The Women of Toro
+
+
+Although undoubtedly belonging to one and the same parent stock, as a
+race the Batoro are in features superior to the Baganda, but physically
+inferior owing to the different conditions under which their lives
+have been lived. Women, both high and low, until within recent years,
+were practically the slaves of the Baganda households, and even now
+are expected to do the cultivating and cooking of the food. Before the
+sun has risen the Baganda women start on their digging in their banana
+plantations or potato fields. This has developed their muscles and at the
+same time had a healthy effect on the mind, for no one can handle nature
+without consciously or unconsciously being influenced by it for good.
+
+The Batoro women, on the other hand, have been merely the chattels of
+the home. The upper classes scorned menial work and left it to their
+dependents and peasant folk. The middle class did no more than was
+absolutely essential, which generally resolved itself into cooking the
+one meal for the day. Their homes offered no occupation for them. The
+rude grass huts possessed no furnishing, for their wants were of the
+simplest. Bark cloth stripped off the wild fig tree and beaten out into
+a soft texture, or animals skins, provided them with clothing by day
+and covering at night. Their water vessels consisted of the hollowed
+out gourds that grow round their huts. One cooking pot sufficed for the
+household. A plaited grass mat took the place of mattress over a bed of
+reeds strung across a wooden framework and built in along the side of
+the hut. Grass covered the floor of every house—seldom changed and never
+aired. Soot and cobwebs hung in festoons round the inside, as there are
+no chimneys in the huts to carry away the smoke from the open fire in the
+centre of the floor.
+
+In recent years the upper class women have discarded the bark-cloth as
+apparel for white calico and coloured prints. When these garments show
+signs of wear the general custom is neither to wash nor change them for
+fear of hastening their end, but clean draperies are thrown over them
+when the wearer appears in public.
+
+Some of the women can work very prettily with grass and fibre. Having
+discovered various vegetable dyes, they are able to make very attractive
+designs in basket-work by dyeing the grass different colours. The fibre
+they make into string and then form beautiful knotted bags in which they
+have their gourds. It was only by living some time among them that we
+discovered these hidden trophies of a spasmodic industry. Very few care
+about rousing themselves and devoting the time and care needed for this
+work; the fault of the women is their inherent laziness; the generality
+of them desire nothing so much as to sit still and do absolutely
+nothing. They are so fond of begging, begging, begging, but when you
+suggest their _working_, off they go and you never see them any more.
+Others will remain in their homes ill for days, and no one will have the
+energy to come down and ask for medicine. An industrial exhibition was
+suggested by two of our missionaries in 1903, and will be held every
+year, it is hoped. Most ingenious bee-hives and rat traps were brought
+in as exhibits, besides all sorts of grass and string work, painted bark
+cloths and gourds, and so on. The novelty of the exhibition caused great
+excitement among the people, and the schoolroom was packed to its utmost
+capacity with competitors and others. His Majesty, Daudi Kasagama, opened
+the proceedings with an earnest appeal to his people to make the show an
+even greater success next time by increasing the number of exhibits and
+raising the standard of proficiency.
+
+[Illustration: THE BATORO AT HOME.
+
+_Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa._]
+
+Before the advent of Christianity there had been nothing to break the
+dull monotony of the women’s existence. As they sat, day after day,
+huddled together in their dirty little grass homes, their conversation
+scarcely ever ventured outside the well-beaten track of real or imaginary
+sickness, and the usual revolting topics that polygamy and heathenism
+suggest. Modesty, reserve, shame and sensitiveness were not known among
+them. One’s whole nature recoils from the recollection of Africa’s lost
+womanhood.
+
+Girls are sometimes betrothed as infants but do not marry till they have
+reached the age of 14 or 15. The husband is judged rarely according to
+his merit—that receives small consideration—but chiefly according to his
+means. The girl’s value is determined by her rank or physical appearance.
+Her parents or master fix her price at so many heads of cattle or goats.
+A peasant woman can be had as cheap as one goat; should the husband be
+fortunate enough, in course of time, to possess a sheep or second goat,
+he will sometimes take it and his wife and exchange them for a stronger
+and better woman who will be able to do more work for him, or add more
+variety, quality or quantity to the day’s menu. A peasant, living on the
+mission hill, married one of our women, and coming to the missionary in
+charge, fell down on his knees and eloquently praised him for his gift of
+potatoes, bananas, and beans. The European looked rather perplexed, and
+at last had to own up that the present had not come from him. “Oh yes,
+Master,” answered the man, “it was you who gave me my wife.”
+
+When we arrived in Toro in 1900 there was quite a goodly number of
+baptised women, including Vikitoliya, the Queen Mother, Damali, the
+Queen, several of the Chiefs’ wives and ladies of the royal households.
+Several of these had been taught to read before the arrival of the
+European missionary, by King Kasagama, who was baptised in 1896 during
+a prolonged visit to Uganda. On his return to Toro he had become a true
+missionary King, and gathering his women around him day after day in his
+courtyard he instructed them in the things he had been taught, while the
+men went to the two Baganda Evangelists in the little reed church.
+
+When the European missionary arrived he found a large body of eager
+women as well as men, ready to be prepared for Baptism. Vikitoliya was
+one of the first whose heart responded to the new religion of love and
+holiness, as she listened to the earnest words of the King—her son. She
+is a woman of considerable influence and of decided intellectual ability.
+Her features present none of the negrotic characteristics, but on the
+contrary they are sharply defined and somewhat aquiline; her expression,
+sweet and pleasing, betokens her kindness of heart and gentleness of
+disposition. She has built for herself an imposing two-storied mud house
+with a verandah and balcony all round. From the inside doorway hang reed
+and bead curtains which she made herself after seeing a Japanese model in
+a European’s house.
+
+She lives about two miles from the capital, and in order to encourage
+her people to learn to read and attend daily Bible classes she erected
+on her estate a church, which holds about 400 people. I rode over there
+one Sunday morning as I had been asked to stand as godmother to the first
+little son of the sister of the King. When I arrived the Church was
+crowded—it is a large cane building, with innumerable poles inside to
+support the walls and roof. It contains no stained glass windows, but the
+blue cloudless sky, tall, waving banana trees, and the graceful grasses
+of the Indian corn with its golden heads of grain, made a charming
+background to the aperture windows and helped the soul in its flight
+toward God perhaps more than such exquisitely elaborate windows as are
+seen at Notre Dame, which always struck me with their rich colouring. At
+the west end stood the font, a black native pot fixed to a wooden packing
+case which was draped in Turkey twill. Who could help being impressed as
+the words “Suffer the little children to come unto me” sounded out in the
+foreign tongue, and a sweet, wee thing, lying on white flannel worked
+with pink silk, was brought forward by its delighted royal grandmother.
+At the east end were spread the sacred memorials of our Redemption,
+speaking with such force of that one Sacrifice which uplifts and unites
+all nations under Heaven.
+
+Vikitoliya possessed a peculiar love and reverence for our late Queen,
+after whom she was named. She never tired of listening to stories of
+the “great white Queen,” and it was her ambition to strive to be to her
+people something of what Her late Majesty had been to her subjects.
+Never shall I forget her grief and that of all the leading women when
+the news of her death reached us. Immediately they came down to us to
+sympathize, and were at first quite silent in their grief, then with
+tears running down her cheeks, the dusky Queen subject said, “Your sorrow
+is our sorrow, we have lost our Mother, our friend.” It is wonderful the
+influence that such a reign of purity and righteousness has had even on
+far off Africa, rousing the best chivalry and patriotism in the hearts of
+its people, and inspiring them to nobler ends.
+
+Christianity is doing for Toro what it has done for every other country
+where it has effectually entered—it is raising its women from their
+depths of degradation and beautifying their lives, cleansing and refining
+their speech and habits. Clean, tidy homes are now seen, and carefully
+cultivated land in place of the pestilential filth and gaunt elephant
+grass. Happy family life is springing up among the people, and everywhere
+there is a stir and progressive vigour.
+
+Upon the Christian women as well as the men has been laid the
+responsibility of doing something toward spreading the knowledge of
+Christ among the surrounding heathen. At first a district visitors’
+band was organized to go two and two into the near villages when the
+daily classes in the church were over. They took their books, and either
+collected the villagers together or entered their houses and taught them
+their letters and syllables, after having read and spoken to them. I used
+frequently to go out with them to see what progress they were making;
+a shrieking bodyguard would at once attach itself to me under pretence
+of frightening the wild animals off! Our arrival was always hailed
+with delight, and a dirty mat that acts as bed, couch, and footscraper
+was generally politely placed for me on which to be seated. The small
+children generally showed their appreciation of the white lady by opening
+their commodious mouths as wide as possible and screaming prodigiously.
+It took one a very long time to find them attractive, they so sadly
+needed a rub down with Pears’ soap or Monkey Brand.
+
+Sometimes I found 100 or 150 natives eagerly struggling with their
+reading sheets, all squeezed into an infinitesimally small hut. Somehow
+they always found room for the European, for they were very impatient to
+be questioned by her and passed on to a higher class. When the reading
+lesson was over we used to have a short service with them, and it was
+exceedingly impressive to listen sometimes to the young Christian women
+speaking to them naturally of Christ’s love. They never attempted an
+impossible address or delivered a thorough out-and-out sermon, but with
+touching simplicity told in their own language what was a living and
+real thing to them. It seemed impossible to believe that so wonderful a
+change could have taken place in these Batoro women in so short a time.
+When the visit was over, all the women, children, and some of the men
+used to tear off in front to the neighbouring huts to inform them that
+the European was passing, so on my homeward journey I was accompanied by
+excited, chattering men and women and a crowd of naked little folk, many
+of them bringing small offerings of flowers, beans, or eggs to deposit at
+our door.
+
+Although these folk can make plenty of noise they can make very little
+music. They have never been educated up to it. The royal band has been
+their only conservatoire of music, and their few songs were connected
+with drink or plunder, themes scarcely conducive to the highest poetry.
+But their singing is great. You should have heard a singing class I used
+to have on Saturday mornings. About twenty of the ladies used to turn
+up and exercise their vocal powers. They only knew a few of Sankey’s
+most unmusical hymns, and to these they resigned themselves with a fixed
+expression and still more fixed attitude, without making the slightest
+facial movement. They produced a curious grunt through their nasal organ,
+quite irrespective of time, key, or tune. I sacrificed myself to making
+the most hideous grimaces it is possible to form my features into, in
+order that they might imitate, and so bring a few muscles into action.
+But neither tonic sol-fa nor any other tonic would bring about results,
+so I gave up the class very hoarse from my efforts.
+
+In August of each year is held in Toro a Teachers’ Conference. All other
+work is suspended and the native teachers come in from all the villages
+and distant districts. In 1901 we decided to invite the women who were
+church members, so that a united Women’s Conference might be held for the
+deepening of spiritual life, and discussing methods of work.
+
+We had three separate meetings for women, at each of which a native and
+a European spoke. The subjects treated were:—1st Meeting—The work of
+teaching for Baptism and Communion—its methods and responsibilities. 2nd
+Meeting—The work of visiting and teaching in the gardens—its methods
+and its importance. 3rd Meeting—The organization of women’s work, and
+farewell word.
+
+On the last day, at the close of a very solemn afternoon gathering,
+one woman rose from among the large number present, and in a trembling
+voice said, “My heart pains me for those around in darkness, and I want
+to go and teach them of Christ’s love.” A great stillness fell on the
+meeting, and Damali, the Queen, scarcely able to steady her voice, closed
+in prayer, thanking God for having called one from among them to be a
+missionary and asking that others might hear the voice. On the third day
+nine more women had come to offer themselves as missionaries. One was
+Ana Kageye, the head woman of the Royal household, one of the leading
+women of the country. Before coming to us she had been to the King, and
+received his permission for her to leave him for God’s service. She had,
+before her conversion, led a desperately wicked life, and, being old and
+so steeped in witchcraft, one almost supposed her to be beyond the power
+of reformation. She had first heard of Christ from Kasagama’s lips, and
+although her eyes were then getting somewhat dim with age, she learned
+from the King to read the Bible for herself. From that time a complete
+change came over her whole life and appearance, so that her scarred face
+became quite attractive. Since then she had proved a most indefatigable
+teacher and helper in all Church work.
+
+A class was at once arranged for instructing these candidates morning
+and afternoon for six months in St. Matthew, St. John, Acts, the Pauline
+Epistles, and a sketch of Old Testament history. At the end of that
+period they were examined for one whole week. During that time their
+excitement and anxiety were strained to their highest pitch; they refused
+to eat at mid-day for fear they might become incapable of hard thinking,
+and were found in their places at class nearly one hour before the
+appointed time. After the first week old Ana Kageye took pity on their
+troubled appearances, and insisted they should all go to her house after
+the morning class and she would give them a substantial meal. Out of
+twelve who were questioned two reached ninety-eight per cent. marks and
+the lowest did not fall below seventy-five per cent. After that they
+were brought before the Native Church Council and ten were assigned to
+stations. Two (one being Ana Kageye) were located as foreign missionaries
+to distant Ankole, two to a hill station four days’ journey away on a
+southern ridge of Ruwenzori, and the remaining six villages two and
+three days away. This was a brave step for these Batoro women to take,
+after having led such indolent and sheltered lives, and in spite of the
+intense joy that filled their heads, they did not leave without tears in
+their eyes as they bade good-bye to all their friends for the first time.
+Surely they teach a lesson to many in favoured England who have not yet
+faced their personal responsibility to the unreached heathen.
+
+All of these first women teachers did splendidly. After six months’ work
+they returned for a few weeks, as no native worker is allowed to remain
+at his post without coming in for occasional rest and restrengthening.
+The deadly influences of heathenism might prove too strong for such young
+Christians if they were to live away from helpful surroundings. Eight of
+the ten again returned to their work, and the other two were married and
+afterwards went out as teachers with their husbands.
+
+Ana Kageye at first found the women of Ankole eager to learn to read, but
+not so quick to believe the new religion she brought to them. One day a
+young Princess fell sick, and their own cures failing she was carried up
+to the European doctor temporarily stationed at the Government fort. When
+it was declared by him to be almost a hopeless case the natives gave up
+all idea of her recovery, saying that if the white man could not cure her
+nothing would.
+
+Good, brave old Ana then came forward and told them again of the Living
+God who hears and answers prayer, and they answered together “If your God
+will heal her we will believe.” The young dying Princess was thereupon
+carried to Ana’s little grass house, and as night fell the fires died
+down in every hut but the one in which the sick girl lay, and all night
+long the faithful old servant of God, as she watched by the bedside,
+wrestled in prayer for the life before her. What a wonderful act of faith
+was witnessed that night in the little hut in Darkest Africa! This woman
+so recently brought to know God even dared through faith to prove her God
+before these heathen. As the day dawned the women gathered round the hut
+expecting to mourn over the dead body, but the God of Life had come forth
+and revealed His power, the girl’s unconsciousness had passed off and
+she had taken the first step to recovery. The result was that after Ana
+had been working there nine months she had instructed and prepared for
+baptism the first five women of Ankole.
+
+Is it not worth leaving home and friends to search among the dust and
+mire of that dark Continent and find such gems, even if they be but few?
+“They shall be mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make up
+my jewels.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+Child Life
+
+
+Child life! How immediately our minds linger over happy scenes of mirth
+and innocent laughter, romping, rollicking games of mischief or of fun.
+Bright, happy childhood! No cloud of care and trouble has arisen on
+life’s horizon, and sin has not yet tainted the atmosphere of Heaven that
+still lingers round its offspring.
+
+But where can memory rest upon such a picture as that in darkest Africa?
+Look upon a tree, the tender buds of which half fearfully peep through
+the bare branches just to catch a glimpse of the outer world, when a cold
+frost blast of winter strikes across the frail young life and withers
+it for ever. That is child life in Africa. Innocence and purity were
+withered just as they dared to step from infancy. Happy, careless mirth
+was crushed with the weight of the burdens laid upon the shoulders of
+childhood. Their mother’s home, as has been described, was their earliest
+environment, their language was learned from her, and then lovelessness
+was the children’s portion, as they were sent away as servants or slaves
+to neighbouring chiefs. Parents scorned the idea of bringing up their own
+children; they affirmed that a child would never listen to its parent and
+would refuse to work, so they exchanged their children at the age of four
+or five years for others who would be as slaves to them. Even at this
+tender age they were taught to gather the sticks and twigs, and then sit
+by and feed the fire while the food was cooking, or they carried the
+gourds or pots on their little woolly pates down to the river to draw
+the daily supply of water. They were generally fearfully neglected and
+underfed; their dislike to water was accounted for by the fact that they
+possessed no clothing and the dirt kept them warm. If anyone had been
+born with a leaning towards cleanliness his mother would have effectually
+crushed this by the cold water treatment administered during infantile
+ablutions. It was the custom every morning between 4.0 and 5.0 a.m., when
+the cold night air still clung in damp mists to the land, to hold the
+babies naked out in the courtyards, throw cold water over them, and then
+leave them out to dry.
+
+Their little insides were treated with no greater consideration. One
+morning a woman brought down to the dispensary a wee morsel of three
+weeks: it was a pitiful little object of mere skin and bone. The mother
+explained that it had either been poisoned out of spite, or it was
+possessed of an evil spirit. “See,” said she, “I have done all I could to
+let out the poison or devil.” Looking at its body I saw it was covered
+with a number of small, deep cuts, and the blood had been left to dry.
+Low moans and a tired cry came from the poor little helpless mite as the
+flies tortured its mutilated body. After questioning the mother the “evil
+spirit” took the form of bananas and mushrooms that she had been bringing
+the three weeks’ infant up on! Feeding bottles were an unknown luxury,
+and as no equivalent had been invented, babies were compelled to lap from
+the hand, an art they never properly learned and thrived very poorly
+on. Some three dozen india rubber “comforters” were sent out to me, and
+these I managed to fix on empty ink bottles or medicine bottles, and so a
+new-fashioned “Allenbury” feeder was introduced. The demand far exceeded
+the supply, so they could only be lent out by the month. “Stephens’ Ink”
+would have been immensely pleased could it have snapshotted the babies
+being solemnly fed in church with its bottles held to their mouths.
+
+Certainly it was a case of the survival of the fittest with the Toro
+infants, and as the “fittest” were few and far between, mortality was
+very great among them.
+
+The first two dolls that arrived in Toro met with a very mixed welcome;
+the children howled and fled in terror, but their mothers showed a most
+profound admiration for them. At first they held the doll very gingerly
+and at a distance, as if in fear of being bewitched, but finding that
+nothing happened to either one or the other, and the doll still smiled
+at them like the Cheshire cat, they became great friends and begged that
+they might borrow it for a few days to play with.
+
+Whether it was the large circulation that those two dolls got, or the
+gradually increasing confidence of the Toro children in the white
+ladies, the fact remains that in a few months all childish prejudice had
+disappeared, and often a little voice was heard asking for “a child that
+causes play.” When this was known in England over 100 dolls were sent to
+me from two working parties. I never saw such a wonderful doll show as
+they made. They were all displayed on our verandah, and the house was
+literally besieged with men, women, and children for some days.
+
+A bride, beautifully dressed in white satin and kid shoes, who, even in
+her wedding attire, cried “Mama” and “Papa,” was sent to little Princess
+Ruth, but the report reached me that King Kasagama had constituted
+himself guardian, and kept it locked up in his study for slack moments!
+The Mother Queen wrote an imploring letter to me for a dainty little
+Parisienne who arrived with her travelling trunk; and Apolo, our faithful
+native deacon—confirmed bachelor—asked me in secret if men ever played
+with dolls, and beamed with satisfaction as he most triumphantly carried
+one off, peacefully sleeping.
+
+The others were given out to the little girls who had been most regular
+at the school, and were noted for having come with clean faces and bodies.
+
+When the boys saw that the dolls were only given to girls, some borrowed
+their sisters’ garments to try and appear eligible! I did not know till
+then they were versed in such cunning! It was so pretty to watch the
+joy and even playfulness that those dolls brought into the lives of
+so many little ones who had scarcely known what this meant till then.
+Christianity has completely revolutionized child-life in Toro. No longer
+are the new-born babes given over to the Devil by causing their blood
+to flow as a dedicatory offering; the teeth are not now extracted to
+propitiate the Evil One, and happy family circles are seen in place of
+slavery.
+
+I am sure in no Sunday School in England is there brighter singing than
+among the Toro infants when about 200 of them, with very lusty lungs,
+open their rather prominent mouths and sing “There’s a Friend for little
+children above the bright blue sky.”
+
+Certainly the girls and boys make very clever little domestics. I have
+sometimes wondered whether the problem of the over-taxed English market
+could not be solved by exporting some of these small people. I had a
+little maid named Keturah, who was 12 years of age, and she could almost
+manage the work of a housemaid and parlourmaid. She kept my room in
+perfect order, carefully putting away anything left about, and cleaned it
+regularly every Saturday. On Mondays she carried off the soiled linen,
+washing, starching, and ironing it as well as I had been able to teach
+her; and she could wait at table like a Gatti’s waiter! Was that not
+splendid for a little girl who had come to us without ever having seen an
+English bed, garment, knife, fork, or iron?
+
+Of course, one has occasionally to put up with small inconveniences.
+One day a pair of boots were sent out to be dried by the fire, with
+strict injunctions not to leave or scorch them. In a few minutes they
+were brought in with a big hole burnt out of the leather, and the
+sole shrivelled up beyond repair—and these were a last pair! Pocket
+handkerchiefs frequently find their way into the boiled starch, a white
+muslin blouse sometimes loses its identity completely by a strong dose
+of the blue-bag; if it is needed for a special occasion the quantity
+is increased! A flannel nightgown was boiled for three hours on one
+occasion; fortunately it was a very unattractive Jaeger, but even then
+it did not surrender its colour. That shade of flannel is like the
+Ethiopian’s skin—I could never even get it to fade. Take my advice, and
+try white instead.
+
+But, after all, these are mere details. They are faithful little people,
+and would never refuse to follow their master as he travels up and down
+the country, though they scarcely ever escape malaria when marching
+through fever districts, in spite of strong doses of quinine. Often
+concealing a high temperature from the European, they hurry on in front
+to see that his tent and a refreshing cup of tea are ready when he comes
+into camp. As we travelled down to Uganda, on our way home to England,
+our staff of six boys started out with us; one after another knocked
+over, and had to be carried back, till we were left with only two to do
+everything for us, and in spite of their being ill, they insisted on
+coming as far as Victoria Nyanza. As the big lake steamer weighed anchor
+and cut through the water, two little white caps were waving at the end
+of the pier until we disappeared from sight.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+Religion
+
+
+Central Africa may be said to have no religion, if by that we understand
+belief in a God. It has produced no Buddha or Mahommed to make known
+to its people some revelation of a deity, neither has it possessed any
+ancient writings that a Confucius could bind together as a foundation
+to a nation’s creed. In its belief we see the most pitiable product
+of a dark, ignorant, and degraded mind, that, left to itself, has
+worked out some antidote for that which is inherent in every man—an
+indefinable longing after the spiritual. Its faith bears in it the seeds
+of inevitable decay, for in its tenets can be found no trace of truth,
+purity, or holiness, which, varying however much they may in degree,
+hold together the great religious systems of the world. It might be
+described briefly as Devil-worship or the Propitiation of Evil Spirits;
+it differs in its rites and rituals among the various tribes. In Uganda
+the practices of the people were more extreme, perhaps, but certainly
+less torturing than in the Western Provinces of the Protectorate, where
+superstition led to the most barbarous infliction of human suffering from
+the cradle to the grave. For every real or imaginary evil and sickness
+that fell upon the individual, family, or community, branding, cutting,
+and mutilation of the body took place; while, without exception, all
+the front teeth in the lower jaw were extracted as soon as ever they
+appeared.
+
+These customs, practised for so many generations, have had a very
+deteriorating effect on the physical constitution of the people. The
+strength of the natives has been sapped, their minds degraded, and their
+energies crushed. They possess very small physical resources, and fall an
+easy prey to any sickness that visits their district.
+
+A few years ago, before the teachers of Christianity reached their
+country, tiny devil temples, made of grass and twigs, stood in the
+courtyards of the houses, and in these were placed, from time to time,
+offerings of cowrie shells or food. One day there was brought to me at
+the dispensary a child who was said to be devil-possessed. The physic
+prescribed was so far successful that the grateful mother brought a
+little thank-offering. It consisted of ten cowrie shells tied round a
+small piece of papyrus stalk. When the child had fallen ill, the mother
+had tied one of these shells to the strip of grass and given it as a
+propitiatory offering to the devil; as the sickness increased, each day
+another shell was added, until, finding her child become rather worse
+than better, she brought her down to the dispensary. And as the European
+had done what the devil refused to do, the woman took the shells away
+from him and gave them to the white lady!
+
+Generally speaking, the people are in partial or total ignorance of their
+belief; they have never been taught it, and practise the rituals from
+habit without realising their significance. The priests prescribe what
+form the offerings shall take and their claims are never questioned;
+besides this, they extort heavy fees each time they are consulted. They
+profess to divine the will of the evil spirit by means of charms made of
+sticks, hide, horns, and the entrails of fowls and goats. When Kasagama
+was brought from Budu by Sir Frederick Lugard to be re-installed in his
+kingdom of Toro, from which he had fled, as a young prince, from the
+raiding bands of Bunyoro under King Kabarega, a white fowl was killed
+and examined. The priest declared the omen augured that success and peace
+should attend his reign. But Kasagama, being unacquainted with what they
+had done, nearly brought upon himself the worst misfortune by approaching
+near to the grave of the fowl. Had not his attendants just stopped him
+from walking over the grave a moral offence would have been perpetrated
+upon the body of the fowl and its spirit would have avenged the wrong!
+
+By carefully clearing away the accumulated legends of centuries, one
+finds, however, faint suggestions of a purer belief, which reminds one of
+a saying by an Indian monarch, who lived in the 3rd century B.C., “The
+sap of all religions is alike.”
+
+There are a few Batoro whose memory recalls their primitive belief,
+which, despite the contortions which time and repetition have effected,
+bear a recognisable similarity to Old Testament revelations.
+
+At the beginning of all history they say God and his brother Nkya were in
+the world and made all things. Nkya had three sons whom he brought to God
+to be named, and in order to do so He proved the heart of each man. When
+the sons were brought in at night, to each of the sons was given a pot
+full of milk and God ordered them to take care of it until the morning.
+At midnight the youngest dozed and some of his milk got spilled; then he
+turned to his brothers and asked them to fill up his pot with a little
+from each of theirs, and this they did. After a short time the elder son
+knocked over his pot and all the milk was spilled out. Then he begged the
+others to give him of theirs, but they refused, saying, “And what shall
+we do?” When the night had passed God came and uncovered each of the milk
+pots. To the second son he said, “Where is your milk?” And he answered,
+“The youngest’s milk was spilled and I filled up his pot.” And to the
+eldest God said, “And yours?” He replied, “I slept and mine was all upset
+and I asked my brothers to give me of theirs but they refused.” Then God
+cursed him and called him Kairu (a little servant), saying that he should
+become his brothers’ servant. And God said to the youngest, “You shall
+be called Kakama (Little King), you shall rule all people, you shall be
+King, and your second brother shall live with you and be your minister.”
+
+After this God took counsel with his brother that they should leave the
+world and go to their home in heaven, for there was very great sin in the
+world, and God did not wish to kill man whom he had created. So God and
+Nkya left the world and Kakama was left to rule the people. The Bunyoro
+trace all their Kings back to this great Monarch.
+
+Their fifth King was named Kantu, who they say brought punishment and
+death into the world. Like his predecessors, he disappeared suddenly, and
+is believed to have gone up to God to beg that disease and death might
+visit the people. God then spoke with Nkya, his brother, and said it
+was well people should die and come to life again after four days. But
+Nkya said, “Let them die absolutely.” After this the little son of the
+reigning king became ill and died, and the King Isaza sent to God and
+said, “My son will not wake up.” God said, “What is his sleep like?” And
+he replied, “Since lying down to sleep he will not move and he does not
+breathe.” Then God sent to Isaza and told him to dig a hole and bury the
+child. But the King did not understand what death was, and as he sat in
+his house he sought for his son and ordered for him to be brought. But
+his people told him that he would never again see his son; hearing this
+the King lifted up his hands and as he stood over the grave he cursed
+all men for the death of his child. For this God plagued his people with
+sickness, but Isaza remained unsoftened, so God sent death to his second
+son.
+
+After this the King of Hell sent messages to the King Isaza, tempting
+him with gifts to make a covenant with him; and after much hesitation
+Isaza yielded and set out with his companion the Moon to visit the King
+of Hell. When he had gone some distance the ground suddenly opened, and
+Isaza was cast down till he reached the gate of Hell, from whence he
+never returned. Whereupon the moon, grieving over the loss of his royal
+friend, went up into the sky and has ever remained there.
+
+The method of these people for making a covenant was that of
+blood-brotherhood.
+
+Each of the two parties took a coffee bean, dipped it in the blood from
+a small incision made in his body, then handed it to his companion to
+be eaten. It was a most sacred pledge of indissoluble union, a breach
+of which met with immediate death. Whoever the King chose to honour
+with blood brotherhood, was raised to the highest position, regardless
+of his birth or estate. This has often made clear to them the passage,
+“we who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
+It is said that when the first English official passed through the
+neighbouring country of Ankole, the King and people were in a state
+of great consternation, speculating as to the purport of his visit.
+The explanations of the Englishmen were not sufficient to allay their
+suspicions, but on his agreeing to make “blood brotherhood” with the
+King an understanding was arrived at and the confidence of the people
+established.
+
+Their ideas of an after life seem to have been of the very vaguest.
+Their belief that the soul continues to exist after death was evident in
+that they had a great fear of the spirits of the departed. A man on the
+death of his wife (or one of them) did not marry again till the body had
+decayed, for fear of offending the spirit of the dead. Frequently in the
+villages are to be seen long zig-zag paths leading to the huts that are
+supposed to baulk the spirits which only travel in straight lines.
+
+Burial takes place immediately after death. The body is wrapped round
+in bark cloths and with it are buried quantities of white calico, bark
+cloths, and blankets, according to the wealth of the chief mourner. When
+the head of the household dies he is buried in the courtyard of his
+house, after which the hut is removed to another spot, so that the spirit
+of the deceased shall not trouble the surviving members of the family.
+When the King died the custom was for five women and four men of the
+chief families of the land to be taken by force and buried alive with the
+King, to complete the number ten, so that he should not be alone. A house
+was then erected over the grave, and inside the surrounding fence the
+Queen came and lived. Every day at daybreak she went with the keepers of
+the tomb to clean it down and sweep out the courtyard. They lived on the
+food and cows stolen from folks passing along on the roads. A man had to
+forfeit all right to anything claimed for the “Gasani” (the King’s Tomb),
+and could look for no reparation.
+
+If a man dies without expressing any wish as to the disposal of his
+belongings, his brothers, and not the wife and children, inherit them.
+Among the Bahuma tribe the wife is included in the personalty and is
+handed over as wife to the brother of the deceased. Our small milk boy,
+of about fourteen years of age, came to me one day with a petition for
+a rise in his wages, as he found it difficult to support his wife and
+children on his present earnings. He then went on to explain that his
+brother had died, leaving him to marry the rather elderly wife, who had
+two children. I felt the right thing was to sympathise with him, but
+quickly learned my mistake, for he was very well pleased with his legacy,
+which gave him a wife to cultivate and cook for him without the usual
+payment of goats and sheep.
+
+The Batoro have little or no fear of death, in fact some seem rather glad
+to create a little sensation among their friends by becoming for the
+time the chief object of interest! On one occasion I was called to visit
+a dying man in the Namasole’s village. With a little bag of medicine
+strapped on to my saddle, I rode out to see if anything could be done.
+An unusual stillness had fallen on everyone, for the sick man was none
+other than the Katikiro of the place. Suddenly, as I stepped up to the
+doorway of the hut, there arose a wild shriek from inside; this was taken
+up immediately by everyone around and the air was rent with wailings and
+loud, piercing screams—I knew at once my medicine would not be required,
+but, entering, tried to quiet the frenzied mourners. I drew out from my
+bag the Gospel of St. John, and read the words “I am the Resurrection and
+the Life.” Immediately the tumult ceased, and everyone listened to the
+message of Life spoken in the presence of Death; and as we all knelt in
+prayer one realised perhaps as never before how death hath been swallowed
+up in Victory. One of the greatest joys one can know is to wave the torch
+of Life and Immortality across the darkness of ages that has never known
+a hope beyond the grave.
+
+The result of the people’s belief is stamped unmistakably on almost
+everything in the country. With the lack of physical energy has died
+the desire to master their country. The rich, productive soil, with its
+abnormal generative properties, has been left uncared for and unkempt,
+till “thorns also and thistles,” the insignia of a blighted world, cover
+a land that might have been a veritable Eden.
+
+Tall, tangled weeds creep up to the very doorways of the houses, while
+most of the roads are merely narrow, beaten tracks. Whenever an attempt
+is made to tackle an appreciable task, a few days suffices to exhaust
+the labourer completely; at the end of that time he may be seen in a
+state of total collapse, with a strip of rag bound tightly round the
+hand, the outward and visible sign of being _hors de combat_.
+
+In Toro one realises at times the dead weight of life and its
+environment. The changes of the seasons—spring with the freshness of
+infancy and vitality of youth; summer decked in the exquisite glory of
+a new life; autumn and winter folding tired nature up in a long, deep
+sleep—are sadly missed where the trees are always green. The sympathy
+in nature is lacking; flowers lose their subtle and delicate charm; the
+bright, soft sward is there exchanged for the elephant grass with its
+saw-like blades. The birds have no song; the voices of music and poetry
+have never been heard; and as age after age has rolled by, no lip has
+breathed a prayer to its Creator. There are instances when heathenism
+seems to surround one with such blackness that the soul stands as if
+isolated in a foreign Land, breathing a new atmosphere in which there is
+lacking the spiritual ether of one’s native land.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+Language
+
+
+The language spoken in Toro is Lunyoro, and quite distinct from that used
+in Uganda; but it is undoubtedly the parent dialect and almost identical
+with that spoken in the Kingdoms of Unyoro and Ankole, besides being very
+generally understood by the tribes beyond Ruwenzori.
+
+For the first three years, Missionary work in these districts was
+carried on in Luganda, as neither the European nor Baganda teachers
+had sufficient knowledge of Lunyoro, and there were no books or
+reading-sheets in the language. Luganda was understood by some of the
+upper class men and a few women, but it was scarcely ever spoken, and
+none of the peasants were acquainted with it. Until these people could
+have their religion and reading-books in their own tongue, it seemed
+as if vital Christianity must remain more or less outside their actual
+lives. So towards the end of 1899 Mr. Maddox went up to Toro with the
+intention of studying and reducing the language of the people to writing.
+
+When we arrived in 1900 a little reading-sheet had been printed, and
+St. Matthew’s Gospel was in hand. But there was no book or literature
+to help us, and as the natives did not understand one word of English
+it seemed a hopeless difficulty. Miss Pike, my companion, had studied
+Luganda for six months, so was able to speak with those who knew it, and
+through interpretation to those who did not. By this means she piloted us
+both through those first days when the house was thronged with people
+from morning till night, and they pelted us with kind remarks and every
+imaginable and unimaginable question. I never felt so absolutely stupid
+as when they addressed me with a torrent of eloquence, until the idea
+struck me of retaliating with a continuous flow of English. It pleased
+them immensely, but certainly did not check them.
+
+The third day after our arrival, Mr. Maddox kindly gave us our first
+lesson in Lunyoro. He was trying to impress on us that the words were
+largely formed by prefixes and suffixes, so one had only to find the stem
+and it was all right. “Tinkakimuherayoga” was obviously, said he, from
+the verb “okuhu,” to give; find that, the meaning of the word was made
+plain: “I have never given it to him there”! My mind was chaotic, and I
+wondered if it ever would be anything else.
+
+After a few weeks our patient teacher had to go off on an itinerating
+trip, so we were left alone to flounder through the quagmires. I believe
+the best and quickest way of acquiring a new tongue is to summon up all
+the courage you possess and go in and out among the people until you
+adopt it much in the same way as an infant does its mother language.
+Undoubtedly it requires pluck. The first time I ventured forth with a
+remark, peals of laughter came from my audience, which almost quenched
+the one spark of courage left. Afterwards I learned this was a mark of
+their appreciation!
+
+In the fifth month, and after a great deal of hard persuasion, I decided
+on attempting to take a daily Bible Class. As the 8.0 morning drum
+sounded and I made my way to the church, my nerve powers fell below
+zero, and I felt decidedly limp. The words “Who hath made man’s mouth; I
+will be with thy mouth” pulled me together a bit, and I hurried in to my
+class to find between twenty and thirty women waiting for their teacher.
+Talking for one whole hour was a terrible tax on my vocabulary, and must
+have been even a greater tax on the endurance of the class. I was quite
+done when they were in a questioning mood; it would have been bad enough
+if there had been no foreign language to understand. The very first
+morning they asked me about Michael disputing with Satan over the body of
+Moses!
+
+It is rather surprising to find that such simple people possess
+so advanced a form of etymology. The parts of speech and general
+construction in a broad sense resemble the other dialects of the Bantu
+class, but the verbs are very complex and more technically developed
+than its offsprings, Luganda and Swahili. All our English tenses are
+employed besides several others met with in Greek. Most of these effect
+a complete change in the relative form. Verbs practically dominate
+all the other parts of speech; the nouns, with very few exceptions,
+are their parasites. A few straggling prefixes tacked on to the verb
+root are the only attempts the nouns make toward an individuality of
+their own. Adverbs and prepositions are rarely granted an independent
+existence. They add to the corpulence of the verb by being absorbed
+in it. The perfect harmony between nouns, adjectives, and verbs is a
+veritable man-trap, for a native will rarely understand a discord,
+however untutored he may be. Besides grammar and pronunciation, there
+are two other important things to study—the proverbs, and the mode of
+expressing ideas. The Batoro are not quite so versed in the metaphorical
+form of speech as the Baganda, who are capable of carrying on a lengthy
+conversation in the most mystical and involved proverbs, only quoting the
+first two or three words of each, and quite expecting you to imagine the
+rest. I trembled literally when this was first told me, for I had never
+been able to get beyond “never too late to mend” in English proverbs.
+But Lunyoro is really kinder in this respect. They do, however, exist in
+spasmodic forms. If you want to really win the love and confidence of
+the people you have to make a regular business of learning their catch
+expressions and idioms, and dropping completely the habit of translating
+English into Lunyoro, then they will confer on you their highest degree
+“Oli Mutoro,” “you are a native of Toro.”
+
+The Batoro have what I believe is a unique custom among these tribes,
+that is, every mother gives a pet name to her child, and this clings to
+him always; it is used when addressing as a token of love or respect
+by friends and dependents. Ana Kageye constituted herself my African
+“Mother,” and straight away gave me the name “Adyeri” (pronounced
+Ar-de-air-y). This was very readily taken up by the people, as my name
+absolutely beat them. Only the King and one or two others got so near as
+“Hurudeki,” and really it took some time to answer up to “Beki” “Deki”
+“Heki” “Bodeki” “Hedeki” and even “Paratata,” which were all supposed
+to be “Hurditch.” Really, to save the poor family name from such rough
+treatment I was not sorry to put it away entirely except in memory.
+
+In less than five years a great deal has been accomplished in
+translation, and with the exception of a few hymns, it has been entirely
+undertaken by the one missionary who has also been responsible for direct
+mission work. During that period the New Testament, the Prayer Book with
+Psalms, two Catechisms, a hymn book of nearly one hundred hymns, and a
+reading sheet for learners have been completed in the language of the
+people. Since Lunyoro was adopted in place of the neighbouring dialect of
+Luganda, the work has gone forward in leaps and bounds, and to it must
+be attributed largely the wide spread of Christianity among the peasants
+in the villages. It is not an uncommon thing to find a village that has
+given up devil-worship, not through the instrumentality of a European or
+native teacher, but simply through the people having learned to read the
+Bible for themselves from someone who had been instructed in the alphabet
+or syllables.
+
+When Mr. Maddox was about to leave Toro for England, the King and chiefs
+came together and presented to him a letter signed by a very large number
+of Christian men. In it they expressed their warm appreciation of all
+the work he had done for them in translating the books, and earnestly
+hoped he would soon return to them again. These books form the entire
+library of the Batoro. They are most insatiable readers, and as you pass
+along the roads any hour in the day you will hear a voice here and there
+issuing from the little grass huts reading in loud measured tones from
+the Bible. It is impossible to estimate the purifying and sanctifying
+influence this literature has had on the national and family life. The
+conquering martial strains of the “Onward Christian Soldiers” have
+displaced and driven out of the country the old songs of plunder and
+bloodshed. Instead of the little children learning demoralising heathen
+songs and dances they are being taught to sing such hymns as “I think
+when I read that sweet story of old.” Right away among the creeks and
+crevices of the ancient Mountains of the Moon, on the very borders of the
+great primaeval forests inhabited by the little pigmy tribe, you hear
+to-day the strains of these Christian hymns.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+Festivities in Toro
+
+
+I. CHRISTMAS.
+
+Can it be that this is the season that in one’s mind is always associated
+with snow, Jack Frost, Santa Claus, shops and streets ablaze with gas
+jets, holly and mistletoe, people hurrying and jostling each other good
+naturedly, wrapped up in the warmest furs to keep out the crisp, frosty
+air, and wishing each and all the compliments of the season. Yes, it is
+really Yuletide! And yet the hills and dales are waving their ripening
+grain under the deep sapphire of a cloudless sky. The dry season is near
+its close, hills and mountains are scorched and parched, the banana
+groves and the tiger grass of the swamps which wind like a serpent’s
+trail round the base of the hills, are the only bright and green tracks
+that have survived the conflict with the equatorial sun. On all sides
+are to be seen tiny patches of cultivated land, even reaching up to the
+lofty peaks of Ruwenzori’s range, where the people have sown their grain
+(Buro), and this will soon be ready for the harvesters.
+
+In the garden round our bungalow mud house are gorgeous zinnias,
+balsams, mignonette, carnations, sweet peas, geraniums, nasturtiums,
+and two little rose buds. A few steps further will bring you round to
+the vegetable garden. One gardener being an Irishman, potatoes are
+very much in evidence, and of course cabbages. Besides these there are
+cauliflowers, green peas, beans, celery, only wanting the nip of frost
+to make it excellent, lettuces, beetroots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions,
+carrots, and turnips. And yet this is Christmastime! It is little wonder
+that one has constantly to revert to the calendar to be assured of this.
+
+And so we set to work to get the little gifts together that our kind
+friends from home sent us for our native friends—knives, pencils, bags,
+sashes, blotters, and so on. The wee tots from the school come down for
+their attendance prizes, and go away beaming with their new possession of
+a pinafore. Then the oxen are killed, and on the day before Christmas all
+the sick folk come to the “missionary butcher” and hobble off rejoicing
+with their joint of beef wrapped up in a banana leaf. And, although
+Father Christmas has assumed a black face in Africa, he does not pass by
+the white man’s door, and he leaves his gifts of a grass mat, animal’s
+skin, beans, beads, or bracelets, the only things with which he can fill
+his Toro sack.
+
+At 12.0 a.m. on Christmas Eve from the King’s, the Queen Mother’s, and
+the Mission Hills the drums are set beating, and from the English forts
+the guns are fired to proclaim to all the country that the Christian’s
+day of rejoicing has dawned, for the Christ child—Immanuel—has come. Then
+on the midnight air is borne the strains of “O come all ye faithful” and
+“Hark the herald angels,” sung by some of those who have been redeemed
+from the heart of Darkest Africa, and now step out from their little huts
+to join with us in praising God.
+
+At 8 a.m. on Christmas morning the church drum is beaten, calling the
+people together, and by 9.0 the church is completely crowded out, many
+being obliged to sit outside. In the schoolroom over four hundred of the
+peasant folk and children have gathered, and in the dispensary the sick
+have come together for morning service.
+
+The church is beautifully decorated with palm leaves and flowers that
+have been brought in by the people, and the building echoes with voice as
+the audience unites, as one man, in the service.
+
+    On Afric’s sunny shore, glad voices
+      Wake up the morn of Jubilee
+    The negro, once a slave, rejoices;
+      Who’s freed by Christ, is doubly free.
+
+After that we all go to our homes, the natives to make merry over their
+beef and bananas, and we to prepare as near an approach to an English
+Christmas dinner as is possible, and although there are no grocers’ shops
+or fruiterers’ to supply the usual details, and our cook for the twelve
+years of his existence has been reared in African ignorance, still one
+can fare very excellently, for the guinea fowl and sausages are really
+turkey in all but name. The baron of beef, although far removed from the
+prize oxen of the English markets, is very good, and the home-made plum
+pudding, with its few suspicious native ingredients, brings up the menu
+to almost English standard.
+
+Boxing Day is generally a grand field day, when sports are arranged on an
+extensive scale, including running, pick-a-back, hurdle, three-legged,
+and obstacle races. This latter involves scaling a bamboo scaffolding,
+crawling through packing cases with the ends kicked out, climbing a
+tree, and wriggling through a stack of reeds. Then there is a greasy
+pole placed in an oblique position, at the end of which is hung a leg of
+goat. Big and small, old and young attempt this, quite regardless of the
+undignified tumbles each experiences. Loud was the shout of applause on
+one occasion, when the Katikiro, who is of clumsy proportions, after many
+falls landed safely at the top and secured the joint. A banana peeling
+competition for the women comes next. The competitors, some twenty at a
+time, sit in a row with their knives and twenty green bananas on a leaf
+before them. When the whistle sounds they attack their task with great
+excitement. Some women, in place of knives, use sharpened pieces of
+wood. Those who finish first and peel the best receive prizes of calico.
+Scrambles for cowrie shells generally bring the sports day to a close.
+
+On more than one occasion Bishop Tucker has honoured Toro by dating his
+annual visit about Christmas time. This was the case during our first
+year in Toro. We had had a busy time previous to his arrival questioning
+and examining the hundred and fifty women candidates who were to be
+presented for confirmation, and when all this was completed we ran away
+to the crater Lake, eight miles distant, to snatch a few days’ rest. But
+on the second day we were unexpectedly recalled, as one of our fellow
+missionaries had been taken very ill and was obliged to be carried into
+Mengo under the care of the other one. So for the first time we two
+girls were left quite alone, eight days away from the nearest European.
+But we were too occupied to realise it. The engineers, surveyors, and
+foremen (?) having suddenly left us in this manner, we were obliged to
+see through the completion of the jobs they had taken in hand in order to
+get things into shape before Christmas. Here at last we found a chance
+of putting to use our youthful study of Euclid. With a measuring line
+and sticks we felt distinctly professional as we tried to mark out a new
+road, but we found that if only the ground space had been long enough to
+test it our two straight lines would certainly have enclosed a space. So
+perhaps Euclid’s axiom is only an absurdity after all!
+
+Then the house where the Bishop was to be entertained needed repairs.
+The roof was in such a state that one evening, while we were tidying up
+inside, a big storm visited us and simply poured down through the reed
+ceiling into the sitting-room. Fortunately there are no carpets in these
+parts, for the floor was covered with puddles in a very few minutes. But
+the water soon drained off into the holes the white ants had made; they
+must have suffered from rheumatism that night!
+
+It was a difficult matter to find workmen just then, for most of the
+chiefs had gone off, each with some hundreds of men, to capture young
+elephants. Sir Harry Johnston had offered a certain sum for each young
+elephant brought in alive, as he was hoping to have them trained for
+transport use. A few days after the first party had set out, a loud
+report of distant yelling and screaming reached the school, where daily
+classes were going on. Nearly everyone ran out to discover the cause of
+the uproar. A large crowd was seen approaching, beating drums, blowing
+pipes, dancing, and shouting. There seemed no apparent occasion for such
+a row till one spied a tiny, hapless baby elephant, with ropes round its
+body and four legs, limping along among its captors. It died, like all
+its followers. But for a few days just then Toro threatened to become
+a most undesirable menagerie, for, besides these elephants and various
+monkeys, the King had collected, and sent to the Commissioner, one of the
+largest, most repulsive, and horribly human-looking chimpanzees. The mode
+of capture had been rather unique. The tree in which it had taken up its
+position in the forest was isolated by the capturers cutting down all the
+surrounding ones for some distance. Then, placing a circle of men with
+spears to guard the boundary, they felled the only standing tree, and as
+it suddenly crashed down with its coveted and unsuspicious object, a net
+was thrown over the black monster, that was then hustled into a large
+cane cage standing in readiness.
+
+One of our runaway Missionaries managed to get back to Toro just in time
+for the Bishop’s arrival three days before Christmas. We went with the
+King’s wife, his mother, his sister, and about 250 women, and waited for
+his arrival on the brow of a hill. All the men, headed by the King and
+Katikiro on horseback, had preceded us. When the Bishop came up, riding
+on his mule, he was literally besieged, and we could scarcely move on
+for the crowd. The days that followed were big days. Three hundred and
+sixty-four candidates came forward for confirmation.
+
+It was a truly wonderful sight to see the church with over 500 men and
+women assembled for Holy Communion. My mind travelled back in thought
+to six years ago, when outside the houses had stood the devil temples.
+Generation after generation had passed, the Prince of Darkness exercising
+undisputed sway and holding the people in the most degraded and merciless
+allegiance. Now his power had been completely shattered, his temples
+cast down, and a great Invisible Temple was being builded together for a
+Habitation of God through the Spirit.
+
+Together at the Communion rails knelt the King in his royal robes, and
+close by was one of his peasant subjects dressed in a small goat skin.
+There was old Apolo Mpisi, the dispensary patient, with a beaming and
+peaceful countenance—this was his first communion. Among others, hobbled
+up an old lady on crutches, who had had her leg amputated during a visit
+from Dr. Cook, of Mengo. The responsibility was a solemn one of feeling
+that we had done something toward preparing many of the women for this
+holy ordinance. When we shall stand together, all united before the
+Throne in Heaven, will it not be glorious to have had a share, however
+small, in leading forward some of the multitude from Africa!
+
+As the powers of Heaven looked down upon Toro that day, surely they
+broke forth into a song of victory. Blessing, and glory, and wisdom, and
+thanksgiving, and honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever
+and ever, Amen.
+
+
+II. CORONATION CELEBRATIONS.
+
+Although so far from things that stir and thrill the great heart of the
+British Empire, Toro must not be considered behind in loyalty to that
+centre of its Government. Certainly it exercised its utmost ingenuity to
+follow close in the wake of the plans and excitement that occupied the
+mind of every English subject for commemorating the great event of the
+Coronation of its King—Edward VII.
+
+Our mails from England for months seemed to have no other subject to talk
+about. Our minds pictured it all—sombre London stripped of its usual calm
+sobriety, decorated in full war paint. We were seized with a violent fit
+of patriotism, and because we could not join in the London throng, or
+even go to the grand festivities that were prepared by the Government at
+Mengo, we determined to do our best for Toro.
+
+First of all, some days before the event, invitations were sent out to
+the four other Europeans, and to the royal native court, for a coronation
+dinner. Ordering the donkey to be harnessed, someone was despatched to
+our village shop to purchase red, blue, and white calico, with which were
+made two long lines of streamers for decorating our station, and a large
+Union Jack to cover the Table in the Church. Some of the people came down
+to decorate the outside, while we decked the church inside with the royal
+and imperial colours. At 8.0 a.m. on Coronation Day over 1,000 people had
+gathered in and outside the church for a brief service. After prayer and
+Scripture, a Royal decree was read that had been sent out from England
+and translated, and this was followed by a brief address on the event of
+the day. Then we all rose and united in the good old National Anthem,
+that had been translated and type-written for the occasion.
+
+That was the first half of the day’s proceedings. The second half
+started at seven, when the dinner came off. The table was decked out
+with a table centre of red geraniums, white balsams, and cornflowers,
+the serviettes were folded as crowns, and the first course consisted of
+crown-shaped patties covered with the yoke of eggs, and studded with the
+white to represent crown jewels! King Kasagama and Queen Damali, dressed
+in draperies of silk and white linen, arrived with the other native
+guests, who had hung about the outside courtyard so as to avoid being
+the first arrivals. It was marvellous how easily and quietly our native
+guests manipulated the European table equipments; half concealed glances
+were cast in our direction every now and again. The serviettes rather
+puzzled them—were they to be left on the table or used as handkerchiefs?
+When the plum pudding came in, all ablaze, with a little British flag
+stuck at the top, three hearty cheers greeted it, the King joining in
+with boisterous glee.
+
+On the table there were three dishes of strawberries, the first we
+had been able to produce in Toro, and we were keen on introducing
+them into the country generally. Preparing a plateful with sugar and
+cream, I respectfully begged his Majesty to try a real English luxury.
+He glanced timidly at them, and showed the usual disinclination that
+is always evinced when given a new English dish to sample. He assured
+me that he was so satisfied that anything more was impossible, but,
+passing the plate to the Katikiro, told him to try it. The poor man,
+looking the picture of misery, begged to be excused, so it fell to the
+lot of the unfortunate chief minister to submit himself to the task.
+With a pitifully resigned expression he took one strawberry on a spoon,
+then another, and another, till he called out “Excellent, excellent,
+the best of all.” Forgetting his recent excuse, the King took the dish
+near at hand, and simply finished off the whole lot! The day following
+requests came from one and another for strawberry roots, and King Daudi
+superintended the Queen as she herself planted them in a plot outside the
+sitting-room window of his Majesty’s new house.
+
+After dinner the King was determined to do his part, and insisted on
+our all going up to his home. To our utter amazement we found our court
+outlined with hundreds of flaming torches, ten to twelve feet long;
+the bearers were waiting to conduct us to the royal palace. The whole
+distance was lined with double files of torchbearers, which made the
+country look like Earl’s Court Exhibition on an exaggerated scale. Big
+bonfires were burning on the surrounding hills, the torches of guests
+coming from all directions looked like so many fireflies. On arriving at
+the Royal Court, we were met with a blaze of fire. Quickly falling into
+order, the people unanimously shouted a salute to his Majesty and his
+friends, as we made for the chairs all set out on leopard skins outside
+the two-storied mud palace. Then the performance began. The Royal band
+was then in full force. On striking up one of the most weird, discordant
+tunes, nearly the whole crowd of people broke into dancing, their
+fluttering, white linen garments flapping about them as wings. More and
+more excited they got, till they danced so high as to appear held up in
+mid-air. Then they gave way to the pipers, who performed on instruments
+made from crude pieces of reed. Singing accompanied this performance—such
+fantastic tunes, all praising the greatness of their King and exalting in
+the prowess of his people, with ringing cheers interspersed for England,
+its King, and King Kasagama. The evening closed in giving us all a
+longing that the great Edward VII. might have seen how one of his kingly
+subjects in the heart of Africa had commemorated that important day.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+Tramp I. To the Albert Edward Lake
+
+
+The year after our arrival in the country my companion and I were again
+on the tramp toward the Albert Edward Lake, combining an itinerating tour
+with a holiday. We started under not very propitious circumstances. The
+wet season was not over, and promised to treat us rather shabbily, for
+the rain began drifting down just as we had put off from home. We had a
+small body of caravan porters numbering about fourteen in all, and an
+ordained native deacon, named Apolo Kivebulaya, as protector and overseer
+of the forces. He is just one of the best natives you could ever meet.
+
+His experiences seem like a page out of apostolic history. He, with his
+friend Sedulaka, came from Uganda to Toro in 1896 as teachers. When a
+European was afterwards stationed there, he went further afield, even
+as far as Mboga, on the boundaries of the Pigmy Forest, and there he
+established a Mission Station. At first he met with a great deal of
+opposition from the chief Tabala, which might have been expected from the
+graphic account the late Sir Henry Stanley gives of these uncontrollable
+people in his book “Darkest Africa.” Apolo’s house and few possessions
+were burnt by incendiarism, and for three weeks he remained hidden from
+his persecutors in a house of a woman, who had become a “reader”; but
+his zeal and faith never flagged even when he was cast into the chain
+gang, for there he commenced to speak to his guards, and taught them
+to read the Testament, which he always carried about with him. Shortly
+after these things Tabala himself got converted to Christianity through
+the instrumentality of this very man, and, from being one of the fiercest
+opponents, he became, and has remained since, one of the most ardent
+supporters of the Christian Faith. Apolo is a well-known character
+throughout the country; nothing succeeds in ruffling his quiet, contented
+nature, but with a chronic beam on his old dusky face, he goes along in
+his daily routine of instructing catechumens or confirmation candidates,
+officiating at burials and marriages, or visiting the outlying Mission
+Stations.
+
+[Illustration: APOLO KIVEBULAYA.]
+
+Certainly we could not have had a native escort so respected and beloved
+all round these parts than good old Apolo.
+
+In order that we should find camp comfortably fixed up on the first
+day, we had despatched our belongings some time ahead. We were anxious
+to wait for the heat of the day to pass before actually starting off
+on our wheels. Just outside Kabarole the rain came down in torrents.
+We struggled to cycle on through it, but it was tough business. The
+mud, added to the hilly condition of the path, prevented us from
+making much headway. My wheel was a solid tyre, generally known as a
+“bone-shaker”; it would _not_ stick on the down hills, and insisted on
+skidding along the narrow, slanting paths cut round them. Once I did a
+most uncomfortable somersault, and having for a second time got thrown
+into thick mud, relinquished the bicycle for the remainder of that day’s
+journey. When we reached camp, we were in a condition better imagined
+than described. Evidently the rain had rather damped the energies of our
+porters, for we found the tent only just commencing to be tackled, and
+mud, mud, mud, everywhere. It was certainly rather confusing; 5 p.m., and
+in a tiny space surrounded by banana trees were the jabbering porters;
+boxes were lying about in the mud, and a small crowd of inquisitive
+natives stood round gaping with astonishment. One of them kindly offered
+to turn out of his tiny hut to allow us to change our soaking clothes,
+and our stay there turned out to be somewhat longer than we bargained
+for, for one of our porters came to us with a cheerful grin saying that
+he had left the ground sheet of the tent behind. Stacks of soaking
+grass had been laid down over the wet mud inside the tent, and our low
+camp beds were almost sitting in it. So we had them removed into the
+hut, and there we passed the night. Oh, these native huts! There are no
+apertures for light excepting the low entrance; this one was partially
+divided into two apartments by means of a reed screen, and in one of
+these we slept; in the other, our girls cooked and knocked about. There
+was just squeezing space for our two beds. Above mine was a ledge, where
+some fowls were roosting and strutting about, shaking down the soot
+and cobwebs that hung round the inside of the hut. We scarcely dared
+attempt to close our eyes, as rats were scampering about very excitedly
+all night. We cleared off as soon as we could in the morning, hoping
+to settle on a more congenial spot next time. The road left much to be
+desired: it was a constant succession of hills and deep ridges, with a
+few swamps to add variety to one’s mode of travelling. Feeling scarcely
+like wading through these, I mounted the shoulder of a stolid porter,
+who stumbled through the mud and water above his knees. It is a tragic
+experience to balance yourself up so high, and only a woolly pate to
+tenaciously hold on to, especially when your carrier gets stuck in the
+mud, and extricating it, with an unexpected jerk, nearly sends his burden
+and himself head-first.
+
+[Illustration: THE ALBERT EDWARD LAKE.]
+
+At every halting-place food was brought to us by the natives for
+our porters; they generally offer it as a gift, but would be very
+disappointed if they did not get something of greater value in exchange.
+One has to be provided with a purse of curious dimensions, for at
+some villages reading sheets, hymn books, or gospels are the payments
+most valued; in others, calico, cowrie-shells, pice, or even beads
+of the particular design which happens to be the latest fashion in
+clothing there at the time. The scenery on our second day’s travel was
+exhilarating; the road lay near the base of Ruwenzori’s mountains. We
+steamed along on our machines with sun-hats and big sun-shades over
+ridges and through mud at which even a horse would stop and consider.
+Our noble Apolo insisted on keeping pace with our bicycles, and as small
+batches of natives passed on the road, gazing with blank astonishment
+at these “running snakes,” he called out with pride and elation “Look
+at the wisdom of the white man.” Just as this remark was shot out for
+the third time the front bicycle tumbled clean into an ant-pit, and
+was irremediably smashed up. The people did not evince any concern or
+surprise: they evidently considered it a part of the show. One of the
+onlookers was chartered to shoulder the fragments back to Kabarole. I am
+not quite sure if he did not wonder where the “wisdom” came in.
+
+When we were within one and a-half hours of our next camp, streams
+of natives came running out to meet and welcome us. They continued
+increasing in number till we reached the village, Butanuka, which seemed
+well awake, what with the shrieking excitement of the people and the
+howlings of the children, who yelled with fear and alarm. Really our
+welcome resembled our first appearance in Toro, for here as everywhere in
+these parts the people had never seen white women. The drum was beaten,
+and although we were tired out and longed for a quiet rest and a cup of
+tea, we were borne along with the crowd there and then into the little
+grass church, where the native teacher thanked God for sending us, and
+we expressed our joy at coming out to them. The chief had erected a large
+grass shed where we could sit during the time of day when the sun makes
+a tent absolutely unbearable. His wife brought us in her offering in the
+shape of a sheep, six chickens, eggs, twenty bundles of bananas, native
+spinach, and two large gourds of “mubisi”—banana juice. Butanuka is a
+charming spot, surrounded on three sides by mountains. Toward the south
+these suddenly terminate and expose an arm of Lake Dweru. In nearly all
+the valleys are stretches of cultivated land and banana groves, while the
+little brown grass huts peep out like so many eyes from among their green
+surroundings.
+
+There is a peculiar fascination in journeying through these unknown
+districts of Africa. When one can talk with the people in their own
+language they become an intensely interesting study. Cunning plus lying
+plus theft plus indolence—these qualities seem to sum up the very
+generally accepted idea of a black man. Thus the European approaches
+him with a distinctly biassed opinion, and instinctively realising that
+the white man distrusts him; the real self of the negro shrinks back
+into itself, the fidelity, dog-like affection, generosity, and keen
+penetration of his nature remain unrecognised because untouched. Dispel
+all preconceived ideas, study the people’s environment, the external and
+internal influences that sway them, approach them not as “niggers” but
+fellow creatures, and the European will never need to complain of the
+black man’s presumption, but will find it even possible to accept the
+inspired statement “God ... hath made of one blood all nations of men.”
+
+During our three days’ stay at Butanuka we were besieged with callers.
+The sick came in for medicine, readers to be questioned for baptism, and
+others desirous of being written down for instruction. A teacher from a
+neighbouring village was sent to us with an eager request that we should
+visit them. We agreed to squeeze it into one afternoon. Although the
+teacher had only been there at work one month we found quite a lively
+interest had been awakened among the people. The chief of the village,
+who was captain of the King’s soldiers, came out in big style to welcome
+us. After a little service and a great deal of medicining, we were
+taken to the chief’s hut, where a meal had been prepared for us. After
+seating ourselves on the soft, fresh grass that had been laid down on
+the floor we started operations. First of all water was brought in for
+hand ablutions, then the unsweetened cooked bananas were brought in,
+and a boiled chicken, all wrapped up in the banana leaves in which they
+had been boiled. The chicken was broken up into tempting morsels by the
+host and an immoderate helping of the bananas was plumped down in front
+of each. Then commenced the process of rolling the bananas into small
+balls in our hands, and punching a depression in the middle by which the
+gravy could be scooped up. A sheep and three chickens were brought to us
+as presents, and as we started off nearly the whole village followed on
+behind. In spite of hurrying we did not reach home before the darkness
+fell, and a thunderstorm broke over us, extinguishing the long, flaming
+torches which the natives carried; so we had to push along as best we
+could, and arrived in a wearied and very bedraggled condition.
+
+Leaving Butanuka and keeping a southerly course we found ourselves
+shut in by the big mountains that rise up so erratically from their
+gently undulating surroundings. For the first time I indulged in the
+questionable luxury of being hammocked. We had been experiencing some
+days of heavy rains which had made the paths very muddy, and the long
+grasses through which we had to push our way was very wet, so that I
+determined to take advantage of the voluntary offers from some of
+the young Christian men, headed by the teacher, to act as carriers.
+The men gaily hoisted the hammock pole on their heads, and trying to
+appear unconscious of their 10½ stone burden, rushed off at a motor-like
+speed. They evidently felt a little uneasy of the possible consequences,
+for the front man kept calling out to me “Do not fear, my child,” but
+suddenly I was precipitated backward, the heavy pole on the top of me,
+and my black “father” was sprawling unceremoniously in the mud. After
+that they were convinced of the necessity of going slowly, especially as
+our imperceptible path lay somewhere between tall thistles that gave us
+uncomfortable pricks and scratches as we pushed our way through. When
+we reached our destination for that day the hammock bearers yelled and
+literally jumped with joy, regardless of my feelings, calling out “Juli
+Abakuru ba Buingereza,” “We are great people of England,” as they put me
+to the ground with “Well done, very well done, mistress”; but I felt in
+an advanced stage of mal de mer.
+
+That day we had a typical African travelling experience. After descending
+a long, almost perpendicular hill we landed where our path lay through a
+broad, rushing river, the force of which was so great that the men could
+scarcely stand. The recent rains had swelled the river, which, coming
+from the lofty snow peaks, formed into a perfect cataract. The first man
+who very gingerly went to test the strength of the water was carried off
+his feet and just saved himself by clinging on to the bank at a bend.
+After long deliberation Apolo, our leader, got together six or eight
+very powerful men, who volunteered to post themselves where the current
+was strongest and help the others along. The first load that was taken
+across was our sack of kitchen utensils, which floated cheerfully down
+stream for some distance. Then the men suggested taking me across in the
+hammock. I generously hinted to my companion that she should go over
+first, but she would not see it. So, summing together all my courage,
+I got into the hammock and they plunged along, dragging their burden
+through the madly rushing waters. After about three hours had elapsed
+everything was safely landed on the other shore, baggage and all. The
+only tragedy we had to relate was the sad fate of a chicken that, at
+sight of the tempestuous waters, broke from its captivity and was carried
+away by the relentless river to supply food to the hungry little fishes.
+
+Things were not much better on the following day. We had almost walked on
+to the Equator and the sun did its best to make us know it, so that at
+the end of four solid hours’ marching we literally collapsed under the
+shade of a big tree and sent scouts on ahead to ascertain the condition
+of the River Mubuku, through which our path lay. They returned with the
+news that the waters were so high that it was impossible to attempt
+crossing that day. We determined not to be done if possible, however, and
+pushed on to see for ourselves. The mountains seemed to close in upon us
+on all sides, and from their precipitous heights rushed down numerous
+rivulets, which united and formed the mighty Mubuku River. We halted on
+the stony bank and viewed the situation. On the opposite side could be
+seen groups of natives crouching down among the long grasses and peering
+with frightened glances in our direction. It was evident that we must
+wait till the waters had abated somewhat, so pitched camp close by and
+made the best use of our time by rallying the villagers round us, who
+gathered together in swarms. There, as everywhere, the cry was, “Give us
+a teacher.” The desire on the part of these people for instruction is
+quite remarkable, but to speak intelligently to them is very far from
+easy. They have never thought in the abstract, so it is essential to
+clothe every spiritual truth in parables or concrete qualities. One must
+get back further than the A.B.C. and adopt the kindergarten method. If
+one does not reach them it is because the teacher has forgotten how to be
+a child, or has failed to make the invisible visible. God in revelation
+and God in manifestation employed parabolical means for presenting to the
+natural man in his infancy truth which is infinite and incomprehensible.
+
+When once the desire for reading has been actually awakened in these
+people, nothing will deter them from mastering the letters. If they
+possess nothing with which to purchase the five cowrie shell reading
+sheet, they will be quite willing to bring in firewood or do any work
+in order that they may obtain it. One old woman at this particular camp
+brought her spade and cleared a small space round our tent, and when we
+gave her the longed-for wages she started right away to struggle with the
+Alphabet, although her eyes were dim and her bristly hair was tinged with
+white.
+
+Thus, when no teacher can be sent to the people, they are not left in
+total darkness, as the Bible is slowly penetrating the entire land and
+being read eagerly by its people.
+
+The next morning we found the waters had gone down sufficiently to
+enable us to venture cautiously. It was not, however, a very desirable
+experience; about twenty men supported the hammock while the waters
+were foaming and roaring beneath and coming right over the sides of
+the canvas; two men who were attempting to lift it out of the water by
+holding on to the sides were carried away by the strength of the current,
+then all the remaining availables made a hasty grab at the other side,
+with the result that I was on the point of being overturned and pitched
+out. I just managed to save myself by hanging on to the pole, but got
+drenched through.
+
+The following morning we started off at 7 a.m. The scenery was enchanting
+and the air very invigorating. We continued steadily marching until
+11.30, passing through hamlets absolutely deserted on account of the
+destructive visits of the elephants, which had torn up the banana trees
+from the roots, trampled down the Indian corn, and razed to the ground
+the little grass houses of the people. They themselves had fled in
+terror, leaving the wild pigs to feast on their potato patches.
+
+The four and a half hours’ walk gave us a decided hankering after an
+A.B.C. or Gatti, also a change of clothing, as our boots felt like water
+cisterns and our skirts were weighted with mud and water that literally
+trickled off the edges. The porters put our boxes down under a tree and
+went off in search of what they could pick up in the way of food, while
+we fished out some dry things and indulged in a meal of goat soup and
+cold chicken. Our guide told us another hour and a half would find us in
+camp, but at the end of two hours hard walking and no signs of our tent
+being visible we inquired how much further had we to go. “Oh,” said one
+of the porters, “it is impossible to halt here, three hours more will
+bring us to water and food.” This fairly did for us; we had somehow doled
+out our walking powers without reckoning for this extra distance, and we
+felt decidedly despondent. The natives always underestimate distance in
+order that the very prospect should not have a discouraging effect on a
+pedestrian’s spirits.
+
+The scorching sun had made us very thirsty, and we worked our teapot very
+hard that day; the mosquitoes gave us a lively time of it, but faint,
+yet pursuing, we dragged on, reaching our welcome little tent at 6 p.m.
+But oh, what a resting place. A strong smell of stale fish pervaded the
+air, mingled with all the odours peculiar to African huts, where cattle,
+sheep, chickens and people all huddled together. We found our tent
+pitched in the middle of a court completely surrounded and suffocated
+by fishermen’s huts, for we were close to the lake shore. The only
+compensation for this and the mosquito discomforts was the enjoyment
+of tasting fresh fish once more. The lake fish somewhat resemble fresh
+haddocks and are of delicious flavour. On our arrival men were sent to
+catch them, and in half an hour they were served up steaming hot from the
+stewpan! Their method of fishing is primitive in the extreme. They have
+wicker baskets open top and bottom, which are shot down in the water;
+when they have enclosed a fish its kicking about is heard on the sides of
+the basket; then they thrust in their arms and draw out the captive.
+
+Nyagwaki, the mission station for which we were making, is situated
+on one of the southern points of Ruwenzori. A short, steep climb next
+morning brought us face to face with streams of people, who came hurrying
+down the mountain side to greet us and to help push us up the rougher
+places. When we reached the summit of the hill on which stands the
+village, a truly marvellous view stretched beneath.
+
+Evidently the Albert Edward Lake once extended over the miles of plain
+which lie to the north of it, for bare, flat islands appear here and
+there in the large arm of the lake that lies almost surrounded by plain.
+It is just as one might imagine the world looked when Noah came out of
+the ark with his family. At sunset the view was most impressive, the lake
+lay shimmering like a sea of gold, while the evening mist that gently
+touched the land made it appear as though it were blushing as the sun
+kissed good-night and disappeared behind the distant hills.
+
+A very vigorous work we found was going on here; the little mission
+church, with its capacity for about 200 people, was well filled, and
+several came to be written down for baptism. An occasional visit to these
+isolated stations from a European missionary does much toward encouraging
+the young teachers and Christians who often are subject to severe and
+subtle temptations to fall back into the old heathen practices by which
+they are surrounded. The Chief of the village, Kasami, had been brought
+into touch with Christianity when visiting Kabarole during a visit
+from Dr. Cook. There he had undergone an operation for opthalmia, and,
+having received “new windows,” he returned to his country to use them in
+learning to read.
+
+Our experiences on the homeward journey were much the same, although we
+took a less circuitous route. Almost without exception, we got soaked
+through and through twice daily: first with the heavy dews, which
+necessitated a mid-day halt and change if malaria was to be avoided, then
+again, in the afternoon came the rains, which fell regularly from 1.0
+p.m. and onwards. Our first thing on reaching camp was to have a large
+fire kindled and all our wardrobe hung round to dry, singe, or stiffen.
+Our boots suffered terribly—and so did we when we struggled into them
+each morning.
+
+One day, after five hours’ marching, the thunderclouds came tumbling
+together and sent down torrents of rain. We tried to squeeze up under a
+tree, but this soon offered no shelter, and even our mackintoshes could
+resist the water no longer. It was impossible to cook any food as the
+fire would not light; meanwhile our thirst became tragic, until the idea
+occurred to us of standing under each other’s umbrella and quaffing the
+streams that ran from the spokes! Hunger at last drove us on toward camp,
+despite the rain, but the roads required one to be rough shod. Faithful
+Apolo insisted on grabbing my arm with such a grip that when it finally
+lost all power of feeling, a row of bruises presented themselves to prove
+the conflict passed through.
+
+For a whole week we had been passing elephant tracks, which the porters
+declared were quite freshly made, but once only were we fortunate enough
+to see these magnificent monsters. At mid-day the porters had spied
+three some distance off, slowly tramping along in the tall grass, but we
+only saw their heads and tops of their backs. At 5.30 p.m., however, that
+same day, a herd of fifteen passed comparatively close to us. In single
+file they solemnly marched over the brow of a hill, silhouetted against
+a gorgeous sky. A yell from one of the porters brought their heads round
+in our direction, when we saw that five had immense tusks. It was an
+imposing sight, the whole was so perfectly harmonious; there is something
+vast, untrammelled—a strange abandonment and magnanimity of nature in
+scenes like this, that even an Englishman must feel small!
+
+Antelopes, birds, and butterflies of the most brilliant colouring
+abounded in these parts, and these make up for the less attractive shades
+of an African tramp.
+
+We arrived home very much braced up (the malarial germs had not a chance
+of settling down), and feeling that we had perhaps been enabled to
+accomplish something toward the carrying out of the marching order, “Go
+ye into all the world.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+Tramp II. Holidays
+
+
+August, I believe, is generally admitted to be the month of domestic
+monsoons. Bradshaw, Baedeker, and time tables are the hardest-worked
+books in the house at that time; trunks and boxes are all upset; and
+every conceivable seaside town and village is considered and rejected
+in turn as a possible antidote to the general disgust with which we
+regard home at that time of the year. Even in the remote corner of the
+world known as Toro, my companion and I managed to create something of
+the old disturbance by announcing that we wanted a holiday. Perhaps the
+conventionalism of our up-bringing was to blame for the suggestion,
+but I believe we were honestly a wee bit tired after eighteen months
+of wrestling with the language and becoming acquainted with such new
+conditions of life and work. But the fuss that Uncle Podger created
+whenever he undertook to do a little job was nothing compared to the
+business our little holiday involved. First of all we had to get the
+permission of the Missionary in local charge, and he had to write in to
+headquarters at Mengo to find out if the Committee were agreed on the
+point. Then the whole district had to be carefully considered as to the
+spot most likely to offer real rest and enjoyment without encountering
+any perils of microbes, perils of hunger, perils by animals, perils by
+heathen, and perils by cannibals! That seemed a difficult matter, but
+when it was at last all fixed up the drum was beaten to rally together
+porters; food boxes, tent and furniture were packed up into parcels, and
+two cows were ordered to the front to complete our daily rations. Swarms
+of people came down to wish us good-bye; one dear old lady declared she
+was consumed with grief, and another that she was on the point of death
+because of our leaving, but we told them all to cheer up and hurried away
+to assure ourselves that we were really off. We found ourselves with
+two military attachés, who had been told off by the King with strict
+injunctions to guard his European friends on their travels. But rarely
+have I set eyes on more spindle-like specimens of humanity; if it had not
+been for the thick puttees, heavy jerseys, and cartridge belts with which
+they were laden, one would scarcely have noticed their presence.
+
+It had been decided to make for the southern shore of Lake Albert, which
+as the crow flies appears to lie about forty miles north of Kabarole. The
+first day we struck camp at the crater Lake only a few miles away. This
+spot has a peculiar charm; a turn in the road brings one suddenly in view
+of this still sheet of water, and there is something rather uncanny about
+the dead waters lying in sepulchres of the past. I am not surprised that
+the natives associate them with stories of devils and hobgoblins. One
+side of the crater has been worn away, leaving an outlet for the water
+that has accumulated in its mouth, and this flowed out a few hundred
+yards before it found its level. Numbers of duck play about the waters of
+the lake, and beautiful purple and pink water-lilies grow close to the
+banks. We found a regular orchestra of frogs croaking _forte fortissimo_
+as an all-night serenade. It was just one of those days when the world
+feels flooded with self-satisfaction and peace and God seems “to rest
+in His love” as we started off early the next morning. Having the loan
+of a Muscat donkey given me, I hurried off to get ahead of the caravan
+and reach of listeners, and then gave full vent to my feelings in that
+glorious hymn, “Praise my soul, the King of Heaven.” An old woman, who
+had been fearfully startled at the unusual sight and sound, peered
+suddenly through the long grasses on the roadside, and so stopped my
+noble steed in his lively gallop. Exercising the usual native politeness,
+I greeted her with “How are you, my mother?” She replied in the most
+complimentary terms “How’s yourself, mother of my grandmother?” I then
+asked her why she wore the shell and bit of wood threaded on string round
+her neck, and she told me it was to cure a pain on the chest. The words
+felt like a harsh discord. When “Heaven lies about us” and every common
+bush is aflame with God, it is inconceivable how any man can remain
+cognisant only of the Spirit of Evil.
+
+Our path led us right close up to the north end of the Ruwenzori range,
+where it gets broken up into a succession of pyramid peaks, ridge
+intersecting ridge. Bamboo forests crowned the crests, as few points
+reached a higher altitude than eight thousand or nine thousand feet. The
+dry season had just about exhausted itself at that time, in consequence
+of which the grass on the mountains was dried up or had been burnt away
+in huge patches, exposing the bare soil and jagged rocks that frowned
+down upon us with uncompromising severity. As the second day closed in
+upon us, we stole out of our little tent to watch the storm freaks on the
+mountain sides. An old dame, with a basket of sweet potatoes balanced on
+her shaven pate, passed us, and stared hard from our headgear down to
+our boot leather, with grave disapproval. She insisted most vehemently
+that we must live without eating, for where could the food go when we
+were tied up in the middle like that! Which reminded me of a chief who
+visiting us one day just as we were going in to lunch, asked if we became
+like the Batoro when they had finished eating, who resemble inflated
+balloons.
+
+Instead of being able to take a direct route to the Lake over the hills
+we were obliged to get down into the Semliki plain, a long, unwholesome
+tract reeking with malaria that lies between and unites with a broad
+navigable river, the Albert Edward and Albert Lakes. Although actually
+in sight of the broad sheet of water, to our dismay we found the only
+path zig-zagged continually across the plain, so that we were actually
+let in for five days floundering up and down it—pushing our way through
+grass five to ten feet high always laden with moisture as we started out
+each day on our tramp. The river Semliki winds along the plain like a
+glittering snake: it is about thirty yards wide, and has a very rapid
+flow which prevents swamps from collecting along its course. A few
+straggling huts sprawled about on the banks go by the name of fishing
+villages. With small harpoons the fisherfolk spear the fish, which are
+chiefly of the carnivorous species. Great care has to be exercised by the
+people as the river abounds in crocodiles. The inhabitants of the plain
+are a timid, dull folk—they did not even venture to look up at us as we
+passed them, although they had never seen a white woman. Arriving at
+one village we found it absolutely deserted; the people had all fled on
+hearing of our approach, leaving their homes with their few possessions
+scattered about. A search party was organised from among our porters, and
+after a long hunt one poor, unhappy creature was brought in. He looked
+as if his last moment had come when he was brought to us, but when he
+heard his own language spoken and learned our peaceful intentions he went
+off and hauled in the others who were soon on the most friendly terms
+with us. Towards evening they all came round us as we had prayers with
+our boys and porters. They were delighted with the singing, and without
+waiting to be correctly taught the tune of “Jesus loves me” they rushed
+into it, all together, and soon fell into unison. The original air was
+quite unrecognisable, but one must forget to be orthodox sometimes out
+here. Singing never fails to arrest the minds of the people, and offers
+an opportunity of telling them something of the Great and Loving Creator
+whom we laud and worship. Christ alone who is Wisdom can give one the
+confidence to attempt, in one short time, to draw aside the veil from the
+eyes and reveal the Father to those who have never heard His Name. Yet
+once having seen Him, one dares not allow that opportunity to pass by.
+
+Within the last few years this plain has been placed among the game
+preserves of the Protectorate; it will consequently be a tantalizing
+route to the sportsmen, as it abounds in antelopes of several
+kinds—harte-beestes, wilde-beestes, water-buck, wild boars, and birds of
+exquisite colouring. We could get practically no food for our porters,
+and on the second day’s fast, regardless of laws and regulations, we
+ventured out with a gun to try and bring down something. But it was
+impossible to get anywhere near the animals, as our scouts got so excited
+that they frightened them away before we could get within shooting
+distance. Then we tried the plan of despatching one of our noble soldiers
+with a number of men from one of the villages to the nearest market in
+order to buy food. The men procured some potatoes, and started back with
+them, but, as the military went on slightly in advance, they all decamped
+one by one, carrying off the food with them. They had evidently taken in
+the measure of their leader!
+
+The following day, Sunday, we could not do otherwise but press on, while
+our men were without food. At mid-day we reached a most indescribably
+desolate stretch of country; for many miles there extended scrub,
+interspersed only by thorn bushes and tall cactus trees. Being thoroughly
+exhausted with fatigue, we struck camp by three lonely huts that
+unexpectedly were dumped down in this wilderness, without any sign of
+cultivation around. The people were wretchedly emaciated and seemed to
+have no spirit or strength to provide themselves with nourishment. They
+declared nothing would grow, and they were obliged to live on what they
+hunted or the food which occasionally they could get in exchange for
+animal flesh or hides.
+
+The only prolific life was mosquitoes. We got out our prayer books
+towards evening to sing one of the well-known hymns, but our spirits
+were at low ebb and would not rise. Two hungry-looking vultures sat on a
+naked cactus tree opposite our tent, watching our effort; they did not
+encourage song! I do dislike those birds so!
+
+The fact was we were all feeling the dreariness of our surroundings, and
+needed a good, sound chop!
+
+During a holiday, perhaps more than at other times, one just longs for
+a Sunday back in the dear country. The exposure and frugality of camp
+life makes one appreciate the shelter and calm of the home life. That
+all seemed so far off, and yet the setting sun said it is but two hours
+away. It is always thus when we look up. Here below it is distance, time,
+and change; up there it is infinity, Eternity, God; and our citizenship,
+after all, is in heaven. Our earthly life, home, and loved ones are
+gradually passing beyond the arc of time, and hereafter we shall find all
+again, perfected and completed, like the rainbow, round the Throne.
+
+We were really getting very alarmed on our porters’ account, but they
+were very plucky about it, and, seeing our concern, assured us they could
+go without food nine days! Nevertheless, they all sent up a shout of joy
+on the third day when a fairly flourishing little fishing village was
+spied close by, on the south end of the lakes. It consisted merely of a
+few scattered huts, but food was plentiful. As we arrived, the fishing
+smacks (dug-out canoes) had just come, bringing in a two days’ haul.
+The fish, which resembled large cod and dabs, looked delicious, and was
+a rare treat after the everlasting goat and chicken. In the evening the
+proprietor of the boats came, asking if we would like to be paddled out
+on the lake. It was a case of paddling, for the canoe let in the water as
+quickly as two men could bale it out. Stacks of grass were laid at the
+bottom of the canoe for us to sit on, but we got horribly wet. The beauty
+of the scenery made us forget this, however. From the eastern shores
+rose, sheer out of the lake, cliffs rising to 800 or 900 feet, with thick
+vegetation growing down to the water’s edge; and round the wooded banks
+on the west the most gorgeously-coloured birds and herons sported about.
+The wide, tranquil waters, like a great sleeping ocean, rested in a dead
+calm. Suddenly, without the least warning, five huge hippopotami raised
+their ugly heads out of the water and snorted at us furiously, which made
+us beat a hasty retreat. But they were evidently keen on catching another
+glance at the Europeans, for in the middle of the night, when the whole
+camp was peacefully sleeping, we were awakened by feeling the ground
+literally shaking under us. A premonition of impending destruction seized
+us; then the ropes of our tent cracked, and we made for the poles, which
+were tottering. But the tent withstood the attack, and with loud, hungry
+snorts our clumsy mammoth intruders trundled off, under cover of night,
+to seek their prey.
+
+The people round the southern end of Lake Albert are extremely primitive.
+In their homes is no indication of the least exercise of intelligence to
+furnish themselves with any tool, utensil, or garment. Only a very few of
+the men and women adopt clothing; their food consists almost entirely of
+fish, which they hang out in the sun to dry. Those who possess a boat,
+a cooking pot, or a food basket have obtained them from other folk in
+exchange for fish, or inherited them from their ancestors. There are
+times when one asks if the soul of these people has ceased to pulsate,
+all human instincts are so crushed in them. But even here were the
+temples of a deity—in the centre of each courtyard stood a rickety wee
+grass hutch, in which offerings of food had been placed. Carlyle has
+rightly said that man was made a worshipping creature.
+
+At evening prayers we called the people round us, and tried to talk
+with them. One typical grey-haired old heathen appeared interested, but
+hurried the audience back to their homes as soon as possible. When we
+proposed moving off to a village higher up on the lake, he generously
+offered himself as escort, and, on our reaching the spot, went from hut
+to hut, as we thought, asking the people to bring us in food for barter.
+He then wished us farewell and returned to his home. We afterwards
+learned that he was circuit priest and had been to every home forbidding
+the people to visit or listen to the words of the white ladies for fear
+of offending their god, the fish of the lake, who might withhold their
+only means of sustenance. Demetrius has many descendants!
+
+Judging from the few days we spent roaming along the shores of the lake,
+I should say that it would be difficult to find a more fascinating spot
+for a holiday when once you get there. The botanist finds rare treasures
+hidden away in the creeks and crevices of the cliffs; the sportsman has
+a free hand to carry home as many hippo teeth or crocodile hides as he
+may desire, and the modern historian would find on its shores not a few
+materials for writing up the story of present day Africa.
+
+Quite close to where we were camped, took place some years ago the
+meeting between Emin Pasha and his rescuer, the late Sir Henry Stanley,
+who had, in his search for the lost general and his column, penetrated
+right through Africa from the West coast, overcoming almost insuperable
+difficulties. In spite of the attractiveness of the Albert Lake it is
+scarcely a cheerful place to be isolated at, and standing so near to
+the same spot one felt a strong pity for that Egyptian leader as he
+gave orders for his boat to be sunk to prevent the enemy seizing it, so
+cutting off all chance of his own escape.
+
+Time has wrought a phenomenal change; the country from being threatened
+by strong foes on the north, and harassed by rebellious tribes within
+itself, has now settled down into a quiet peace, and two English girls
+were able to stroll over the same soil in perfect safety, with nothing
+to fear, save perhaps that they themselves should fail to rise to the
+privileges given them of living and working in such a land where lie
+footprints in the sands of time.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+Tramp III. Through the Four Kingdoms of the Protectorate
+
+
+The Uganda Protectorate is built up of four independent self-governing
+kingdoms, besides some outlying districts to the South East, which are
+under the control of Chiefs. The kingdoms are—Uganda, Toro, Bunyoro, and
+Ankole. Toro is ruled over by a once rebellious branch of the Bunyoro
+tribe, that many years ago drove out the original inhabitants and
+established an independent kingdom. With this exception each state is
+absolutely distinct from the other in the general physique and customs
+of the people. All of the four reigning sovereigns have been baptised
+into the Protestant Faith, and excepting in the case of Daudi Chwa, King
+of Uganda, who is at present but a small lad, they are leading exemplary
+Christian lives and helping forward Missionary work in every way.
+
+A circular tour of 600 or 700 miles through these districts could
+be accomplished just within one month, but this would involve heavy
+travelling and give but a feeble chance of appreciating the rapid
+transitions that are met with in country, animal life, and people.
+
+It took us nearly nine weeks to go the round, as our object was to visit
+all the mission stations along the route. In Toro we deviated slightly
+from the direct path in order that church sites might be measured and
+pegged out. The English Government some months before had granted to
+the native church a certain amount of land which could be divided up and
+marked out wherever required. In the kingdom of Toro about 130 plots were
+chosen where, in the near future it is to be hoped, mission centres will
+be planted, manned by trained native teachers. Already between 90 and 100
+have been taken up and occupied, which means that the country is slowly
+being net-worked with Christian testimony. Measuring and marking out land
+in these parts is a rather complicated business. Once only did I attempt
+to offer the help of my services, and never again. It means geometrically
+describing circles and right angles through the rankest weeds and tiger
+grass, stepping it out through swamp and marsh; planting young saplings
+at every point as boundary marks only to find all these carefully
+calculated demarcations removed after perhaps a few days, to suit the
+convenience of one of the land holders who was in need of firewood, or
+wished to extend his boundaries. _Quod non erat faciendum._
+
+Starting from Kabarole, we took a south-easterly direction toward
+Ankole, making the first halt at Isumba, a charming spot on the banks
+of a crater lake. There are seven more of these large volcano puddles
+in the immediate vicinity, lying in the heart of mountains of various
+altitudes. The waters are extremely picturesque with the rich tropical
+vegetation extending from the lip of the crater down to the water’s edge.
+Hippopotami plunge about in the day time, while at night they lug their
+heavy bodies up the steep banks and snort about from one lake to another
+in search of food. The country round is very beautiful and reminds one
+faintly of Cumberland—hills, mountains, forests, and lakes—the monkeys
+and ourang-outangs, however, would not allow that idea to take root; they
+made a fearful noise as we passed near their quarters. They were too
+much for our little fox terrier, who worked himself into a great rage
+at being unable to get at these intruders of the peace; he simply made
+for the next native on the road (evidently thinking him one of the same
+tribe), but was driven off at the point of the spear that his antagonist
+was carrying.
+
+The forest close to our camp was swarming with monkeys, which made
+wide turning movements from branch to branch when disturbed. I kept on
+wondering if one was not going to land on my head. The two days old baby
+monkeys led their big sedate mammas exhausting scampers from tree to
+tree. What a good thing it is that they improve in behaviour during the
+process of evolution!
+
+At 9.0 p.m. a message came asking me to give medicine to a sick person
+close to camp. Taking our lantern we went out and administered physic,
+then hastened home as lions could be heard roaring some distance away.
+The oil unfortunately gave out before we reached our tent, and I must
+admit to a horrid sensation of fear lest one of them should spring out
+upon us from the pitchy darkness, as the roaring seemed to get nearer and
+nearer.
+
+In the morning our cowman came in with the tidings that one of these
+creatures had broken through the zariba built round the cowshed and run
+off with one of the calves.
+
+While encamped there a terrible storm visited us in the afternoon. We
+had watched the clouds rapidly gathering from all directions, increasing
+in density and rapidity until they collided together and crashed with
+terrific force on a near hill, blotting out all objects from view. Then,
+with united energy, these heavily charged thunder clouds bore down upon
+us with such anger that it seemed our little tents must be torn up and
+twisted into shreds. All the porters had been called out to stand each
+at his post to meet the enemy; and right well they did it, too, for as
+the tent cords snapped we must have soon been houseless if the men had
+not held on to poles and canvas. In less than half an hour the storm had
+passed, and then the porters set to work, repairing ropes, hammering in
+pegs, and redigging the trench round the tent.
+
+The following day, after a hot, dusty march, we reached one of the
+mission stations, and before we had the chance of a wash-up and rest, the
+teacher came begging us to go to the church, where the people were all
+waiting. So in we went and found nearly two hundred squeezed into the
+tiny reed building (intended to hold one hundred), all roaring from the
+various grades of the reading sheet. Instead of stopping the clatter when
+we entered, a sign from the teacher made each one put greater exertion
+into his reading and they simply yelled out their lesson to impress us
+with the progress they were making.
+
+After a short service with them, we were escorted to our tent by a
+considerable following. When my medicine chest appeared the scene was
+like the “Zoo” let loose. A guard had to stand round to prevent me from
+being suffocated; of course the majority of the applicants were shams.
+They watched to see which patient received the largest dose, then asked
+him what his complaint was, and by the time they had pushed their way to
+the dispenser were suffering from the same trouble, but in an acute form.
+
+On the fourth day we reached the capital of a Saza or country Kitagwenda.
+Toro is divided up into five large chieftainships or sazas, each of which
+is governed by a man who has tributary chiefs. The “lord” of Kitagwenda
+was ready in state to receive us as we arrived. His round reed house
+is built on the brow of a hill, and is surrounded by a tall, imposing
+plaited reed fence. As we slowly climbed up the broad, well-kept path,
+the chief, dressed in white linen, came down to meet us with a large
+crowd of followers. He was very keen on impressing us with his greatness,
+so ordered a drum to precede him and one piper. The people were all
+wildly excited, dancing and shouting themselves husky. While this
+pandemonium was at its height, two poor, miserable-looking fat-tailed
+sheep were pushed forward for our acceptance. With these Uganda sheep
+all the good points were embodied in the tails. These are often as broad
+as the back, and hang in festoons almost to the ground. They are poor
+creatures, and are not cheap at 2s. 8d., which is their market value.
+I doubt whether one animal contains as much nourishment as two pounds
+of Welsh mutton. At this place two of our first trained women teachers
+had been at work. They had experienced some difficulty in getting the
+women interested, for digging, cultivating, and cooking had provided
+ample excuse for staying in their homes. On the second day of our visit
+we rallied all the women together at the tall mission church and urged
+them to stand by their teachers, who had come with a message of love
+and peace and would instruct them in wisdom. There and then classes
+were formed, and some sixty came forward for daily teaching. At night a
+body of soldiers were sent down by the chief to guard our camp against
+the lions, which were very numerous in these parts. The head officer,
+feeling the importance of his commission, essayed to issue his commands
+in true British fashion by using a few words he had picked up from the
+English lieutenant in Toro. He drilled his men just outside our tent
+door, and it was evident that the language of their general, as he bawled
+out incomprehensible English, was quite a conundrum to the men, and in
+concealed whispers he was obliged to repeat his orders in the native
+tongue.
+
+A remarkably fine view of Ruwenzori snows was obtained at the junction
+of Ankole and Toro. With no cloud to intercept, miles of glittering ice
+stood out against a sapphire sky, and pushed down a hundred streams that
+tumbled in impetuous speed and flowed as swift rivulets through the
+forests that crossed our path. Only those who have known the weariness
+of continual walking in the tropics can rightly appreciate the joy that
+these forest shades and the cool, refreshing rivers bring. At no time of
+the year could the country have been seen to better advantage; the grass
+fires had carried off all the long withered grass, and the hills were
+now carpetted with fresh, green glades. The forests displayed a strange
+variety of colouring, for the young buds of spring, the luxuriant verdure
+of summer, blended in exquisite contrast and harmony with the gold and
+ruddy tints of autumn. Shrubs of wild jessamine and seven-petalled tuber
+roses were in rich bloom on the roadside. These latter are called by
+the natives “Eky skulema njoju,” “that which gets the better of the
+elephants,” for although the bark is comparatively slender, it can
+stubbornly resist the force of the powerful elephant trunks that make
+matchwood of the larger forest trees.
+
+Two days further marching brought us to the boundary of Ankole, and glad
+were we to leave behind the rains of Toro, which had made the paths so
+slimy that with difficulty we maintained the perpendicular. Our peaceable
+caravan was evidently mistaken for a raiding horde. The villagers were
+in a most perturbed state of mind as we pressed on; the men collected
+together all their women, children, and goats and packed them off with
+all speed to hide in the swamps and hills, while a few of them remained
+hidden on the outskirts of the huts to sound an alarm at our approach.
+
+The language at this point deviated from that spoken by the people of
+Toro. Besides employing a few entirely different words, the Banyankole
+soften down the s, j, and k, and until the ear has become accustomed
+to these changes one might imagine it a distinct dialect. A rather
+welcome sight was the _men_ working on the roads and digging in the
+banana plantations, in place of the peasant _women_ who do all the rough
+manual work in Toro. Ankole is a large ranch country. A gentle range of
+mountains extending toward the east shores of the Albert Edward is the
+only interruption to an extensive area of rolling land of which the whole
+kingdom is composed. It is inhabited by two separate races, the Bairu,
+who are the original people of the country, and the Bahima, the ruling
+race. The latter are an extremely superior order of people; generally
+speaking, they are of lighter complexion, and their features, in the
+sharply defined nose and chin and the thin lips, are in marked contrast
+to the other tribes of inland Africa. Another peculiar characteristic
+is that the women live in entire seclusion and keep the face and head
+covered, as in Mahommedan lands. It is generally believed that they
+migrated from Abyssinia or Arabia; probably disease among their cattle
+drove them from their native land, and they travelled south until they
+reached the pasture land of Ankole.
+
+At first sight the country looks scarcely inhabited—there are no
+fences or patches of cultivation which elsewhere denote villages. The
+population, however, is considerable, but the people are a tribe of
+herdsmen, who build unpretentious little grass huts among the soft,
+waving grass, and live almost exclusively on their cattle, which graze
+together in enormous herds. The oxen are splendid creatures, with immense
+horns; there is not so much hump with them as with the cattle of Uganda.
+
+The unvaried diet of milk and butter has produced a people of abnormal
+dimensions. The King, although only about 19 years of age, weighed 20
+stone. He could not walk, but had to be carried about in a gigantic kind
+of clothes-basket. One little chief waddled into our tent to salute
+us who stood about three feet high and was nearly twice as large in
+circumference. The higher a person is in social position the larger is
+the amount of milk he must daily get down in order that he may reach a
+worthy correspondence in weight. On one occasion, while walking along
+the road, we heard screaming and shouting coming from a hut, and, on
+going in to find out the cause, saw a young princess with her eyes
+bandaged and face dripping with milk; an old hag was standing over her
+with a cane, which she brought sharply down across her shoulders when
+the unfortunate girl declared she could take in no more milk. Being
+remonstrated with, the old woman explained how the young princess was
+only going through the customary preparation for her bridal days.
+
+As Uganda gradually opens up, Ankole will probably become the Leadenhall
+Market of the Protectorate. Excellent roads have been cut for transport
+to Entebbe, on the shores of the Victoria Nyanza, to Albert Edward Nyanza
+and Koki, and the Government has built a strong fort at Mbarara, the
+capital of Ankole, which is under civil and military control.
+
+After years of bigoted opposition to the missionaries, the country has
+now been thrown open to them. A large mud church had just been completed
+when we visited there, and a large number of men and women were under
+Christian instruction. For generations there had stood in the Royal
+courtyard a large drum, which was absolutely believed to bring death to
+the King who beat it. Immediately after the baptism of the King, he,
+Kahaya, in the sight of a large crowd of his subjects, went deliberately
+towards the drum; then, loosening the sticks, he stood for a moment
+looking round at his people, who were expecting his instantaneous death.
+With one mighty swing he brought the sticks down on the drum, which only
+thundered out, as it were, the doom which fell that day on their old
+heathen superstitions.
+
+Soon after arriving at the capital we went to pay our respects to the
+Royal Household.
+
+Passing out from the new mud “palace” of the King, I went across to the
+ladies’ quarters. The seven wives of His Majesty Kahaya, who at that
+time was only an inquirer after Christianity, were all sitting silently
+in a semi-circle round the inside of their grass hut. The atmosphere was
+unbearably stuffy, and reeking with odours of rancid butter, for the
+custom is to rub this well into their bodies, and, without washing off
+the stale, they rub in a fresh quantity each day. They treat in exactly
+the same way the bark cloths in which they entirely envelop themselves.
+Not until I had become accustomed to the dim light could I distinguish
+the seven shrouded, dusky figures. Then they resembled so many ant
+heaps. After the usual voluminous salutations, they begged me to take
+off my hat and show my hair. I agreed, if they, on their part, showed me
+their faces. Immediately fourteen merry eyes popped out of the oily bark
+cloths, and a row of fat, smiling faces appeared. After satisfying their
+inquisitive questions about my clothes, my age, my parents, and how long
+I had been married, I tried to find out a little about them. From what
+I could learn, they seemed to spend all their lives huddled together as
+I saw them, with absolutely nothing to do except to feed. They neither
+cooked, sewed, plaited grass, cultivated, nor worked at any of the small
+industries common among other tribes. The Christian women teachers were
+visiting them each day, and a large number of women had shown a real
+desire to read. As their minds have been allowed to lie dormant for so
+long, it is a wonder that they can learn to do so really quickly.
+
+After a few happy days spent in Ankole, we pushed on in a south-easterly
+direction to Koki. Scarcity of water necessitated rather longer marches
+than usual, so I indulged in the luxury of a hammock. Six men were
+taken on as carriers who did not understand the art in the least. They
+literally galloped away with me. The hammock swung to and fro with such
+force that the ropes on the pole gradually slackened, and the canvas
+hung like a sling with its burden doubled up inside. My gesticulations
+and calls were quite unavailing, as the carriers ran on, singing gaily;
+then they suddenly hauled the pole over from one shoulder to another,
+which was more than it could stand, and, with a squeak of pain, the
+ropes burst, and the hammock fell with a big bump to the ground. While
+I stood endeavouring to recover from the rather boisterous mode of
+travelling, the carriers walked round inspecting the shattered ropes and
+congratulated each other on being such men of strength!
+
+We had reached a wide, scorching plain with no trees or shelter save a
+few tall thorn bushes, which made the ground all about like a pincushion
+with the points standing out. We had come along at such a rate that
+the caravan _and_ lunch basket were miles behind. One hundred and five
+minutes were spent under that thorn bush waiting for the rear with
+nothing to read, nothing to look at, and nothing to eat. I tried to think
+a thought that might find a niche in my next journal letter, but the sun
+must have nearly melted all the brain cells as it poured down its burning
+rays, for nothing took shape. To punish the men for their rash behaviour
+I inflicted on my carriers the punishment of searching for firewood, so
+that when our detached corps joined us we soon had the kettle singing
+and a chicken frizzling to replenish exhausted strength and revive our
+fainting spirits. The following morning camp was awake at 4.0 a.m., and
+a hurried start was made in the dark so as to get the day’s march over
+before the sun had a chance of treating us as it had done previously.
+But it was rather an unfortunate day to have tried the experiment, as
+our path for the first three or four miles skirted a long swamp, the
+haunt of mosquitoes, and these little pests had not been frightened away
+by sunrise before we ventured through their domain. They swarmed round
+us like locusts, and although we kept furiously beating out at them in
+all directions at once, the prodigious application of Homocea afterwards
+was, for the first time in my experience, ineffectual in allaying the
+inflammation and irritation. We spied a few monkeys in the trees, but
+instead of being up to their usual pranks they solemnly sat staring
+at each other, looking deplorably sorry for themselves; evidently the
+mosquitoes had proved too much even for them. I am sure they would have
+been willing to pay a pied piper any fee.
+
+After five days journeying from Ankole we reached Rakai, the capital of
+Koki. The C.M.S. had two ladies stationed there and an ordained Muganda.
+
+Koki was in former years an independent kingdom ruled over by Kamswaga,
+but in recent years it has been joined to Uganda, on the King agreeing to
+become a “Saza” of his stronger neighbours.
+
+Excepting for Lake Kanyeti, which twists about among rich and varied
+vegetation, the scenery is unattractive—in the dry season the chalky soil
+gives an anæmic appearance to the country, and the rather too plentiful
+supply of swamps necessitates a large stock of quinine being always at
+hand. Kamswaga himself at that time had gone up to Entebbe on business,
+but hearing of our expected arrival had left us a greeting in the shape
+of an ox and quantities of food for our caravan. Visitors in these parts
+were rather a novelty, and the people came down in large numbers to look
+at us. I returned the visit of the wife of Kamswaga before leaving. Her
+reception house quickly filled with a number of men and women, each
+trying to get a word in edgeways with the “white” visitor. A handful
+of boiled coffee beans in the pods was passed to me to dispense to
+whomsoever I wished to honour. I was obliged to take a share, but that
+was very limited, for they are as hard as nuts to crack and like physic
+to swallow. On leaving they pressed round and bedecked my wrists with
+all sorts of curious wire and bead bracelets which they had taken off
+themselves.
+
+The work being carried on there was, happily, prospering. The school,
+daily classes, and the church, holding two hundred people, were well
+attended.
+
+A whole day’s excursion in a native skiff on the Lake gave us an
+opportunity of seeing something of the village work that has been opened
+up by the Mother Church of Rakai. We could not stay longer than three
+days, as there was still a long programme before us. Budu was the next
+district on the list to be visited.
+
+This is the stronghold of Roman Catholicism. At every side road we found
+a tall wooden cross standing and nearly everybody wore a medallion or
+scapular.
+
+At Kajuna the people were evidently not accustomed to seeing European
+visitors, and they came tearing out of their houses like mad creatures,
+dancing round us and clapping their hands. It was a perfect pandemonium,
+and we were not sorry to escape from such a rabble.
+
+The two missionaries welcomed us very warmly. They were hard at work
+on a much needed house for themselves. The new building was a unique
+structure, for it was built only of one brick—that is, the walls were
+formed of solid mud beaten down between wooden boards, which were removed
+when the mud had dried. The roof was thatched with strips of banana bark
+knotted on rows of poles. This is supposed to offer stronger resistance
+to lightning than the usual grass. A regular timber yard had been set
+up in a strip of Forest close by to supply doors and windows for the
+new house, and the natives were receiving from the missionary practical
+lessons in carpentering as they felled the trees, adzed them out and then
+sawed out planks in pits. The scene suggested pictures of Canadian life
+among the Rockies. Truly a missionary in Uganda is a compendium of trades.
+
+One of our hosts was an out-and-out Irishman, and when he was joined by
+an enthusiastic compatriot the conversation waxed very warm. I wonder if
+everyone belonging to the Emerald Isle regards it as the pole-star of the
+Universe—the two Sassenachs did not quite agree to it.
+
+At the time of our visit twenty-one men and women were being finally
+questioned with a view to baptism. No chiefs were then under Protestant
+instruction, and in consequence there was little inducement for their
+dependents to associate themselves with our missionaries. It was
+therefore very pleasing to find this number ready to publicly confess
+their faith in baptism, for one felt they must have been prompted by an
+honest and sincere conviction.
+
+A fifteen miles march from Kajuna brought us to the shores of the
+Lake Victoria Nyanza. Nearly six miles of the road was across a sand
+plain, and walking it was too much for me, for the boot at each step
+sank in four to six inches of burning sand. I was obliged to call the
+hammock-bearers to my assistance, who panted along without a murmur; but
+when they had safely landed me under the first tree of a lovely wood,
+they exclaimed “We are nearly dead.”
+
+The two boats provided for us looked very frail and small to carry two
+Europeans, eight “boys,” two steersmen, two balers-out of water, twelve
+rowers, and all our loads. The boats on this Lake are constructed of
+boards hewn out by native knives, and sewn together with cane. There are
+no seats for passengers, but sticks and grass are laid at the bottom.
+There was a big gale blowing when we wanted to make a start—foam-crested
+waves broke on the shingly shore as if it had been the Atlantic. One is
+surprised to miss the brine in the spray, forgetting momentarily that so
+immense an expanse of fretful water is other than an ocean. We waited two
+hours for the storm to abate, when the boatmen came saying we could put
+off. As soon, however, as we had rowed well out, the wind got up again
+and blew with terrific force; immediately the lake was lashed into anger,
+and had no mercy on our little craft. The oarsmen were quite unable to
+keep her from being driven broadside to the storm. Sitting at the bottom
+of the boat we watched wave after wave bear down upon us like a wall and
+break over our heads. The boatmen assured us that we could not stand
+much more, for the cane fibre that kept the boat together was rotten and
+giving way under the strength of the breakers. The heavy tossing made
+us feel wretchedly sea-sick, but we dared not let our courage flag, as
+the men were losing heart. We had drifted completely out of our course,
+but fortunately were driven toward one of the Sese Islands, which we
+ultimately reached, drenched through and very exhausted. Here we pitched
+our tent for the night, and as evening came a dead calm settled down on
+the Lake, and insect life awoke, swarming round us in clouds. All night
+we kept waking up to assure ourselves that we had not contracted sleeping
+sickness, as this was one of the haunts of that disease.
+
+The next morning dawned bright and calm, so we started before sunrise,
+startling the many gulls, divers, and herons that were indulging in a
+morning bath. The paddlers broke out into weird nautical songs; there is
+generally one man in a boat whose special work is to lead the singing
+to encourage the oarsmen. He begins with a loud shrill note, sustaining
+it with a few minor variations till a short stanza of the song is sung;
+then all the others join in with a deep, guttural grunt of assent to the
+words; this is repeated over and over and over again until the voice
+cracks. Seven hours’ rowing was as much as they would undertake in a
+day, so we landed on a beautiful little island which since then has been
+entirely depopulated by sleeping sickness. The sun was just about to say
+good-night when we put into Entebbe on the following day. The view from
+the water was quite enchanting. A bold, rocky promontory reminded one of
+a bit of the borderland coast between England and Scotland, otherwise the
+shore and islands were covered with the most prodigious forest growth.
+
+As we landed from the boats and looked up at this town we really asked
+ourselves if this were Uganda. There are rows of neat villas with the
+strips of gardens back and front resembling the bijous of London suburban
+life; splendid wide roads with avenues of trees planted; a market with
+an English butcher, a dairy, an Indian bakery where delicious little
+loaves can be purchased for four annas, and an aggressive Indian firm
+that is the William Whiteley of Uganda, and manufactures mineral waters
+at two annas per bottle, are some among the many surprises. There is
+a very cosmopolitan population, and comparatively few of the real
+natives—Baganda—are seen in the town. The fifty or more Europeans made
+it feel very homelike after the isolated life in Toro; and yet after the
+first surprised impressions had partially worn off, one was conscious
+of two distinct elements running side by side—the English and the
+African—without actually becoming assimilated the one by the other. The
+result was that so many reminders of England brought with them feelings
+of home-sickness, but the next moment one was sympathising with the
+country yokel in London who pined for the rusticity of village home life.
+
+Our four days there were spent very pleasantly. Colonel Sadler, H.M.
+Commissioner, Mrs. Sadler, and several friends were most kind and
+hospitable; indeed we were almost strangers to our tents.
+
+A visit to the Botanical Gardens was most interesting. Mr. Mahon, who
+was then in charge, took us round and pointed out the tea, coffee, cocoa
+and cotton shrubs which gave promise of agreeing very amiably with their
+newly-adopted land. Fruit trees, vines and pine apples were also being
+experimented on, and the flower beds were aflame with colour. The idea
+is, I believe, to test what flourishes successfully in the Uganda soil,
+then to send out cuttings and encourage the cultivation of that plant
+throughout the Protectorate. Colonel Coles, who is in command of the
+troops, is a very keen horticulturalist, and has been most successful in
+rose-growing and in bringing to perfection the native crinum lily.
+
+Leaving Entebbe, we made for Port Munyonyo by canoe, which took six hours
+in consequence of a wind working against us all the way. Reaching the
+Port at 5.0 p.m. we had no time to inspect the vigorous dhow-building
+that was in operation. We hurried off on our seven to eight mile walk
+into Mengo, which we reached just after seven o’clock. A roast leg of
+goat and steaming potatoes were being served up by our kind hostess as we
+entered. I think we had rarely enjoyed a dinner more than that one, as
+we had eaten nothing since 7.0 a.m. excepting two cold sausages and some
+bread and milk, the only things procurable from our food basket in the
+canoe.
+
+This was the only time I had visited Mengo since first arriving in
+the country, and it was interesting to find out how many of one’s
+first impressions remained. Two years ago it had been to me a country
+unpenetrated, its people and language unknown, and now in a limited—very
+limited—degree the closed door had been pushed open and something
+from within had been revealed. In that time Mengo seemed to have made
+wonderful progress. A colossal brick cathedral stood on the site of
+the previous wicker building; it is a striking witness of what the
+Baganda can be taught to accomplish under such persevering and able
+instruction and superintendence as they have received. The educational
+work had developed considerably. At 8.0 one morning we went across to
+Mr. Hattersley’s boys school; he certainly had his work cut out, for I
+should not like to guess at the number of men and boys that were packed
+into the large class rooms, through which ran rows of desks and forms
+made at the Industrial Mission. At each class stood a native teacher
+setting sums or copies on the blackboards. His pupils were a strange
+collection, for a grey-bearded old chief would be sitting next to a
+sharp eyed infant, both eagerly wrestling with pen and ink. Specimens of
+writing, which had been acquired in six months, were shown to us, and
+they compared very favorably with a fourth or fifth standard in England.
+Every afternoon classes were held for the teachers for instruction in
+blackboard writing, geography, astronomy, natural history and Scripture,
+and these men were being sent out to the villages for educational work,
+when their course was completed. Since that time, scholastic work has
+received very special attention. A boarding high school for the sons of
+chiefs was opened in 1904, and the number of lads that were immediately
+sent by their fathers or guardians was a proof of its need. The Baganda
+are quite conscious of the fact that the time has come to rouse and equip
+themselves in order that they may be able to stand before the civilized
+nations with whom they are now brought so closely in touch.
+
+A third school is also in course of erection, which will be an
+intermediate step for those desiring to train afterwards for Holy Orders.
+
+The Industrial Department of the Mission is certainly one of the most
+necessary and practical methods of helping these people who possess
+no trades or crafts of their own. On passing along the road toward
+the Industrial quarters, one sees a crowd of men hard at work in the
+brick-fields, and others employed at rope-making. Entering the actual
+work-shop compound a buzz and whirr of machinery meet the ear. The first
+building is the carpenter’s sheds; here were men turning out book-cases,
+chairs, tables, and really a first-class sideboard. Across the courtyard
+the printers and stitchers were hard at work producing Lunyoro hymn
+sheets, Luganda hymns, Luganda commentary on St. Mark, and a book of
+Uganda fables by Ham Mukasa. Until within six months of our visit all
+this work, including the building of the Cathedral, had been started and
+supervised by one man. Uganda owes a great debt to Mr. Borup for the
+invaluable help thus rendered to the country.
+
+The hospital, which was nearing its opening day when I had first seen
+it, was now in good working order and quite full up with patients; some,
+alas, suffering from the dread sleeping sickness.
+
+No one then dreamed that the fine building was on the eve of being
+completely destroyed by fire. But such was the case. Within a very few
+months the scene of pain, yet of peace and comfort, had given place to
+one of noisy activity, for on the old spot there was immediately put in
+hand the erection of the present solid brick building with an iron roof
+to resist the lightning which destroyed its predecessor, and a concrete
+floor that can withstand the constant traffic up and down the wards.
+After a few days we again set off on the march, making for Bunyoro, in a
+northerly direction. A good road had been cut for a distance of a hundred
+miles by order of the Government for transport purposes toward the Nile.
+On the second day we overtook an oxen wagon caravan, which was being
+conducted by a young Englishman, who we found was down with bad fever and
+cough. We sent him milk and meat juice, but could not dissuade him from
+pushing on in the evening. The scarcity of food for porters on the road
+makes delays very difficult, and in his case, travelling by night was
+essential as the oxen cannot bear the heat of the day. But being jostled
+along on springless carts in the damp and cold African nights did not
+suggest much comfort for a patient suffering from malaria!
+
+Next day on arriving in camp we found no less than three other European
+caravans settling in. A military captain and a ship captain were coming
+down from Bunyoro, and a trader was making for that direction.
+
+Uganda is getting overrun with civilization! There is generally a
+little consternation and hurried confusion when an English woman is
+seen in camp. There is at once a shout for the “boy” who had relieved
+the pedestrian of his coat on the march, and a long search is made for
+the razor that very apparently had been some days in disuse. One of
+our fellow travellers who came in at afternoon tea suggested that a
+new regulation should be passed by the Government, ordering all ladies
+travelling on the road to send a white flag three miles ahead to warn
+fellow countrymen!
+
+We did some fairly long marches on this road, as we were anxious to
+complete our tour, and although fifteen to eighteen miles do not look
+anything to the Londoner who is accustomed to record spins on his
+bicycle, yet I think he would find five hours walking day after day a
+laborious task, especially when it means rising at 4.0 a.m. We had been a
+little unfortunate in our culinary arrangements, for our cook was taken
+ill and had been obliged to return to Toro. We took on a substitute from
+our porters’ ranks, who knew nothing about cooking. I carefully taught
+him how to turn out a decent pancake which he seemed really to master,
+but a few days afterwards he served up hard, solid, flour-and-water
+dough-balls, saying he feared he had forgotten the recipe, so the process
+of teaching had to be gone through over again. He never would believe
+that anything could be cooked without water—roast goat he cooked in
+quantities of it instead of fat, and buttered eggs were swimming in brown
+swamp water! Then all our other boys got down with fever, and one day we
+were without a single attendant.
+
+When we were half-way to Bunyoro, a Nubian caravan encamped close to
+us. We instantly ordered a close watch to be kept on our goods, as these
+folk have the reputation of being not too strictly honest. In spite,
+however, of vigilant guard, very soon things were missing. We succeeded
+in rescuing some articles from one of their temporary huts, but a large
+plate, which converted an open cooking pot into an African oven, was
+never found, and so we were deprived of bread and all baked food for the
+remainder of our journey.
+
+The country was a monotony of undulating land, with no hills, forests, or
+rivers to interrupt the continuity of sameness. For three days we were
+travelling through a district of Uganda called Singo, where eight years
+ago Mr. Fisher was stationed. A particularly dreary spot was pointed out
+to me as the place where he lived for months quite alone, and had one
+attack after another of fever. During one of those occasions, a woman,
+the wife of the district chief, came a long distance twice a day to nurse
+him, and, when he lapsed into unconsciousness, she took a razor and
+shaved his head to ease him. He was rather a shock to himself when he was
+well enough to see his own reflection in the lid of a Huntley & Palmer’s
+biscuit tin—the only looking-glass then in his possession, as he had lost
+most of his things through a recent act of incendiarism.
+
+We were delighted to catch sight of the hills that lie round Hoima, the
+capital of Bunyoro, on the seventh day. Mr. Lloyd, who had been Mr.
+Fisher’s fellow-worker in Toro, and chaperon to the party from England of
+which I had formed part, came scorching down on his bicycle to meet us,
+with a large following of natives who had come to greet “their father.”
+In the year 1895 Mr. Fisher had visited these people, who, up to that
+time, had never heard of Christianity, and in 1898 was located at Hoima
+in order to establish a European Station. Then the country was in the
+grasp of famine; the people, from the King down to his peasant subjects,
+came each day to the European teacher and his two Baganda assistants
+begging food. Through the generosity of friends in England and Uganda,
+a fund was organized, and with presents in kind from the Christians in
+Uganda and Toro, hundreds of the Bunyoro were saved from starvation. With
+the return of the rains, the famine terminated, but this time of trouble
+had created and cemented a confidence between the natives and missionary,
+who learned to know them then better than if he had lived years in the
+country at the time of its prosperity. The King, his brothers, sister,
+and several of the leading chiefs, became sincere inquirers after
+Christianity, and ultimately acknowledged their faith in public baptism.
+
+The kingdom of Bunyoro is one of the most ancient now existing in inland
+Africa. Formerly it was the pre-eminent power of all the districts round
+and including Uganda, but for many years its strength has been on the
+wane through internal disaffections and external warfare. Toro, which was
+once ruled over by Bunyoro, broke away from its rule, and the Baganda
+gradually ascended north, appropriating to themselves large districts
+of Southern Bunyoro. Kabarega, then King of Bunyoro, was for years the
+terror of the surrounding weaker tribes. He was quite a remarkable
+character. Realizing the gradual decadence of his kingdom, with
+persistent effort and despotism he rallied his people together for one
+mighty struggle to regain their lost power. Marching on the surrounding
+weaker tribes, he raided, plundered, and burnt their villages, and King
+Kasagama (of Toro) and his people fled to the mountains for shelter.
+But in 1899 the British Government sent up a force of Baganda under
+Colonel Evett, who succeeded in taking prisoner Kabarega. The latter has
+since remained a prisoner in the Seychelles Islands. His son Andereya,
+an earnest Christian and an able man, is now reigning in his stead.
+The Bunyoro have always had a most elaborate priesthood and abundant
+ritual connected with their belief; hence it will be a long time before
+heathen customs and degrading forms of superstition will be effectually
+up-rooted.
+
+[Illustration: OUR HOME IN TORO.]
+
+After the discomforts of the road it was delightfully restful to
+revel in the refreshing luxury of easy chairs, sipping cups of tea,
+surrounded with a hundred and one reminders of dear old England, while
+a pink-cheeked, chubby baby grabbed at the flat nose of his black boy
+nurse and cooed with satisfaction at having two, new, civilized admirers.
+A week spent with Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd, during which time we were enabled
+to visit the people and hold some meetings with them, brought us to
+the final stage of our circular trip—a seven days’ march home. The
+anticipation of once more seeing Ruwenzori, our mud bungalow house, and
+all the Batoro folk, made one forget to write notes and comments of
+those few days. But no written records were necessary to keep at least
+one day green in the memory. The wet season had begun in real earnest,
+which did not improve the many unbridged swamps that lay across our path
+at constant intervals. One day we were plunging through grass, often
+twelve feet high, for nearly three hours right off. Emerging from that,
+we had to pass through a succession of nine swamps. The only possible
+means of getting across was to sit on the shoulder of a thoroughly sturdy
+and sure-footed porter, holding on with all one’s might to his woolly
+head. At the ninth swamp I had maintained that position for ten minutes,
+with feet held straight out in front, as my noble carrier stumbled among
+a broken down bridge, sometimes to his armpits in black mud. Actually
+weeping tears, I called down to my steed, “My friend, you must put me
+down, my back is broken with weariness.” Without a word he floundered off
+through the grass, having spied a fallen tree trunk on which to put down
+his burden. There we stood panting, too tired to speak, but a hallooing
+and a shouting at one side made us both turn round. There we saw the
+other European in a most indescribably mixed-up position, being brought
+along on the shoulders of two men, while two more hung on to a leg each.
+With scarcely a note of warning, the front man lost his foothold and
+disappeared with the second. The European immediately followed suit, but
+the remaining two stood their ground, still holding on to those legs.
+
+Never did the Mountains of the Moon appear more fascinating than when
+we returned to our home under their shadow after nine weeks’ absence.
+The first to welcome us, four miles out on the road, was old Apolo
+Kivebulaya, the native deacon. Close by on his heels followed my little
+god-son, the first baptised pigmy, who looked characteristically grimy,
+but his ugly little face appeared really pleasing as he ran up and
+welcomed his master and mistress back with a grin that seemed to stretch
+from one ear to another. Then the Katikiro came out with thirty to forty
+retainers, all of whom he had dressed up in brand new white linen turban
+caps as a token of welcome to us. Last of all rode out the King. “Well
+done, my friends. God be praised for bringing you back.” And we could
+only in our hearts respond “Amen.”
+
+[Illustration: TABALA, CHIEF OF MBOGA, AND SUITE.]
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+Tramp IV. Towards the Pigmies
+
+
+While the Kingdom of Toro has distinctly defined boundaries on the East,
+North, and South (the latter two being the Albert and Albert Edward
+Nyanzas) there are no lines of demarcation that bound it on the West. It
+adjoins the Protectorate to the Belgian territory that extends across
+from the Congo Free State, and until that boundary is officially fixed
+the Kingdom of Toro may be said to include a number of untamed savage
+tribes with a portion of the pigmies, who recognise no authority and rule
+outside themselves.
+
+Immediately the Toro Mission was established its first branch station
+was planted about sixty miles west in Mboga, the district that touches
+Stanley’s Great Forest—the home of the pigmies. Although the chief
+offered much opposition to the Baganda missionaries, yet the workers
+persistently held on, realising its important strategic position for
+reaching the many tribes round its borders, and it formed one of the few
+last links yet to be forged in order that Krapf’s dream of a chain of
+missions extending across Africa might be fulfilled. After opposition
+had burnt itself out and the Chief Tabala had himself become a Christian
+the work prospered vigorously, and in 1903 the number of men and women
+baptised reached over two hundred.
+
+In that year the question of boundary line between Belgian and British
+territory was again raised to be finally marked out. The decision would
+either result in the district of Mboga being retained by the British,
+or given over to the Belgians in exchange for a strip of land farther
+south, in which latter case the River Semliki would form the natural
+dividing line.
+
+It was considered expedient, pending the arrangement between the two
+Governments to strengthen in every way possible the mission work at Mboga
+so that it might not be shaken should it ultimately lie outside the
+Uganda Protectorate.
+
+It was, therefore arranged that in the five months remaining before
+leaving for furlough in England we should fit in a visit to that
+district. The time of year fixed on for starting was a little
+unfortunate, as the wet season was in full working order, and that never
+adds an enviable charm to the gipsy life of African travelling. It was
+evident that we were getting near the end of the prescribed period of
+service, for instead of gaily trudging off in stout boots and puttees, we
+pushed off from Kabarole with a donkey and a hammock, the only available
+modes of conveyance.
+
+When only three miles out we were overtaken by one of Toro’s special
+storms. The heavily laden clouds had been running off towards the west
+when Ruwenzori stood in their way and forbade them. So, in a terrible
+temper, they turned back and gave us the full benefit of their tears. My
+hammock bearers did not seem to mind; certainly they had nothing on that
+would spoil, and I believe these casual drenchings are the only occasions
+on which many of them feel the touch of water on their bodies. I have
+often seen them trying to avoid even this by taking shelter under a tree
+and holding a huge banana leaf over their head, when only clothed in a
+tiny goat skin. The donkey slipped along behind with its rider enveloped
+in a commodious mackintosh that left only the donkey’s nose and feet
+visible. In order to get to the mission station of Busaiga, where we were
+to spend a day, we had to turn off for two miles along a sloppy kind
+of sheep-track path, which the donkey managed better than my men, who
+stumbled along in the mud, very fearful lest they should let their burden
+down. The man carrying our bath went before to warn them of danger; but
+we passed him half-way, for with a splash he fell. No one seemed to
+regard it as anything unusual, and continued marching on. Looking over
+the side of my hammock, the last I saw of him was a hopeless mix-up of
+black man’s limbs and bath sitting in inches of mud.
+
+It was very good to find a big fire burning and a hot cup of tea ready in
+a well swept native house that had been prepared for us, and designated
+for our temporary use. In the afternoon our tent was well surrounded by
+broad grins and inquisitive eyes as we were “at home” to callers. They
+continued coming in from 1.30 to 5.30, by which time the air felt heavy,
+so we escaped for an evening look-out. The complete range of mountains
+was clearly defined from south to north and terminated close to us, in
+the Semliki plain. Towards their northern base rested a heavy dense bank
+of white cloud that slowly glided along. When it had reached the farthest
+shoulder of the range, it woke from its soliloquy and with a mighty
+effort plunged upwards, and in a few minutes flooded the whole country
+with a dense, damp mist.
+
+The first of May dawned in all the brightness of its reputation. Lake,
+plain, valleys, and mountains appeared in their brightest garments to
+do honour to the day, and the air trembled in its endeavour to laud the
+Creator. No wonder that the people swarmed out of their stuffy little
+huts for morning service. It was then pointed out to them that their
+house of prayer needed rethatching, and in less than three hours the
+“restoration of the church” was completed, for streams of tiny naked
+figures went off and returned with a few strands of grass balanced
+on their heads; the women followed with heavier burdens, and the men
+were standing ready to tie it into small bundles and stuff them into
+the thatch. There was here as everywhere a great demand for “reading
+sheets,” and those who did not possess five cowrie shells (half a
+farthing) wherewith to purchase one brought in a bundle of firewood,
+two eggs, or undertook any little job in order to earn the sum. In the
+afternoon we had meetings for men and women. At each gathering over one
+hundred were present, which must have included nearly all the adult
+inhabitants of the place. The audiences one meets with in the villages
+are distinctly responsive; they evidently have an idea that it is a
+slight to leave the European to do all the talking. In the middle of your
+“sermon” one native will burst out with “Aye, aye, that’s so,” and the
+whole company will agree in chorus. Then, again, they will repeat after
+you a whole sentence that has struck them, and when your oration is over
+they all exclaim “That’s very good; well done, very well done.” It is
+most encouraging to a nervous speaker.
+
+Leaving Busaiga, we descended to a wide plateau, which was most likely
+at one time a lake bed, but the water has run off and left it quite dry.
+The curious parallel gorges, where villages now nestle, resemble immense
+yawning cracks formed by the land calling out for water. In one of these
+clefts, where there was a sleepy little hamlet, we pitched camp. The old
+chief of the place was sitting in his courtyard contentedly smoking a
+huge pipe. He did not take the least notice of our arrival, and, from
+what he said, if we had been a party of plunderers, he would have assumed
+exactly the same immovable attitude. It was a very stuffy place; the heat
+seemed to fall down listlessly in the little valley and had no strength
+to move off at night. As for the varieties of insects that visited us as
+the candles were lit, even the most initiated naturalist must have been
+puzzled at classifying them.
+
+[Illustration: THE SEMLIKI RIVER.]
+
+On the following day we were up at daybreak to cheat the sun, which we
+expected would do its worst for us in the exposed Semliki plain. When we
+reached that level, although it was only 8.0 a.m., the heat was almost
+unbearable. The little donkey must have felt it rather badly, for it
+upset itself in the mud, and this twisted into weird contortions the
+invaluable umbrella that was being carried on its back. The Semliki River
+has to be crossed half-way across the plain; its waters are of a thick
+grey colouring, and in them are smuggled away crocodiles, all sorts of
+fierce fish with tusk-like teeth, and fever germs. A big dug-out canoe
+came over from the opposite bank to ferry us across, and then returned to
+fetch our porters, ass, and cows. The animals took most naturally to the
+skiff—which might perhaps be traced back to their ancestors of the Ark
+period.
+
+In the cool of the afternoon an old fisherman punted me out in his canoe.
+He attracted my attention to a big crocodile drawn up on the bank—it
+suddenly woke from its sleep and slipped into the water for an evening
+ablution. These dug-outs are scarcely what you might call inviting. I
+have never seen one that does not leak considerably, and it is difficult
+to imagine yourself comfortable when seated on a few rushes at the bottom
+of the boat, feeling all the time the water oozing in under you.
+
+Antelopes simply abound in the plain. In one spot alone there must have
+stood forty of these peaceful creatures. They evidently understand that
+all their district is preserved against the sportsman, for they now
+venture quite close to the path and look at passers by with the greatest
+impertinence. Two fine creatures with handsome antlers stood defying our
+caravan only about fifty yards away, and simply refused to be frightened
+off.
+
+Mboga stands on a ridge of hills about 18 miles on the opposite side of
+the plain to Ruwenzori. The scenery was in charming contrast to that
+on the previous day’s journey as we lifted up on to high land. Forest
+arteries flowed through every bend and hollow from the great aorta of
+Stanley’s Pigmy Forest that stretched away for miles behind the Mboga
+Hills. The trees closely resembled the English oak and mountain ash;
+there was a marked scarcity of flowers, and my butterfly net remained
+quite limp as we climbed up for three hours till the Mission station
+appeared in sight. The people that came out to meet us broke up into two
+parts; the one went with Mr. Fisher to superintend camping operations,
+and I was borne off by the others to the Chief’s reception hall to hold
+audience with his mother, who had ready a big black native pot of smoked
+milk to offer me. Over one hundred women then streamed in to look at
+the first European lady who had visited their country. They exclaimed,
+“Bwana Fisher has much grace and love, for he was the first white man
+to come and tell us of the religion of Christ, and now he has brought
+to us the first lady.” A large open shed had been erected by the Chief
+Paulo Tabalo, under which our tent could be erected and so sheltered
+from the burning heat of the day, and it also provided us with a large
+airy sitting room, which was necessary for the four weeks we intended to
+remain.
+
+The first thing that was absolutely essential to take in hand was
+the building of a new Church, for the reed one standing was totally
+inadequate to accommodate the people. Consequently each morning after a
+brief service the men and women poured across to the new site to start
+operations. The men, headed by their Chief, went off into the forests for
+poles, and the women, laying aside their white linen draperies, handled
+their hoes, and in a few days had completely cleared the plot of all
+the long grass with which it had been covered. It was quite astonishing
+to see the rapidity with which everybody went to work, and although the
+proposed large mud church looked rather a formidable undertaking, the
+Christians insisted on building a permanent mud house adjoining the
+Church, which they hoped would secure more frequent visits from the
+Missionary, or procure them an ordained teacher from Uganda.
+
+The late Sir Henry Stanley, in “Darkest Africa,” has given a most vivid
+picture of Mboga in his time. It was there he met with so much trouble
+and savage opposition from the natives. Paulo Tabalo tells a thrilling
+story of how his father collected together a large army to oppose the
+great white man on the banks of the Semliki River, but was compelled to
+flee, leaving behind a number of slain.
+
+Oppression has given place to justice, turbulence to peace, and the most
+abject fear of and subordination to the Evil Spirit is gradually being
+overcome by knowledge and trust in God.
+
+Stepping out from our tent one evening, I strolled away to a near hill to
+watch the sun set. As it slowly disappeared behind a low ridge of distant
+mountains it scattered trails of golden light across the plain, through
+which the white waters gleamed. Then for a few brief minutes the vast
+Ruwenzori Range appeared completely vestured in a deep pink transparent
+mist, above which shone as a coronet the pure white snows. Never again in
+the four weeks we spent there was such a wonderful effect repeated.
+
+The hushed stillness was suddenly broken by a voice that issued from a
+little hut almost hidden from view. Glancing round a tall rock that stood
+between, I saw a dusky figure sitting in the doorway peeling potatoes
+for the evening meal. She was quite unconscious of any intruder, and as
+she bent down over her work she sang in the native tongue “Like a river
+glorious is God’s perfect peace.”
+
+Mboga of the present is a “Cave of Adullam” to the numerous surrounding
+tribes who have fled from the hands of plunderers and raiders and come to
+settle down under the peaceful rule of the Christian Chief.
+
+Among the thirty-six men and women who had been instructed and were then
+presented for baptism there were representatives of five different
+tribes, three of whom were the first-fruits from those tribes. I held a
+daily class with them for three weeks, and so had a chance of comparing
+the brain power of these people. Certainly the one pigmy did not by any
+means stand last in the class; on the other hand, he displayed a very
+keen perception and often turned round to his neighbour and tried rather
+impatiently to rub in the point. On the other hand, he was entirely
+lacking in concentration, and it seemed impossible to pin his mind down
+to the subject under discussion. Every afternoon the people stopped
+work for two hours in order to go to Church to listen to the white
+missionaries’ words. On the first Sunday a hint was thrown out to them
+that they should study together in their homes, and so help each other to
+understand their Bibles better. The day following Paulo called his people
+together in his audience hall and told them that they had listened to
+very good words from their European friend and teacher, and he felt that
+if they were to become strong and be blessed by God they ought to carry
+out the advice given. Several of them thereupon started systematic Bible
+study in their homes. Many of the Christian women came to my afternoon
+class with questions prepared which they had planned out together; and
+they helped each other to make notes of my answers. I was surprised at
+the intelligence shown in their questionings, for they had received
+practically little teaching and are not naturally sharp. They asked many
+things about the Epistles, when they were written, whether on St. Paul’s
+journeyings or when in imprisonment; then they wanted to know the meaning
+of “Alpha and Omega” and “the woman clothed with the sun,” etc., etc.
+
+One afternoon, just as the class was closing, I looked up, and in the
+doorway of the Church stood two most repelling figures. Their hair had
+grown to the shoulders and was rolled into thin streaks with an ample
+quantity of white goat’s fat; they wore a mere fragment of clothing, and
+held in their hands a bow and sheaf of arrows. My lesson came to a dead
+standstill, and I asked the women who the two men were. “They eat each
+other,” was the reassuring response. I dismissed the class right away
+and made off, but found the two cannibals standing outside. Very bravely
+I went up and saluted them, but they only stared and grunted, then when
+I turned to hurry back to camp they came too! In spite of being told
+that they only eat their own people, I did not like to run any risk, so
+enticed a number of women to come with me all the way to our tent by
+saying I had some pictures just out from England to show them.
+
+As we stood there in Mboga among some of the most primitive of the
+human races it was difficult to realize that they formed part of that
+greatest existing empire of the world. Let us hope the time will soon
+come when these people will be brought within the circle of its moral and
+intellectual influence as well as the circle of its civil rule. One can
+scarcely imagine that there ever existed a more unenlightened age in the
+history of man than the present twentieth century among these distant
+subjects of Great Britain. From the brow of the Mission hill at Mboga no
+fewer than seven distinct practically untamed tribes, each with its own
+peculiar customs and dialect, lie within the range of eyesight. During
+the four weeks spent in these parts we had an opportunity of coming in
+direct contact with some people from each of these tribes, and as we
+learned something of their habits and modes of existence we realised
+in a deeper sense than ever before the significance of the words, “And
+darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
+
+After one month’s life under canvas, nomadic life loses its charm,
+especially when the rains are a little too generous. The last three weeks
+of our stay in Mboga proved somewhat distressful on this account, for
+the storms beat down upon our skeleton shed and poured in through the
+tent almost daily. The wide trenches dug round our quarters were quite
+ineffectual in carrying off the water which came sweeping in upon us like
+a flood. Frequently we were obliged to sit on our chairs or boxes with
+our feet tucked under us while the water gaily took possession of the
+ground floor of the tent.
+
+Then food was a difficulty, for no one would sell the few goats and
+chickens that they possessed. After the first fortnight they assured us
+that we had eaten up all the chickens in the place! (In spite of this
+we certainly lost weight.) Eggs were very scarce, and were sold at the
+same price as a chicken, for, they argued, an egg is a chicken, and the
+ones they brought for sale nearly proved their argument! All our boys
+got ill with malarial fever, and when they were at their worst a case of
+cholera was brought in to me for treatment. This seemed to be an unknown
+complaint in these parts, and the people had no idea of its infectious
+character. Already three deaths had occurred, and two households were
+stricken down with it through visiting the sick house. We immediately
+ordered all the infected huts to be quarantined and the strictest
+attention given to the burning of all contaminated matter. Fortunately
+the disease was thus checked from spreading, but not until four had
+succumbed to it.
+
+Our last Sunday spent there was a memorable occasion, for thirty-five men
+and women were admitted into the fold of Christ through the confession
+of their faith in Baptism, and sixty-two from this little “lighthouse”
+station united with us in Holy Communion. After the evening service two
+young men came forward and offered themselves to be trained as teachers
+to the villages beyond. So although darkness yet covers the land of
+Mboga it might be said “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the
+waters.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+In Darkest Africa. The Pigmies (Batwa) and their (Bambuba) Neighbours
+
+
+In attempting to describe some of the tribes that we have come in contact
+with round Mboga, I feel the first place should be given to the Pigmies,
+for although they are the smallest of all folk, yet they are one of the
+most ancient peoples of history. Not only do they appear in the pages
+of the Greek historian, Herodotus, but to-day their representatives may
+be traced on the Pyramids. Beyond these bare facts of their existence
+nothing was definitely known about them until the late Sir Henry Stanley
+penetrated their forest home on his search for Emin Pasha, and startled
+the civilised world by his marvellous accounts of these legendary folk.
+Judging from their present conditions of life it is impossible to believe
+that they have made any advance, physically or morally, during the
+hundreds of years that have passed by since first they were known to the
+outside world.
+
+[Illustration: THE FOUR PIGMIES IN KABAROLE.]
+
+Their home is one vast, impenetrable forest which extends about one
+hundred and twenty miles north to south and nearly two hundred miles
+east to west; without intermission its vegetation has assumed abnormal
+proportions; out of dense, tangled undergrowth the trees have forced
+their way, and, as if to find breathing space and shake themselves free
+of the crush and their tiresome parasites, have reached a gigantic
+height. But the rubber plants, ivy, and creepers have proved equal to the
+task, and pushed their way up the tree trunks, have crawled along from
+branch to branch, until only glimpses of sunshine and sky appear through
+the thick foliage.
+
+Doubtless this obscurity and the seclusion of their environment have
+acted as a narcotic on the development of the people.
+
+Although small of stature they are by no means dwarfs, for their little
+bodies of four feet to four feet eight inches are perfectly proportioned.
+A very close view shows them to be covered with an almost imperceptible
+downy hair; on the arms this meets at the elbow as in monkeys. It may
+be due to their habit of sitting with arms crossed round their neck
+while the rain constantly drips down upon them through the trees. Their
+features are not prepossessing—in fact they are really ugly; a very broad
+bridgeless nose and two wide protruding lips appropriate as much space as
+the face can spare.
+
+They possess no permanent homes, but are constantly on the move, never
+spending more than three to five days at one spot. They burrow among
+the thick undergrowth, and make clearings round the trees in order to
+erect their tiny grass huts, which are built in less than an hour,
+with saplings stuck round in a circle and tied at the top; grass and
+leaves are then thrown over as roofing. Very few adopt any clothing.
+Each man travels about with a bow and quiver of poisoned arrows in
+order that he may keep the family supplied in food. Although peaceable
+among themselves, there is no civil cohesion among the pigmies. They
+recognise no king or chief; each man is perfectly free to control his own
+household. There are no class distinctions; but the best huntsman will
+have the largest following because with his spoils he is able to effect
+exchanges with the near neighbours of the tribe—the Bambuba, a sturdy,
+thick-set race varying in height from four feet eight inches to five
+feet, who live on the north-east fringe of the Forest.
+
+[Illustration: THE BA-AMBAS: NEAREST NEIGHBOURS TO THE PIGMIES.]
+
+Necessity has never taught the pigmies to make fires. They are dependent
+on wood ashes from the Bambuba folk, which they carry about tied up in
+leaves, in which the fire smoulders for hours and is kindled into flame
+with a little gentle blowing. The Bambuba have learned to produce fire
+by means of igniting two little bits of stick by friction. They also
+make tiny torches of three or four thin twigs tied together by fibre;
+these are dipped into rubber juice freshly drawn away from the plant;
+then on the point of the torch is placed resin, which moderates the rate
+of combustion. One of these torches will keep burning for two to three
+hours. The pigmies do not cultivate the ground; they are exclusively
+a tribe of huntsmen who travel about in search of their prey. Their
+remarkable agility enables them to spring from branch to branch when
+watching the track of an animal. Often they are obliged to follow an
+elephant for hours before this forest monarch succumbs to the poisoned
+dart that has lodged itself in its tough skin; then as the huge animal
+rolls over like a thunderbolt falling, the little pigmies jump down
+from the trees, stand on the carcase, and draw out of a crude leather
+sheath their knives which have handles made of animals’ bones; they then
+commence cutting up the joints. Some of these will be carried off to
+the agricultural Bambuba tribe, who give potatoes, Indian corn, knives,
+or arrows for the meat. The rest is taken up into the trees and dried,
+after which it is either roasted or eaten raw. Although all their meat
+is poisoned they do not attempt to purify it, and the blood is regarded
+as a special delicacy. They do not, however, suffer any ill-effects, for
+the poison is said to have lost its power when once it has acted. The
+pigmies are regarded by the neighbouring tribes in very much the same
+way as the wild pigs, inevitable plunderers. At night they creep up to
+the potato patches, under cover of the long grass, and carry off their
+booty into the copse. No one dares to venture on revenge; indeed the
+surrounding tribes stand in terror of the little people because of their
+wonderful powers of self-concealment and deftness with their bows.
+
+A pigmy rarely possesses more than one wife, and never more than two. A
+man purchases her with poison or fowls—a woman is valued at eighty to one
+hundred chickens. The wives are treated kindly and with consideration;
+only when a husband is provoked by abuse does he attempt to subdue his
+fractious helpmate by a sound beating.
+
+A pigmy baby is the funniest little atom imaginable. A woman once brought
+to me her infant of three months; it was her first, and she evidently
+regarded it as an exceptional beauty. It was about the size of a sixpenny
+doll. I did not venture to touch it for fear of hurting it.
+
+Having only reached the outskirts of the Congo Forest we never had
+an opportunity of seeing the pigmies at home. Those we have met and
+conversed with are women and boys that were stolen some years ago, and
+now have no desire to go back to the forest. At Mboga we found seven
+under Christian instruction, one of whom had been baptised. In Kabarole
+there are two pigmy girls and one lad learning to read besides Blasiyo,
+who was the first of his tribe to be baptised.
+
+[Illustration: BLASIYO, FIRST BAPTISED PIGMY.]
+
+He was my first God-child, the first of these wee and ancient people to
+step forth from their physical and spiritual darkness and before the
+listening Host of Heaven declare his belief in God the Father, God the
+Son, and God the Holy Ghost, his faith for salvation, for salvation in
+Christ’s sacrifice, and his desire to never be ashamed “to fight under
+the banner of the Cross.” He is a quaint little figure, with a high sense
+of his own importance, and is quite able to stand his ground alone when
+assailed by his taller companions. Work is a great trouble to him, but
+he is always ready for tricks and games. Football is his speciality,
+and he never misses a chance of squeezing his way into the game, even
+when the men’s team is on the ground. In order that he might have a game
+with his friends whenever he could shirk his work, he invented a very
+ingenious football of a goat skin stuffed with dried banana leaves. While
+learning to read we took him on our staff of boys, not that he did much
+work, but in order that we might try and instil clean and industrious
+habits into him. His duties were to help the cook by feeding the fire
+with fuel and keeping clean the pots and pans, but when he knew his
+master and mistress were at lunch, he would run away from his post, and
+fetch a large ivory warhorn; then, taking up his position outside the
+dining-room window, would blow for all he was worth. He accompanied the
+blasts with weird, swaying movements that gradually developed into wild
+dancing, and transformed the little figure into a veritable imp or gnome.
+His idea was that this entertainment would quite justify his act of
+truancy; and he reasoned that if he could get his master and mistress to
+laugh their anger would be dead, for laughter drives out wrath. When he
+came to us, cleanliness was not a strong point with him, and he was for
+the time being quite debarred from playing football on account of being
+crippled with jiggers—an irritating, infinitesimal insect that bores in
+under the surface skin of the feet, and if allowed to remain there sets
+up mortification. The fact of their being there did not trouble him in
+the least, but his inability to kick the football drove him to get them
+extracted. A message one day was brought in that a man wished to see me
+on business. Going out on to our verandah I found a powerful, muscular
+figure dressed in a colobus monkey skin. He told me that his name was
+Mbeba, which means “a rat,” and that he had been sent by the pigmy to
+contract for his jiggers. His fee would be five hundred cowrie shells,
+which was a big price, but it would be a long job. I felt it was an offer
+to close on, and did not in the least regret my investment of sevenpence
+halfpenny when the pigmy proudly emerged from a ten days’ operation with
+his unshapely little feet considerably battered, but in sound kicking
+order.
+
+Each week it was our custom to give round to our boys fifty or hundred
+cowrie shells for pocket money. These generally went to purchase pencils,
+or exercise books, or were carefully put by till sufficient were
+collected to buy a sheep or goat. But Blasiyo was never able to save a
+shell, for his great ambition was to ride about on a horse like the king,
+and as this was an impossibility he hired the tallest available man to
+run him up and down the roads on his shoulder for payment of shells.
+
+One day a loud altercation was going on in our courtyard, and I was
+called out to arbitrate between Blasiyo and his two-legged steed. The
+man’s grievance was that he had agreed to ride the pigmy round our
+courtyard for five shells, and now he was refused payment. Blasiyo
+listened until he had finished presenting his case; then, when called on
+to give his defence, declared the man had not fulfilled his contract, for
+he had cut off all the corners. He was told to pay down three shells, and
+these he produced from under his tongue! When he had learned to read,
+he was very anxious to exhibit his wonderful intelligence, and asked
+that he might have a class in the reading school. Accordingly he was
+enrolled as a teacher. With an air of great importance he used to strut
+into school and take up his position among his scholars, some twelve to
+twenty men, whom he had asked to be allowed to teach in preference to
+boys. One day while going the round of the school to take the register I
+found Blasiyo’s class in rebellion. The reason was that the teacher had
+brought with him a little cane and whacked them all round because they
+did not pay him due respect. “Without respect,” said he, “progress is
+impossible.”
+
+[Illustration: A GROUP OF PIGMY WOMEN.]
+
+For several obvious reasons it will be impossible to send teachers to
+the pigmies under present circumstances. While they continue constantly
+moving about they cannot be satisfactorily reached; and no European or
+native of another tribe could live in the semi-obscurity of the dense
+forest, or exist solely on poisoned meat. The only hope of effectually
+reaching them is to teach and train those who are living outside among
+other people; for there is every reason to hope that some from among them
+might be found who will in the future be ready to go back to their old
+forest home and carry the torchlight of Truth to their own kith and kin.
+
+Meanwhile it is a cause of great rejoicing that already some of these
+strange tiny folk have been baptised into Christ Jesus, of whom the whole
+family in heaven and earth was named.
+
+
+THE BAHUKU.
+
+In a strip of forest lying between the Semliki River and the Congo
+Forest, and within four hours of Mboga, lives a savage tribe known as the
+Bahuku. Among all the distinct races to be found on the western slopes
+of the Semliki Plain, these people undoubtedly are the most degraded
+and void of intelligence. Like the Ba-amba, many of the men allow their
+heads to remain unshorn: when the hair has reached to the nape of the
+neck they twist it into thin strands with goat’s fat, which is frequently
+mixed with a quantity of red earth. This gives them quite a terrifying
+appearance. They live in circular huts composed of closely-packed poles,
+with roofs of grass and leaves. They have no means of digging up the
+soil, but their method of cultivating is to cut down the grass and
+shrubs, to fell the trees, and sow their crops of Indian corn, beans and
+sweet potatoes among the stubble and roots.
+
+A Muhuku may have any number of wives, but is obliged to build a separate
+house for each, as the women are very quarrelsome among themselves. If
+any favouritism is shown for one wife the others make no attempt to
+conceal their jealousy, and sometimes poison or spear the unfortunate
+woman. The custom of procuring a wife is to take her in exchange for
+a sister, cousin, or any other available female relation. When these
+fail, goats will be taken as a substitute. By the former method a
+woman is free to leave her husband and marry another if she wishes,
+but purchase by goats is binding on her; she has become her husband’s
+property absolutely. Should she run away and return to her people they
+are immediately suspected of bribing or stealing her. The injured husband
+then sounds the warhorn, and a sharp encounter with spears and knives
+takes place between the two families. When the victor has succeeded in
+driving off his antagonists he claims the bodies of the slain, which are
+taken to his home and feasted upon in honour of the occasion.
+
+The warhorns of the Bahuku are regarded by them as family heirlooms, and
+have been handed down from their distant ancestors. They are formed out
+of small elephant tusks, which have been scooped out and shaved down to
+within two or three inches of the mouthpiece. Strips of elephant hide
+or lizard skin are sometimes neatly fitted round part of the horn and
+sewn with gut. The centre part of the instrument, which has become much
+discoloured by time, is decorated with various curious designs. These
+probably were intended for hieroglyphic writing or distinguishing family
+marks, but their significance, if ever there really was any, is quite
+unknown to the present generations. The Bahuku are very loth to part with
+these horns for fear of offending the spirits of their forefathers. A
+few, however, were willing to risk their displeasures when they saw the
+skinny little goats we sent out as purchase money.
+
+[Illustration: THE BAHUKU: CANNIBAL RACE.]
+
+Human flesh is regarded as a luxury among them, besides corpse-eating.
+The upper class buy from the peasants their dead for two to six goats.
+The bodies that are not sold for food are buried with a very prolonged
+ceremony. A deep hole is digged and the corpse is placed in a sitting
+posture with the hands crossed on the chest. It is then covered over with
+earth as far as the neck; the head is left exposed for six days, during
+which time the friends come and bestow on it their farewell glances. Then
+the burial is completed and the grave is carefully swept and guarded day
+and night until the family removes to another place.
+
+Their religion is a form of fetishism. Tiny devil temples are built
+among the long grass away from the homes of the peoples so that the evil
+spirits may be kept at a safe distance. Only the men and old women are
+allowed to visit these little grass temples to take offerings of food
+or to practice divination. The men take with them a horn in order to
+acquaint their wives with the time of their worship.
+
+Several from among these people came and visited us during our stay in
+Mboga, and although they were quite friendly, they expressed no wish for
+a teacher to be sent to them. Indeed, their minds seemed so unutterably
+void that they appeared incapable of receiving any new impression.
+
+
+BABIRA AND BALEGA.
+
+A few years ago, before European rule was established over the country,
+Mboga could scarcely have been a desirable quarter in which to find
+oneself shut up. The Bahuku, on the west, then practised cannibalism
+without any restraint, and captured anyone who ventured near their domain.
+
+Then, while the vindictive little pigmies and half-tamed Bambuba enclosed
+it on the south and west, two powerful and savage tribes joined hands and
+claimed the district running north, right along to the western shores of
+the Albert Lake. These Babira and Balega people are very closely allied
+in features and customs, but the former are numerically very inferior.
+These have a peculiar practice, which I believe to be unique among
+Central African tribes, that is, the women bore a hole in their top lip
+and gradually increasing this until it is able to enclose a disc of wood
+two and even three inches in diameter. A Mubira woman came to call on us
+whose disc measured two and five-eight inches across. The size of the
+wood inserted proclaims the rank of the person. Peasants are only allowed
+to wear pieces of stick the same dimension as a match. The weight of the
+wood causes the lip to fall down over the mouth, and, in order to eat,
+it is necessary to lift up this shutter with one hand while the other
+conveys the food to the mouth. Frequently the lip breaks under the strain
+put upon it, in which case the disconnected ends are carried back and
+tied to the ear.
+
+While the Balega do not adopt this inhuman custom of their neighbours,
+they have not reached to their degree of civilisation in introducing
+clothing. The Balega women still groan under the weight of pounds of
+thick brass wire wound round their arms and legs. This is supplemented by
+a prodigious amount of beads.
+
+[Illustration: A MUBIRA LADY: AN AFTERNOON CALLER.]
+
+[Illustration: A NATIVE OF BALEGA: The first to be baptised of his race.]
+
+Until brought under Belgian rule these people refused to recognise
+allegiance to any power. Nominally they were under Bunyoro, for the
+King of that country years ago went across and laid waste the whole
+district plundering their sheep, cattle, and women. This was repeated by
+successive kinds till the people were compelled to yield to the claims
+of the Bunyoro. But their submission was compulsory and not permanent,
+so that when Bunyoro was troubled with civil war and outside foes the
+Balega ceased to be controlled by them. But the Bunyoro are very proud of
+a legend that relates how their King Ndohura, who conquered the Balega,
+while fighting them broke his stick and from it sprung up the Forest of
+Kirare. Returning from the war the same King is said to have slipped on a
+rock, and his footprint is to be seen to this day.
+
+These people are very clannish and insular. Children remain under their
+mothers’ roof until they marry. If, like the “old woman,” they lived in a
+shoe, the mother would need a fairly roomy one, for often her offspring
+number twenty to thirty. As a man possesses many wives he has a lively
+time trying to keep his children in hand. When the sons marry they bring
+their wives and build close to the old homestead, and generally continue
+to recognise the authority of their father, and no other.
+
+They believe in an evil spirit called Nyakasana, for whom they build a
+little grass temple in the court yard of their houses. They always offer
+to him the first-fruits of their potato, Indian corn and millet crops,
+and when they kill a goat for meat or entrap an antelope they take to
+their little temple a portion of the flesh, before tasting it themselves.
+The spirits of the dead have constantly to be propitiated by gifts of
+food and live stock. These are carefully kept apart, and when any member
+of the family is taken ill, the offerings to the dead are brought in, so
+that the sick person shall look on them and recover.
+
+During our stay at Mboga, the first man from the Balega tribe was
+baptised, and since then several teachers have gone to them from
+Bunyoro and found a great willingness and desire among the people for
+instruction.
+
+Thus gradually the Light is dawning on “Darkest Africa.”
+
+“Arise shine, for the light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen
+upon thee. For behold the darkness shall cover the earth and gross
+darkness the people but the glory of the Lord shall arise upon thee....
+And the Gentiles shall come to Thy light, and kings to the brightness of
+Thy rising.” Isaiah.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+A Climb to the Snows
+
+
+It is impossible to live any length of time in close proximity to
+Ruwenzori without being overcome with a desire to reach the land of
+glittering ice that resembles an enchanted city with its pinnacles,
+turrets and domes pointing upward to the sun, which with all its
+equatorial strength has ineffectually endeavoured to displace the
+age-long snows and ice. The highest point has, in recent years, been
+estimated to reach an altitude of 20,000 to 22,000 feet. The snows are
+not often clearly visible, for in the dry season the hot heavy mist that
+envelops the whole country completely hides the range from view, while
+in the wet season clouds frequently veil the highest peaks. From the
+glaciers rush numerous streams that flow down into the Albert Edward
+Lake, and out again by the River Semliki to the Albert Lake and the Nile.
+In ancient times an Egyptian caravan road extended right down into these
+interior districts along the route of this great natural watercourse.
+Doubtless the Egyptians, and probably Solomon, drew their supplies of
+ivory from the vast herds of elephants that still ramble about round
+Ruwenzori with tusks some weighing 150 to 200lbs. each.
+
+[Illustration: STIFF CLIMBING: A CLIMB TO THE SNOWS.]
+
+The old legend that the sacred river Nile had its source in Heaven may
+have originated from the reports brought back by traders that one of its
+most important tributaries flowed down from a mountain that seemed to
+reach into Heaven. The Baganda call the mountain “Gambalugula lufumba
+ebiri,” which means “the leaf that cooks the clouds.” This has reference
+to their custom of cooking all their food in banana leaves. Their
+imagination regards the mountains as a big leaf which holds the clouds
+over the boiling springs that bubble up from the base of the mountain,
+the mists that sweep down the mountain sides is the stream from the
+“cooking pot.”
+
+Ruwenzori does not consist of one single snow peak like Kilimanjaro and
+Kenia, but vast fields of intercepted snow and ice extend for over twenty
+miles North and South.
+
+The late Sir Henry Stanley heard of its existence in 1875, but not until
+his second visit to its locality in 1887 did he obtain a complete view of
+the snows.
+
+Since that date several have tried to reach the glaciers, but only three
+expeditions had been successful up to the time of our ascent. Others
+had proved unfortunate in the time of year, for it is impossible to
+accomplish the task in the wet season. Mountain sickness, and pneumonia
+among the carriers had compelled others to turn back from the attempt.
+Until 1904 no one had tried to reach the snows from the Western side of
+the mountain range. From the east several had unsuccessfully endeavoured
+to discover a route to higher altitudes, but the one along the course of
+the Mubuku River was the only one that had proved practicable. During
+our visit to Mboga we were very fortunate to obtain continual views of
+the snow peaks, and we were convinced that an ascent from that side of
+the mountains would prove more resultful. This has been conclusively
+confirmed since by a recent explorer, Dr. David, who reached a point
+16,000 feet high; that is, 1,200 feet higher than anyone previously. To
+scale Ruwenzori’s highest point must remain an impossible task. No one
+could endure the penetrating cold for the period of time required to
+master the prolonged and precipitous heights. Besides a complete Alpine
+outfit being required, tent and food would be compulsory, and no native
+would undertake the transport of these things beyond the lowest glacier
+point, and even if this difficulty could be overcome, camping space might
+be sought for in vain. Judging from the angle at which my bed was placed
+at one camp, I can picture an over ambitious adventurer, having pitched
+his tent within 3,000 feet of the summit, suddenly finding himself and
+his belongings toboganning down over the glaciers at lightning speed,
+only stopping to find himself landed in a freezing morass.
+
+[Illustration: A PEEP AT THE SNOWS.]
+
+In 1903, Rev. A. L. Kitching, Mr. Fisher, and myself started off for a
+trip to that unfrequented region. Our baggage looked more suitable for
+a Polar expedition than a climb on the Equator. Every conceivable fusty
+and moth eaten winter garment was hauled out and packed into a waterproof
+sack; eider-down quilts, India rubber foot warmers, and bales of blankets
+for ourselves and boys formed part of the caravan. The reports of our
+mountaineering predecessors led us to anticipate an arduous and colossal
+task, but our ambition was not to attempt more than those who had a
+wider experience in mountain climbing than ourselves, but to stand on
+that untraversed land of ice where scarcely mortal foot had trod, and
+to inhale its cool life-giving air so that we might be refreshed for a
+return to work in the hot tiring lowlands.
+
+January was the time fixed on for the expedition. That is generally
+regarded as one of the most reliably dry months in the year, but the
+mountains manage to upset all one’s calculations, and in Toro fine
+weather is more the exception than the rule. So we found ourselves in
+a few very stiff storms before we had even reached the base of the
+mountains. Our porters were aggravatingly discouraging, and on the first
+day, regarding my skirt flapping about after a drenching shower, shook
+their heads, and said, “Perhaps the two Bwanas will reach the snows, but
+who ever heard of a woman doing it.” They did not understand that their
+very argument was one of my strongest incentives! Four days of strong
+marching from Kabarole brought us to a village of the Bakonjo called
+Bihunga. It was about 6,000ft. high, tucked away in the very heart of
+the mountains. Frowning peaks and ridge upon ridge of dense foresting
+completely shut us in from the outside world. Save for the noise of
+the River Mubuku, as it rushed madly down and tumbled into the valley
+beneath, there was no sound to break the deep silence of the mountains.
+All nature was at perfect peace with itself, and the few clouds that
+seemed wearied in their flight through the hot, dry air rested for a
+while on the green slopes as if to enjoy the quiet and beauty of the
+scene. It was to these strongholds that the Batoro fled in past times
+for security when the raiding King Kabarega of Bunyoro made plundering
+expeditions into their country. Although they found safety and shelter
+in the thickly-wooded crevices and creeks, the refugees searched in vain
+for food, and while some were able to drag through the time of their
+temporary captivity by subsisting on the roots and leaves of wild plants,
+hundreds are said to have died from hunger and exposure.
+
+The so-called village at which we halted was a collection of three tiny
+circular huts, built of poles packed as closely together as possible.
+Round and outside these was tied a thick padding of dried banana bark,
+leaves, and saplings, as protection from the gales and storms that blew
+down from the snows and whistled round these little dwellings.
+
+[Illustration: SNOW PEAKS.]
+
+A grandsire and his dame, two sons, one daughter-in-law, and an infant
+composed the entire population. The old man, in a very contented state
+of mind, sat in the doorway of his hut smoking a pipe over a foot
+in length. He gave us a most reassuring smile of welcome. The two
+females, heavily decked round the knees and arms with scores of plaited
+and greased bracelets, immediately made off with themselves into the
+thick vegetation, and only came out of their hiding by a great deal
+of persuasion. We explained to the people the object we had in view,
+and how we wanted to leave our Batoro porters with them to await our
+return, while we took on men from among them who were acquainted with the
+mountains and inured to the cold. The two young men at once offered their
+services, and promised instantly to get together as many other porters
+as required. We wondered how they could do this, as there was no sign of
+a habitation, excepting two lonely huts on a far distant height. But,
+after making a long, far-reaching sound with their lips, there suddenly
+appeared, as if by magic, quite a number of figures emerging from far and
+near. The Bakonjo, in the old times of rapine and oppression, had chosen
+out the most secluded spot where they might safely build their homes, and
+they still adopt this practice, from custom—no longer from necessity.
+Among the dense forest growth it is quite impossible to detect their
+huts, and as only a very small minority of the Bakonjo cultivate the
+soil, there is nothing around to indicate human existence.
+
+As is the case among most of these tribes, the women do all the digging
+and sowing, but they are very few in number as compared with the men, and
+in consequence are regarded as valuable property, and not to be worked
+to excess. Being naturally more prone to indolence than industry, the
+furnishing of the daily board depends almost solely on what the husbands
+can bring in from the hunt and exchange, but they generally keep in
+store a stock of arum roots (the women’s cultivation) on which they can
+fall back when fortune fails the huntsmen. The men are a striking race,
+their arduous searching after rats and conies (hyrax) often leads them
+up to the regions of ice; this constant climbing and exposure to the
+cold have developed their muscles in a remarkable manner, and with the
+surefootedness of a mule and lightness of a gazelle they spring up the
+steepest bank and rock, experiencing no fatigue.
+
+Besides being their chief item of diet, the coney supplies them with
+practically their sole clothing. Six or eight of the little skins are
+sewn together, and worn over the shoulders, secured by a thin piece of
+hide round the neck.
+
+Although the conies have enough sense of self-preservation to burrow
+among the rocks for shelter, they have not sufficient instinct to escape
+their capturers when once they have tracked them down. The men sit
+patiently for hours outside the conies’ entrance door, and when at last
+the little creatures come out in single file to search for a meal, a
+stick suddenly descends on one head after another; sometimes fourteen to
+fifteen in one family are killed off in this way.
+
+Twenty men were chosen out, from those that offered, to act as carriers,
+two more were appointed guides, and two of special strength were told
+off to help me over the exceptionally rough bits of climbing. While the
+necessary agreements were being gone through, the sky became suddenly
+overcast with dense, threatening clouds, and a loud clap of thunder,
+that reverberated all round us again and again, scattered us in every
+direction with great speed to our several homes. From the tiny window of
+our bedraggled tent we peeped out at the storm, as the forked lightning
+struck one peak after another almost simultaneously, and the thunder
+concussions made the very mountains tremble.
+
+[Illustration: SNOW PEAKS.]
+
+An Academy picture, of many years back, illustrating Dante’s Inferno,
+seemed to have assumed living form here. It was almost impossible to
+believe that such a transformation could have taken place in so short a
+time, for in comparatively few minutes day was plunged into night, calm
+into torrential storms, and quietude into a fierce battle of the elements.
+
+When we at last ventured to draw back the canvas doorway the rain had
+ceased, and mud, mud, mud lay everywhere. The storm had left behind it
+a cold, raw, dismal evening. And there drawn up in single file before
+the tent were our twenty porters and guides, who, in order to appear
+more pathetic, had come without their fur shoulder garments. One of the
+guides stepped forward as spokesman and explained that they wanted to be
+paid in advance. They absolutely refused shells and rupees, and would
+only accept calico, which, they said, would protect them from the cold
+on the journey to the snows. Judging from the quantity of clothes we
+had heaped already on ourselves to keep off the penetrating damp wind,
+their demand threatened to be a real difficulty, as we had only equipped
+ourselves with a limited supply of calico. They were then asked what
+length of material each required as wages, and in a half timid voice, as
+if afraid of uttering such an extortion, the answer came “three hands
+apiece” (one and a half yards). Our calico managed to run to that, and
+thereupon each man received his advance payment. With a broad grin of
+satisfaction and pride they struggled to tuck as much of themselves as
+possible inside their fifty-four inches of material. The result was quite
+ludicrous, but they appeared perfectly delighted. Evidently their plea
+had only been a ruse to insure their wages, for none of the calico was
+seen on the journey. The only personal impedimenta with which most of
+them travelled were a few strands of smouldering grass encased in a bark
+sheath. This was brought out immediately we struck camp, and they had
+ferretted out a shelter for themselves under a rock or trees. A fire was
+quickly kindled, and round this they all squatted and roasted the conies
+they had entrapped during the day’s climb. At night they did not attempt
+to erect a hut or covering, but maintained this same cramped position
+round the fire; they interlaced arms, and each one slept with his head
+resting on the next man’s shoulder. On one occasion the rain poured down
+upon them all night long, and although their little shoulder coney-skins
+were hopelessly inadequate to insure them against a thorough soaking,
+they turned up in the morning in the most cheerful spirits, absolutely
+unaffected by their uncongenial surroundings.
+
+In preparing for the actual ascent to the snows from Bihunga we were
+obliged to reduce our outfit to mere essentials. A large caravan would
+have experienced considerable difficulty in the matter of food; and each
+man was only able to carry a load of twenty to twenty-five pounds, which
+was fastened to a strong sling of fibre and slipped round the forehead.
+This method of carrying is adopted by the Bakonjo tribe, and leaves
+the arms perfectly free for climbing up on fours, which is so often
+necessary. I was the only member of the party privileged with a bed; the
+two men had to content themselves with waterproof sacks and blankets. Our
+boys judged spoons, forks, and knives as non-essentials and reduced us
+to two forks and one pen-knife, so for some days we had to return to the
+most primitive manners at meal-times. Our first day’s real climbing began
+in a kind of retrograde direction, for we had to slide down a hopelessly
+greasy track for some two hundred yards. My two supporters evidently
+anticipated a lively time; they were required to render aid at once; the
+fact was, my feet refused to stick, and in struggling to keep me back
+with yards of calico brought round under my arms, I nearly succeeded in
+dragging them down head-first. They were urged to manage better than
+that, and they promised to improve, but explained how they had had no
+practice at that kind of travelling, and were a little unprepared for it.
+I again tried the plan of a calico body sling when a very steep bracken
+ascent had to be scaled, and the sun was at its height. The men went in
+front, each pulling most vigorously at the calico end which he held, but
+they somehow always managed to jerk in the wrong place. Just as I had
+breathlessly succeeded in securing a foothold a big pull from the front
+almost robbed me of my last gasp. So I dispensed with such questionable
+aid and found all the help I wanted in a long bamboo which our guide
+presented to me as a kind of charm, for it had taken him up to the
+glacier when he escorted Sir Harry Johnston’s expedition. At an altitude
+of seven thousand feet we reached the point where tropical vegetation
+assumes its most exquisite form. The river Mubuku had to be crossed and
+recrossed six times in the one march, and all along its river bed was
+the richest display of varied forms of vegetable life. Several species
+of palm trees, a few wayward bamboos, tree-ferns, a tree resembling the
+English yew, and the bright red-flowering Ekirikiti tree. The forests
+passed through frequently recalled some of the most charming parts of
+Devonshire; the ground was carpeted with ferns and moss interspersed with
+forget-me-nots and orchids.
+
+[Illustration: CROSSING THE MULUKU RIVER.]
+
+At Bihunga we left behind all human habitation. Our first halt after
+leaving it was under a rock at a height of eight thousand feet. From
+the almost intolerable silence it seemed as if we had also got beyond
+all animal life. We listened in vain for the insect’s hum, the bird’s
+chirrupping, or the squabbling of the monkeys. However, similar welcome
+sounds had not entirely ceased, for very occasionally a night bird
+hooted, a rat squeaked, or a solitary fly cheered us with its living
+presence.
+
+Our camping space was decidedly cramped, and the tent felt very insecure,
+for it was impossible to drive poles or pegs into the rocks; the canvas
+merely had to be balanced by tying the ropes to large stones. Water was
+also very scarce, and, in spite of a consuming thirst after our hot
+climb, we were obliged to content ourselves with two cups of tea and half
+that amount for a wash down.
+
+The region of Bamboo Forests was next reached, and it was disappointing
+to find that what looked so attractive from a distance beneath when
+seen from within was nothing but a monotonous stretch of stiff brown
+sticks surmounted by masses of green grass. The bamboos had completely
+monopolised the soil to the exclusion of almost every other plant. For
+hours we were pushing our way through these obstinate poles that would
+not bend or budge an inch to let us through. Men went before to slash
+them down, and as we stumbled over the broken stems my poor skirt was
+literally torn into shreds, even though it had been shortened eight
+inches the previous day. Emerging from bamboo-land we crossed a stretch
+of marsh and found ourselves surrounded by frowning bare rock peaks which
+rose almost perpendicularly from where we stood. Pointing up to a spot
+about one thousand feet above us, our guide indicated the only possible
+halting place. Although so near, it took us over two hours to reach; with
+the utmost caution we had to drag our bodies up the sheer face of the
+rocks. At one place we had recourse to a rough native ladder formed of
+two long bamboo poles with rungs of the same tied with grass. This was
+placed against an absolutely smooth-faced stretch of rock, where for a
+space of ten to fifteen feet no hold could be obtained. To add to the
+danger, strong mountain streams were pouring down over the rocks, not
+only soaking us through, but making our grip less secure. Certainly I had
+never before been in such a critical position; it was quite impossible
+to get a real firm footing, and one slip might have resulted in dragging
+others down into the seething waters and rocks that lay beneath.
+
+[Illustration: KICUCEI CAMP.]
+
+On reaching the top, vegetation assumed an entirely new form. The only
+trees were gigantic heaths, but it was almost impossible to distinguish
+them, for the stems were covered with a thick moss, which in some places
+was 12 inches deep. In colouring it varied from a dark brown to a light
+golden or deep red. The trees were almost entirely denuded of leaf, and
+festoons of whitish lichen hung from branch to branch. The ground was
+very marshy, for the hills that enclosed us emptied down into it numerous
+small torrents. About fifteen square yards of dry land was found on which
+to erect our tent and hang up the clothes to dry. Our stout marching
+boots had already succumbed to the rough usage, and we each took a
+strong needle and thread to see who could turn out the neatest job. In
+the evening the rain poured down upon us in a deluge, and continued all
+night till it even penetrated the double roof of our canvas waterproof
+tent; besides this, as we were now at an altitude of 10,000ft., the cold
+was indescribable. Each breath we took seemed to cut at the chest like
+a knife, and, in spite of blankets and an eider-down, it was impossible
+to sleep with the damp piercing cold. All the following day the rain
+continued and kept us prisoners at this indescribably cheerless spot. I
+had time to overhaul the shattered skirt; it looked a hopeless task, for
+it really would not bear shortening again. The advice was then given me
+to cut it up and put it into bands under the knees, which I acted upon
+on hearing the toughest bit of climbing was yet to come. When we were
+at last able to push on, and the garment was worn with puttees and a
+football jersey, I felt like an evoluted man.
+
+For three hours from Kicucu camp we did not once touch the ground; during
+the whole of that time we were slowly climbing with hands and feet over
+fallen heather that for scores of years must have lain in that position,
+only becoming more seasoned with time. The thick moss that still clung
+on to the slender bark was very deceptive, and, when mistaken for firm
+soil, broke away from the tree and one suddenly found oneself slipping
+down, down between branches and barks; fortunately there was a depth of
+fallen forest underneath, and this saved me from disappearing beyond the
+armpits. These heaths grow on the rocks in a very thin surface soil which
+is not able to support them when they reach great heights, consequently
+the tree falls, and in this way the irregular jagged rocks have been
+bridged and joined up by the continually increasing amount of timber
+thrown across.
+
+[Illustration: MULUKU GLACIER.]
+
+Having once disentangled ourselves from this tumbled-down forest, a
+weird scene was opened out before us. Almost surrounded by a lofty ridge
+of rocks was a wide river basin fed by the melting snow from above.
+With the exception of one waterfall which poured down from a height of
+about 200 feet, the water did not descend in streams, but fell slowly in
+sheets from the surrounding rocks. The few trees visible were entirely
+enveloped in the white lichen, and the ground was covered with thick drab
+moss, dwarf cactus plants, and a tall green poker called by botanists
+lobelia, but resembling in shape Cleopatra’s needle. The effect was
+that of a world tottering in its old age on the verge of death—it was
+easier to imagine it another planet, for is it possible to recognise
+Earth without voice, without colouring, and almost without life. We
+plunged through this morass and found the moss saturated like a sponge
+with freezing water. The effect was chilling in the extreme, and before
+we had crossed it half way my limbs felt quite numbed with the cold; I
+scarcely knew how I dragged myself up into our last camp. The roof only
+of our tent was somehow fixed up under a rock, over the entrance of which
+water continuously trickled. But these little discomforts were quite
+forgotten when towards sunset the clouds rolled away and the land of snow
+and ice was revealed crowning near ridges and peaks with its dazzling
+whiteness, while in the hollows and clefts all round lay patches of
+glistening ice. Before sunrise next morning we were all astir, impatient
+to reach the goal of our expectations. The air was clear and crisp,
+patches of freshly fallen snow lay around us on all sides, icicles hung
+from the rocks, and little frozen puddles glistened like glass. The wet
+penetrating cold of the two previous days was now exchanged for the dry
+frosty breezes that nipped toes, finger-tips, nose, and ears. Although
+the thermometer had fallen to freezing point, no numbing sensation was
+experienced; but as the blood tingled through the veins it seemed to
+impart a feeling of rejuvenation, and an uncontrollable exhilaration laid
+hold of the spirits. In the valley of the Muluku glacier vegetation had
+once more assumed its healthy green colouring; a little silver-leafed
+buttercup even ventured to peep out at us, and a tiny white flower,
+almost identical with the Swiss edelweiss, concealed itself among the
+rocks. This beautiful little fertile spot seemed a special pet of the
+snow mountains, for they clasped it in their great white arms as if
+desiring that its only life should impart some degree of warmth to their
+implacable nature.
+
+Ruwenzori certainly has not left one point of its snows unfortified
+against intruders. Having taken possession of the most unconscionable
+heights, all sorts of subtle man-traps have been laid up the mountain’s
+sides, and even if an attempt is made to merely stand on the threshold
+of its domain an almost impassible rock barrier guards the portal, just
+as the adventurer imagines all difficulties have been passed. But that
+realm of ice allures one on to dare much, and so while two ropes were
+thrown down from above the forbidding rocks, one was hastily tied round
+the body and with the other we slowly climbed up hand over hand. Twice
+we attempted this performance, and twice we succeeded in mastering the
+situation, and then—we stood face to face with one of Ruwenzori’s
+glaciers. It was in the shape of a huge, open mouth, and as it slowly
+pushed its way down into the valley, the tongue collected the few
+fragments rubbed off the rocks and taken up from the soil, but the cave
+itself was one spotless mass of dazzling white.
+
+We had decided to dismiss any idea of prolonging our stay at this
+altitude, realizing the terrible suffering that this involved among the
+porters in previous expeditions, so, instead of using any of the precious
+time in attempting to reach a higher point, which seemed futile without
+Alpine implements, we explored the Muluku glacier cave, from which flows
+that remarkable river that carries its cool, life-giving stream into the
+scorching plain till it loses itself in the Albert Edward Lake.
+
+Only one of our personal boys had succeeded in facing out the
+difficulties of the climb. While standing on the ice with us, he took out
+from his pocket a little tin pot, which he filled with ice. He explained
+it was a present for his wife. Afterwards, when we had descended to camp,
+he took it out to show the other boys, and, although disgusted beyond
+measure at the trick nature had played him, he consoled himself by taking
+the water to his wife to explain to her how it was once a stone.
+
+Scrambling up on to the glacier, we looked beyond over miles and miles of
+ice that for hundreds of years God—the Creator—alone had been beholding.
+Although we were standing nearly 14,000ft. above sea-level, the highest
+peak, that rose as a white dome above its companions, appeared miles
+above us. It was difficult to judge of its approximate height, as so
+many other points intervened, but it could not have been much less than
+20,000ft.
+
+[Illustration: BACK FROM THE SNOWS: BAKONJO PORTERS.]
+
+Having climbed above cloud-land, there was nothing to break the reflex in
+the ice of the deep sapphire sky, and as the sun poured down its white
+heat, the whole world around glittered and sparkled with iridescent hues.
+
+    “A step ... opened to my view,
+    Glory beyond all glory ever seen
+    By waking sense or by the dreaming soul!
+    The appearance, instantaneously disclosed,
+    Was of a mighty city—boldly say
+    A wilderness of building, sinking far
+    And self-withdrawn into a boundless depth
+    Far sinking into splendour—without end!
+    Fabric it seemed of diamond and of gold,
+    With alabaster domes and silver spires
+    And blazing terrace upon terrace high
+    Uplifted ... Forms uncouth of mightiest power
+    For admiration and mysterious awe.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+Missionary Work
+
+
+Missionary enterprise in Uganda has been justly described as one of
+the greatest modern triumphs of Christianity. Indeed, the record of
+its workings read like pages from the annals of the infant Church in
+Apostolic days. But, whereas in those times Christianity had to face the
+most exclusive and bigoted form of belief, Judaism, the highly developed
+intellectual power of Grecian learning, and the shameless profligacy of
+civilized Rome, in Uganda it has had no force to contend against save
+barbaric ignorance that could not stand before the advent of Truth and
+Righteousness. After the missionaries had been working some years in the
+country it occurred to them that the most effectual way of reaching the
+people was to try and meet their insatiable demand for instruction by
+instituting throughout the country little synagogues or reading schools,
+where the people could come together daily and be taught to read by
+one who had received some training. A little graduated reading sheet,
+consisting of the alphabet, syllables, words, the Lord’s Prayer, and a
+selection of texts, was circulated by the thousand at a charge of ten
+cowrie shells each. By these means within a comparatively short time the
+land had been sown with portions of Holy Scripture, which were being
+eagerly read by the people, who possessed no other books.
+
+Certainly the success of Christianity in Uganda has been due to the
+widespread distribution of the Bible among the people and the remarkable
+desire and ability on the part of the Baganda to impart whatever
+knowledge they have been able to assimilate. It has been rightly said
+that every country must be evangelized by its own people. Certainly this
+has been proved to be so in Uganda. A European pioneer missionary is
+obliged to travel with a certain number of things, and, however meagre
+they may appear in his eyes, yet to these poor Africans they represent
+great wealth and create a deal of suspicion. They will gather round him
+half timidly and full of curiosity, and while he is endeavouring to
+deliver his message to them, their eyes are travelling from his collar
+stud to his boots, then from his bath to the frying-pan, and all the time
+they are thinking within themselves, “Wonderful, wonderful; the white
+man is beyond our understanding quite!” When they, at last, attempt to
+listen and find that he is speaking to them in their own tongue, and not
+in English, in spite of the slight foreign accent, they are absolutely
+incredulous, for they cannot believe that they and the European can have
+anything in common. The European is white, he has wisdom—great wisdom—he
+is rich, but the African is black and a fool, and a beggar; the white
+man worships one great, wonderful Spirit, and the black man worships a
+spirit—only it is an evil one. On the other hand, if one of the native
+converts goes out on pioneer work, he ties all his possessions in a
+sleeping mat, and off he starts with the little bundle on his head.
+When he reaches his destination, he creates no suspicion or fear, as he
+unrolls his mat, shakes out his bark-cloth covering, and takes a drink
+of water from his gourd; they see he possesses nothing beyond what they
+themselves own. But as he draws out of a little cotton bag a Book, they
+all gather round to inspect the novelty, and he tells them that the Book
+is a written voice, and the letters stand for the words uttered; he has
+learned to read the signs, and he has come to teach them to do so, for
+it is God’s voice that has spoken to them. Immediately their excitement
+is aroused, and the teacher from that time has found his pupils. As there
+is no house large enough to hold them all, they set to work to build a
+reading school, and, as many come from a distance and are anxious not
+to arrive late for the day’s lessons, a big drum is hung outside the
+building and beaten every morning at 7.0 and 1.0 to warn everybody that
+in one hour reading will commence. After a few months, when the European
+visits the station on an itinerating tour, he finds a demonstrative
+welcome awaiting him. Food is brought and banana juice to show their
+gratitude for the teacher having been sent. Then their books are produced
+in order that the European may hear the great wisdom they have learned,
+and others come with questions about words they have read in their
+Gospels and do not understand. Uganda to-day is calling out for European
+missionaries more than it ever was, not to evangelise the heathen but to
+organise, train and instruct the thousands of Christian men and women,
+that they may be capable of taking their place among the civilised
+nations of the world, and become a praise and a glory in their land.
+
+It was through two young Baganda teachers that Christianity was first
+carried into Toro in the year 1895. At that time the country was in a
+very unsettled state. The King, Kasagama, had not long been established
+on the throne, and his chiefs were not too eager to own allegiance to
+him. Soon after the arrival of these two evangelists, Kasagama was
+falsely accused before the British Officer in charge of the Government
+Station there, and was thrown into the chain gang. On his release he was
+advised to go into Mengo to the Government headquarters and have his case
+gone into. His stay there ran into some months. During that time he was
+deeply impressed by the change that Christianity had effected in Uganda,
+and attended the Church classes daily that he might receive instruction.
+When Her Majesty’s Commissioner had heard the charges and exonerated
+Kasagama he was told to return to his Kingdom with full power ratified by
+the British Government. Before leaving Uganda he begged Bishop Tucker to
+be allowed to publicly confess his faith in Christ by Holy Baptism, and
+asked that a European missionary might be sent to Toro to help him and
+his people to increase in the wisdom of God. Meanwhile there was great
+excitement in Toro when the people heard that their king, after such a
+long absence, was coming back to them, and they collected together in
+hundreds at the capital to welcome him. As he mounted the hill, leading
+to his house, the people thronged him, dancing and screaming with joy and
+poured into his courtyards. Then, standing up and ordering them to remain
+quiet, he delivered his speech to them. He told of all the wonderful
+things he had seen in Mengo, of his own confession of Christianity in
+the Cathedral, and concluded by saying that he wished his country to go
+forward in strength and wisdom, and this could only be obtained from
+God, so he called on his people to believe in his God, to stand by him
+faithfully in the united desire for the good of their country.
+
+From that day the teachers had as much as they could do to instruct all
+those who came forward to be taught; and when Bishop Tucker arrived there
+the following year with Mr. Fisher, who was to establish a permanent
+station, he found fifteen men and women ready for baptism.
+
+Excepting in the case of old people, everyone in Uganda desirous of being
+baptised must first learn to read. When they have passed the standard
+required of them and are ready to enter a baptismal class, they are
+obliged to bring with them two witnesses or sponsors who can vouch for
+the sincerity of their belief by the outward conformity of their lives
+to the teaching of Christianity. Then, for from three to six months
+instruction is given them for two hours four days a week. At the end
+of this course of teaching each candidate is carefully examined, and
+should the result be satisfactory the name is read out twice in Church
+and anyone is asked to bring forward a reason, if such there be, for
+keeping back the candidate from baptism. Thus every care is taken to test
+converts thoroughly before admitting them into this sacred rite.
+
+Toro very soon sought to emulate the church in Uganda in recognising its
+responsibility to those living in darkness around, and one year after the
+founding of the work in the capital, young men came forward and offered
+themselves to be trained as teachers to the distant villages. Apart from
+an honest desire to enlighten those who have not received the Truth as
+it is in Christ Jesus, there is little to tempt men to devote themselves
+to this service—the only payment they receive is sufficient unbleached
+calico with which to clothe themselves. The people in the villages who
+have sent in the pressing request for a teacher are expected to build
+their own “synagogue,” as well as house, and feed the teacher sent to
+them. In this way the whole native church organisation throughout the
+Protectorate is self-supporting. In Toro alone, seven years after the
+introduction of Christianity, there were no less than eighty-five mission
+stations established throughout the Kingdom, with a staff of one ordained
+Muganda deacon and one hundred and five paid men and women teachers, all
+supported entirely by the young Christian Church. Besides these there was
+a strong band of honorary workers who taught in the capital on weekdays
+or went out to the near villages on Sundays.
+
+Once a year there is a “review of the troops,” when all the
+teachers—regulars, reservists, and volunteers—come into the capital for
+re-equipment and reappointment.
+
+One of these events took place after we had been in the country only a
+few months, when we were decidedly new to the way things were managed
+out here, and still retained a fair amount of the provincialism of home
+training; so when a teachers’ conference was announced we conjured up in
+our minds a kind of forthcoming Mildmay or Keswick Convention on a small
+scale, but the arrangements took a slightly different form. The first day
+opened with a big feast to all the workers. The dispensary was converted
+for the day into the banquetting hall; the entrance was draped in gaudy
+native cloths, and the floors of the two rooms were carpeted with banana
+leaves. The men were allocated to one room and the women to the other.
+Long before the hour of the feast the guests had arrived and packed
+themselves as closely together as was possible in circles of seven or
+eight, the King and his chiefs forming one of the groups. An ox had been
+killed for the feast; it was boiled in banana leaves and served up with
+quantities of unsweetened, cooked bananas. Prodigious piles were placed
+in the centre of each circle of guests, and then business began! Off came
+their top draperies or coats, and with bare arms all eagerly outstretched
+towards the food they dived into their food with astonishing rapidity
+and energy. The banana mash was rolled round the fingers into balls and
+stuffed down their throats without any regard being given to mastication.
+The King and chiefs seemed to momentarily forget their dignity, and ate
+till the perspiration rolled down their faces. Tea was served round in
+kettles; every available cup, mug, basin and jug on the station had been
+collected together for the use of the guests—and the two-quarts jugs were
+far more popular than afternoon tea cups.
+
+With no small compunction I submitted myself to the native custom and
+joined in the feast. After a series of hand ablutions I sat on the floor
+next to the King’s mother, who picked some of the choicest bits of meat
+off a bone and set them before me. It was such an effort for 3.0 p.m. in
+the tropics, and visions of Mildmay’s shilling tea tent, with its ices
+and strawberries, made at least the first stage of the Conference appear
+very different.
+
+The King’s band, with its medley of instruments, round drums, cylindrical
+drums, squat drums, horns, and reed pipes decorated with monkey tails,
+performed boisterous symphonies outside. But when, after the feast, the
+people were for the first time introduced to the phonograph, the Toro
+band stood still in astonishment, and as an English orchestral band
+roared out “Soldiers of the Queen” it felt quite eclipsed and could only
+exclaim “Ekyamahano, ekyamahano” (marvellous, truly marvellous).
+
+The following day the real Convention started, and was continued
+over three days. The mornings were entirely given over to devotional
+meetings, and in the afternoons the workers were asked to bring forward
+difficulties met with in their work, and discussions were invited as
+to what more effectual measures could be employed in organisation and
+in strengthening of the various mission stations. Throughout all the
+meetings a deep and earnest interest was evinced by the teachers. It was
+most encouraging to watch the enthusiasm gradually growing and to hear
+the young teachers talk of their work and their peculiar difficulties
+relating to the subject treated.
+
+A specially impressive service was held when all the workers gathered
+in from near and far distant heathen districts met together at Holy
+Communion.
+
+Before returning to their spheres of service a large missionary meeting
+was held in the church, at which most stirring accounts were given of
+the victories against the powers of darkness. At the close, a collection
+was taken up. For this a large packing case was placed in the centre of
+the chancel to receive the larger contributions and a row of baskets for
+the smaller offerings. Then the people came up in single file to place
+in their gifts; one brought a tusk of ivory, another a huge bundle of
+bananas, others beans, potatoes, and sugar cane, the Queen forty yards of
+fine white linen, others chickens, and finally a goat was brought up and
+tied to the pillar. One little boy, carried away by the impulse of the
+moment, put his little fez cap into the basket, and as this was only a
+loan it had to be redeemed afterwards.
+
+The sight was very remarkable. It was as if one had been taken back to
+the Court of the Tabernacle at the Feast of First fruits. The similarity
+of these people’s lives with those of Old and New Testament history is
+so strong that it is difficult to convey to the native mind the idea of
+distance in time, and often one is asked if Joseph, the son of Jacob, was
+the husband of the Virgin Mary, or if Paul before his conversion was the
+first King of Israel.
+
+The Toro Church has now reached its sifting time. The excitement and
+rash enthusiasm of infancy have matured into the more evenly balanced
+judgment of manhood. Its disciples are learning to weigh the demands of
+its tenets, its refusal to compromise with sin and with almost everything
+that has constituted their existence for centuries past, and its call
+for constant activity of heart and hand as opposed to the intolerable
+indolence of their nature. All these things must constantly be borne in
+mind by the missionary if he is not to be unnecessarily depressed by
+occasional failure on the part of the converts. One must not look for
+impossibilities, and the growth of past centuries cannot be destroyed in
+a day. I am not sure but that too much is expected of the young teachers.
+For instance one goes out to the villages when only quite a youth with a
+hereditary taint, many generations old, of the worst forms of heathenism
+as against two or three years of religious instruction. He is the only
+Christian in the village, and, indeed, for miles round; and there he is
+surrounded by the old heathen practices and constantly tempted to return
+to habits of the past, while he has not the same normal amount of moral
+and intellectual strength which nerves an English lad to fight against
+these external influences and internal tendencies. And yet only about
+twenty per cent. of them really fail.
+
+King Daudi Kasagama once said that the white man could never understand
+how fierce was the black man’s conflict with himself at times. The one
+has generations of civilization and Christianity as a rear-guard, and the
+other, centuries of corruption and self-indulgence. Without trust in a
+Divine keeping power, said he, one would inevitably fall. Ten years have
+now passed by since the Baganda teachers left for heathen Toro, and in
+that time the character of almost the entire country has been practically
+transformed. British jurisdiction has established peace throughout the
+Kingdom, and now that an end has been put to tribal and civil warfare,
+there is nothing to distract the mind of the people from settling down
+and learning to improve their land.
+
+In the districts that have come under the influence of Christianity,
+heathenism has been abolished, if not absolutely at least in the outward
+form of practice. Over three thousand converts have been baptized, and
+although this only represents a very small proportion of the inhabitants,
+it includes mainly the more influential and leading body of men.
+
+The desire of the Batoro for teaching and their love of reading promise
+much for the future of the country if this can be satisfactorily coped
+with immediately and not starved by inability on the part of the
+missionaries to meet the need. It certainly cannot be said of Uganda
+and Toro “of the making of books there is no end.” The Baganda are, I
+believe, limited to ten books, namely:—
+
+    Holy Bible.
+    Prayer Book.
+    Hymn Book.
+    Oxford Bible Helps.
+    “Search and Find.”
+    Geography Book.
+    “Pilgrim’s Progress.”
+    “Kings of Uganda.”
+    English Primer.
+    Commentaries on three Gospels.
+
+Those of the Batoro who do not understand Luganda and so are confined
+to books written in their own language, only possess the New Testament,
+Prayer Book, with Psalms and Hymn Book. Through the generous aid of the
+British and Foreign Bible Society, the Religious Tract Society, and the
+S.P.C.K., which have provided the country with almost the whole of its
+literature, these books have been supplied at a cost price, much under
+their cost of production and carriage, so as to bring them within the
+possible reach of the people, who, as a whole, are exceedingly poor.
+
+But even so, it is generally necessary, in the villages especially, for
+the people to make real efforts to supply themselves with books they
+require. A curious scene was enacted in the courtyard of our house when
+the teachers came in from their stations on the first Monday in every
+month to execute the orders for books or stationery entrusted to them
+by their people. Our yard was temporarily converted into a live-stock
+market, for the purchases were rarely made with cash. The most popular
+currency was cowrie shells, which were tied up in bundles by means of
+dried banana bark, but when these were beyond the means of the would-be
+purchaser, he would send in by his teacher a goat, or chickens, or eggs.
+A curious shaped till was needed by the salesman! One of his orders would
+be for “One chicken, Matthew,” which being interpreted was “One Gospel of
+St. Matthew, price one chicken.”
+
+Another man, after purchasing a hymn book for six eggs, would ask if he
+had enough eggs over to buy Bunyan. It frequently happened that a lad
+had been carefully collecting the eggs from his one hen for weeks, but
+as the hen had not been very obliging by the time the right number was
+reached, the salesman was distinctly out of profit through his customer.
+
+Others, who possessed nothing saleable, came in from distances of ten to
+fifteen miles and asked to be hired for work during the day, in the late
+afternoon they would set off on their journey home the proud owners of
+the little hymn book or reading sheet which had been thoroughly earned.
+
+At the close of one of the terms of the teachers’ preparation class,
+prizes were to be given for the best answers at their examination, and
+the first prize was to be the option of four yards of calico or a Bible.
+The one who on this particular occasion stood out preeminently first
+was a peasant youth of about eighteen years of age with exceptionally
+well-formed and forceful features. His dress consisted of a coarse piece
+of the bark-cloth knotted on the shoulder: having come from a distant
+district he had never known the luxury of the calico garments worn by the
+more fortunate town folk. As he came forward to receive his prize, the
+choice between the calico and the Bible was given him. For a while he
+stood handling the material, then looked down at his own shabby garment;
+but it was only a momentary hesitation—laying aside the calico, he took
+up the Bible and clasping it with both hands, said “My master, the Bible
+has got the better of the cloth.”
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+Medical Work
+
+
+Realising that the acquisition of the language would be slow work, with
+no books to study, and only five hours teaching a week, I had decided on
+arriving in Toro to plunge into work right away. It was not a case of
+going out in search of work, for outside one’s very door was the mute
+call for help. When the tidings of our arrival had filtered through to
+the villages, sick folk came from every direction to see if the white
+women had brought medicine. In our courtyard each morning there was quite
+a large company of maimed, halt and blind, who had hobbled along, or been
+brought in, some from very long distances, by their friends. The very
+prevalent forms of skin diseases, ulcers, and the hacking cough required
+no language even for diagnosis by an amateur dispenser; other patients,
+by eloquent grunts and gesticulations, managed to convey some idea of
+their complaints; and the remaining class, whose language and sickness
+were conundrums to the European “quack,” received a mild dose of nauseous
+physic; certainly it did them no harm, and in some cases their faith in
+that dose of “white man’s medicine” worked the cure.
+
+At first I used to receive the sick folk on our verandah, but they became
+too numerous, so a removal was effected. The first house of the European
+missionary in Toro was still standing, but was quite uninhabitable, as
+it had been made of reeds which rot very quickly. It stood in a very
+forest of weeds. The long elephant grass barred all the windows and
+doors against would-be intruders, snakes suspiciously lay hidden among
+the thick tangled undergrowth, and a few half-choked flowers struggled
+to exist as a witness to a past cared-for garden and in protest against
+their present usurpers.
+
+A few days of hard work with hoe and shovel cleared a breathing space all
+round the house, the ceilings and walls were swept down and repaired,
+new beaten mud floors laid in all the three rooms, shelves and boxes
+fixed up as fittings, a rough table, chair, enamel wash-hand basin
+brought in as furniture, and there was a splendid dispensary quite
+formidable in appearance and decidedly pretentious for one who possessed
+no qualifications beyond a few months hospital training. In Africa a
+little knowledge is not dangerous so much as useful. The most appalling
+forms of suffering are met with on every hand, and nothing but inhuman,
+superstitious, and absolutely ineffectual means are employed to alleviate
+it. Even if one can only cleanse and bind up the wounds and pour in oil,
+the look of gratitude and contentment that reward the soothing of the
+pain reminds one that it has not been wasted labour.
+
+This first dispensary consisted of three apartments, the “consulting
+room,” drug store, and waiting room, where patients assembled every
+morning at 8.30 for instruction in reading and a short bright gospel
+service. This primitive medical work was a distinctly effectual means
+of reaching the bakopi (peasants), who had not hitherto been touched
+in any large numbers. The King having been the first in the country to
+adopt Christianity, the work in its initial stage had extended almost
+exclusively to the upper classes, while the “foreign” language had been
+an obstacle to the peasants who could not understand it.
+
+It was frequently found that the curiosity and interest of patients in
+the letters and syllables were so awakened that when there was no longer
+need to attend the dispensary several passed on to the school to be
+further instructed.
+
+One of the first patients was an old man who had been receiving
+ulcer medicine from the missionary then in charge. Although his hair
+was sprinkled with grey, and he suffered from an impediment in his
+speech, nothing would daunt him in his assiduous struggles to master
+the alphabet. Day after day he came, and even when cured of his ulcer
+continued coming, as he was afraid to go to the big school to learn.
+Actually he did in time master words of three letters, and then, as he
+was so anxious to be baptized, he was put into an old men’s daily Bible
+Class for instruction. His joy was beyond description when with tears
+streaming down from his eyes he came to me one day saying, “My mistress,
+I have finished being questioned, and now I am going to be baptized.” I
+asked him, “Mpisi, will baptism save us?” And he answered, “Oh no, only
+Jesus who died for us on the Cross.” “Then what is the use of baptism?”
+“Well,” said he, “Christ told us to believe and be baptized, and it shows
+that we want to leave our bad habits and follow the habits of Christ.”
+From that day he has rarely missed coming to the dispensary, not always
+for medicine, but that he might teach the patients what he has learned.
+
+A daily attendance of thirty to fifty sick folk soon exhausted our
+limited supply of drugs, and when Dr. and Mrs. A. Cook, on an itinerating
+round, paid a medical visit to Toro twelve months after our arrival
+they found the medicine almost completely used up. Till the arrival of
+fresh stores the patients were being kept together by supplementing the
+diminished stock with table salt, mixed spice, and curry powder. This
+latter I found was a much-appreciated prescription, and as none of the
+missionaries were partial to it and each had a good supply among their
+stores, I dispensed it generously to dyspeptic patients. You never saw
+such agonizing grimaces as when they swallowed a spoonful raw, but they
+smacked their lips, saying, “Omubazi mubingi muno muno,” “Medicine very
+very good,” and would have finished off the whole tin if they had been
+allowed.
+
+That visit from the real “medicine-man” was a grand time for our people,
+and they were not slow to show their appreciation and wonderment when
+opthalmic patients found themselves with “new windows,” and surgical
+subjects, the possessors of “new bodies.” After that the Toro dispensary
+became amalgamated with the Mengo Medical Mission, and was regularly
+supplied with medicines. The chief diseases met with out there are skin
+complaints, malaria, dyspepsia, pleurisy, bronchitis, besides paralysis,
+muscular rheumatism, dysentery, and pneumonia. Owing to the inexperience
+of the dispenser nothing surgical was attempted in those days beyond
+lancing abscesses and gums, cutting tongue-tied infants, and stitching up
+leopard-torn patients. One man was brought in from a leopard hunt in a
+terrible condition; limbs and body were badly damaged, while the face was
+scarcely visible, the flesh of forehead and one cheek having been torn
+away, exposing bone and teeth. The extraordinary thing was, that after
+weeks and weeks of careful treatment, some very deep scars were the only
+signs remaining of the terrible ordeal he had passed through.
+
+These Batoro have grown absolutely reckless in the hunt. Their method
+is to surround the spot where the leopard is known to lie crouched,
+and slashing down the thick vegetation that conceals their prey, they
+gradually draw closer and form a smaller circle round it. All the time
+they scream and pour down invectives on the head of the leopard, and by
+the time it actually appears in sight they have worked themselves up
+into such a state of excitement that, losing all self-control, some will
+actually throw themselves upon the infuriated creature. With one last
+death effort the leopard throws all the strength of its fury into its
+final attack; torn, and perhaps with mangled limb, the man is released
+from the grasp of his foe by a hundred spears being run through its body.
+The injured are then borne on stretchers in triumph to the dispensary,
+and while the wounds are being attended to, the carriers and friends laud
+the extraordinary prowess of the patient. Every man who is able to carry
+home a blood-stained spear is sure of his wife killing the fattest goat
+or cooking the best possible meal in their honour.
+
+One day, while dispensing medicine, an unusual shuffling and pushing
+seemed to be going on in the doorway, and walking round to find out
+the cause, I saw a cow being pushed by force toward me. The herdsman
+explained that it was very sick with “Kifuba” (chest—generally meaning
+indigestion). In order to quickly get rid of this undesirable patient I
+mixed up some castor oil with salt and ordered it to be administered in
+one hour’s time. I thought that would allow the cow and its master to get
+a safe distance off.
+
+I rather regretted this afterwards, for very soon another veterinary case
+was brought in for treatment. This time it was our own faithful Muscat
+donkey; it was suffering terribly from the plague of flies that generally
+appear in the dry season. The poor creature’s legs were absolutely raw,
+and it had almost lost the power of standing. After the donkey boy had
+applied antiseptic washing and ointment I tried to fix on bandages,
+but donkey’s legs were evidently never made the right shape for that—I
+could not get the bandages to stick. Mr. Fisher was then consulted on
+the point, and of course, man-like, he suggested trousers. It really
+sounded very suitable, so I set to work on a pair, and when the donkey
+was put into them he looked most distinguished. The people gathered round
+in numbers to see it, and exclaimed, “What honour the European gives
+his animal!” There were several spectators who were not clothed so
+magnificently, and being afraid of giving the impression of extravagant
+waste, I explained to them the object of the garment and our ideas of
+kindness to dumb animals. The donkey did not take at all kindly to his
+first pair of trousers; perhaps they did not fit well; at all events, he
+kicked them to pieces in two days. A second pair was made on a modified
+scale, and whether or not the owner had cultivated more civilised
+instincts, it is not easy to affirm, but they remained intact till they
+were no longer needed, and the owner was able to run about and be up to
+his usual pranks again.
+
+Great care has to be exercised in administering drugs, as the people have
+absolutely no idea as to how they act on the system. Medicine intended
+to last for some days has often been swallowed down in one dose, as they
+argue that if so much physic can cure them at all, the sooner it is taken
+the better. Powders for internal use have been received with incredulity
+and sometimes scorn by those suffering from skin diseases, and they will
+insist on impressing the dispenser that they are quite well inside.
+If, with all their persuasion, they cannot obtain some blue stone to
+apply to the sore (which they simply love, as it causes them to scream
+uncontrollably), then they go off with their packet of powders and show
+the superiority of their wisdom to that of the white doctor by using it
+externally.
+
+One of the very few medicines that it is absolutely necessary to keep
+under lock and key is sulphur, which is well known to them as an
+unfailing skin remedy when mixed up with butter. Our cook once bribed one
+of my little assistants to smuggle some away for him, and being misled by
+the similarity in appearance, the lad gave him iodiform instead. This he
+mixed up into an ointment and smeared well all over his body. As he sent
+up dinner that evening iodiform was as pronounced as oil is in a German
+table d’hote. It was soup à l’iodiform, viande à l’iodiform, confection à
+l’iodiform, café à l’iodiform, in fact there was no getting away from it.
+When we left the table in despair we were like a chemist’s laboratory.
+
+As for ideas of hygiene, these are absolutely absent from the native’s
+mind. When a person is very ill, regardless of her station in life, she
+is carried into the dirtiest and smallest hut. This is soon crowded up
+with well-meaning and sympathetic friends, whose one idea of condolence
+seems to be to assure the invalid that she is on the point of dying.
+The hut continues filling up till the only inlet for fresh air (the
+cramped doorway) is entirely blocked up, by which time the condition and
+atmosphere of the hut becomes so indescribable that it is a wonder anyone
+comes out alive. These things suggested to my mind that a few elementary
+lessons on hygiene might perhaps prove beneficial, so, taking to my
+afternoon class a diagram of the human body, I described to them the
+anatomy of the body, blood circulation, &c. Their interest and surprise
+were great. They had always imagined that blood circulated from the head.
+This was their argument for cutting their heads in cases of fever; they
+reasoned that malaria was an over-heating of superfluous amount of blood,
+so they must let out some. At first they were inclined to doubt the
+soundness of the new theory of circulation from the heart, and asked “can
+a river flow up, does it not always flow down?” “What about a spring?”
+said I. They thought for one moment, and then answered “The European’s
+wisdom has overcome ours.” Then a new difficulty struck them, how was it
+in the case of women, for they had no hearts. Their old King Kabarega,
+when he killed off his wives, had cut open some, and never found one with
+a heart. So the statement had become an accepted fact with them. How
+could they have believed such an error!
+
+They also imagined that mind was tucked away in the heart, and did not
+in the least associate brain with intellect. Poor woman, minus heart,
+therefore minus mind, was very poorly endowed.
+
+Their attention and interest were very keen, and did not seem to diminish
+when the moral was applied in the shape of ablutions, fresh air, and the
+care of the body being essentials to health.
+
+It is sometimes difficult to arrive at an exact diagnosis of a patient’s
+ailment. One will describe her complaint, pointing to her lungs, as a
+voice inside that says “Chew, chew.” Another affirm that a spear is
+running into every part of his body. Infants are always suffering from
+evil spirits or poisoning, in cases when a dose of dill water would be
+generally prescribed.
+
+Although I have occasionally met with a native doctor in a sick house, I
+have never been able to discover a native drug or remedy outside cupping,
+branding, and revolting forms of witchcraft. These men make a regular
+study of the art of deception and exact exorbitant fees in the form of
+goats or even oxen. As an example let me give the case of a lad who was
+suffering from tuberculosis. He had consulted the witch doctor, and after
+having paid his fee was told that he had been poisoned. Whereupon the
+“surgeon” drew his knife out from his belt and made a number of small
+incisions. He then declared he could see the poison inside the youth and
+took it away. But the lad was not cured and so came down to give the
+European’s wisdom a trial.
+
+This ignorant credulity of the people has sometimes proved useful to
+the white man in times of extremity. In one instance a European noticed
+that his daily supply of milk was continually disappearing in an
+unaccountable way, and one day he determined to investigate the cause.
+It had been proved that the cows were not to blame; they had given their
+usual supply. The milk boy was cleared, for the boys of the household
+vouched for having seen it being delivered. The discrepancy in the
+amount had unmistakably occurred in the cook house, where the cook alone
+was resident at the time. So the culprit was called up to be examined.
+He insisted on his innocence declaring all the while that he did not
+know how to drink milk. As no eye-witnesses could be called the idea
+struck the “magistrate” that he would conclude the matter quickly and
+unquestionably by their own means. Turning to a youth close by he said
+“Just fetch me my little pocket knife to bore a hole and see if the milk
+is inside the cook.” Whereupon the culprit fell on his knees exclaiming,
+“Oh, master, I did drink the milk. Forgive me, I pray you.”
+
+After the affiliation of the Toro branch with the medical headquarters
+at Mengo, the work was placed on a far more satisfactory basis. A report
+had to be sent in every three months with statistics dealing with
+daily attendance at the dispensary, out-patients’ visits, etc. Then,
+in addition to this, a list was made out yearly of drugs and dressings
+needed for the forthcoming twelve months, which ensured an adequate
+and regular supply of medicine. The work, however, passed through a
+varied succession of small vicissitudes. Our faked-up building had to
+be pulled down, as the site was needed for a new missionary’s house,
+but in exchange we got a brand-new airy dispensary. We scarcely knew
+ourselves with such spacious surroundings, and the two little native
+assistants, who had been trained to attend to all dressings, assumed
+quite a ridiculous air of professional importance, to say nothing of
+the feelings of the quack doctor! But at the end of a fortnight we were
+completely evicted from our grand premises—patients, staff, drugs, and
+all. A violent storm had destroyed the only house that had been standing
+ready to receive a fresh addition to the staff of missionaries, which was
+then only within a few days of arrival in Toro. As there was not another
+available inch, the new dispensary had to be speedily converted into a
+domicile.
+
+Feeling decidedly crest-fallen, my little assistants and I packed up all
+the medical impedimenta and carried them over to a little reed building
+that had been the reading school till the constantly increasing inside
+pack had necessitated more ceremonious premises.
+
+We completed our removal, and had not been installed many weeks when a
+furious hurricane swept over the little hill capital, and succeeding in
+throwing our new dispensary completely over on its side. When the debris
+and roof were cleared away, a most heterogeneous collection of medicines
+were revealed, all hopelessly mixed up in wild confusion. Pills of every
+shape and form were scattered about, bottles of liquid drugs, and stock
+mixtures had been smashed up, and the combination of odours was enough to
+frighten away all the microbes for miles round. Once more, and for the
+fourth time, the dispensary was transferred to different quarters, and
+there it remained until the present complete medical compound was erected
+at the advent of the much-longed-for and long-expected doctor in 1904.
+Through the generosity of a friend in England the “Gurney Hospital” and
+new dispensary were then built, together with the doctor’s house. The
+former is a good-sized building consisting of two wards for thirty-four
+patients, besides consulting and waiting rooms, while the broad ten-foot
+verandah which runs all round allows ample space for convalescents.
+
+At first the Batoro were inclined to be fearful of undergoing chloroform,
+but King Kasagama, half out of curiosity and half out of a real desire
+that his people should derive the fullest benefit from the “doctor’s
+wisdom,” successfully banished these fears. One morning he came down to
+the dispensary asking that a slight ulcer from which he was suffering
+might be lanced under chloroform. This was kept a profound secret from
+his people till it happened to reach the ears of his mother just as he
+was getting over the operation. The poor old lady came bustling down in
+breathless speed very fearful of the effects the “sleeping medicine”
+might have had on her son. She was intensely relieved to find that
+nothing worse had resulted than rather a sorry expression on the usual
+smiling countenance of the patient. It soon became the topic of the hour,
+and even to the distant villages the news spread. From that time surgery
+was in great demand; in fact it became a kind of fashionable epidemic.
+
+The need for medical work in these parts is seen in the one hundred to
+one hundred and fifty out-patients that came up every day for doctoring,
+and the scarcity of vacant beds ever since the opening of the new
+hospital. Indeed it seems a practical impossibility to carry out to
+these people the message of love, peace, and goodwill unless one can at
+the same time do something to alleviate the terrible physical suffering
+to which they are subject. Besides being a most effectual channel for
+conveying balm and healing to their souls, the object lessons given
+to the in-patients must accomplish much in introducing new ideas of
+cleanliness and possible comfort into their own poor, dirty homes.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+Scholastic Work
+
+
+There are many people who, not being quite up-to-date in missionary
+literature, have an idea that the work of a missionary in such places
+as Africa is to stand under the shade of a huge sun-hat, umbrella, and
+palm-tree, in the broiling heat of the day, and preach to a small crowd
+of open-mouthed astonished semi-savages. The picture does not attract
+them, and they dismiss the subject from their minds with “I could never
+be a missionary.”
+
+Well, although I have found in Africa the identical topee, the umbrella,
+palm-tree, the broiling sun, and a few gaping crowds, yet the picture
+is a painful distortion of the truth. If there is one thing that a
+missionary has less to do with than any other, it is preaching—at
+least, that is so in Uganda. He rather assumes the rôles of teacher,
+schoolmaster, builder, carpenter, doctor, nurse, and everything else, for
+he has learned that the African cannot be a saint without being a scholar
+and an artisan, any more than men of other nations can.
+
+Besides the more direct spiritual work and the medical work that are
+being carried on in Toro, there are also industrial and educational
+departments. This former branch has not been developed to any extent,
+owing to the lack of workers, but, as far as he is able, King Daudi
+Kasagama personally superintends it. Being most anxious that his people
+should be instructed in useful trades, some years ago he sent a youth,
+Iburahimu, into Mengo to be apprenticed for two years to carpentering at
+the Industrial Mission of the Church Missionary Society. When the period
+had transpired and the lad had served his time, Daudi wrote to England
+ordering Rs.300 worth of tools, and, close to his own house, the King had
+a large suitable shed erected. Iburahimu was then installed as Carpenter
+to the Royal Household, and twenty youths, who had signed for a two
+years’ apprenticeship, were placed under him for instruction.
+
+[Illustration: A SCHOOL IN TORO.]
+
+Any serving lad of the King who was employed on no particular service,
+and refused to be taught, was put in the chain gang for three months; for
+His Majesty was determined to put a price on loafing in his household.
+
+The entire educational work of Uganda is being carried on in Church
+Schools. Receiving no subsidy from the British Government, up to the
+present there has been no question of Education bills, and consequently
+there are no passive resisters among the Baganda!
+
+The School system is, I believe, the one adopted by the Americans in
+their board schools, where boys and girls learn together, and no social
+distinctions are recognized, but in Uganda, besides non-differentiation
+of sex and caste, there are also no age limitation—children, parents, and
+grandparents all attend the reading schools.
+
+On reaching Toro, Miss Pike immediately took over this department of
+the work, and within a few months the School had outgrown two different
+buildings, and an extension had to be contemplated in order to make room
+for the 300 average daily attendances. As soon as this was made known, a
+willing band of workers was collected together under the Katikiro, and
+started throwing out the end of the mud building. I am quite sure no
+Member of Parliament ever laboured more strenuously than this one did!
+Whether it was levelling the soil, demolishing the old wall, erecting the
+new, or roofing it in, he was always in the thick of it. But his dignity
+would not permit him to throw aside any of his superfluous garments!
+And the coarse, Jaeger-coloured vest, tweed coat and waistcoat, and top
+layers of draperies proved very oppressive. Every now and again he sank
+back in his chair quite exhausted, gorgeous coloured handkerchiefs were
+applied as mops to his steaming brow, and two attendants stood round with
+an umbrella and fan.
+
+A mistress in these reading schools must be free from any neuralgic
+or nervous tendencies. I was simply overcome with admiration at the
+spirit of fortitude and calm endurance that my colleague was displaying
+when I paid my first visit to the Toro seminary. Morning prayers had
+been concluded, and the School had sorted itself out into about twenty
+classes, which represented various grades, from the alphabet to St.
+Matthew’s Gospel stage, and each was presided over by a native teacher.
+The scholars were a queer medley; chiefs clothed in their white linen
+gowns sat on tiny round stools, which they brought tucked under their
+arm, and in the same class, struggling over the same letters, were seated
+on the ground serving boys, probably their own, and raw peasants. Women
+who had just left their cultivation and, strapping the baby to their
+shoulders, hurried off to school, were sitting with quite small infants,
+perhaps being taught their syllables by their own little daughters.
+
+Excepting in the alphabet classes, the scholars sat in a circle round
+their teacher who, with a strand of grass, pointed to the letters
+which all the pupils were expected to shout out together. The one
+little reading sheet only allowed those directly in front to read the
+letters right way up; the others, who were careful to take up the same
+position each day, learnt at all angles. Quite a large proportion of
+the Batoro are able to read their books upside down in consequence.
+When all the classes were fairly started and each of the three hundred
+pupils was trying his best to drown his neighbour’s voice, the noise
+was indescribable. Each class had its own formula which was recited
+metrically. Take for instance, the one dealing with syllables of three
+letters—all the pupils sang out “b—w—a, we call it bwa,” then the teacher
+intoning, asked “how many letters and what are they called,” and the
+answer was shouted back “letters three, b—w—a, and they are always bwa.”
+Then they tackled b—w—e, b—w—i, b—w—o, in the same way and so on all
+down the alphabet. While this pandemonium is going on, one after another
+is sent up by his teacher to be examined by the European. The pupil
+who answers satisfactorily is then given a pass to a higher form; he
+returns to his old class to receive the profuse congratulations of his
+contemporaries, and then marches off to his new quarters full of pride
+and elation.
+
+[Illustration: THE BAKONJO AT HOME.]
+
+One would wonder how it is possible to ever learn to read in such a
+hubbub, but the Batoro have a remarkable power of insulating themselves
+from their environment, and some have been known to pass right through
+the school, from the alphabet to the highest reading class in four months.
+
+Until 1902 no other secular subjects were taught excepting writing, but
+at that time it was thought advisable to increase the educational work
+amongst the Christian men and women, consequently two separate schools
+were arranged for them in which they could be taught writing, arithmetic,
+geography, and dictation.
+
+Miss Pike, who was then in charge of the women’s work, took over their
+school, and I was responsible for the other.
+
+My pupils consisted of members from the Toro Cabinet, House of Lords and
+House of Commons! The Katikiro, our Lord Chief Justice, was nominated
+school chastiser. Corporal punishment was his usual method of dealing
+with a noisy scholar; with a sudden bound off his chair he made a rush at
+the culprit, and if he was not quite sure who the offender was he struck
+a box on the ears at all in the vicinity of the noise. The King reserved
+for himself the office of school inspector, and generally looked in on
+his way home from morning service at the Church.
+
+Arithmetic was not at all an easy subject to start teaching these people,
+and they could not for a long time understand figures in the abstract.
+Numeration was the thing they were started on. With a blackboard and
+chalk I wrote up the usual 1, 10, 100, and then attempted an explanation.
+One pupil instantly interrupted with “But what are the ten?” “Oh, I said,
+ten anything, ten chickens or ten eggs.” “But if it’s a chicken how can
+it be an egg,” he replied. The Katikiro found arithmetic very difficult.
+He stuck at “twice two” for days; he would insist that it made twenty,
+and even when he was convinced otherwise, his memory refused to agree
+with his conviction. But when he at last mastered the “two times” table
+and numeration up to a million, he rubbed his hands with satisfaction,
+and exclaimed “What wisdom!” When Kasagama heard of the different
+subjects being taught he evidently thought that tailoring ought to be
+included, for, one day he sent down a lad with a roll of white duck, and
+an earnest request that I would teach him how to make coats. The boy was
+sent away with an explanation that in our country men did the tailoring.
+But His Majesty was not to be put off, and so the message came back
+“would ‘Bwana Fisher’ teach him?” Our protestations only called forth
+more beseeching requests, so in despair I took a pattern from a London
+coat and showed the boy how to put it together. The result was far from
+being complimentary to the original, but Kasagama did not take into
+consideration the cut, so much as the fact that it _was_ a coat.
+
+A few of the more promising pupils used to come together each afternoon
+for extra instruction, in order that they might be able to help in
+the morning school which was getting beyond the work of one person.
+Elementary astronomy was added to their list of subjects, and was a theme
+of intense interest and wonderment to them. One afternoon a very simple
+explanation had been given them on how the world was held up in space by
+the law of gravitation. After asking a number of questions they begged
+me to teach them nothing more that day, for they wanted to take the
+words away and think them out. One man, who was a Muganda, stayed behind
+and very apologetically, as if afraid of suggesting that he doubted the
+veracity of my words, he asked if the world is held up by gravitation,
+how did it manage for the first three days, for in Genesis we read that
+the sun, moon, and stars were created on the fourth!
+
+Uganda to-day presents a land rising from a sleep of centuries. The
+outside world in its onward march has stepped in, and with its Babel of
+Tongues roused the people from their long deep slumber. Thus startled
+out of lethargy, the surprised nation stands gazing in wonderment at a
+great world controlled by undreamed-of mental and moral forces. And a new
+desire has been born within them, a desire to bring themselves under the
+same irresistible powers. The possibility is there, but the guiding of
+the mind and soul of the people cannot be undertaken by itself. England
+holds herself responsible for the protection of its national life, and it
+is for the Church of God to-day to stand at the helm, and steer past the
+rocks and shoals till the people have learned to take over the control
+themselves.
+
+
+
+
+FOOTNOTES
+
+
+[1] Native guards or soldiers.
+
+[2] Surely the most ardent critic of missions could not have failed to
+be convinced of the reality of these people’s Christianity had he looked
+at the order of this great service. Their reverent behaviour as they
+worshipped in a church built with their own hands, and listened to one of
+their own native clergy, must have deeply impressed even the most cynical
+onlooker.
+
+
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76250 ***
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+<body>
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76250 ***</div>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_i"></a>[i]</span></p>
+
+<h1>ON THE BORDERS OF<br>
+PIGMY LAND</h1>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ii"></a>[ii]</span></p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp45" id="illus01" style="max-width: 26.5625em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus01.jpg" alt="Yours heartily Ruth B. Fisher">
+</figure>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iii"></a>[iii]</span></p>
+
+<p class="titlepage larger red">ON THE BORDERS<br>
+OF PIGMY LAND</p>
+
+</div>
+
+<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">BY</span><br>
+RUTH B. FISHER<br>
+<span class="smaller">(<i>née</i> <span class="smcap">Hurditch</span>)</span></p>
+
+<p class="titlepage"><span class="smcap smaller">New York, Chicago, Toronto:</span><br>
+<span class="red">FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY</span><br>
+<span class="smaller">1905</span></p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_iv"></a>[iv]</span></p>
+
+<p class="titlepage smaller">R. W. SIMPSON AND CO., LTD.,<br>
+PRINTERS,<br>
+RICHMOND AND LONDON.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_v"></a>[v]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="PREFACE">PREFACE</h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>To none of her many friends in England and Ireland
+does the writer of this book, whether as Miss Ruth
+Hurditch or Mrs. Fisher, need any introduction;
+but I gladly accept the opportunity offered to me
+of commending her graphic story of Mission life and
+work to a still wider circle, including the American
+Christian public, among whom we are assured the work
+will find ready circulation.</p>
+
+<p>No one can read it and not be impressed by the
+evidence with which it abounds that the same Gospel
+which conquered Europe, civilized or barbarous, in ages
+past is as potent to-day to transform the most degraded
+and dormant races into peoples of quick intelligence and
+spiritual consciousness, and has given them in a
+marvellously short time a measure of self-respect, a sense
+of the dignity of labour, and a devotion to the welfare
+of others, not always found in Christian lands or even
+Churches of ancient fame. At a time when the jaded
+faith of many at home is giving way before the incessant
+undermining of the old foundations, and when we are
+invited to recast the “details” of the Gospel, it is no
+small thing that the Bible is seen to be making new
+history again, and giving fresh evidences of its divine
+vitality. The Mission Field is paying back its debt to
+the Church at home. Africa, emerging from the night of
+ages, is bringing her treasures of grace to make up the
+“fulness of the Gentiles.” The pigmies themselves are
+worthy of a better lot than to be carried off by a
+traveller and be made a show for the sordid curiosity
+of holiday crowds.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vi"></a>[vi]</span></p>
+
+<p>There are other reasons also why we welcome Mrs.
+Fisher’s journals. She has drawn with her pen pictures
+of the country and people as lifelike as the excellent
+photographs which adorn the book. She has enabled us
+to share her adventures without the discomforts. The
+tropical storms and glaring sunshine, the swamps of
+Semliki, and the snow peaks of Ruwenzori, the camps
+and caravans, the dispensary and the school, the good
+King and the gentle Queen, the Prime Minister and poor
+Blasiyo the pigmy are all as real to us as though we had
+seen them and known them ourselves.</p>
+
+<p>Mrs. Fisher has shown us how a devoted couple whose
+hearts are filled with a longing to win souls for the
+Saviour can face dangers, and cut themselves off from the
+common comforts of home, not only with patience but
+with cheerfulness. No one will feel the playfulness and
+the sense of humour with which she often describes the
+most trying situations to be inconsistent with the more
+serious purpose of her Missionary life, or to unfit her for the
+gracious ministry of comforting the sorrowful, teaching
+the ignorant, and healing the sick, in which she has been
+engaged.</p>
+
+<p>If each reader of these pages will let them raise before
+the conscience such questions as these, “What have <i>I</i>
+done, and what can <i>I</i> do to help such blessed work” or
+“Why should <i>I</i> not follow in such steps myself,” and if
+such questions be honestly answered as in the presence of
+the Lord, I cannot doubt that results still more wonderful
+than those which this book describes will find a record
+in the near future,—that may be even the Coming of the
+Lord.</p>
+
+<p>May the Holy Spirit moving in many lives bring this
+to pass.</p>
+
+<p class="right"><span style="margin-right: 3em;">H. E. FOX,</span><br>
+<i>Hon. Sec., C.M.S.</i></p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_vii"></a>[vii]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CONTENTS">CONTENTS</h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<table>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr smaller">CHAPTER.</td>
+    <td></td>
+    <td class="tdpg smaller">PAGE.</td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">I.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">A Journey on the Uganda Railroad Four Years Ago</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">1</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">II.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">On Land and Lake</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">11</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">III.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Mengo, Uganda</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">22</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">IV.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Toro, The Land of the Mountains of the Moon</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">31</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">V.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">The Country</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">41</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">VI.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Home Life</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">50</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">VII.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Royal Life</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">59</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">VIII.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">The Women of Toro</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">69</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">IX.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Child Life</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">79</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">X.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Religion</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">84</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XI.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Language</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">92</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XII.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Festivities in Toro</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XII">97</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XIII.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Tramp I. To the Albert Edward Lake</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIII">106</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XIV.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Tramp II. Holidays</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIV">119</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XV.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Tramp III. Tramp through the Four Kingdoms of the Protectorate</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XV">128</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XVI.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Tramp IV. Towards the Pigmies</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVI">151</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XVII.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">In Darkest Africa. The Pigmies (Batwa) and their (Bambuba) Neighbours</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVII">161</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XVIII.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">A Climb to the Snows</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XVIII">173</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XIX.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Missionary Work</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XIX">188</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XX.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Medical Work</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XX">199</a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td class="tdr">XXI.</td>
+    <td><span class="smcap">Scholastic Work</span></td>
+    <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XXI">211</a></td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_viii"></a>[viii]</span></p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_ix"></a>[ix]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS">LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<table>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus08"><span class="smcap">A Group of Baganda.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus05"><span class="smcap">A Group of Masais.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus21"><span class="smcap">A Group of Pigmy Women.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus23"><span class="smcap">A Mubira Lady: An Afternoon Caller.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus07"><span class="smcap">A Nandi Family.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus24"><span class="smcap">A Native of Balega: The First to be Baptised of his Race.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus26"><span class="smcap">A Peep at the Snows.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus13"><span class="smcap">Apolo Kivebulaya.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus33"><span class="smcap">A School in Toro.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus04"><span class="smcap">A Viaduct on the Uganda Railroad.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus32"><span class="smcap">Back from the Snows: Bakonjo Porters.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus20"><span class="smcap">Blasiyo: First Baptised Pigmy.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus29"><span class="smcap">Crossing the Muluku River.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus30"><span class="smcap">Kicucei Camp.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus10"><span class="smcap">King Dandi Kasagama of Toro and his Chiefs.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus31"><span class="smcap">Muluku Glacier.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus11"><span class="smcap">New Church, Kabarole Toro.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus15"><span class="smcap">Our Home in Toro.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus02"><span class="smcap">Port of Mombasa.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus27"><span class="smcap">Snow Peaks.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus25"><span class="smcap">Stiff Climbing: A Climb to the Snows.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus16"><span class="smcap">Tabala, Chief of Mboga, and Suite.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus14"><span class="smcap">The Albert Edward Lake.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus19"><span class="smcap">The Ba-ambas: Nearest Neighbours to the Pigmies.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus22"><span class="smcap">The Bahuku: Cannibal Race.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus34"><span class="smcap">The Bakonjo at Home.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus12"><span class="smcap">The Batoro at Home.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus18"><span class="smcap">The Four Pigmies at Kabarole.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus03"><span class="smcap">The Kidong Escarpment.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus09"><span class="smcap">The Market Place.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus06"><span class="smcap">The New Boat on Victoria Nyanza.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+  <tr>
+    <td><a href="#illus17"><span class="smcap">The Semliki River.</span></a></td>
+  </tr>
+</table>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_1"></a>[1]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_I">CHAPTER I<br>
+<span class="smaller">A Journey on the Uganda Railroad Four Years Ago</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>It was in the beginning of the year 1900 that a British
+India steamer cast anchor and set down on African
+soil a party of seven missionaries bound for distant
+Uganda. Six of that number might be termed “freshers,”
+for they were complete strangers to the “dark continent,”
+and absolutely uninitiated in the art of African travelling.
+It is a little difficult to define the feelings of a new arrival
+who has before him or her the prospect of life and work
+in that country. The memories of magnificent lives laid
+down for its people fill the heart with an intensely solemn
+sense of responsibility and dignity; records of travel and
+adventure kindle a love of daring, and a desire for opportunities
+of heroism; while the meagre knowledge that
+exists on the interior districts breaks the imagination of
+the traveller away from its leading strings.</p>
+
+<p>The port of British East Africa—the Island of Mombasa—is
+a typical foreign mercantile coast town, with its
+medley of craft, ships, yachts, tugs, boats and canoes
+manned by seamen of various nationalities, pushing,
+hustling and screaming in all the tongues of Babel. The
+handsome old Arab fortress that stands on its jagged
+rocky prominence as a sentinel at the entrance of the
+harbour, takes one back to the time before the port was
+taken over by the British, and when it was used by those
+who had carried on the terrible slave traffic in the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_2"></a>[2]</span>
+interior. A little to the left is to be seen the British
+Consulate with its Union Jack fluttering from the mast
+as the emblem of liberty and justice to all who come
+under its jurisdiction.</p>
+
+<p>As we stepped from the ship’s deck on to the landing-stage
+the sun felt distinctly African. The dazzling white
+and somewhat congested streets seemed to singe our very
+boot leather. It was a relief to have pointed out a strip
+of bright green mainland which lay at the extreme end of
+a sheltered bay, as the place where hospitality would be
+offered me and two others of our party of seven, while
+preparations were being made for our journey up country.
+A short row brought us to this mission station of the
+Church Missionary Society—Freretown—the situation of
+which is very pleasing; in front stretches the transparent
+blue bay, beyond to the right the white minarets and red
+tiled roofs of Mombasa, and all around dense foliage—mango
+and banana trees, creepers and shrubs and flowers
+in tangled confusion. A warm English welcome awaited
+us from our missionary friends there who were domiciled
+in a solid two-storied brick house.</p>
+
+<p>The guest room delegated to me was evidently an
+afterthought, as it was constructed of corrugated iron
+with plaited grass stretched across for a ceiling. The room
+opened out on a broad balcony, and as it is the custom
+to leave open the doors at night to catch the least suspicion
+of a breeze that might blow in across the bay, the
+bats and rats made free use of my room until daybreak.
+The first night I found the rats had shewed an appreciative
+appetite for Cadbury’s chocolate, for they completely
+finished off my half-pound tin which had been tusselled
+for at a chess tournament on board ship.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus02" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus02.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>PORT OF MOMBASA.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>The terrible famine up country had brought many half-starved
+folk to the coast. Bishop Peel had sent down some
+30 to 40 girls and boys from the Wanika tribe to be clothed,
+fed, and cared for at the mission dormitory. Starvation<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_3"></a>[3]</span>
+had played frightful havoc with them. One wee babe of
+about two years, all skin and bone, had had her hands held
+in the fire by her mother because hunger had driven her to
+steal a banana. Her tiny fingers were twisted back and
+much distorted, some joints having entirely gone. Other
+children had no toes, these having been literally eaten
+away by the little insects known as jiggers, which
+are very numerous inland, and trouble Europeans as well
+as natives.</p>
+
+<p>On Sunday we went to morning service in the splendid
+brick native church. As it was conducted in the Swahili
+language we could only follow in silence the order of the
+liturgy. The church, holding about 500 people, was
+almost full. Colours were very pronounced among the
+women. The girls were dressed in white gowns with red
+handkerchiefs round the head; but the elder women
+adopted the most remarkable hues: orange-coloured
+sashes and violet head gear were the most conspicuous.
+They attended very devoutly, and as I knelt at the
+Communion rails with a native woman on either side,
+that text appealed to me with a new power “Other sheep
+I have ... and there shall be one fold and one
+Shepherd.” In the afternoon I delivered my first message
+to Africans. I had been asked to speak through interpretation
+to a class of women; it was not easy to stand
+up before one’s first audience of dusky faces and to try
+and adapt the message to their minds—an unexplored
+land as yet to me—to choose carefully words which
+would lend themselves to interpretation and to recollect
+the point stopped at between the sentences.</p>
+
+<p>The morning after our arrival we all met in the office
+of the Church Missionary Society’s agency. Before us
+were arrayed a dozen Swahili lads who were coming up
+country with us to act as our personal attendants. Each
+of us was to be allowed the sole service of one, the half of
+another, and a quarter of another; that is, one boy was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_4"></a>[4]</span>
+to act as housemaid, two of us would share a cook, and
+four a cook’s mate. Minute instructions were given us
+as to travelling arrangements, which resulted in, for one
+thing, the re-adjusting of every one of our loads that
+weighed anything over 65lbs. It let me in for some
+days of arduous labour. If it had not been for my newly
+acquired “housemaid” Richard, who had attached himself
+to me after that morning in the office, the unpacking
+and re-packing would have proved an almost hopeless
+task in such melting temperature. The last load nailed
+down contained a heterogeneous collection of groceries,
+Monkey Brand soap, photos, a saucepan, and a few
+garments, all of which had been taken out of loads of
+overweight. Quite unexpectedly we heard that our start
+up country was to be made on the fifth day after our
+arrival at the coast. A breakdown was hinted at as being
+likely to occur on the railroad on account of the heavy
+rains that had fallen. Apart from this we were told that
+the train would accomplish the 364 miles of its journey
+in one day and night. At railhead our caravan of porters
+was awaiting us, as also the two donkeys and two jinrickshas,
+which would prove essential in case of sickness
+on the road. We speedily fixed our bicycles up on hearing
+of the immediate start to be made, which seemed to
+make us all desperately impatient to be spinning along
+the African roads to Uganda.</p>
+
+<p>On February 23rd we left Mombasa. A large party of
+missionaries met at Freretown Church at eight o’clock
+for united Communion. Then we hurried down to the
+shore where a boat awaited us to take us across to Port
+Mombasa. After getting together all handbags and other
+small baggage we were packed away in a ghari—a tiny
+truck for four persons, with shade, run on rails along the
+street. A curious party we looked; three gharis left
+the town, boxes, bags and rugs heaped up in a pile, a few
+natives scattered about here and there among us, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_5"></a>[5]</span>
+boys pushing behind. These vehicles simply fly along
+when going downhill; one box toppled over in one of
+these wild escapades, and the whole contents burst out
+and were scattered about on the road. Then a derailment
+of one ghari necessitated the passengers dismounting,
+and the cars that followed in the wake being carried
+round the obstructing car. The terminus of the railway
+is at Kilindini, which lies about two miles outside
+Mombasa. At the station a strange scene confronted us.
+People from various countries were rushing about in a
+state of great excitement, all struggling to crowd into the
+few compartments allotted to fourth class passengers.
+They were so jammed together that one could only
+expect to see the carriages burst apart with the pressure
+from inside. Our compartments were ever so much
+better than I had expected; two had been reserved for
+our party of seven. Perhaps some of us were a little
+disappointed that there was no “roughing it,” but we
+tried to console each other with the thought that there
+might be a breakdown on the line. Our feelings can be
+imagined when the train whizzed away and kept up a most
+respectable speed, in fact, behaved itself like a civilized
+being. We had armed ourselves with plenty of provisions,
+but found that good meals had been prepared for us at
+various long halting stations on the route. Wanting to
+lighten our supplies, however, afternoon tea was suggested,
+and as passengers could walk from one compartment to
+another by means of an outside foot-board, even though
+the train was running, we invited all the members of our
+party in to a social tea. My canteen was produced and
+efforts were made to boil the water, but the train was
+shaking so unreasonably that the small kettle needed to
+be constantly replenished during the boiling. We had
+to warn our guests to avoid the streams of water that
+were running down the carriage from the kettle spout,
+but the last arrival made a dreadful mistake by sitting on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_6"></a>[6]</span>
+the top of the teapot just as the tea was made. This
+was not discovered until the whole contents were upset
+and the offender realized a scalding sensation.</p>
+
+<p>The first day on the Uganda railroad was certainly not
+the most enjoyable; the heat was stifling and the dust so
+obtrusive that in spite of having the windows closed, in
+less than an hour everything had assumed a brownish-red
+appearance; the carriage cushions, our clothing, hair, and
+eyes were full of it, and if one did venture to open the lips
+to pass a remark, a mouth-wash was necessary. Mile after
+mile of country was passed where the grass was entirely
+burnt up, and almost all trees and shrubs dried and
+bleached. The land was in the grip of famine, whose
+hand of death had touched all nature. Some of its last
+victims dragged their exhausted limbs to the banks of the
+railroad as the train passed through their land of hunger.
+Poor wee children, their sharp bones standing out in a
+most ghastly manner, looked like skeletons moving. We
+gave them food which they voraciously seized, but alas,
+many had got beyond the power of eating.</p>
+
+<p>Our first halting place was Voi, which we reached at
+seven p.m., after a run of eight hours. As the train was
+not leaving again till eleven o’clock we were allowed time
+for a short rest after dining at the station bungalow.
+Native couches of woven grass stretched over wooden
+frames were given to us, but the need of mosquito nets
+and blankets drove all ideas of sleep away. The next
+morning we found the scenery had entirely changed; vast
+stretches of plain and gently undulating country extended
+for miles on either side. This district, known as the Athi
+plain, is thickly populated with all sorts of wild animals.
+There were scores of antelopes, zebras, and ostriches. The
+tracks of lions were pointed out to us, but these are the
+only animals that apparently do not venture near the
+trains in broad daylight.</p>
+
+<p>Nairobi, which has been named the “tin-town” on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_7"></a>[7]</span>
+account of all the buildings being composed of corrugated
+zinc, is quite an important place. It is one of the headquarters
+and workshops of the railway company, and a
+large and rapidly increasing European, Indian, and Arab
+population has settled here. From this point we had to
+take up our porters, and this was not an easy matter.
+Instead of the 300 or so required, only about 150 were
+procurable to carry all our loads of food supplies, clothing
+and household requisites for the road and our destination,
+besides various other boxes and literature for missionaries
+and mission work in Uganda.</p>
+
+<p>After leaving Nairobi another complete contrast opened
+out before us. Dense thickets, forests and jungle covered
+hill and dale, without a sign of human life. Truly the
+world seemed here as in infancy, and the railway a harsh
+discord of civilization. It is a rest to the mind and soul
+to pass through these world’s natural parks; the deep long
+silence, unreached by man’s babble, carries in its air a
+breeze from Home and one’s whole inward being rises on
+the wing to its God. I wondered why such miles and
+miles of uninhabited land existed when “He created it
+not in vain, He formed it to be inhabited.” Was it that
+He might give us “the treasures of darkness and hidden
+riches of secret places” which God deposits in regions
+where, untrammelled by the footprints (not the results)
+of sin the Shekinah dwells revealed in such natural
+splendour?</p>
+
+<p>On Sunday at two p.m., we found ourselves at railhead.
+The train before ours had been derailed several
+times on account of the heavy rains washing down the
+new embankments, but as trains only run once a week,
+repairs had been temporarily completed, so we finished
+our journey without a single mishap.</p>
+
+<p>I wish you could have seen our plight as we arrived.
+To begin with, even in the finest weather the country
+would always appear somewhat dreary; nature has not<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_8"></a>[8]</span>
+behaved very liberally. The train drew up abruptly, not
+because of its having reached a station, but there was no
+more line on which to run. The only buildings were a
+few tents and iron sheds, the property of the six Europeans
+and score of Indians employed on the construction of the
+railway. The whole country was under water, and the
+rains were sweeping down in a deluge. Out of the
+waters appeared our two jinrickshas and a few boxes,
+and these indicated the spot where we were to camp.
+Our first inclination was to remain in the train, but as
+that had to return at once, we waded out and about, and
+did not quite know what to do next. Here the Europeans
+came nobly to our assistance and offered the ladies shelter
+in a tent called the post-office. It is remarkable what a
+lot it takes to make you depressed in Africa. In England
+I believe most of us would have felt rather despondent,
+but none of us confessed to those feelings. After a
+cup of tea, with condensed milk, had warmed us up, we
+gave a right good British cheer as a tapping at the
+telegraph wires in our tea room told us of a splendid
+British victory at the seat of war.</p>
+
+<p>Towards evening the rain ceased and as the ground
+was well digged round with trenches the water quickly
+drained off, so our tents were unpacked and erected. The
+railway officials kindly supplied us with a number of
+solid planks, which formed a firm flooring over the mud.</p>
+
+<p>The tents looked so warm and bright in the midst of
+such grey surroundings. Camping out was quite a new
+experience to most of us and we immensely enjoyed
+moving in to our new quarters. When we had got
+straight the whole party came together in our tent,
+squeezed round the tiny table, and we had a thanksgiving
+service. Through the goodness of God, things had
+marvellously adjusted themselves, considering the short
+time and the swamped condition of the country. We all
+sang the <i>Te Deum</i> till our little tent rang with voices.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus03" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus03.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE KIDONG ESCARPMENT.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by W. D. Young, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_9"></a>[9]</span></p>
+
+<p>As we joined in the general thanksgiving and prayers
+I can truly say that no more heartfelt praise ascended
+into the courts of Heaven from any temple that Sunday
+evening, than from our little tabernacle in the wilderness.</p>
+
+<p>Outside, darkness reigned, except for the porters’
+fires, burning in every direction, with the black figures
+squatting round, which gave the whole scene a weird and
+fantastic appearance.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning all our loads were hauled out for
+inspection, and owing to the lack of porters we were
+obliged to choose out such as would be required for more
+immediate use; the remaining boxes had to be stacked in
+a rather too well ventilated shed to await reinforcements
+of porters. This particular district was in rather a
+disturbed condition. The day before we had arrived
+some natives fired upon a European and killed him; in
+consequence a small detachment of soldiers had been sent
+out to see into matters and had shot two natives. We
+were warned at night to have our camp carefully guarded
+by askaris,<a id="FNanchor_1" href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> as thieves were about in addition to any unfriendly
+folk who might be prowling round. So a fire was
+lit just outside our tents, and sentries stationed at close
+distances. They accosted every passer-by in angry tones,
+and those who did not use the password “friend” stood
+a very poor chance of getting off.</p>
+
+<p>As we stood round the log-fire at evening, the thunder
+and lightning roared and flashed; and then down came
+the rain and pelted hard all night. One of the tents was
+quite flooded; the bed and furniture were rescued and the
+occupant moved into another’s tent pitched on slightly
+higher ground. We had arrived in the rainy season, and
+were told that we must not be surprised if we got a daily
+soaking. It rather damped one’s enthusiasm for camping
+out and cycling. This district is called the Kidong
+Escarpment, and is a ledge of land that suddenly drops<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_10"></a>[10]</span>
+some 500 feet. The railway takes a circuitous route to
+avoid this drop, but at that time a most elaborate
+temporary line had been laid down the precipitous bank,
+the cars being worked by cables. One had here an
+example of the almost insurmountable difficulties that
+faced the engineers of the Uganda railway, difficulties
+emphasised by the fact that all material required had to
+be imported from India or England. Viaducts, some of
+which are of gigantic height, frequently connect rock to
+rock, and along these the train has cautiously to pass.
+At other times the brave little locomotive pants and
+gasps as it toils along with its burden; now and again it
+stops to gain breath, then it goes on again, climbing, ever
+climbing, till it has reached an altitude of 7,000 feet.</p>
+
+<p>After the burning heat of the dusty plains, along which
+the train rushes with hysterical speed, filling the traveller
+with misgivings and treating him to plenty of rough
+shakings, how welcome is the cold frosty air of these
+African Highlands, which have proved no barrier to the
+Uganda railroad.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus04" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus04.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A VIADUCT ON THE UGANDA RAILROAD.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by W. D. Young, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_11"></a>[11]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_II">CHAPTER II<br>
+<span class="smaller">On Land and Lake</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>We certainly set off for our first so-called tramp most
+professionally fitted out, but this only lasted for
+one day. The marching Norfolk dress was soon
+discarded for a loose blouse; the water bottle,
+which did give one rather a heroic aspect, was quietly
+given over to the “boy”; that wonderful compendium of
+knife, corkscrew, file, button hook, and so forth, which
+includes everything that you never want and nothing that
+you do, was likewise voted too heavy; even the puggaree
+that had offered a suggestion of trimming to the very unbecoming
+bald topee, was thrown out, and any consideration
+for personal appearance that might have secretly
+lurked within was superseded by the one desire for
+comfort, as we steamed along on our bicycles over good,
+bad, and indifferent roads, the sun beating down upon us
+all the time.</p>
+
+<p>Lake Naivasha seemed scarcely large enough to satisfy
+our inordinate thirst as we pulled up; we were not a bit
+polite when tea was generously doled out to us by the
+Europeans stationed there, for none of us refused a fourth
+and fifth cup, even when we saw the supply was running
+short. I got very behindhand in my journal while on
+the road. Never had I been successful in keeping one
+for longer than a week; on the seventh day it had
+become so intolerably dull that Dryasdust must even
+have yawned. Of course, Africa supplies you with
+plenty of material, but the methodical mind and will<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_12"></a>[12]</span>
+power are somehow wanting. Let me tell you why. At
+4.0 a.m. daily one wakes up with a start, for as the sun
+does not rise till 6.0, night still seems to rest heavily on
+the land and on one’s eyelids. But the caravan leader is
+beating a drum, accompanying it with a shrill falsetto
+call to rise; and if one dares to stay rubbing the sleep
+out of the eyes, the porters are fumbling away at the
+tent ropes, and before there is time to complete one’s
+toilette, the whole tent flops down like a closed umbrella.
+A truly undignified exit is made by a dishevelled figure,
+and one turns up while breakfast is being served round
+the camp fire on tin crockery.</p>
+
+<p>In the dusk we push off; a real expert rider you must
+be to dodge in and out of the porters who are already
+filing along on the narrow path, and have a happy knack
+of swinging round at the sound of the bicycle bell just
+as you pass—the tent-pole carrier was a veritable man-trap,
+and more than once pitched machine and rider into
+the ditch. I am sure I shall never complain again of
+English or even Scotch roads; the ridges we have ridden
+over (often ending in a swamp) have helped to strengthen
+one’s nerves and powers of balance. We generally reach
+camp before our porters, and then seek out some shelter
+till our tents arrive. It is a quaint sight to watch the
+long line of the caravan coming in; the men become very
+excited at sight of the halting place, and as the first man
+who carries a drum beats it with all his might, swinging a
+zebra tail round and round his head, the men all break
+into song and a slow dance, which gradually increases in
+volume and speed until the 65lb. box on the head is
+quite forgotten, the body springs about in mid-air, and
+finally throws itself down with a shout of ecstasy and an
+eloquent outburst of self-praise and congratulation.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus05" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus05.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A GROUP OF MASAIS.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>When tents have been pitched and bodily restoratives
+have been applied in the form of cool baths, a good meal
+and a sleep, the only possible hour for journalling has<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_13"></a>[13]</span>
+come. But who could resist the desire to peep outside
+the tent door, and then into the new and fascinating
+features of folk, animals, birds, and country that surround
+the colony of tents? So my pen remained idle for many
+days on the road, and as we were constantly going
+forward, it was not easy to go back and pick up broken
+threads.</p>
+
+<p>The day from Lake Nakuro must have a few lines to
+itself. The usual 15 miles’ journey had appeared
+exceptionally short on account of the good roads, and
+there being no houses or even signboard to tell you “this
+is camp,” we rode past it unconsciously. While resting
+mid-day on the banks of a shady nook for a cup of tea and
+biscuits, two bicycles unfortunately fell over on my gear
+case and completely smashed it up. This made riding a
+little difficult for the remainder of the day, as the skirt
+would keep catching in the chain, and the gear-case
+strapped across the handle-bars did not allow much knee
+space. Very hot, dusty, hungry, and tired at 3.30 p.m.,
+we came across a small Indian encampment which had
+journeyed up country for railway survey with a large
+number of pack mules. The campers told us we had come
+34 miles. This rather alarmed us, for we wondered how
+our porters could cover that distance. It was a ghastly
+spot. The ground was strewn with numbers of bleached
+skulls and bones, which we afterwards learned were part
+of an Indian troop that some time previously had travelled
+down country under Mr. Grant, and had died for want of
+water.</p>
+
+<p>After waiting some time scouts were sent out to
+search for our men, but as night fell they returned with
+the tidings that our caravan was camped some 15 miles
+away, and was too exhausted to push on. Having eaten
+nothing since 4 o’clock a.m., with the exception of that
+mid-day impromptu lunch, I must confess that our first
+consideration was for food. Fortunately one of our party<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_14"></a>[14]</span>
+had shot during the day a bustard. This was speedily
+prepared and cooked in a pot lent us by the Indians. A
+few biscuits and some tea still remained in our canteen,
+and so sitting round an ember fire inside the stockade
+constructed for the mules as protection from the lions,
+we enjoyed, perhaps as never before, a hearty, simple
+and crude meal, without chairs, spoons, forks, or even
+chop-sticks. We tried to effect further loans, and through
+the generosity of our new friends succeeded in procuring
+one small tent for the night. It <i>was</i> small, 6 feet square,
+and we five ladies had to pack into it. We did manage
+it by strictly adhering to the agreement of sleeping on
+one’s side and not attempting to change over. There
+were no blankets, but certainly none of us felt the need
+of them! The gentlemen kept guard round the
+watch fires all night, but I think they got in more
+sleep than we did.</p>
+
+<p>In case such a thing should ever happen again, the men
+of our party were evidently determined to be prepared,
+for on the following afternoon we saw them shouldering
+their guns, and after hearing a few distant sounds of shot,
+two zebras and three antelopes were carried into camp;
+and before we had finished admiring and pitying these
+splendid fallen lords of the country, they were carried off
+and skinned. The next sight we caught of them was
+in the form of long, gory strips festooned from branch
+to branch of a tree close by. The porters, hawk-like,
+were standing round, as hungry East Enders outside
+fried fish bars. Perhaps they can be partially excused
+when we consider the monotonous, unpalatable millet
+which constitutes their daily diet. At 7 p.m. a
+drum was beaten, and every man presented himself
+in as famished a condition as he could assume.
+They stood like soldiers waiting to be decorated with the
+V.C. In a few minutes the tree was quite cleared, and
+outside each tiny tent was fixed on sticks venison and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_15"></a>[15]</span>
+wild beef roasting over the fires. The sounds of revelry
+had scarcely died away when the morning call drum
+sounded.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus06" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus06.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE NEW BOAT ON VICTORIA NYANZA.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>The people who live in the district through which we
+had hitherto passed are called the Masai tribe, a nomadic
+folk who travel about from one place to another, according
+to the pasture the land offers for their goats and
+sheep. They have distinctly warlike propensities, and a
+warrior chief is often met having a few armed followers,
+who, like their master, smear their bodies with grease
+and red earth, only wearing a small strip of cloth, or an
+animal’s skin over the shoulder, and sometimes a few
+feathers in their matted and oiled hair. The fierce
+opposition they showed to the pioneer Missionaries is now
+no longer displayed; in fact they appear somewhat timid
+and reserved.</p>
+
+<p>The general physical feature of the land is soft, gently
+undulating country. But for the lakes Naivasha and
+Nakuro, and the River Gilgal, there is a marked scarcity
+of water. Not until we reached the Eldoma Ravine did
+we pass anything worthy of being called a forest. At that
+point we had risen 7,000 feet above sea level, and exquisite
+stretches of tangled forests of cedars and bamboos
+afforded a welcome relief after the dried up and treeless
+track we had been accustomed to. Cycling was quite
+impossible owing to the many trees that had fallen across
+the road, and the deep ruts made by the ox waggons
+which had passed along in the wet season; one waggon,
+carrying along parts of a new boat to be floated on the
+Victoria Nyanza, was overthrown and broken up by one
+of these ruts the day we passed through the forest.</p>
+
+<p>In spite of the weariness that often overcomes one
+travelling day after day under such a fierce sun, how glad
+I am that the railway had left us 300 miles of tramping
+before we reached the lake! Those who come up country
+now the railroad is completed will never experience<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_16"></a>[16]</span>
+the fondness, and shall I call it proprietorship, that one
+seems to feel for the land when each step has involved
+labour, every little change from the prairie grass and
+thorn bushes been noticed and welcomed, and each new
+district and tribe prayed and longed over to be claimed
+for Christ. How can I describe the scene that stretched
+before me as I stood on the Nandi plateau overlooking
+the tranquil silver lake, the Victoria Nyanza, lying 3,000ft.
+below. The sun was slowly sinking towards the west,
+and, as it did so, drew the attention to the other side, our
+land of promise, Uganda. As the distant horizon and
+sky were flooded with a gentle red and golden light,
+salvation and victory seemed written in the handwriting
+of God upon the walls of that country.</p>
+
+<p>Turning round towards camp what a contrast the scene
+presented. Hundreds of natives had congregated
+together dressed in animals’ skins, and armed with
+shields and spears, which they were flourishing in the air
+with wild dancing and shrill war song—they were going
+out to fight with a neighbouring tribe. In the morning
+I had had an undesirable encounter with some of them.
+Having taken my writing case and pocket Bible to a hill
+a short distance away from where we were encamped to
+get a view of the wonderful panorama of plain and lake
+beneath, I had been somewhat startled by a number of
+men suddenly appearing from what at first were quite
+undistinguishable grass huts. Void of clothing they had
+painted their bodies with bright red earth, and had
+made various designs with grease on their limbs. Their
+hair was long and twisted into streaks by means of goat’s
+fat, and each man carried a spear and shield. Soon a
+small crowd had gathered round, and I must confess to a
+certain feeling of uneasiness at the isolation of my
+position. However, I determined to evince no fear and
+tried to make the best of it. I undid my writing-case
+and showed it to them, and my watch. They literally<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_17"></a>[17]</span>
+shrieked with delight and surprise when they saw the
+hands run round. The gilt edges of my Bible attracted
+them, so handling it reverently I tried to tell them it was
+God’s Book, and drawing one of the children to me by
+signs, sought to convey to their minds that God loved us.
+I do not know if they caught my meaning, but I do know
+that God caught up the prayers that ascended for them.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus07" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus07.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A NANDI FAMILY.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by W. D. Young, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>The same evening a violent storm broke over us. One
+of our tents was literally washed out, not having had a
+deep ditch digged round in case of emergency.</p>
+
+<p>After moving off again and descending very precipitately
+to the level of the lake, the heavy rains were
+found to have made marching exceedingly difficult. We
+had to plough through thick black mud till we reached
+Port Florence, a distance of twenty-one miles. At one
+point on the road a stream about thirty yards wide had to
+be waded, as our porters were unavailable for carrying,
+having all gone on in front. The water in some parts
+was a foot deep, and it was by no means an easy thing
+getting through it when there were inches of mud from
+which the boots very reluctantly parted.</p>
+
+<p>News had reached us that the steamboat <i>Ruwenzori</i>
+which had been sent to meet us and take us across the
+lake had been wrecked on the way, so we had to put off in
+an Arab dhow, a sailing boat used for transport purposes
+only, and one that offered no passenger accommodation.</p>
+
+<p>Three thousand square miles! Can you imagine a
+lake about that size? And yet on our maps it is no larger
+than a boot button. Quiet and peaceful as is its normal
+condition, there are times when its mighty waters are
+lashed into uncomfortable anger, and casting up foaming
+crests break on the shore with the force and roar of an
+ocean’s storm. Abundant in its resources, it can afford
+to be generous in its supplies; with prodigality it pours
+its fulness into its offspring, so that distant Egypt subsists
+on its benevolence—the Nile.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_18"></a>[18]</span></p>
+
+<p>Although only 7 p.m., darkness had already set in as
+we made our way down to the rough landing-stage to be
+shipped for Uganda. The dhow looked uncomfortably
+small for its crew, seven English passengers, twelve
+“boys,” and all their cargo. It could not get up to the
+little wooden pier, so we rowed out in dug-out canoes by
+the light of a hand lamp. This took time, and it was
+nearly midnight before everything was on board.</p>
+
+<p>A small portion towards the stem had been reserved
+to our use for sleeping, feeding, and living purposes. One
+of the ground sheets of the tent was fixed up on four insecure
+poles to form an awning over us.</p>
+
+<p>Our sacks containing camp beds and blankets were
+placed about to act as bolsters as we lay down on the
+bare boards in the vain hope of sleeping. But they were
+the most bony bolsters I have ever known, for on whatever
+corner you took up your position, there was a point
+of the bedstead running into you. We were all glad
+when a sharp breeze sprang up in the early morning, and
+the sails that had been nodding all night braced themselves
+together for work.</p>
+
+<p>Mid-day we passed a small island which is inhabited by
+fisher folk. They trap the fish by means of baskets with
+inverted necks like a safety ink-pot. Someone suggested
+pulling into shore in a canoe that was passing at the
+time for the purpose of buying some fish, but the people
+had misinterpreted our intentions and had armed themselves
+with spears, and were waiting for us entrenched
+behind large rocks. So it was decided to lunch off tinned
+sausages that day! Our prospects of landing and enjoying
+a change at night from the hard boards of the dhow
+were shattered by the captain assuring us that he could not
+possibly waste such a splendid wind as was blowing, but
+must push on. Accordingly, mattresses and pillows were
+pulled out and spread on the deck, so that our couch might
+be a trifle more comfortable than on the preceding night.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_19"></a>[19]</span></p>
+
+<p>The wind did blow, and the dhow pitched to and fro
+like the tub of Diogenes. He must have been a better
+sailor than most of us were, else he could never have
+steered his craft.</p>
+
+<p>It was wonderful how the food was cooked. The
+Swahili boys are prodigies, and can somehow manage
+under any condition. Finding a large iron tray they
+built up their wood fires on it in the bow of the boat
+and with the usual three stones they boiled their
+kettle, saucepan or other kitchen requisites.</p>
+
+<p>The scenery round the shores of the lake is exceedingly
+pretty. The land gently slopes upward. Here and there
+a belt of forest stretches down to the water’s edge; the
+grass huts huddled together in small communities just
+appear peeping out from the creeks and woods, and birds
+of gorgeous colours fly about or build their nests in
+the branches overhanging the water’s edge.</p>
+
+<p>On the third day of our trip we were becalmed, and it
+was decided to land on an island for the night so that we
+might get a complete change of toilet and rest. There
+was no canoe at hand to take us ashore, so a raft was
+constructed of poles and two large Masai hide shields
+which had been given me up country. We crossed over,
+two by two, carefully balanced in the centre of the raft,
+with shoes and stockings in our hands. The men
+managed to get a few things across, but the raft would
+not bear the weight of the tents. A ground sheet was
+once more utilized by tying it to branches of trees to form
+a covering over our camp and beds at night. Looking
+through the mosquito net I saw the stars peeping down,
+and the fireflies and glow worms lighting up the air and
+shrubs, and heard the croaking of the frogs and the night
+bird cooing in the trees. It seemed like a page out of
+childhood’s fairy book.</p>
+
+<p>There was no chance of getting off in the morning, and
+we made a tour of the island. It chanced to be the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_20"></a>[20]</span>
+one on which the <i>Ruwenzori</i> had been wrecked. The
+captain and his native crew had succeeded in getting
+safely to land, but were in a sad plight without shoes and
+socks and provisions. It was most fortunate our party
+happened to have lighted on that particular island, and
+so were able to replenish the meagre stores of these shipwrecked
+mariners. The natives flocked together when
+they heard of the arrival of white men, and begged them
+to shoot the hippopotami that had been destroying their
+cultivation. They showed us round their village, in the
+centre of which was their devil temple. The head priest
+alone was allowed to enter. Round the courtyard were
+placed flat and upright stone slabs; these were the seats
+of the priests, who sat round in a semi-circle when their
+head priest was inside invoking the evil spirit. The only
+one in our party who knew their language spoke to them,
+and they all united in asking that teachers might be sent
+to them to instruct them in these “good words.” Now
+there is no need to send to them, for since then the island
+has been depopulated by the sleeping sickness. Not one
+inhabitant remains—and they died with their request
+unanswered!</p>
+
+<p>On the morning of the eighth day we were all eagerly
+examining the fringe of land lying straight ahead. The
+opera glasses spied out a few dark figures moving about
+close to the landing stage. In imagination and Pears’
+Soap advertisements I had often seen the picture, the
+blue, transparent water, a stretch of sandy shore—the
+background of banana trees and palms, a few grass huts,
+and a dark-skinned figure standing out in bold relief with
+the broad smile displaying a row of white teeth.
+“Otyano Munange” (How do you do, my friend?) and a
+prolonged exchange of grunts greeted us as we stepped
+from the dhow on to the shores of Port Munyonyo.</p>
+
+<p>During the few minutes of waiting for our boxes to be
+unloaded I moved toward a little hut from which the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_21"></a>[21]</span>
+sound of voices was coming. Peeping in at the low doorway,
+I saw a man dressed in white linen (evidently the
+head of the household). He was sitting, reading aloud
+to a group of men and women gathered round him. The
+Book was the Gospel of St. John.</p>
+
+<p>Surely this was Uganda, where the people who sat in
+darkness have seen a great light. It is wonderful what
+the Bible has done for them. Its influence penetrates
+the entire country, and its very utterances are the
+language of the people. Its expressions of greeting and
+farewell are used, and with reverence.</p>
+
+<p>How our bicycles did run away with us over those
+seven miles to Mengo. After mounting them, we were
+followed by numbers of natives, and from every direction
+they came out of their shambas to greet us, falling down
+on their knees and saying, “You are our prayers, thank
+you.”</p>
+
+<p>On hearing of our arrival, our missionary friends had
+all started off to greet us. They described it as a little
+bit of England to see seven cyclists coming along with an
+impress of home which the five weeks’ knocking about had
+not quite obliterated. The first one to meet us must
+have been guilty of scorching, as he was far ahead of the
+others, and he was determined to give us a real taste of
+Uganda right away, for he produced from his pocket
+some bananas (shall I own it, rather squashy) wrapped
+up in a newspaper; they were good!</p>
+
+<p>Next came along a mule, bearing towards us Bishop
+Tucker, who had come out to welcome his new recruits.
+I do not remember quite distinctly the other faces, for we
+were literally hemmed in by scores of excited natives,
+hustling, bustling, clapping, and chattering, seizing our
+hands and thanking us for having come so far to them,
+while tears of gratitude glistened on some of their
+splendid, intelligent, brown faces.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_22"></a>[22]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_III">CHAPTER III<br>
+<span class="smaller">Mengo, Uganda</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Judging from the view obtained from this, the
+native capital of Uganda, Mengo, the country
+seems composed of hills. On one of these stands
+the cathedral and missionaries’ houses, and the splendid
+hospital, then just ready to be opened (but since burnt
+down), and holding fifty to sixty beds. The Roman
+Catholic Mission commands another hill, while on the
+highest is the King’s palace. The head man of the district
+builds at the top of each hill, and his dependents live round,
+their site being determined by their social position. The
+whole district is densely populated, but this is difficult at
+first to see, as the huts harmonize with the vegetation
+around, or are hidden by the large banana plantations
+that surround each dwelling. What strikes a new
+arrival are the very wide, well-made roads that have been
+cut in various directions, quite a novel feature for Africa.</p>
+
+<p>Living out here is necessarily very simple. The
+English houses then resembled bungalows constructed of
+poles and light, long reeds sewn together by means of a
+black fibre: two layers formed the walls, with dried leaves
+stuffed between, the roof being thatched with grass. The
+floors were beaten earth, with skins or grass mats thrown
+down in place of carpets. There were only outside
+doors, pieces of terra cotta coloured bark cloth being
+hung as curtains between the inside doorways. The
+apertures made in the walls for windows were closed in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_23"></a>[23]</span>
+at night by shutters of sewn reeds. The rooms looked
+distinctly rural, with bookshelves, wardrobes, and
+cabinets made with packing cases of uniform size
+stacked one upon another. A few native curios and
+chairs placed about were rather more useful than
+ornamental.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus08" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus08.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A GROUP OF BAGANDA.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Each missionary’s house was fitted up with a spare
+room, but visitors were expected to bring their own
+furniture and attendants, even though it might be but a
+Saturday till Monday visit. If you were not a bonâ-fide
+fresh arrival you had to bring your cow as well. The
+European’s staff of domestics consists generally of small
+boys varying from eight to thirteen years of age. These
+cook, wait, clean up, wash, in fact will do anything you
+want them to do and a great deal more besides. As we
+passed the little cook shed one evening the chef was
+rubbing up the roast chicken with his grimy little hands
+to give the final touch before sending it to table. The
+ladies employ female labour, and the girls range from three
+to fifteen years of age, after which they marry. One
+small thing of five years was “parlourmaid” to their
+household at the time of our arrival. At afternoon tea
+she strolled into the room with the teapot balanced on
+her head; in the same exalted position were the vegetables
+brought in at dinner served up in a large plaited
+basket shaped like a Japanese hat, with leaves placed
+under the unsweetened cooked bananas or potatoes.</p>
+
+<p>The kitchen, like the servants’ quarters, is built apart
+from the houses. There are no ranges or stoves. The
+cooking-pot, saucepan, kettle, or frying-pan sits on three
+bricks or large stones between which the firewood is
+rammed. The cooking-pots make successful ovens for
+bread-making if a tray of fire is placed on the top.</p>
+
+<p>The day after our arrival being Sunday we had
+an early opportunity of witnessing a little of what
+Christianity has done for Uganda. The unreached tribes<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_24"></a>[24]</span>
+we had passed through in their nakedness and savagery,
+propitiating demons, and offering human sacrifices,
+are what these people were before the Gospel reached
+them. Now, as the huge church drum, echoing from hill
+to hill, called to morning prayer, a continual stream of
+people was seen pouring into the large “basket”
+cathedral. As we entered at 9 a.m. what an impressive
+sight awaited us! Perhaps the first thing that attracted
+one’s attention was the veritable forest of poles that supported
+the roof; but, then, looking down, the eye travelled
+over a sea of black woolly heads—of about two thousand
+men dressed in spotless white linen on one side, and of
+women draped in the bark cloths, so soft and restful to the
+eye, on the other. There were no chairs or pews, but each
+one brought a goat skin or grass kneeling mat. With no
+muffled, inarticulate voice did they join in the service,
+but as they all united in the Lord’s Prayer a noise as of
+thunder sounded throughout the building. When the
+time for reading of the Scriptures had come, there was
+a general unbandaging of Gospels or Testaments, which
+their owners securely bind round in strips of calico to
+protect them.<a id="FNanchor_2" href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a></p>
+
+<p>In the afternoon we paid a visit to the young king
+Daudi Chwa. His palace is approached by passing through
+an endless number of courtyards formed by woven cane
+fencings ten feet high. In some of these are circular reed
+houses for his courtiers and servants; the last one is the
+royal enclosure. Three round buildings stand here,
+coloured grass plaitings over the entrance distinguishing
+them from others. In one, the audience chamber, sat the
+King, then aged four years.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_25"></a>[25]</span></p>
+
+<p>There was no furniture in the apartment; fine grass was
+carefully and uniformly laid on the ground, over which
+mats were placed on a slightly elevated reed dais. He
+was an important-looking little lad; his curious get-up
+made him appear twice his age. In spite of the great
+heat, a man’s European shirt fell in folds to his feet, and
+over this was an English greasy black morning coat, made
+to fit a man of abnormal proportions. Five women and
+two chiefs waited upon him. Not a word did he speak,
+but stared uninterruptedly, and when on leaving we had
+reached the last courtyard, I was peremptorily recalled.
+It was my velvet collar band he wanted to inspect.</p>
+
+<p>The form of native government is very highly
+developed and remarkable, for a tribe that had had no
+contact with the forms of government adopted by
+civilized nations. The feudal system is practically that in
+vogue throughout the country, which is divided up into
+shires or districts placed under a chief called the Saza,
+who has his own sub-chiefs. He has the power of settling
+trifling local questions, but everything of importance has
+to be transferred to the King.</p>
+
+<p>The English Government had recently levied upon the
+whole Protectorate a hut tax of 3 rupees yearly. This
+creates a new demand, and has had a salutary effect on
+a people whose needs are so few, and these so easily
+supplied, that they have had little necessity for learning
+the dignity of work.</p>
+
+<p>Tourists could easily spend some days profitably in
+Mengo, where there is much of real interest to be seen. I
+will give my few days of excursion trips, as there is no
+Baedeker on the subject.</p>
+
+<p>First day.—Grand reception by natives.</p>
+
+<p>Second day.—Visit to Cathedral, Schools, and
+Industrial Department of the Church Missionary Society,
+open each day from 8.0 to 4.0. Pay respects to His
+Majesty Daudi I., King of Uganda.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_26"></a>[26]</span></p>
+
+<p>Third day.—Uganda “Picture Gallery” in the Bishop’s
+Palace (constructed of mud and wattle). Every picture
+produced by the Bishop’s own brush while journeying
+through the country. They were so beautiful and give
+such a faithful idea of the country I simply longed to
+despatch the whole lot home.</p>
+
+<p>Fourth day.—Three miles’ walk to the ruins of Mackay’s
+Church and house. Banana plantations now extend over
+his once carefully cultivated garden, a few scattered
+bricks (the first and only introduction of bricks up to that
+time in Mengo) point out the place where the foundation
+of the great invisible Church of Uganda was laid. As
+one stood there one almost felt surrounded by that crowd
+of witnesses of whom the world was not worthy. Just
+to the front is that sacred spot where the first native
+converts were martyred for their faith.</p>
+
+<p>Fifth day.—Visit to the Hospital. I went with the
+doctor to observe and take notes for future use. The
+day’s work commenced with a half-hour’s service held in
+an open outside court. The gate was closed then against
+those who might come for the medicine without the
+morning prayers. Some 150 patients were seeking
+attention this day, and they were allowed into the tiny
+consulting room five at a time. They evidently have a
+good idea of anatomy, for they have a word for nearly
+every bone and gland. Their faith in the white doctor
+speaks eloquently of the cures he has effected. One man
+was quite hurt because the surgeon would not take out
+his liver.</p>
+
+<p>On the same day can be fitted in a bicycle ride to the
+native potteries. Outside a small hut we found two men
+squatted moulding the soft clay with their hands; a well
+rounded flint gave a polish to the pot, while a strand of
+coarsely plaited grass stamped on the soft clay gave a
+border impress. A huge wood furnace was burning in an
+adjoining court into which the vessels were placed and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_27"></a>[27]</span>
+baked. We were so interested in this process that the
+sun had set before we were aware of it, and our ride home
+was in pitch darkness over the deep rutted roads. I had
+a nasty fall which suggested that it might be wiser to
+walk our machines the remainder of the distance. When
+we reached Mengo sharp pain and swollen ankle told of a
+sprain. This kept me a prisoner for three days. It was
+rather providential, for the mail from England came in,
+and as no letters had reached us since leaving the home
+shores, just ten weeks ago, a very big budget was handed
+in to me. Only those who have really experienced it can
+enter into the awful home-sickness that sometimes a girl
+feels on her first long separation from England. After
+some amount of tossing about and roughing it, to be
+suddenly carried back by a letter into the peace and quiet
+of the home, and to read all the interesting little natural
+bits which make you feel once again among the home
+circle, for a minute, when no one is looking, you may
+behave like a big baby.</p>
+
+<p>The destinations of our party of missionaries were
+soon definitely fixed; I was asked to go as one of the first
+women to Toro, a separate and independent kingdom nearly
+200 miles further inland to the north-west of Uganda.
+It involves a journey of 12 to 14 days, as the road is rather
+tough and there are no conveyances. The wonderful
+growth of the work there dates from the conversion of
+the King Kasagama at the beginning of the year 1896,
+who was the first monarch to be baptized in the whole
+Protectorate. In 1897 he wrote the following letter to
+the C.M.S.:—</p>
+
+<div class="blockquote">
+
+<p class="right"><span class="smcap">Toro</span>, February 1, 1897.</p>
+
+<p class="noindent">To my dear Friends the Elders of the Church in Europe.</p>
+
+<p>I greet you very much in our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us
+on the cross to make us children of God. How are you, sirs?</p>
+
+<p>I am Daudi (David) Kasagama, King of Toro. The reason why
+I commence to tell you that is because I wish you to know
+me well.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_28"></a>[28]</span></p>
+
+<p>God our Father gave me the Kingdom of Toro to reign over for
+Him, therefore I write to you my brethren to beseech you
+to remember me and to pray for me every day, all the days.</p>
+
+<p>I praise my Lord very very much indeed for the words of the
+Gospels He brought into my country, and you my brothers
+I thank you for sending Teachers to come here to teach us
+such beautiful words.</p>
+
+<p>I therefore tell you that I want very much, God giving me
+strength, to arrange all the matters of this country for Him
+only, that all my people may understand that Christ Jesus
+He is the Saviour of all countries, and that He is the King
+of all kings. Therefore, sirs, I tell you that I have built a
+very large Church in my Capital, and we call it “The
+Church of St. John.”</p>
+
+<p>Also that very many people come every day into the Church to
+learn the “Words of Life,” perhaps 150, also on Sunday
+they are very many who come to worship God our Father in
+His holy Church and to praise Him. I also tell you that in
+the gardens near here we have built six Churches. The
+people of this place have very great hunger indeed for the
+“Bread of Life,” many die every day while still in their sins
+because they do not hear the Gospel. The teachers are few
+and those who wish to read, many. Therefore, sirs, my dear
+friends, have pity upon my people, in great darkness; they
+do not know where they are going.</p>
+
+<p>Also I want to tell you that there are very many heathen nations
+close to my country—Abakonio, Abamba, Abahoko,
+Abasagala, Abasongola, Abaega, and many others in
+darkness. We heard that now in Uganda there are English
+ladies; but, sirs, here is very great need for ladies to come
+and teach our ladies. I want very very much that they
+come.</p>
+
+<p>Also, my friends, help us every day in your prayers. I want my
+country to be a strong Lantern that is not put out, in this
+land of darkness.</p>
+
+<p>Also I wish to make dear friends in Europe, because we are One
+in Christ Jesus Our Saviour. Now good-bye, my dear
+friends. God be with you in all your decisions.</p>
+
+<p class="center">I am your friend who loves you in Jesus,</p>
+
+<p class="right">DAUDI KASAGAMA.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>How well I remember the deep impression that request<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_29"></a>[29]</span>
+made on me as I read it, little realizing at the time that
+God would send me out in answer to it. Mr. and Mrs.
+A. B. Lloyd were also located to Toro, and Miss Pike,
+who had arrived in Uganda six months previously.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as we knew our location we went off to
+Kampala, the market place and Government station of
+Mengo, to lay in a stock of oil, wheat, matches, bark
+cloths; also cowrie shells, beads, and calico, which are
+the currency of the Toro district. Our purse took the
+shape of two large sacks, each weighing 65lbs., and these
+needed two men to carry them.</p>
+
+<p>Kampala was very different from Namirembe. Swahilis,
+Indians, Arabs, and natives crowded the narrow, stuffy
+street called a market place. Open booths extended
+down either side, and on shelves were displayed various
+native grains and vegetable produce, while gorgeous
+coloured prints and calicoes, beads, and brass wire
+adorned the outfitters’ shops. As we passed along, small
+amused crowds followed us to see the “tall ladies.”</p>
+
+<p>The law court would have shocked the members of the
+profession of Fleet Street. It was a barn-like structure
+built of reeds; there were no benches and witness boxes,
+the only official item being a coat of arms wrought on an
+enamelled iron plate over the judge’s seat and table.</p>
+
+<p>We heard there was a nice little white-washed mud
+house awaiting us in Toro, but there were no windows
+or doors. The European missionary already working
+there promised to make these when we supplied him with
+wood from our packing-cases.</p>
+
+<p>Toro was still in its very dark state, but the people
+were willing and eager to learn. The Uganda of the
+present has been the result of years of labour, the cost of
+noblest lives, the scenes of grandest heroism, the patient,
+untiring, lonely work of such men as Mackay, Pilkington,
+and many others. Toro appeared to have few physical
+dangers, but the moral and spiritual difficulties were just<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_30"></a>[30]</span>
+the same. A fortnight’s journey seemed a long distance
+to the nearest European station, especially to one straight
+out from the roar and bustle of London life, the noise and
+rattle of a large family of brothers and sisters.</p>
+
+<p>We felt very incompetent implements, but remembered
+the prayers going up for us in England, and believed that
+they would have power with the great Master-Builder,
+the Architect of the ages—so that the habitation being
+builded together for God in Toro might be “all glorious
+within.”</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_31"></a>[31]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IV">CHAPTER IV<br>
+<span class="smaller">Toro: The Land of the Mountains of the Moon</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>On Tuesday, April 10th, 1900, the start was made for
+Toro. Our caravan of porters had been sent on
+before to have our first camp in readiness on our
+arrival.</p>
+
+<p>Bishop Tucker, who was coming our way for
+two days on a visit to an out-station, set off on his mule,
+with Miss Pike mounted on a most apologetic-looking
+donkey. The Lloyds and myself arranged our departure
+two hours later, as our cycles promised a quicker method
+of locomotion. Having said the last good-bye to friends,
+I went away for an hour’s quiet to get strengthened for
+the journey. Taking out my “Daily Light” I looked
+for its message, which was the promise given to Israel
+while in captivity, “Thy renown went forth among the
+heathen for thy beauty, for thou art perfect in the majesty
+(R.V.) that I have put upon thee, saith the Lord.”
+What a glorious responsibility through the graciousness
+of God to be allowed to proclaim the renown, beauty and
+majesty of Christ among the heathen.</p>
+
+<p>At 3.0 three cyclists could have been seen scorching
+down the hills from Mengo with a crowd of boys and
+men as bodyguard, all the twelve miles to camp. Africans
+seem to be possessed with an extra breathing reservoir,
+for they can run almost any distance without stopping to
+regain breath. It was dark or semi-obscure in the small
+forest opening where we found our encampment. Miss<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_32"></a>[32]</span>
+Pike was unceremoniously seated on a big box swallowing
+pints of tea! The porters had tried to erect our tent,
+but had not learned the knack, and we had to creep into
+flabby folds of canvas. It looked like a native who wants
+his one daily meal—it sadly needed inflating. Oh, dear!
+How did we manage that night! It became dark so soon,
+everybody had to fish about with candles among a
+medley of boxes, porters and food. Our Baganda boys
+were certainly not trained like the Swahili attendants
+who came up with us to Uganda, in the mysteries and
+arts of camping out. European equipments were unsolved
+conundrums to them. Our four youths looked
+hopelessly vacant, jabbering about round the tent, doing
+nothing but getting into one’s way. When we did sit
+down to a personally-superintended cooked meal, the
+“waiter” knocked the wash-hand basin of water over
+my pillows, which had to be round a fire all night to dry.
+The “boys” can learn to do things fairly nicely if you
+have patience to allow them plenty of time for an idea to
+filter through their minds. They wanted an hour for
+preparing our table at each meal, which was only
+furnished with the simplest and most limited number of
+things. Sitting down before the food box they took out
+every tin and contemplated each one for some minutes
+before deciding whether salt was eaten with tea, jam
+with meat, and so on.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning at 4.30 we were all astir again, and
+as soon as our belongings were packed up, were on our
+way. How I wish I had the power of descriptive
+writing to enable others to peep into one of the many
+exquisite belts of forest that crossed the road at constant
+intervals. They surpassed any Kew tropical greenhouse.
+Unlike the tangled disorderly forests passed on our way
+to Uganda, date palms, trees, climbers, flowers such as
+orchids, sunflowers, wild pea and tomatoes flourished
+there in perfect life and vigour.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_33"></a>[33]</span></p>
+
+<p>Emerging from the cool shade of these trees, our track
+passed through stretches of papyrus and pampas grasses
+eight to fifteen feet high. It was almost impossible to see
+the path of about one foot wide which had become overgrown
+and covered by broken tiger grass. Cycling was
+anything but easy. We had to butt our sun helmets into
+the long, wet waving grass, blindly careering forward.
+There is absolutely no level ground between Toro and
+Uganda, but a succession of hills over the tops of which
+the road has been cut. The descents, sometimes very
+steep are dangerous on account of the thick muddy swamps
+that frequently wind round the bases of the hills. The
+bridges over these swamps often get washed away in the
+rainy seasons. One almost feels the treacherous malaria,
+as heat waves sweep heavily along, while being carried
+through these “Sloughs of Despond” on the shoulder
+of one of the strongest porters. I suppose one of these
+was responsible for the heat sickness that I woke up with
+one morning. A long tiresome march lay ahead, so the
+hammock was insisted upon, and six men, lent by the
+chief of the village, came as carriers. It was rather
+ludicrous to watch the sympathy of the natives. I could
+have imagined myself dying; but the shock they sustained
+when the first little bit of decent road was reached!
+In half-a-minute the awe-struck men stood gasping as, calling
+out to be lowered, the poor, dying “Mukyala” (lady)
+coasted down a tempting hill. They looked quite relieved
+when they found her awaiting the hammock at the foot
+of the next climb.</p>
+
+<p>In one camp the chief came to pay us his respects
+and brought six old men with him and several folks to
+whom he wanted to show the white ladies, none having
+passed along that way before. I could do nothing more
+than greet them with an extenuated string of grunts, but
+this pleased them immensely. Mr. Lloyd asked if I
+would let down my hair, as they had never seen<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_34"></a>[34]</span>
+anything different from their own cropped, frizzy pates,
+and the short hair of a few white men. Out came
+the hairpins, and as the hair tumbled down a
+loud laugh of delight and surprise came from
+every onlooker. A lesson in hairdressing followed,
+and each twist, turn and pin was watched with lively
+excitement. A spoonful of salt was given round to every
+visitor before leaving. Their eyes glistened, their hands
+were lifted to their mouths, the tongues protruded, and,
+oh, the delight of that moment! They smacked their
+lips and relished it as much as I enjoyed sherbet in girlhood’s
+days. The remaining dainty morsel was tied up
+in a piece of banana leaf.</p>
+
+<p>The roads proved too much for my poor wheel. Until
+it could be attended to by a London specialist it had to
+be regarded as a chronic displacement. The strain on
+the fork had been too incessant and heavy with only a
+front rim brake. The ruts, ditches, and obstacles had
+given it a terrible shaking, and finally succeeded in
+literally tearing the fork away from the bar. The
+remainder of the journey, about 140 miles, had to be
+covered on foot. Miss Pike was in the same predicament,
+as the donkey gave in even before the bicycle.</p>
+
+<p>On the sixth day from Mengo we reached Lwekula and
+put up at a European fort, vacated now, but built and
+occupied at the last Soudanese rebellion when the Nubian
+troops and Mohammedan population were up in arms
+against the British Government. It is a square fenced-in
+enclosure with sentinel boxes at each corner and a deep,
+dry moat surrounding it. Two or three reed sheds
+stand inside, one of which we made use of instead of our
+tents, which are intensely hot during the day time.
+Unfortunately, Mrs. Lloyd was taken with bad fever as
+we reached here, and as her temperature remained at 104
+on the third day a special runner was dispatched to
+Mengo asking Dr. Cook to come out to her. The six<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_35"></a>[35]</span>
+following days of waiting for his arrival were anxious
+times to us all, and we watched by her bedside day and
+night. When he did come the fever refused to yield to
+treatment. After a fortnight spent thus it was decided
+that she should be carried back to the nearest European
+station three days away. Before leaving, the doctor had
+an opportunity of relieving several poor native sufferers.
+One was a tubercular case, which necessitated amputation
+of the finger. In lieu of an operating theatre the patient
+was laid on the ground and given chloroform! We
+enjoyed a few regular out-patient days of hospital life
+again.</p>
+
+<p>The knowledge that our two travelling friends must
+return had come to us on my birthday, and a new weight
+seemed added to my quarter of a century of life. They
+had been like brother and sister to me ever since leaving
+England, and now it was like going away from everything
+that connected one with the old land. Then I turned to
+my Bible, and Psalm 22 was the birthday portion—“The
+Kingdom is the Lord’s” stood out as written in gold. I
+could never get beyond God’s country, God’s territory.
+It brought such peace, comfort, protection. No longer
+was it one person almost alone in a big strange land, but
+a child of a King who reigneth in Africa as in England,
+and never sends without Himself going, too.</p>
+
+<p>The doctor left at 12.0 p.m. on April 30th to get ready
+the camp for the Lloyds, and at 4.0 p.m. we fixed the
+invalid up in the hammock and left the Fort with them.
+It was a sad and silent procession, and a talk with Mr.
+Lloyd showed us how bitter was the disappointment to
+them both. At sunset we stood and wished them good-bye,
+and it just needed all the strength we could command
+to keep back the hot tears that wanted to fall with those
+that shook the poor little patient. Neither of us could
+speak as Miss Pike and I returned to the desolate Fort.
+Already two of our companions has been obliged to turn<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_36"></a>[36]</span>
+back, and we two girls were left to go on with a missionary
+who had come out to escort us to Toro.</p>
+
+<p>At midnight my companion was seized with violent
+sickness and slight temperature. Donning slippers and
+enveloping myself in a blanket, I ran out across the Fort
+to rouse one of the boys for hot water. It was awfully
+uncanny. The starlit sky was entirely shut out by angry
+clouds, and the darkness was intolerable. Only the shrill
+shriek of the hyenas broke the stillness, and I half expected
+the faint light from my candle lamp to fall upon a leopard
+or reptile.</p>
+
+<p>After two days, however, she so far recovered as to be
+able in a hammock to take up the journey once more.</p>
+
+<p>I am quite sure Heber had never visited Uganda when
+he wrote:—</p>
+
+<div class="poetry-container">
+<div class="poetry">
+  <div class="stanza">
+    <div class="verse indent0">“Where Afric’s sunny fountains</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Roll down their golden sand.”</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="noindent">If he had done so it might have run:—</p>
+
+<div class="poetry-container">
+<div class="poetry">
+  <div class="stanza">
+    <div class="verse indent0">“Where Afric’s swamps and mountains</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Meet one on every hand.”</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="noindent">Our experience next day especially proved this. At 6 a.m.
+a cloudless sky greeted us, and damp white mists were
+sleeping in each hollow. At the foot of the first hill we
+were confronted by a long swamp with tall papyrus grass
+growing on either side. We had recourse to the
+hammock, and as the water reached the carriers’ waists,
+one felt the canvas was some inches in water and that it
+was a case of floating through the dirty, stagnant river.
+I wondered if poor little Moses in the bulrushes ever felt
+as we did among the papyrus. The second swamp gave
+us a little variety, as the reed bridge had been broken
+down and the step down into the swamp was so steep
+that we felt uncomfortably like sliding over the front
+carrier, while the climb up at the other end gave us our
+first sensation of standing on our heads.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_37"></a>[37]</span></p>
+
+<p>At 11 o’clock we halted under a tree and feasted on
+sausages (tinned), sweet potatoes, cornflour, biscuits, and
+tea. Sausages are a great treat out here, and we only
+indulged as we were doing a double march to reach Toro
+that day week. We then waited till 2 p.m. so as to
+allow the sun to cool down a bit, and enjoyed reading an
+English newspaper, the “British Weekly,” of February
+16th date. After that we felt quite ready to continue our
+march, reaching camp at 4 o’clock, only to find our tents
+had been pitched on such a disgustingly dirty old camping
+ground that they had to be taken up and erected
+some hundred yards further on.</p>
+
+<p>Diary-making that day was impossible. Our tent, from
+the bottom to the top, was literally lined with mosquitoes,
+and their singing quite put in the shade the Royal Choral
+Society at the Albert Hall. In the two previous camps
+they had covered the roof, but evidently never tasted the
+joys of European flesh and feared to descend. These
+others were more initiated.</p>
+
+<p>Arriving at Butiti, which is only 30 miles from
+Kabarole, the capital of Toro, we found a most prosperous
+work going on among the people. Our kind escort from
+Lwekula, Mr. Ecob, was stationed there. A marriage
+was solemnized in the Mission Church on the day of our
+arrival. We went out of curiosity and to get a peep into
+the native customs. Never have I disgraced myself by
+such uncontrollable laughter. First of all, the pair were
+not forthcoming, and so the parson organized a search
+party. A hilarious sound from the porch warned us of
+the bridegroom’s arrival. He was a lanky stripling of
+about 17, dressed in a long white gown. His best man
+wore a very hole-y shirt, Jaeger-coloured for want of a
+wash. An unwound turban was thrown over his
+shoulder till required. The bridegroom went forward
+and squatted on a grass mat in front of the chancel to
+await his betrothed. Soon a slow, solemn procession<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_38"></a>[38]</span>
+coming in at a side door brought in view the belated
+bride, accompanied and surrounded by about thirty
+maidens. How can I describe that picture! She was
+ugly—as ugly as the imagination could picture; somewhat
+advanced in years; her face was marred by cutting
+and branding, and she was reeking with grease which
+was amply smeared over face and shoulders. On her
+head sat a red Turk’s cap worn as a sign of marriage or
+high station. This, on account of its size, had the
+appearance of a candle extinguisher. Then her body
+was swathed in all sorts of coloured prints and beads.
+After the ceremony, the couple left by different doors, the
+bridesmaids holding an old torn “brollie” over the
+retiring bride, who was weeping copiously. The women
+regard marriage in rather a philosophical light. They
+say it has two arms. One brings a home, protection, and
+presents of clothing and rejoicing. The other shuts the
+door of liberty; it brings work, and that means sorrow.
+The thought of the latter predominates on the wedding day.</p>
+
+<p>When six miles away from Butiti we got our first view
+of the Mountains of the Moon. I can never forget the
+sight that was suddenly opened up as we turned a sharp
+bend round a high hill. It was 4.30 p.m. Huge peaks,
+sharp and rugged, stretched from north to south in an
+unbroken range of sixty-nine miles long. Heavy black
+thunder clouds rolled over some of the summits, while
+the lightning shot out angry tongues of fire. Torrents of
+rain were sweeping away to our right, while the sun beat
+down in full strength upon the valleys. Above all, calm
+and serene, shone the region of snow. For all ages the
+sun has directed its equatorial power against that ice
+fortress. Storms have thundered and crushed against its
+foundations, but it has ever stood as the one impregnable
+and unsullied witness of holiness and purity to God, in a
+land where darkness has reigned, and the storms of
+passion, vice and barbarity have laid desolate.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_39"></a>[39]</span></p>
+
+<p>Descending to the forest just beneath us, we sat under
+the shade of its trees, keeping well in view of glorious
+Ruwenzori. While tea was in preparation we just gave
+ourselves up to the influences of environment. For a
+moment we even dared to feel poetical. Long forgotten
+stanzas lived again in the memory, but were all put down
+as original and momentary genius. My turn having
+come round, I made a rush at something with a guilty
+conscience of poaching on another one’s preserves, and it
+ran something like:—</p>
+
+<div class="poetry-container">
+<div class="poetry">
+  <div class="stanza">
+    <div class="verse indent0">“Mountains on whose rugged breast</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">The labouring clouds do often rest.”</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p class="noindent">But I got no further, for who should appear but someone
+suspiciously like a tourist. So unusual a sight made us
+forget English customs, and we waited for no introductions.
+We received a real warm welcome straight away from our
+companion-designate and only co-worker in Kabarole.</p>
+
+<p>Next morning we rose at 5.0 and saw the sun rise on the
+snow peaks and then started on our last walk.</p>
+
+<p>Almost immediately runners met us bearing letters
+from the King and Queen, the Namasole (the King’s
+mother), the Prime Minister, and chiefs, all welcoming
+us in words of warmest thanks. These men scarcely
+waited for our verbal answer before rushing back. In
+fact, the road for a long way ahead was defined by men
+and boys rushing toward and from us with messages. As
+we drew nearer a few teachers and others came to prepare
+us for the reception that awaited us, and informed us
+that the women of Toro were congregated just beyond
+our next hill. We little guessed what an army lay
+entrenched there. As we approached, one moving mass
+of fluttering white and crimson gowns came bearing down
+upon us, rushing, clapping their hands, and shrieking.
+Then crowds of black arms were thrown wildly round our
+necks, and as many pates placed from one shoulder to
+the other.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_40"></a>[40]</span></p>
+
+<p>We talked as well as we could to them, but our progress
+was slow, as every now and again they stopped us
+and repeated their demonstrations. Over the next hill
+the male force had rallied, and here a no less hearty
+though more formal welcome awaited us.</p>
+
+<p>We made for the church, which was crowded, and a
+few impromptu prayers and hymns of praise went up on
+our behalf. Then we inspected our future white-washed
+home, and from that moment, all day long and every
+day, we were crowded with visitors.</p>
+
+<p>The royal band was sent down by His Majesty to play
+outside our house. It was composed of six drummers
+and twelve fifers, whose instruments are able to produce
+about five notes, and with these they produce indistinguishable
+tunes. Their appreciation of music seems to
+depend on the volume of sound produced, so in order to
+give us a proof of their welcome they blew to bursting
+pitch. All day long we were serenaded and at night,
+too. It went on into the second day, and thinking the
+bandsmen might prove to have stronger lung power than
+we had of endurance, we set a polite message to his
+Majesty asking that they might be allowed to rest at
+night till daylight.</p>
+
+<p>So at last we had reached our journey’s end. The
+sixteen weeks that had run out since leaving home had
+been long and eventful. As the evening fell on our first
+day in Toro, we gathered round our log fire and sang
+together “O God our help in ages past.”</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_41"></a>[41]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_V">CHAPTER V<br>
+<span class="smaller">The Country</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Toro is one of the four Kingdoms that comprise the
+Uganda Protectorate and lies on the North-west
+boundary. The present outlook would lead one to
+think that it will remain unaffected longer than the
+other three neighbouring States by the inroads that
+civilization is making in Uganda, which the railway has
+brought into such close proximity to the outside world,
+while traders pass along the splendid caravan roads
+through Bunyoro up to the Nile, and to the Southern
+cattle-rearing Kingdom of Ankole. There is nothing to
+attract them to Toro, as the journey is a real physical
+effort, and there is no commercial prospect of mineral
+wealth or remunerative industry to justify the long journey.
+The ivory that formerly brought the Arab traders into the
+country is now almost entirely preserved by the British
+Government. So, unless Toro is visited by more successful
+prospectors than those who have already casually
+looked round, who shall discover some hidden mine of
+wealth, in all probability it will remain undisturbed in
+its present state of rusticity.</p>
+
+<p>But it is a wonderful country, and one that must ever
+fascinate a lover of nature and its freaks. The mountains
+are in themselves a unique feature. One can
+scarcely reconcile the co-existence of an equatorial sun
+and eternal snows, yet so it is. Strange mountain tribes
+in quite primeval state live among its forests and creeks,
+while just on its other side extends Stanley’s Great
+Forest with its pigmy inhabitants.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_42"></a>[42]</span></p>
+
+<p>On all sides one sees the results of the operation of
+mighty unseen forces. Numbers of extinct volcanoes are
+visible from our hill, the craters of which form the beds
+of lakes now, with vegetation and forest growth stretching
+down their sides to the water’s edge.</p>
+
+<p>They must have enjoyed a good long sleep, as no hints
+of their activity are traced in the native traditions, which
+go back to a corresponding Adamic period. There are
+quite a number of legends, however, which invariably
+associate them with evil spirits that are supposed to live
+in the craters. This is believed even still by some of the
+raw peasants. One day a woman told me that her two
+little boys had been playing in the courtyard while she
+was at work, and the “Muchwezi” (evil spirit) from the
+Crater hill two miles away had come and run off with
+her elder child. For two years he had remained lost to
+them, when suddenly he returned clothed in a strip of
+bark-cloth and a charm round his neck peculiar to that
+evil spirit. He was sworn to divulge nothing of what
+had happened to him while being with the evil spirits in
+the crater, under the penalty of being caught away again
+by them.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus09" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus09.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE MARKET PLACE.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Here let me recount a rather unique picnic we had at
+one of these crater lakes three miles away. It happened
+on a Monday—the Missionaries’ off-day—when general
+repairs and washing are usually done, or visits paid to
+neighbouring villages. We started off on our bikes in
+high spirits which managed to survive a heavy thunderstorm
+that overtook us half way and soaked us through.
+We hung ourselves out to dry round a fire in the hut on
+the lake shore, and having warmed ourselves with tea
+made for the lake in search of wild-duck. We baled
+the water out of the dug-out canoe and set off with three
+boys as paddlers. You never met with anything more
+aggravating than an African dug-out; they are so badly
+balanced that the least movement threatens to overturn<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_43"></a>[43]</span>
+the skiff; and as for steering, that is out of the question.
+Anyhow, when we were far away from our landing point,
+the canoe refused to move, except in complete circles. We
+could make no headway; the united efforts of all—barring
+myself, who did not row—failed to move the boat except
+in rapid revolutions. Then a storm blew up and darkness
+seemed to be suddenly settling down on us. One of
+our party, who knew from experience our danger, was in
+a terrible fright. I tried hard to tune up to “Excelsior”
+and “Midshipmite,” which eventually evidently appealed
+to the kind heart of the elements, for the boat moved and
+we were safely landed. But the return home was the
+difficulty. The moon went in as soon as it appeared,
+and as it was so dark a different route was suggested, in
+order to escape the river which we had to cross on our
+way out. About half way we found out that the recent
+storms had washed away the bridge we had relied upon
+to get us across the river and so were obliged to trust to
+other means. Miss Pike headed the procession on a
+boy’s shoulder, but as the water came up to the lad’s armpit
+her position was far from enviable. Then I ventured
+on the donkey, sitting in a sort of tailor fashion, but, alas!
+the water refused to let me off scot free. After that, in a
+miserably drenched condition, with our flapping skirts
+like reservoirs of water, we trudged on through long grass
+and thick mud, and at last reached a succession of deep
+swamps. One of these looked so tragic and interminable
+that the men insisted on crossing hands and taking me
+through in dandy-chair style. I shall not forget that
+experience. Like Christian of old, one of my carrier’s
+strength and courage failed him, and half-way I became
+suddenly aware that he was rapidly disappearing under
+water. A violent yell brought small boys to the rescue,
+who, supporting me, managed to extricate him from the
+mud depths, and a second start was made; but just as we
+were reaching the other side the same poor, unfortunate<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_44"></a>[44]</span>
+man landed in more mud, into which he sank. Before
+I could release my hold, I saw him go completely under
+the water, and felt myself rapidly descending into the
+depths over his head. The situation was so ludicrous
+that the awful after-effects were forgotten in the peals of
+laughter which no one could restrain, in spite of the poor
+man’s miserable condition and my own.</p>
+
+<p>To resume our description—on the east of Ruwenzori
+the land presents an unbroken stretch of undulating
+country; on the west side the land falls rapidly and forms
+the Semliki plain, so called after the river that winds
+zig-zag through it, uniting the Albert Edward Nyanza on
+the south to the Albert Nyanza on the north.</p>
+
+<p>Descending to this plain round the north end of the
+mountain range, the configuration of the land indicates
+two distinct ancient water levels; this is confirmed by
+the quantities of small shells that are often found in
+scattered heaps among the sandy soil, similar to those
+now found on the Lake shores.</p>
+
+<p>With the exception of the fringe of the Congo Forest
+that enters the Toro boundary, and the Bamboo Forests
+that grow so thickly on the slopes of the mountains, Toro
+is not abundant in trees and timber. Wide veins of
+woodland winding along the river courses, however, form
+welcome relief to the prolific elephant grass that covers
+hills and valleys. Looked down upon from a distance
+these extended forests present a rich variety of tints.
+Winter is never seen, for when old age strikes the
+branches, the tree breaks forth into its second childhood
+under the influence of the sun’s rays. But on entering
+beneath the shade of these tempting oases, one realizes a
+feeling of disappointment, for everything appears to have
+outgrown its beauty. Powerful and unkempt creepers
+and rubber plants have wound their long bare limbs like
+poisonous snakes round the barks and branches of the
+trees till the vegetation has ceased to breathe in their grasp,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_45"></a>[45]</span>
+and has withered away. Then the mischievous little
+monkeys as they frolic and scamper about leave such
+litter behind!</p>
+
+<p>Toro is almost entirely void of isolated trees. The
+annual grass fires that are lighted to clear the country
+for the sowing of the crops have given them no chance of
+an existence.</p>
+
+<p>Banana groves are gradually springing up over the
+country, for the Batoro are emulating the example of the
+Baganda in adopting the unsweetened banana called
+“Matoke” as their staple food. Formerly they lived
+entirely on “Bura,” a small millet which possesses a
+very low percentage of nutritive quality. The only
+thing that commends it is the infinitesimal amount of
+labour needed for its cultivation, and this is the chief
+consideration of these folk. They grind the grain
+between two stones which gradually crumble away in the
+process, making the food when cooked hardly distinguishable
+from boiled sand.</p>
+
+<p>Ruwenzori gives the whole kingdom of Toro a very
+plentiful water supply. The streams, flowing down from
+the ever-melting snow and ice, unite and form clear and
+swift rivers which provide the land with pure cold water,
+but at the same time make the country difficult for
+travelling about in. The crude bridges made by the
+natives get washed away in the rainy season, which often
+monopolises nine months out of the twelve. The mountains
+seem to attract every cloud that rises above the
+horizon. Nature indulges in most phenomenal pranks
+out there. There may be a perfectly bright cloudless
+afternoon, when suddenly it looks as if all the clouds of
+heaven had been unchained and let loose. From every
+direction they gather in impenetrable blackness, then
+girding themselves with fury, they burst forth and, with
+a hurricane in their wake, menace Toro with a few angry
+tears of passion and break with roars of thunder and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_46"></a>[46]</span>
+tongues of fire on Ruwenzori’s side. Failing to shake
+that mountain ridge, they rebound and empty themselves
+upon Kabarole. In a few minutes the whole country is
+a wash-out; the hills send down sheets of water, and so
+do our thatched roofs. Unless these are under constant
+repair, all our little black boys, when they see a storm
+coming, are armed with pots, pans, basins, and dishes,
+and stand about in the rooms to catch the rain water,
+and so save themselves the trouble of going to the spring.</p>
+
+<p>One afternoon a terrible thunderstorm broke over
+Toro; the force of one clap, which was simultaneous with
+the most vivid lightning, was indescribable. A thunderbolt
+seemingly had fallen just over our heads and sounded
+as if a million dynamite explosives had burst over us.
+Scarcely had one recovered from the momentary shock,
+when the dreaded sound “Tera enduru” was heard; this
+is a fire alarm which the natives produce by clapping their
+lips with the palm of their hand. Hastening outside, we
+saw clouds of smoke issuing from Mr. and Mrs. Maddox’s
+house, which adjoined ours. Not waiting for hats or
+umbrellas, we hurried across to the yard, where boys and
+girls were rushing frantically about; Mrs. Maddox was in
+bed with fever in the very room where the fire had broken
+out. Her room was blazing away, while she was asleep,
+unconscious of her danger. Wrapping her in blankets,
+we managed to have her carried across to our house.
+The lightning had struck the corner of the room, instantly
+igniting the thatch, poles, and bamboo ceiling; the flash
+had travelled through the room, just escaping the
+bed, but singeing a little Bible on the table close by.
+Really, her escape was nothing less than a miracle. In a
+very short time the Katikiro was on the spot with his
+men, and we all worked hard at carrying out the things.
+To save the house was an impossibility. It was merely a
+fight with time and fire—pulling down packing cases and
+books, carrying out stores, boxes, bedding, clothing,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_47"></a>[47]</span>
+crockery, tables, and chairs, and feeling the flames were
+quickly devouring all that lay in their way. When
+almost the last item was out, we were ordered away, and
+with a crash the end of the roof fell in, while the flames
+ascended in one solid, angry mass. Meanwhile, the King
+had posted an army of men to guard our house, and fan
+away all sparks with large banana leaves. All this had
+taken but fifteen minutes, so you can imagine the rapidity
+with which everyone had worked. The only things burnt
+were a tent and camp-bed, which had been stored in the
+roof, and were quite unreachable.</p>
+
+<p>Fortunately, this happened just ten days before they
+were due to leave for England, so they were not homeless
+for long.</p>
+
+<p>The whole of Toro seemed to crowd into our court,
+congratulating us all on our escape, and thanking God for
+protecting us. You will easily imagine how dead beat we
+were when the day was over, and how we welcomed
+sleep; but this was not to be for long, for at 12.0 midnight
+the same alarm of fire awakened us, and tearing on
+our dressing gowns and slippers, we found Mr. Fisher’s
+women’s house a conflagration. This was truly terrifying,
+as it was in such close proximity to his own house;
+while, as the house was entirely built of grass and reeds,
+the flames were more rapid and dense. Black figures,
+silhouetted against the flaming background, were seen
+wildly scrambling up on to these two roofs, beating away
+the flames and sparks. It really seemed an impossibility
+to save either, especially when you heard people shouting
+“Muije okutukonyera enju yahya” (“Come and help us,
+the house is on the point of burning.”) But I am glad to
+say the God of Deliverances was again with us to save,
+and to show forth His power. Nothing was lost but
+the women’s house, and the possessions and clothing of
+the seven women. In the morning, this was found to be
+a case of incendiarism; a small girl, who had recently<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_48"></a>[48]</span>
+left through stealing, had set fire to the house to revenge
+herself on the women.</p>
+
+<p>These things are a little bit upsetting to one’s nerves;
+the constant earthquakes and terrific thunderstorms keep
+one always girded for flight. One afternoon the
+missionaries had met together for afternoon tea, and
+suddenly there was a slight underground murmur, and
+the house shook as if it trembled. There were three
+windows and one door to the room, and out of them the
+three men instantly disappeared; they looked rather
+shaken when they came back for their tea. It was agreed
+not to let out names!</p>
+
+<p>On the western wide of Ruwenzori, and close to the
+base of that mountain range, are boiling springs containing
+a considerable proportion of sulphur. The natives
+have discovered their medicinal properties for skin
+diseases and have digged channels so as to divert part of
+the water into trenches or pits where they can sufficiently
+cool it for bathing purposes. They also carry their food
+down to the springs, and in a short time the plantains or
+potatoes are cooked and ready for use.</p>
+
+<p>Lying as it does on the Equator, Toro experiences
+scarcely any change of seasons all the year round, and in
+consequence of its being some 5,000 feet above sea level,
+the temperature scarcely rises above 75-80° Fahr. in the
+shade, while the nights are often cold enough to justify
+the log fires that the Europeans indulge in. The
+prodigious and constant rainfalls just rob the country of a
+reputation it might have held for possessing an ideal
+climate for the colonist and for agricultural purposes.
+Except in the low-lying marshy districts, Toro is
+exceptionally free from mosquitoes and malaria,
+and, up to the present, not one case of sleeping sickness
+has been known.</p>
+
+<p>The soil is abnormally rich. Eucalyptus seed sown in
+the open produces trees of 12-15ft. in 18 months.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_49"></a>[49]</span>
+Strawberries yield two and three plentiful crops annually,
+in fact growth has often to be checked, as in the case of
+cauliflowers, which need transplanting three times if fruit
+is to be obtained. Excellent coffee is grown in the
+country, and a very limited amount of inferior
+wheat. There is no reason why rice should not be
+successfully cultivated in the swampy soil, and tea on the
+sides of the mountains. The great obstacle to the
+developing of industries at present is the difficulty of
+transport to the districts where there is a profit-yielding
+demand. No minerals have yet been discovered with the
+exception of an appreciable amount of iron, which the
+people have instinctively learned to work; they are able
+to turn out good spear heads, hoes, knives, and even
+rough needles of clumsy proportions.</p>
+
+<p>This is undoubtedly one of the world’s natural
+zoological gardens. Huge herds of elephants, sometimes
+numbering 200 or 300, trundle through the tiger grass;
+leopards and lions may be heard at night roaring after
+their prey, sometimes even round the capital; crocodiles
+and hippopotami infest the lakes; monkeys and
+chimpanzees scamper about the forests; snakes lie coiled
+up in the long grass; and everywhere teems insect life,
+from the infinitesimal jigger to the locust. Lions are
+feared less by the people than leopards. In Bunyoro,
+where lions showed a leaning towards human flesh and
+blood, the King or Chief of the infested district used to
+send out two black cows or calves, and the lions, after
+having tasted their blood, no longer troubled the people,
+but dieted from that time on pigs and hyenas.</p>
+
+<p>Toro is still in the infancy of its development; the
+land, its resources, the people, and their possibilities are
+fields that give promise of a harvest of rich fruition to
+those who go to labour with mind and will.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_50"></a>[50]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VI">CHAPTER VI<br>
+<span class="smaller">Home Life</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Life in Africa offers as sharp a contrast as is possible
+to imagine to the rush and bustle of the old
+country. Perhaps this is one of the earliest
+impressions that strikes one when coming straight
+from a large and noisy household in the Metropolis. The
+keynote of this country is “mpora, mpora”—“slowly,
+slowly,” and its effects are seen and felt everywhere.
+Time is of no consequence or value to the people. The
+wheels of life revolve so slowly that I felt as if my whole
+being had been pulled up with a jerk. The clockwork of
+activity had to be allowed to run down gradually, in order
+to fall into correspondence with things around.</p>
+
+<p>Having left England just after Christmas, with its
+memories of busy thoroughfares streaming with
+lights from the gaily decorated shops, and teeming
+with folks big and small all chattering and
+preparing for the festive season, I had scarcely had
+time to forget all this noise and rattle before
+arriving at the antipodes of existence. Step out of
+the house one evening with me at about 8.0. Miles
+and miles of country lie faintly outlined by the phantom
+light of the moon—that orb of death. No other spark or
+ray breaks the long, wide expanse of darkness, and all the
+land and nature lie in profound sleep: no song of mirth
+or infant’s cry reaches us, everything is mute and everywhere
+is sleeping.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_51"></a>[51]</span></p>
+
+<p>Suddenly a shrill shriek from the hyena or a leopard’s
+low growl drives us indoors. Oh for the rumble of a
+London ’bus or the rush of the Irish express as it passes
+the old home in a mad hurry night after night. There is
+the faithful companionship of a scratchy pen, so that is
+how one generally turns out a voluminous correspondent
+in these parts of silent Africa.</p>
+
+<p>Now let that same pen tell something of our home and
+various domestic odds and ends. Our house was built
+of wood and mud daub with a roof of thatch. The rooms,
+five in number, were lofty and fairly large, with walls
+which could be called neither straight nor smooth—in fact
+they rather reminded me of “Uncle Podger’s” wall that
+looked as if it had been smoothed down with a garden
+rake after he had been hanging a picture. But ours were
+white-washed, and this, at least, gave them a clean and
+cheerful appearance. The fact was that a violent storm
+had slightly blown the walls out of gear before the ground
+had sufficiently hardened round the framework poles.
+The windows were ingeniously made of wood with calico
+nailed across as a substitute for glass. We had only one
+door to start with—the front door—made of the unpolished
+and unplaned material of two packing cases, ornamented
+with the names and destinations of the owners of the
+boxes. There was a verandah all round the house which
+kept it cool from the mid-day sun.</p>
+
+<p>Really, it was a marvellous building when you consider
+that the workmen had never built anything different from
+the round beehive grass and reed huts in which the
+people live. The poles had all to be brought in from a
+forest seven miles away, and were carried in on men’s
+heads. The mud was beaten by their bare feet. They had
+to be overlooked at every point and turn as they have no
+idea of work, or even a straight line, unless the European
+is actually on the spot to show them. And when that
+European was absolutely alone and endeavouring to act<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_52"></a>[52]</span>
+as pastor, teacher, and schoolmaster to hundreds of eager
+and teachable people, the question is how he ever squeezed
+in time to build this and his own house.</p>
+
+<p>Our tent furniture was far too diminutive and scanty to
+fill our five rooms, so we turned cabinet-makers, and produced
+some highly creditable articles, all things
+considered.</p>
+
+<p>Piling up six packing cases of uniform size, and nailing
+round strips of native grass matting, we had a splendid
+“Liberty” bookcase.</p>
+
+<p>A “cosy corner” was made out of two more boxes
+turned upside down, stuffed with shavings and covered
+with cretonne. It <i>looked</i> very comfortable but rather
+belied its name.</p>
+
+<p>Our dining-room table consisted of the lids of cases
+joined up and nailed to four posts planted in the mud
+floor. After a few weeks the legs took root, and the
+young branches supplied novel decorations.</p>
+
+<p>We framed a few large photographs in reeds and hung
+them where the walls were flat enough.</p>
+
+<p>The nights in Toro are cold, for although we are only
+1·5 degrees lat. North, the capital is 5,000 feet above sea
+level. In consequence the houses are built with brick
+chimneys. With a bright log fire burning in the open
+hearth and a comfortable arm chair our sitting-room
+looked very cosy and bright. It is quite remarkable the
+amount of enjoyment one can derive out of things which
+cost nothing but a little hard work and a good deal
+harder thinking out.</p>
+
+<p>One learns sometimes from rather trying experiences
+that several things which have been regarded as absolute
+essentials in England can so easily be dispensed with out
+here.</p>
+
+<p>A lot of things brought out from home reached me in a
+hopelessly wrecked condition. As I have said before, on
+account of the scarcity of porters we had been obliged to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_53"></a>[53]</span>
+leave several boxes behind. Three of the twenty-three
+I had left were never again heard of. As these were food
+supplies I hoped they nourished some of the half-famished
+natives we passed up country. But the cases that did
+arrive had been exposed without protection from the
+rains, and were absolutely rotten when they reached me;
+the zinc linings had been destroyed by rust, and the contents
+reduced to pulp. In a sort of mechanical way I
+sorted out the different things, throwing aside books,
+letters, clothing, and nick-nacks on the rubbish heap.
+Some things could never be replaced—little recollections
+of the past and home-links. How reluctantly were these
+cast out!—but God showed me that this was known and
+allowed by Him, and when once He shows us this, the
+sunshine bursts forth and the heart rejoices. It
+strengthens one all round when sometimes the temporal
+is shattered to allow the Invisible and Eternal to appear.
+I should not be at all surprised that our missionary
+example St. Paul had had all his loads spoilt by shipwreck
+when he wrote: “I have learned in whatsoever state I
+am therewith to be content; not that I speak in respect
+of want.”</p>
+
+<p>On another occasion when our annual supplies from
+England were within one day’s march of Toro the porters’
+shed was burnt down and all our loads but two were
+destroyed.</p>
+
+<p>Now, as to food, there are just three items you can
+buy out here: goats, or sheep that have not an ounce of
+fat except in their tails. These cost about 2s. 8d.
+Chickens, which provide sufficient flesh for one person’s
+meal of very normal appetite, can be purchased for fifty
+cowrie shells (1¼d.), twenty eggs for the same price, but
+these are not often cheap, as very frequently they are
+brought for sale when they will not hatch.</p>
+
+<p>Of course our store room, furnished from England, is
+our grocer; the garden answers to greengrocer and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_54"></a>[54]</span>
+fruiterer, for it produces nearly everything; crops can be
+had in constant succession if care is taken to sow
+systematically. We also have from our cows a constant
+supply of fresh butter, cream, and milk which is churned
+on the premises in a native gourd. Besides this we are
+our own bakers. Flour is grown in limited and
+fluctuating quantities in the country. This is ground up,
+mixed with carbonate of soda and buttermilk, baked in a
+native pot with fire above and under, and in less than an
+hour a very decent wholemeal loaf is ready for afternoon
+tea.</p>
+
+<p>The only drawback is that most of these departments
+of industry have to be worked by one’s self. It is rather
+curious the number of professions a European holds out
+here, simply because he must, there is no one else to do
+it. The natives have such exalted ideas of the powers of
+a white man, that they appeal to him in every difficulty.</p>
+
+<p>The first week we had brought to us an umbrella to be
+re-covered, one watch with broken mainspring needing
+repair, a lamp to be soldered, all sorts and conditions
+of sick people wanting medicine, and one raving madman!</p>
+
+<p>The servant question was one that had to be faced
+immediately on our arrival, so we decided to write up to
+the King and Namasole. In reply, four young girls were
+sent down who did nothing but weep in spite of our
+kindly assurances of friendliness. They had never seen
+white ladies before, and were literally scared at us.
+They all ran away during the first night! So we had to
+keep on our road-boys until we had won the confidence
+of the women. We sometimes wondered if we should
+live to see that time; for one day a cabbage was sent to
+table that had been cooked in about one pound of soda.
+The cook had seen the European put a pinch in the water,
+and judging the diminutive quantity was with an eye to
+economy, determined on giving us a liberal treat for once!</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_55"></a>[55]</span></p>
+
+<p>Our best “cosy” was served up at another meal as a
+dish cover to the roast chicken!</p>
+
+<p>It is not often, however, that they knowingly deviate
+from the model lesson given them; they sometimes err
+too faithfully on the other side by reproducing the
+European’s mistakes and never improving on them. If
+you have once taught them a heavy pastry, your pies
+will always have that same unfortunate crust in spite of a
+more successful second lesson. They believe absolutely
+in reverting to original type. However, this is a one-sided
+view of the little black cooks. Imagine an English
+lad of twelve serving up a six-course dinner as these little
+fellows can, after some training; and with such a kitchen
+range, three bricks or stones and some twigs, and a very
+limited storeroom. Give a Toro cook a leg of goat and
+he can turn out a most satisfying meal of varieties—goat
+soup, goat curry, goat stewed, goat boiled and roast; and
+then if you want one more course, give him flour, eggs,
+milk, and a little butter, and he could send you in goat
+pie and goat pudding, or pancakes, boiled or baked batter,
+boiled or baked sponge pudding.</p>
+
+<p>If you live on poor food in Toro, you must not blame
+the country or your cook, but yourself, that you did not
+arm against the future by occasional visits to your
+English kitchen. That is by far the best way of learning;
+cookery lectures and cookery books are not much use for
+a country like this; they generally tell you to “take”
+something you have not got and cannot get, and on that
+seems to depend the success of the recipe. Often have I
+recalled the long, tiring hours spent in learning to knead
+bread, and then the patience of waiting for it to rise; we
+should be eating tinned biscuits (like our predecessors)
+till this day if our bread depended on that method out
+here.</p>
+
+<p>Vegetables form rather an important part in the daily
+diet; in fact, one is inclined to be a vegetarian where<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_56"></a>[56]</span>
+vegetables are so plentiful and meat very tough and
+tasteless. On some occasions fifteen different kinds have
+been sent to table at a meal. They are all cooked in one
+large earthen pot, each vegetable being tied up in a large
+banana leaf with water—the leaf is waterproof and made
+soft and pliable by passing it through the fire.</p>
+
+<p>The white ants and snakes show marked appreciation
+for the Europeans’ houses. In spite of digging deep
+trenches round outside, the ants, which are supposed to
+travel only a few inches under the surface soil, manage to
+get at the poles and so gradually undermine the safety of
+the walls. They are the most indefatigable workers. In
+one night the floor of a room will be covered with little
+heaps of soil which they have carried up; a mackintosh
+coat was half eaten away by these little pests that had
+discovered it on a peg behind the bedroom door.
+Sulphur, hot water, Keating, pepper, thrown down
+proved quite ineffectual in driving them off. The natives
+advised a European to leave the little ant-heaps for a few
+days until a crop of small mushrooms appeared on the
+ant-heaps, and that would satisfy the ants and off they
+would go to begin their work elsewhere. The experiment
+was tried, with the result that on the third day the floor
+was covered with tiny white fungi, and the ants really
+did disappear after that. I will not attempt to explain
+the reason scientifically.</p>
+
+<p>More stringent measures than passive resistance were
+needed for the snakes that came and built under the
+sitting room floor. Their appearance was first discovered
+by one of them leaving his top coat behind him in one of
+the rooms.</p>
+
+<p>One evening we were roused from our peaceful occupations
+hearing two rifle reports and a regular stampede
+outside our house; we rushed to the door, but were
+quickly told to shut it up, as a leopard was rushing about.
+Two shots had been fired, but missed it. A large search<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_57"></a>[57]</span>
+party was formed of excited, frightened natives with
+spears, rifles, and long torches, but all their endeavours
+were in vain. Three nights after that another and even
+larger leopard prowled round the houses, entered the
+donkey stables and dragged out a small baby donkey.
+In the morning an awful sight met our gaze on the path
+outside the stabling. The two hind legs had been completely
+eaten and the body torn open; the ground was
+covered with blood, and many claw marks were visible.
+The war drum was beaten, and, according to the law of
+the country, all the men turned out, from the chiefs to
+the poorest peasant, armed with spears and clubs. The
+excitement was intense, the King’s Hill was thronged
+with dancing, rushing natives, singing war songs and
+making dashing onslaughts toward imaginary foes. They
+all danced and rushed in step, accomplishing the curious
+body dance in perfect order. They tracked the beast
+and Mr. Fisher, who had led out the party, shot it as it
+gave one spring from its lair. The return home was a
+yell of victory, all assembling under the large tree on
+the top of the King’s Hill to salute the Katikiro (Chief
+Minister), who sat in state to wait the arrival of the prey.
+Afterwards all the wounded were brought to the
+dispensary for surgical attention; one arm was so
+severely cut with spears and torn by the leopard’s claws
+that I had to stitch it up. Leopard’s claws are very
+poisonous, and inflammation immediately sets in; many
+cases prove fatal on account of blood poisoning.</p>
+
+<p>Just one word more before closing this. Life out here
+is not one of constant “roughing it.” No girls in
+England could have been happier than we were, and
+there are heaps of things that make up for some left in
+Merrie England.</p>
+
+<p>For instance, a punt down the Thames is not to be
+compared to a paddle in a dug-out canoe or a sail in the
+same by a square of calico hoisted. There is a delightful<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_58"></a>[58]</span>
+lake right away among the mountains, only five miles off,
+and no one ever enjoyed a lunch like the one we had in
+the little reed bungalow on the shore. Our first picnic
+there was unique. The lunch was provided by the
+Government officials, and really, I had never imagined
+men were so domesticated. They superintended the
+culinary arrangements. The Administrator made a meat
+pie, the crust of which might have been improved;
+another produced a sort of trifle; while a third manufactured
+scones; and we tried not to notice the lack of
+baking powder. But we survived all three.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_59"></a>[59]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VII">CHAPTER VII<br>
+<span class="smaller">Royal Life</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Kabarole, the capital of Toro, may be described
+as a city of hills. On the highest of these, commanding
+a panoramic view of the country north,
+south, and east of Ruwenzori, stands the palace
+of King Daudi Kasagama. The Uganda Protectorate
+differs from Nigeria and the other west coast districts, in
+that it possesses no old-established cities and towns. The
+custom of the Kings of each of the four independent
+Kingdoms of the Protectorate formerly was to remove the
+capital as each succeeded to the throne. This involved
+a constant exodus of the people, who cleared out bodily
+in order to be close to their King. Scarcely any traces
+can be found of the previous capitals, as the houses were
+constructed merely of reeds, poles and thatch, which offer
+no resistance to the destroying hand of time; occasionally
+a worn grinding-stone or a broken cooking-pot is
+met with among waving elephant grass that immediately
+assumed mastery of the ground on the removal of the
+people.</p>
+
+<p>In 1891 Kasagama succeeded to the throne of Toro,
+which was then being plundered and ravaged by the
+Kabarega, the neighbouring and powerful King of
+Unyoro. For some years the whole district was distressed
+by the merciless tyranny of the raiders, and the
+people were obliged to flee to the shelter of the mountains.
+Now peace and order reign, the security and
+authority of the King and his counsellors have been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_60"></a>[60]</span>
+established by the British Government, and the country
+sown on all hands with the seed of Christianity which has
+effected a complete reformation in the lives and condition
+of the people.</p>
+
+<p>The King’s house is the only brick building at present
+in the country. It is two-storied, with walls two and a
+half feet thick. The staircase is roughly constructed of
+bricks and runs outside. On the ground floor are three
+rooms. The centre one, into which the front door opens,
+is the reception room. The walls and ceiling are gaily
+hung with bright printed calico strips of varied design
+and colouring, stitched together. Over these are large,
+coloured Bible pictures illustrating the life of Christ.
+On the floor are spread grass mats and leopards’ skins,
+which are the sign of royalty. An Indian rug is placed
+under a table and chair in one corner where His Majesty
+sits and receives his guests. The room is supplied with
+no other furniture. A waiting-room leads off from this,
+which is unfurnished, with the exception of a native
+divan made of reeds for important or sick attendants; the
+others lounge about on the fine, soft grass strewn on the
+floor.</p>
+
+<p>Kasagama’s study is on the other side of the reception-room,
+and that is where he does most of his business
+and carries on his correspondence. Upon the rows of
+shelves fixed to the wall are to be seen small piles of
+documents and letters received from his chiefs in the outlying
+districts, who are just learning to write. The
+boxes at the end of the room contain all his treasured
+presents received from the Government officials,
+missionaries and friends in England. If you call in any
+afternoon about five o’clock and are a friend of His
+Majesty you would perhaps be allowed into this sanctum,
+and there might find him working away at his typewriter
+or dictating to his typist, who can run his fingers very
+rapidly over the keyboard. Kasagama is now hard at<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_61"></a>[61]</span>
+work writing a history of the country. To prevent any
+unauthentic references to the past he has two old men,
+well versed in ancient lore, to refer to.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus10" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus10.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>KING DANDI KASAGAMA OF TORO AND HIS CHIEFS.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>The Council Hall, in which Parliament assembles every
+Monday, is in an adjoining country, and this is a large
+reed structure decorated inside with coloured calicos like
+the reception room. The railed off partitions are
+intended for the King’s chair, and for the Queen Mother
+or Sister, either of whom is expected to attend each week.
+The Ministers of State are arranged in straight rows down
+the building, and the people involved in the various cases
+brought up for trial come and kneel in the wide aisle
+which leads up to the King’s seat.</p>
+
+<p>I only attended once, as women are generally debarred
+the privilege, but the first thing that struck me was how
+very civilised is the House in Toro and much in advance
+of one’s own native land, for we were not put up in a
+third gallery behind wire caging to merely catch a glimpse
+of the Speaker’s head, but had seats given us next to the
+King! However, there was a sad need of an Opposition
+or Nationalists’ Bench, to add a little gusto and sensation
+to the proceedings. To make up for this at the conclusion
+of each case, the Royal band broke out into uproarious
+melodies, and the bandsmen accompanied their instruments
+with caricature Irish jigs.</p>
+
+<p>A visit to the King must always include an inspection
+of his flower garden, of which he is very proud. It dates
+back to our arrival in Toro. As he used to drop in for
+afternoon tea, he would often find us armed with rake
+and spade, just ready to tackle the patch of weeds outside
+our house. It was a matter of surprise to the natives
+when they heard that the white ladies were “cultivating,”
+and a still greater wonder when they learned that they
+were not sowing food but flowers. Whatever was the use
+of flowers? However, Kasagama thought it must be the
+correct thing, so one day ventured to beg a few flower<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_62"></a>[62]</span>
+seeds to start a garden for himself, and then very
+hesitatingly and half apologetically he asked what was
+the exact use of flowers, as he wanted to have an answer
+ready to give to questioners. However, the beauty and
+fragrance of our English flowers have spoken to these
+people and awakened in their hearts a real admiration
+and love, so that outside many a Toro homestead now
+can be seen borders of carefully tended flowers; and often
+prettily-arranged bouquets will be brought by them as
+greetings or offerings. At Easter time one result of this
+is seen in the Church. On the Saturday each one is
+asked to bring in the decorations and to help arrange
+them. The first time this was done the chancel was
+simply banked with bouquets, wreaths, and bunches of
+wild or cultivated flowers; palm leaves and papyrus grass,
+fixed to the columns of reeded poles down the church,
+made continued arches right along each aisle, while the
+open window sills were festooned with wild clematis.
+Most of this was done entirely by the natives.</p>
+
+<p>Court life in Toro has a very attractive home side to it.
+One can scarcely wish for a more touching picture than
+when, the affairs of State being over for the day, Damali,
+the young Queen, comes into the Royal Palace with the
+little Princess Ruzi (Ruth). The Queen first bows before
+her husband-King, and the tiny child follows her mother’s
+example, and in baby language greets His Majesty. Then
+Kasagama for a time lays aside his regal dignity and
+clasping the child in his arms fondles her and talks and
+romps like a big school-boy.</p>
+
+<p>The old custom of the men and women feeding apart
+has disappeared in the King’s household, and every
+evening Kasagama and Damali dine together. The menu
+never varies from one year’s end to another. Each day
+the King has his own particular cut from the goat,
+namely, the chops and cutlets, and the Queen has a leg.
+They generally manage to finish their joints, besides the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_63"></a>[63]</span>
+quantities of boiled plantains and various native vegetables
+served up with the meat.</p>
+
+<p>Kasagama has recently developed distinct sporting
+inclinations, and although it cannot be said that he has
+made his name, certain it is he has made his mark at
+them. Tennis was the first pastime he indulged in. One
+court was enough to allure anyone! A space was
+thoroughly cleared of vegetation in the mission compound
+and beaten by foot in place of a roller; two posts were
+firmly planted in the ground, a rope stretched across and
+strips of banana pith knotted on to it, hanging down like
+kippers put out to dry. The King was rather too powerful
+with his racquets; scouts had to be posted like fielders
+at cricket. Seeing the ball coming he made a desperate
+plunge toward it and either missed it altogether or slogged
+it as if intended for Ruwenzori’s snows. So he gave that
+up for football; the dimensions of the ball I suppose
+appealed to him as being more adapted to his size. He
+is now a great player; his grief is that he has never
+experienced the excitement of a scrimmage, as the men
+are afraid of hustling their King; the only member of the
+team who apparently does not mind doing so is Blasiyo,
+the pigmy! Another reason is that there is little chance
+of getting too close, as he is followed about the field by
+one attendant who holds an umbrella over his head and
+another man careers about with a chair, so that His
+Majesty can rest when the ball goes in an opposite
+direction of the field to where he happens to be.</p>
+
+<p>In all Church work, Kasagama has been a leader and
+example to his people. Almost daily, at 8 a.m. as the
+people gather from all directions for Bible Classes or
+school teaching, a procession may be seen slowly issuing
+out from the reed enclosure that surrounds the royal
+palace. With a large company of retainers and an
+armed bodyguard at the front and rear, on his bay steed
+rides the King, a fine majestic figure, 28 years of age, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_64"></a>[64]</span>
+6ft. 3in. in height. The Katikiro and other important
+Chiefs, with their attendants, if they have not already
+started, come out from their houses on their side of the
+King’s hill, and fall in behind His Majesty. They are
+bent on no Ministerial business, but if you were to ask
+the King, he would say “to learn wisdom from God, for
+how can I rightly rule my country without having first
+received that.”</p>
+
+<p>When the drum beats for Sunday services, Kasagama
+is nearly always at his place in the church to join with
+his people in prayer and worship. Besides encouraging
+his young men and chiefs to offer themselves as missionaries
+to the neighbouring villages and districts, he helps
+in every possible way to supply the necessary means in
+order that the native organisations shall be supported by
+themselves. When the large reed Church showed signs
+of old age, Daudi Kasagama, like his namesake David,
+King of Israel, set his heart to “build a house unto the
+name of the Lord.”</p>
+
+<p>Calling together his Christian Chiefs, he conferred
+with the Missionaries as to the quantities of material
+needed for a large Church, and when the approximate
+number of poles was given, he divided it up asking his
+Chiefs each to be responsible for a proportion.</p>
+
+<p>The new “Temple” was not to be built of carefully-hewn
+stone, prepared bricks, or granite pillars, but of
+forest poles brought from long distances, many needing
+fifty men to carry them in; bamboos from the forest-clad
+heights of snow-peaked Ruwenzori; grass brought in by
+the women for thatching; reeds fetched from the swamps
+by men and children, and red mud for the walls. Every
+morning the King came down to work with his people in
+the erection of the building, and when the framework
+was completed, helped to bring in the grass which was
+cut up and beaten with the mud to form a kind of solid
+brick wall.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus11" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus11.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>NEW CHURCH. KABAROLE TORO.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_65"></a>[65]</span></p>
+
+<p>At 8.0 a.m. the Katikiro, Chiefs and others made their
+way down to the mud pits, into which there was thrown
+red earth, straw and water. About twenty men then
+would jump in, clasp arms in a circle, yell a native air and
+stamp the mud with their bare feet till the right consistency
+was reached. By that time they had become
+splashed and disfigured into fearsome representations of
+painted Red Indians. The mud was then put into baskets
+and shouldered by a body of carriers, who marched single
+file to the scene where the building operations were being
+carried on, while a drummer always went on before to
+give a spirit of militarism to the work.</p>
+
+<p>With shirt sleeves rolled up, Kasagama and an army
+of mud-layers were ready to receive the mud and slap it
+into the walls with a whoop and occasional mutual congratulatory
+exclamation “Wehale”—“well done.”</p>
+
+<p>In this manner the Church, holding eight hundred
+people, was completed in six months free of debt and not
+having caused any expense to the Missionary Society!</p>
+
+<p>When it is remembered that until the advent of
+Christianity six years previous, the King and Chiefs had
+never done one day’s manual work, one can only regard
+this Church as a standing testimony to the reality of a
+religion that can call forth such a spontaneous demonstration
+of the sincerity of its disciples.</p>
+
+<p>One day while watching the unmistakable earnestness
+of the men at their toil, I turned to Kasagama and said:
+“King, your people are really enjoying their hard work.”
+He replied: “Oh no, my people have not yet arrived at
+liking work, but they are rejoicing because this is
+God’s house.”</p>
+
+<p>Pending the arrival of the Bishop, an informal dedication
+service was arranged on the first Sunday of its
+completion. The Church was packed from end to end,
+the men on one side led by their King, the women on the
+other with the Queen Damali. A great stillness fell on<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_66"></a>[66]</span>
+that large congregation as King Daudi, who scarcely ever
+takes an active part in the services, rose and offered up a
+prayer of Consecration. In it he said: “O God, we
+know Thou dwellest not in temples made with hands, but
+this House has been built with our hearts’ devotion;
+therefore come down and take up Thy dwelling place,
+that sinners entering may be saved by Thy presence.”</p>
+
+<p>Kasagama in his time has played several “parts.”
+Two days after the opening of the new Church, he was
+called upon to fill a position in a novel function for Toro,
+namely, the first European wedding. A great deal of
+excitement had prevailed for some time among the
+people, and whisperings of the unique event had filtered
+through to the villages, bringing a large number of people
+into the capital out of curiosity. It was a beautiful
+clear morning, and before sunrise the bride designate was
+needlessly reminded of the day by a loud shuffling and
+scurrying going on outside her calico window. The
+Katikiro’s loud baritone was heard commanding a regiment
+of workmen, and by way of creating an excitement
+in the proceedings, he accompanied his orders by
+eloquent aerial cracks with his whip of hippo hide.</p>
+
+<p>In order to have a share in the festive preparations
+they had come down to strew fresh cut grass all round
+the house, in the courtyard and along the road to the
+church. On the preceding days, the chiefs’ wives,
+headed by the Queen, had been with their spades levelling
+the mud floor in the scarcely completed church and
+carpeting it with soft green grass. It was a welcome
+substitute of nature for the customary red felt drugget,
+and no one would have exchanged for canvas awning the
+archway of palm leaves and bushy papyrus grass heads
+that adorned the verandah and porch leading from the
+house.</p>
+
+<p>All the Europeans in Toro were invited—they numbered
+five—and each had an allotted task. One performed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_67"></a>[67]</span>
+the ceremony, another stood as best man, the organist
+pedalled away nobly at the portable baby organ and
+even persuaded it to produce the Wedding March
+creditably. There was one bridesmaid, and the fifth took
+the part of “guest.”</p>
+
+<p>At 9.0 a.m. the church drums beat, and King
+Kasagama, dressed in a cloud of white and elaborate silk
+draperies, came down to act “father” to the bride. His
+Majesty looked almost pale with the responsibility of his
+new position, and scarcely trusted himself to speak as he
+took his “child’s” hand and led her from the house
+along the road lined with crowds of his excited people.
+The church presented a sea of black faces and white
+linen garments freshly washed for the occasion. Everyone
+was standing, for there was no room to sit down. A
+Lunyoro hymn was sung, and then the service proceeded
+in English till the close, when the faithful old native
+deacon Apolo offered prayer in the language of the
+people.</p>
+
+<p>The usual carriages and greys had to be dispensed
+with as the livery stables were a little too far off! But
+a regulation reception took place and about seventy
+guests crowded into the very limited space of the
+European’s sitting room. A real iced cake specially imported,
+was mounted on a stool draped with trails of wild
+clematis. Heaped up dishes of thick sandwiches, stodgy
+jam tarts, cakes and biscuits, that suggested a Sunday
+School treat for at least some hundreds of hungry English
+bairns, proved a scarcely adequate supply for the visitors,
+who started on the cake, then tucked in sandwiches,
+jam tarts and sandwiches again, and so on, in a hopeless
+mix up. The tea was served round time after time, till
+the guests, out of sheer inability, had reluctantly to refuse
+further supplies. One chief, with a sigh, regretfully
+eyeing a dish of cake, exclaimed: “Okwongera nukwo
+kufa”—“Any more would be death.”</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_68"></a>[68]</span></p>
+
+<p>As the guests departed, timidly limped forward old
+Mpisi, the first dispensary patient. He had been silently
+waiting his opportunity to slip in and give the bride his
+little wedding gift of five cowrie shells: their value was
+one-third of a farthing, but they were all he possessed.</p>
+
+<p>The honeymoon was spent “on the Continent”—the
+dark continent of Africa, a trip of about 700 miles, across
+lake and over land, visiting a continual succession of
+mission stations. It included a visit to the Government
+Capital of Entebbe, where an official repetition of the
+marriage service had to be performed. Fancy being
+married twice within one month!</p>
+
+<p>As the happy pair rode off on mules, actually the
+customary rice followed them. A mob of natives enjoyed
+this part immensely; but some of the women ran up, and
+tearing the bracelets and necklaces from their own wrists
+and necks, gave them to the bride with sympathetic
+tears!</p>
+
+<p>Even the slipper was not wanting; it was delivered to
+a native to throw at the couple as they turned off at
+cross-roads, but not quite seeing the point, and having a
+respectful regard for the shoe, he solemnly presented it as
+a parting greeting from the Europeans!</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_69"></a>[69]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_VIII">CHAPTER VIII<br>
+<span class="smaller">The Women of Toro</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Although undoubtedly belonging to one and the
+same parent stock, as a race the Batoro are in
+features superior to the Baganda, but physically
+inferior owing to the different conditions under which
+their lives have been lived. Women, both high and low,
+until within recent years, were practically the slaves of
+the Baganda households, and even now are expected to do
+the cultivating and cooking of the food. Before the sun
+has risen the Baganda women start on their digging in
+their banana plantations or potato fields. This has
+developed their muscles and at the same time had a
+healthy effect on the mind, for no one can handle nature
+without consciously or unconsciously being influenced by
+it for good.</p>
+
+<p>The Batoro women, on the other hand, have been
+merely the chattels of the home. The upper classes
+scorned menial work and left it to their dependents and
+peasant folk. The middle class did no more than was
+absolutely essential, which generally resolved itself into
+cooking the one meal for the day. Their homes offered
+no occupation for them. The rude grass huts possessed no
+furnishing, for their wants were of the simplest. Bark
+cloth stripped off the wild fig tree and beaten out into a
+soft texture, or animals skins, provided them with clothing
+by day and covering at night. Their water vessels consisted
+of the hollowed out gourds that grow round their huts.
+One cooking pot sufficed for the household. A plaited<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_70"></a>[70]</span>
+grass mat took the place of mattress over a bed of reeds
+strung across a wooden framework and built in along
+the side of the hut. Grass covered the floor of
+every house—seldom changed and never aired.
+Soot and cobwebs hung in festoons round the
+inside, as there are no chimneys in the huts to carry away
+the smoke from the open fire in the centre of the floor.</p>
+
+<p>In recent years the upper class women have discarded
+the bark-cloth as apparel for white calico and coloured
+prints. When these garments show signs of wear the
+general custom is neither to wash nor change them for fear
+of hastening their end, but clean draperies are thrown
+over them when the wearer appears in public.</p>
+
+<p>Some of the women can work very prettily with grass
+and fibre. Having discovered various vegetable dyes,
+they are able to make very attractive designs in basket-work
+by dyeing the grass different colours. The fibre they
+make into string and then form beautiful knotted bags in
+which they have their gourds. It was only by living
+some time among them that we discovered these hidden
+trophies of a spasmodic industry. Very few care about
+rousing themselves and devoting the time and care
+needed for this work; the fault of the women is their
+inherent laziness; the generality of them desire nothing
+so much as to sit still and do absolutely nothing. They
+are so fond of begging, begging, begging, but when you
+suggest their <i>working</i>, off they go and you never see them
+any more. Others will remain in their homes ill for
+days, and no one will have the energy to come down and
+ask for medicine. An industrial exhibition was suggested
+by two of our missionaries in 1903, and will be held every
+year, it is hoped. Most ingenious bee-hives and rat traps
+were brought in as exhibits, besides all sorts of grass and
+string work, painted bark cloths and gourds, and so on.
+The novelty of the exhibition caused great excitement
+among the people, and the schoolroom was packed to its<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_71"></a>[71]</span>
+utmost capacity with competitors and others. His
+Majesty, Daudi Kasagama, opened the proceedings with
+an earnest appeal to his people to make the show an
+even greater success next time by increasing the number
+of exhibits and raising the standard of proficiency.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus12" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus12.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE BATORO AT HOME.</p>
+  <p class="attr"><i>Photo by D. V. F. Figueira, Mombasa.</i></p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Before the advent of Christianity there had been nothing
+to break the dull monotony of the women’s existence. As
+they sat, day after day, huddled together in their dirty little
+grass homes, their conversation scarcely ever ventured outside
+the well-beaten track of real or imaginary sickness, and
+the usual revolting topics that polygamy and heathenism
+suggest. Modesty, reserve, shame and sensitiveness were
+not known among them. One’s whole nature recoils
+from the recollection of Africa’s lost womanhood.</p>
+
+<p>Girls are sometimes betrothed as infants but do not
+marry till they have reached the age of 14 or 15. The
+husband is judged rarely according to his merit—that
+receives small consideration—but chiefly according to his
+means. The girl’s value is determined by her rank or
+physical appearance. Her parents or master fix her
+price at so many heads of cattle or goats. A peasant
+woman can be had as cheap as one goat; should the
+husband be fortunate enough, in course of time, to possess
+a sheep or second goat, he will sometimes take it and
+his wife and exchange them for a stronger and better
+woman who will be able to do more work for him, or add
+more variety, quality or quantity to the day’s menu. A
+peasant, living on the mission hill, married one of our
+women, and coming to the missionary in charge, fell
+down on his knees and eloquently praised him for his
+gift of potatoes, bananas, and beans. The European
+looked rather perplexed, and at last had to own up that
+the present had not come from him. “Oh yes, Master,”
+answered the man, “it was you who gave me my wife.”</p>
+
+<p>When we arrived in Toro in 1900 there was quite a
+goodly number of baptised women, including Vikitoliya,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_72"></a>[72]</span>
+the Queen Mother, Damali, the Queen, several of the
+Chiefs’ wives and ladies of the royal households. Several
+of these had been taught to read before the arrival of the
+European missionary, by King Kasagama, who was
+baptised in 1896 during a prolonged visit to Uganda.
+On his return to Toro he had become a true missionary
+King, and gathering his women around him day after day
+in his courtyard he instructed them in the things he had
+been taught, while the men went to the two Baganda
+Evangelists in the little reed church.</p>
+
+<p>When the European missionary arrived he found a
+large body of eager women as well as men, ready to be
+prepared for Baptism. Vikitoliya was one of the first
+whose heart responded to the new religion of love and
+holiness, as she listened to the earnest words of the King—her
+son. She is a woman of considerable influence
+and of decided intellectual ability. Her features present
+none of the negrotic characteristics, but on the contrary
+they are sharply defined and somewhat aquiline; her
+expression, sweet and pleasing, betokens her kindness of
+heart and gentleness of disposition. She has built for
+herself an imposing two-storied mud house with a
+verandah and balcony all round. From the inside doorway
+hang reed and bead curtains which she made herself
+after seeing a Japanese model in a European’s house.</p>
+
+<p>She lives about two miles from the capital, and in order
+to encourage her people to learn to read and attend daily
+Bible classes she erected on her estate a church, which
+holds about 400 people. I rode over there one Sunday
+morning as I had been asked to stand as godmother to
+the first little son of the sister of the King. When I
+arrived the Church was crowded—it is a large cane
+building, with innumerable poles inside to support the
+walls and roof. It contains no stained glass windows, but
+the blue cloudless sky, tall, waving banana trees, and the
+graceful grasses of the Indian corn with its golden heads<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_73"></a>[73]</span>
+of grain, made a charming background to the aperture
+windows and helped the soul in its flight toward God
+perhaps more than such exquisitely elaborate windows as
+are seen at Notre Dame, which always struck me with
+their rich colouring. At the west end stood the font, a
+black native pot fixed to a wooden packing case which
+was draped in Turkey twill. Who could help being
+impressed as the words “Suffer the little children to come
+unto me” sounded out in the foreign tongue, and a sweet,
+wee thing, lying on white flannel worked with pink silk,
+was brought forward by its delighted royal grandmother.
+At the east end were spread the sacred memorials of
+our Redemption, speaking with such force of that
+one Sacrifice which uplifts and unites all nations under
+Heaven.</p>
+
+<p>Vikitoliya possessed a peculiar love and reverence for
+our late Queen, after whom she was named. She never
+tired of listening to stories of the “great white Queen,”
+and it was her ambition to strive to be to her people
+something of what Her late Majesty had been to her
+subjects. Never shall I forget her grief and that of all
+the leading women when the news of her death reached
+us. Immediately they came down to us to sympathize,
+and were at first quite silent in their grief, then with
+tears running down her cheeks, the dusky Queen subject
+said, “Your sorrow is our sorrow, we have lost our
+Mother, our friend.” It is wonderful the influence that
+such a reign of purity and righteousness has had even on
+far off Africa, rousing the best chivalry and patriotism in
+the hearts of its people, and inspiring them to
+nobler ends.</p>
+
+<p>Christianity is doing for Toro what it has done for
+every other country where it has effectually entered—it is
+raising its women from their depths of degradation and
+beautifying their lives, cleansing and refining their speech
+and habits. Clean, tidy homes are now seen, and carefully<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_74"></a>[74]</span>
+cultivated land in place of the pestilential filth and
+gaunt elephant grass. Happy family life is springing up
+among the people, and everywhere there is a stir and progressive
+vigour.</p>
+
+<p>Upon the Christian women as well as the men has
+been laid the responsibility of doing something toward
+spreading the knowledge of Christ among the surrounding
+heathen. At first a district visitors’ band was
+organized to go two and two into the near villages when
+the daily classes in the church were over. They took
+their books, and either collected the villagers together or
+entered their houses and taught them their letters and
+syllables, after having read and spoken to them. I used
+frequently to go out with them to see what progress they
+were making; a shrieking bodyguard would at once
+attach itself to me under pretence of frightening the wild
+animals off! Our arrival was always hailed with delight,
+and a dirty mat that acts as bed, couch, and footscraper
+was generally politely placed for me on which to be
+seated. The small children generally showed their
+appreciation of the white lady by opening their
+commodious mouths as wide as possible and screaming
+prodigiously. It took one a very long time to find them
+attractive, they so sadly needed a rub down with Pears’
+soap or Monkey Brand.</p>
+
+<p>Sometimes I found 100 or 150 natives eagerly struggling
+with their reading sheets, all squeezed into an infinitesimally
+small hut. Somehow they always found room for
+the European, for they were very impatient to be questioned
+by her and passed on to a higher class. When the reading
+lesson was over we used to have a short service with
+them, and it was exceedingly impressive to listen sometimes
+to the young Christian women speaking to them
+naturally of Christ’s love. They never attempted an
+impossible address or delivered a thorough out-and-out
+sermon, but with touching simplicity told in their own<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_75"></a>[75]</span>
+language what was a living and real thing to them. It
+seemed impossible to believe that so wonderful a change
+could have taken place in these Batoro women in so short
+a time. When the visit was over, all the women,
+children, and some of the men used to tear off in front to
+the neighbouring huts to inform them that the European
+was passing, so on my homeward journey I was accompanied
+by excited, chattering men and women and a crowd
+of naked little folk, many of them bringing small offerings
+of flowers, beans, or eggs to deposit at our door.</p>
+
+<p>Although these folk can make plenty of noise they can
+make very little music. They have never been educated
+up to it. The royal band has been their only conservatoire
+of music, and their few songs were connected with drink or
+plunder, themes scarcely conducive to the highest poetry.
+But their singing is great. You should have heard a
+singing class I used to have on Saturday mornings.
+About twenty of the ladies used to turn up and exercise
+their vocal powers. They only knew a few of Sankey’s
+most unmusical hymns, and to these they resigned themselves
+with a fixed expression and still more fixed
+attitude, without making the slightest facial movement.
+They produced a curious grunt through their nasal organ,
+quite irrespective of time, key, or tune. I sacrificed myself
+to making the most hideous grimaces it is possible to
+form my features into, in order that they might imitate,
+and so bring a few muscles into action. But neither
+tonic sol-fa nor any other tonic would bring about results,
+so I gave up the class very hoarse from my efforts.</p>
+
+<p>In August of each year is held in Toro a Teachers’
+Conference. All other work is suspended and the native
+teachers come in from all the villages and distant
+districts. In 1901 we decided to invite the women who
+were church members, so that a united Women’s Conference
+might be held for the deepening of spiritual life, and
+discussing methods of work.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_76"></a>[76]</span></p>
+
+<p>We had three separate meetings for women, at each of
+which a native and a European spoke. The subjects
+treated were:—1st Meeting—The work of teaching for
+Baptism and Communion—its methods and responsibilities.
+2nd Meeting—The work of visiting and
+teaching in the gardens—its methods and its importance.
+3rd Meeting—The organization of women’s work, and
+farewell word.</p>
+
+<p>On the last day, at the close of a very solemn afternoon
+gathering, one woman rose from among the large number
+present, and in a trembling voice said, “My heart pains me
+for those around in darkness, and I want to go and teach
+them of Christ’s love.” A great stillness fell on the
+meeting, and Damali, the Queen, scarcely able to steady
+her voice, closed in prayer, thanking God for having
+called one from among them to be a missionary and asking
+that others might hear the voice. On the third day
+nine more women had come to offer themselves as
+missionaries. One was Ana Kageye, the head woman of
+the Royal household, one of the leading women of the
+country. Before coming to us she had been to the King,
+and received his permission for her to leave him for God’s
+service. She had, before her conversion, led a desperately
+wicked life, and, being old and so steeped in witchcraft,
+one almost supposed her to be beyond the power of
+reformation. She had first heard of Christ from
+Kasagama’s lips, and although her eyes were then getting
+somewhat dim with age, she learned from the King to
+read the Bible for herself. From that time a complete
+change came over her whole life and appearance, so that
+her scarred face became quite attractive. Since then she
+had proved a most indefatigable teacher and helper in all
+Church work.</p>
+
+<p>A class was at once arranged for instructing these candidates
+morning and afternoon for six months in St.
+Matthew, St. John, Acts, the Pauline Epistles, and a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_77"></a>[77]</span>
+sketch of Old Testament history. At the end of that period
+they were examined for one whole week. During that
+time their excitement and anxiety were strained to their
+highest pitch; they refused to eat at mid-day for fear they
+might become incapable of hard thinking, and were found
+in their places at class nearly one hour before the
+appointed time. After the first week old Ana Kageye
+took pity on their troubled appearances, and insisted they
+should all go to her house after the morning class and
+she would give them a substantial meal. Out of twelve who
+were questioned two reached ninety-eight per cent. marks
+and the lowest did not fall below seventy-five per cent.
+After that they were brought before the Native Church
+Council and ten were assigned to stations. Two (one being
+Ana Kageye) were located as foreign missionaries to distant
+Ankole, two to a hill station four days’ journey away on
+a southern ridge of Ruwenzori, and the remaining six
+villages two and three days away. This was a brave
+step for these Batoro women to take, after having led
+such indolent and sheltered lives, and in spite of the
+intense joy that filled their heads, they did not leave
+without tears in their eyes as they bade good-bye to all
+their friends for the first time. Surely they teach a lesson
+to many in favoured England who have not yet faced
+their personal responsibility to the unreached heathen.</p>
+
+<p>All of these first women teachers did splendidly. After
+six months’ work they returned for a few weeks, as no
+native worker is allowed to remain at his post without
+coming in for occasional rest and restrengthening. The
+deadly influences of heathenism might prove too strong
+for such young Christians if they were to live away from
+helpful surroundings. Eight of the ten again returned to
+their work, and the other two were married and afterwards
+went out as teachers with their husbands.</p>
+
+<p>Ana Kageye at first found the women of Ankole eager
+to learn to read, but not so quick to believe the new<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_78"></a>[78]</span>
+religion she brought to them. One day a young Princess
+fell sick, and their own cures failing she was carried up
+to the European doctor temporarily stationed at the
+Government fort. When it was declared by him to be
+almost a hopeless case the natives gave up all idea of her
+recovery, saying that if the white man could not cure
+her nothing would.</p>
+
+<p>Good, brave old Ana then came forward and told them
+again of the Living God who hears and answers prayer,
+and they answered together “If your God will heal her
+we will believe.” The young dying Princess was thereupon
+carried to Ana’s little grass house, and as night
+fell the fires died down in every hut but the one in
+which the sick girl lay, and all night long the faithful old
+servant of God, as she watched by the bedside, wrestled
+in prayer for the life before her. What a wonderful act
+of faith was witnessed that night in the little hut in
+Darkest Africa! This woman so recently brought to
+know God even dared through faith to prove her God
+before these heathen. As the day dawned the women
+gathered round the hut expecting to mourn over the dead
+body, but the God of Life had come forth and revealed
+His power, the girl’s unconsciousness had passed off and
+she had taken the first step to recovery. The result was
+that after Ana had been working there nine months she
+had instructed and prepared for baptism the first five
+women of Ankole.</p>
+
+<p>Is it not worth leaving home and friends to search
+among the dust and mire of that dark Continent and find
+such gems, even if they be but few? “They shall be
+mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in that day when I make
+up my jewels.”</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_79"></a>[79]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_IX">CHAPTER IX<br>
+<span class="smaller">Child Life</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Child life! How immediately our minds linger
+over happy scenes of mirth and innocent laughter,
+romping, rollicking games of mischief or of fun.
+Bright, happy childhood! No cloud of care and trouble
+has arisen on life’s horizon, and sin has not yet tainted
+the atmosphere of Heaven that still lingers round its offspring.</p>
+
+<p>But where can memory rest upon such a picture as
+that in darkest Africa? Look upon a tree, the tender
+buds of which half fearfully peep through the bare
+branches just to catch a glimpse of the outer world, when
+a cold frost blast of winter strikes across the frail young
+life and withers it for ever. That is child life in Africa.
+Innocence and purity were withered just as they dared to
+step from infancy. Happy, careless mirth was crushed
+with the weight of the burdens laid upon the shoulders
+of childhood. Their mother’s home, as has been described,
+was their earliest environment, their language was learned
+from her, and then lovelessness was the children’s portion,
+as they were sent away as servants or slaves to neighbouring
+chiefs. Parents scorned the idea of bringing up their
+own children; they affirmed that a child would never
+listen to its parent and would refuse to work, so they
+exchanged their children at the age of four or five years
+for others who would be as slaves to them. Even at this
+tender age they were taught to gather the sticks and
+twigs, and then sit by and feed the fire while the food<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_80"></a>[80]</span>
+was cooking, or they carried the gourds or pots on their
+little woolly pates down to the river to draw the daily
+supply of water. They were generally fearfully neglected
+and underfed; their dislike to water was accounted for by
+the fact that they possessed no clothing and the dirt kept
+them warm. If anyone had been born with a leaning
+towards cleanliness his mother would have effectually
+crushed this by the cold water treatment administered
+during infantile ablutions. It was the custom every
+morning between 4.0 and 5.0 a.m., when the cold night
+air still clung in damp mists to the land, to hold the
+babies naked out in the courtyards, throw cold water over
+them, and then leave them out to dry.</p>
+
+<p>Their little insides were treated with no greater consideration.
+One morning a woman brought down to the
+dispensary a wee morsel of three weeks: it was a pitiful
+little object of mere skin and bone. The mother explained
+that it had either been poisoned out of spite, or it was
+possessed of an evil spirit. “See,” said she, “I have
+done all I could to let out the poison or devil.” Looking
+at its body I saw it was covered with a number of small,
+deep cuts, and the blood had been left to dry. Low
+moans and a tired cry came from the poor little helpless
+mite as the flies tortured its mutilated body. After
+questioning the mother the “evil spirit” took the form of
+bananas and mushrooms that she had been bringing the
+three weeks’ infant up on! Feeding bottles were an
+unknown luxury, and as no equivalent had been invented,
+babies were compelled to lap from the hand, an art they
+never properly learned and thrived very poorly on. Some
+three dozen india rubber “comforters” were sent out to
+me, and these I managed to fix on empty ink bottles or
+medicine bottles, and so a new-fashioned “Allenbury”
+feeder was introduced. The demand far exceeded the
+supply, so they could only be lent out by the month.
+“Stephens’ Ink” would have been immensely pleased<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_81"></a>[81]</span>
+could it have snapshotted the babies being solemnly fed
+in church with its bottles held to their mouths.</p>
+
+<p>Certainly it was a case of the survival of the fittest
+with the Toro infants, and as the “fittest” were few and
+far between, mortality was very great among them.</p>
+
+<p>The first two dolls that arrived in Toro met with a very
+mixed welcome; the children howled and fled in terror,
+but their mothers showed a most profound admiration
+for them. At first they held the doll very gingerly and at a
+distance, as if in fear of being bewitched, but finding that
+nothing happened to either one or the other, and the doll
+still smiled at them like the Cheshire cat, they became
+great friends and begged that they might borrow it for a
+few days to play with.</p>
+
+<p>Whether it was the large circulation that those two
+dolls got, or the gradually increasing confidence of
+the Toro children in the white ladies, the fact remains
+that in a few months all childish prejudice had
+disappeared, and often a little voice was heard asking for
+“a child that causes play.” When this was known in
+England over 100 dolls were sent to me from two working
+parties. I never saw such a wonderful doll show as
+they made. They were all displayed on our verandah,
+and the house was literally besieged with men, women,
+and children for some days.</p>
+
+<p>A bride, beautifully dressed in white satin and kid
+shoes, who, even in her wedding attire, cried “Mama”
+and “Papa,” was sent to little Princess Ruth, but the
+report reached me that King Kasagama had constituted
+himself guardian, and kept it locked up in his study for
+slack moments! The Mother Queen wrote an imploring
+letter to me for a dainty little Parisienne who arrived with
+her travelling trunk; and Apolo, our faithful native
+deacon—confirmed bachelor—asked me in secret if men
+ever played with dolls, and beamed with satisfaction as
+he most triumphantly carried one off, peacefully sleeping.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_82"></a>[82]</span></p>
+
+<p>The others were given out to the little girls who had
+been most regular at the school, and were noted for
+having come with clean faces and bodies.</p>
+
+<p>When the boys saw that the dolls were only given to
+girls, some borrowed their sisters’ garments to try
+and appear eligible! I did not know till then they were
+versed in such cunning! It was so pretty to watch the
+joy and even playfulness that those dolls brought into the
+lives of so many little ones who had scarcely known what
+this meant till then. Christianity has completely
+revolutionized child-life in Toro. No longer are the
+new-born babes given over to the Devil by causing their
+blood to flow as a dedicatory offering; the teeth are not
+now extracted to propitiate the Evil One, and happy
+family circles are seen in place of slavery.</p>
+
+<p>I am sure in no Sunday School in England is there
+brighter singing than among the Toro infants when about
+200 of them, with very lusty lungs, open their rather
+prominent mouths and sing “There’s a Friend for little
+children above the bright blue sky.”</p>
+
+<p>Certainly the girls and boys make very clever little
+domestics. I have sometimes wondered whether the
+problem of the over-taxed English market could not be
+solved by exporting some of these small people. I had a
+little maid named Keturah, who was 12 years of age, and
+she could almost manage the work of a housemaid and
+parlourmaid. She kept my room in perfect order, carefully
+putting away anything left about, and cleaned it
+regularly every Saturday. On Mondays she carried off
+the soiled linen, washing, starching, and ironing it as well
+as I had been able to teach her; and she could wait
+at table like a Gatti’s waiter! Was that not splendid for
+a little girl who had come to us without ever having seen
+an English bed, garment, knife, fork, or iron?</p>
+
+<p>Of course, one has occasionally to put up with small
+inconveniences. One day a pair of boots were sent out<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_83"></a>[83]</span>
+to be dried by the fire, with strict injunctions not to leave
+or scorch them. In a few minutes they were brought in
+with a big hole burnt out of the leather, and the sole
+shrivelled up beyond repair—and these were a last pair!
+Pocket handkerchiefs frequently find their way into the
+boiled starch, a white muslin blouse sometimes loses its
+identity completely by a strong dose of the blue-bag; if it
+is needed for a special occasion the quantity is increased!
+A flannel nightgown was boiled for three hours on one
+occasion; fortunately it was a very unattractive Jaeger,
+but even then it did not surrender its colour. That shade
+of flannel is like the Ethiopian’s skin—I could never even
+get it to fade. Take my advice, and try white instead.</p>
+
+<p>But, after all, these are mere details. They are faithful
+little people, and would never refuse to follow their
+master as he travels up and down the country, though
+they scarcely ever escape malaria when marching through
+fever districts, in spite of strong doses of quinine. Often
+concealing a high temperature from the European, they
+hurry on in front to see that his tent and a refreshing cup
+of tea are ready when he comes into camp. As we
+travelled down to Uganda, on our way home to England,
+our staff of six boys started out with us; one after
+another knocked over, and had to be carried back, till we
+were left with only two to do everything for us, and
+in spite of their being ill, they insisted on coming as far
+as Victoria Nyanza. As the big lake steamer weighed
+anchor and cut through the water, two little white caps
+were waving at the end of the pier until we disappeared
+from sight.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_84"></a>[84]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_X">CHAPTER X<br>
+<span class="smaller">Religion</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Central Africa may be said to have no religion,
+if by that we understand belief in a God. It has
+produced no Buddha or Mahommed to make known
+to its people some revelation of a deity, neither has
+it possessed any ancient writings that a Confucius could
+bind together as a foundation to a nation’s creed. In its
+belief we see the most pitiable product of a dark,
+ignorant, and degraded mind, that, left to itself, has
+worked out some antidote for that which is inherent in
+every man—an indefinable longing after the spiritual. Its
+faith bears in it the seeds of inevitable decay, for in its
+tenets can be found no trace of truth, purity, or holiness,
+which, varying however much they may in degree, hold
+together the great religious systems of the world. It
+might be described briefly as Devil-worship or the
+Propitiation of Evil Spirits; it differs in its rites and
+rituals among the various tribes. In Uganda the
+practices of the people were more extreme, perhaps, but
+certainly less torturing than in the Western Provinces of
+the Protectorate, where superstition led to the most
+barbarous infliction of human suffering from the cradle to
+the grave. For every real or imaginary evil and sickness
+that fell upon the individual, family, or community,
+branding, cutting, and mutilation of the body took place;
+while, without exception, all the front teeth in the lower
+jaw were extracted as soon as ever they appeared.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_85"></a>[85]</span></p>
+
+<p>These customs, practised for so many generations, have
+had a very deteriorating effect on the physical constitution
+of the people. The strength of the natives has been
+sapped, their minds degraded, and their energies crushed.
+They possess very small physical resources, and fall an
+easy prey to any sickness that visits their district.</p>
+
+<p>A few years ago, before the teachers of Christianity
+reached their country, tiny devil temples, made of grass
+and twigs, stood in the courtyards of the houses, and in
+these were placed, from time to time, offerings of cowrie
+shells or food. One day there was brought to me at the
+dispensary a child who was said to be devil-possessed.
+The physic prescribed was so far successful that the
+grateful mother brought a little thank-offering. It consisted
+of ten cowrie shells tied round a small piece of
+papyrus stalk. When the child had fallen ill, the mother
+had tied one of these shells to the strip of grass and given
+it as a propitiatory offering to the devil; as the sickness
+increased, each day another shell was added, until, finding
+her child become rather worse than better, she
+brought her down to the dispensary. And as the
+European had done what the devil refused to do, the
+woman took the shells away from him and gave them to
+the white lady!</p>
+
+<p>Generally speaking, the people are in partial or total
+ignorance of their belief; they have never been taught it,
+and practise the rituals from habit without realising their
+significance. The priests prescribe what form the
+offerings shall take and their claims are never questioned;
+besides this, they extort heavy fees each time they are
+consulted. They profess to divine the will of the evil
+spirit by means of charms made of sticks, hide, horns,
+and the entrails of fowls and goats. When Kasagama
+was brought from Budu by Sir Frederick Lugard to be
+re-installed in his kingdom of Toro, from which he had
+fled, as a young prince, from the raiding bands of Bunyoro<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_86"></a>[86]</span>
+under King Kabarega, a white fowl was killed and
+examined. The priest declared the omen augured that
+success and peace should attend his reign. But
+Kasagama, being unacquainted with what they had done,
+nearly brought upon himself the worst misfortune by
+approaching near to the grave of the fowl. Had not his
+attendants just stopped him from walking over the grave
+a moral offence would have been perpetrated upon the
+body of the fowl and its spirit would have avenged the
+wrong!</p>
+
+<p>By carefully clearing away the accumulated legends of
+centuries, one finds, however, faint suggestions of a purer
+belief, which reminds one of a saying by an Indian
+monarch, who lived in the 3rd century B.C., “The sap
+of all religions is alike.”</p>
+
+<p>There are a few Batoro whose memory recalls their
+primitive belief, which, despite the contortions which
+time and repetition have effected, bear a recognisable
+similarity to Old Testament revelations.</p>
+
+<p>At the beginning of all history they say God and his
+brother Nkya were in the world and made all things.
+Nkya had three sons whom he brought to God to be
+named, and in order to do so He proved the heart of each
+man. When the sons were brought in at night, to
+each of the sons was given a pot full of milk and God
+ordered them to take care of it until the morning. At
+midnight the youngest dozed and some of his milk got
+spilled; then he turned to his brothers and asked them
+to fill up his pot with a little from each of theirs, and this
+they did. After a short time the elder son knocked over
+his pot and all the milk was spilled out. Then he begged
+the others to give him of theirs, but they refused, saying,
+“And what shall we do?” When the night had passed
+God came and uncovered each of the milk pots. To the
+second son he said, “Where is your milk?” And he
+answered, “The youngest’s milk was spilled and I filled<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_87"></a>[87]</span>
+up his pot.” And to the eldest God said, “And yours?”
+He replied, “I slept and mine was all upset and I asked
+my brothers to give me of theirs but they refused.”
+Then God cursed him and called him Kairu (a little
+servant), saying that he should become his brothers’
+servant. And God said to the youngest, “You shall be
+called Kakama (Little King), you shall rule all people,
+you shall be King, and your second brother shall live
+with you and be your minister.”</p>
+
+<p>After this God took counsel with his brother that they
+should leave the world and go to their home in heaven, for
+there was very great sin in the world, and God did not wish
+to kill man whom he had created. So God and Nkya left
+the world and Kakama was left to rule the people. The
+Bunyoro trace all their Kings back to this great Monarch.</p>
+
+<p>Their fifth King was named Kantu, who they say
+brought punishment and death into the world. Like his
+predecessors, he disappeared suddenly, and is believed to
+have gone up to God to beg that disease and death might
+visit the people. God then spoke with Nkya, his brother,
+and said it was well people should die and come to life
+again after four days. But Nkya said, “Let them die
+absolutely.” After this the little son of the reigning king
+became ill and died, and the King Isaza sent to God
+and said, “My son will not wake up.” God said,
+“What is his sleep like?” And he replied, “Since lying
+down to sleep he will not move and he does not breathe.”
+Then God sent to Isaza and told him to dig a hole and
+bury the child. But the King did not understand what
+death was, and as he sat in his house he sought for his
+son and ordered for him to be brought. But his people
+told him that he would never again see his son; hearing
+this the King lifted up his hands and as he stood over
+the grave he cursed all men for the death of his child.
+For this God plagued his people with sickness, but Isaza
+remained unsoftened, so God sent death to his second son.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_88"></a>[88]</span></p>
+
+<p>After this the King of Hell sent messages to the King
+Isaza, tempting him with gifts to make a covenant with
+him; and after much hesitation Isaza yielded and set out
+with his companion the Moon to visit the King of Hell.
+When he had gone some distance the ground suddenly
+opened, and Isaza was cast down till he reached the gate
+of Hell, from whence he never returned. Whereupon
+the moon, grieving over the loss of his royal friend, went
+up into the sky and has ever remained there.</p>
+
+<p>The method of these people for making a covenant was
+that of blood-brotherhood.</p>
+
+<p>Each of the two parties took a coffee bean, dipped it
+in the blood from a small incision made in his body, then
+handed it to his companion to be eaten. It was a most
+sacred pledge of indissoluble union, a breach of which
+met with immediate death. Whoever the King chose to
+honour with blood brotherhood, was raised to the highest
+position, regardless of his birth or estate. This has often
+made clear to them the passage, “we who sometimes
+were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” It
+is said that when the first English official passed
+through the neighbouring country of Ankole, the King
+and people were in a state of great consternation,
+speculating as to the purport of his visit. The
+explanations of the Englishmen were not sufficient
+to allay their suspicions, but on his agreeing to
+make “blood brotherhood” with the King an understanding
+was arrived at and the confidence of the
+people established.</p>
+
+<p>Their ideas of an after life seem to have been of the very
+vaguest. Their belief that the soul continues to exist after
+death was evident in that they had a great fear of the spirits
+of the departed. A man on the death of his wife (or one
+of them) did not marry again till the body had decayed,
+for fear of offending the spirit of the dead. Frequently
+in the villages are to be seen long zig-zag paths leading<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_89"></a>[89]</span>
+to the huts that are supposed to baulk the spirits which
+only travel in straight lines.</p>
+
+<p>Burial takes place immediately after death. The body
+is wrapped round in bark cloths and with it are buried
+quantities of white calico, bark cloths, and blankets,
+according to the wealth of the chief mourner. When
+the head of the household dies he is buried in the courtyard
+of his house, after which the hut is removed to
+another spot, so that the spirit of the deceased shall not
+trouble the surviving members of the family. When the
+King died the custom was for five women and four men
+of the chief families of the land to be taken by force and
+buried alive with the King, to complete the number ten,
+so that he should not be alone. A house was then
+erected over the grave, and inside the surrounding fence
+the Queen came and lived. Every day at daybreak she
+went with the keepers of the tomb to clean it down and
+sweep out the courtyard. They lived on the food and cows
+stolen from folks passing along on the roads. A man had
+to forfeit all right to anything claimed for the “Gasani”
+(the King’s Tomb), and could look for no reparation.</p>
+
+<p>If a man dies without expressing any wish as to the
+disposal of his belongings, his brothers, and not the wife
+and children, inherit them. Among the Bahuma tribe
+the wife is included in the personalty and is handed over
+as wife to the brother of the deceased. Our small milk
+boy, of about fourteen years of age, came to me one day
+with a petition for a rise in his wages, as he found it
+difficult to support his wife and children on his present
+earnings. He then went on to explain that his brother
+had died, leaving him to marry the rather elderly wife,
+who had two children. I felt the right thing was to
+sympathise with him, but quickly learned my mistake,
+for he was very well pleased with his legacy, which gave
+him a wife to cultivate and cook for him without the
+usual payment of goats and sheep.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_90"></a>[90]</span></p>
+
+<p>The Batoro have little or no fear of death, in fact some
+seem rather glad to create a little sensation among their
+friends by becoming for the time the chief object of
+interest! On one occasion I was called to visit a dying
+man in the Namasole’s village. With a little bag of
+medicine strapped on to my saddle, I rode out to see if
+anything could be done. An unusual stillness had fallen
+on everyone, for the sick man was none other than the
+Katikiro of the place. Suddenly, as I stepped up to the
+doorway of the hut, there arose a wild shriek from
+inside; this was taken up immediately by everyone
+around and the air was rent with wailings and loud,
+piercing screams—I knew at once my medicine would
+not be required, but, entering, tried to quiet the frenzied
+mourners. I drew out from my bag the Gospel of St.
+John, and read the words “I am the Resurrection and
+the Life.” Immediately the tumult ceased, and everyone
+listened to the message of Life spoken in the
+presence of Death; and as we all knelt in prayer one
+realised perhaps as never before how death hath been
+swallowed up in Victory. One of the greatest joys one
+can know is to wave the torch of Life and Immortality
+across the darkness of ages that has never known a hope
+beyond the grave.</p>
+
+<p>The result of the people’s belief is stamped unmistakably
+on almost everything in the country. With the
+lack of physical energy has died the desire to master
+their country. The rich, productive soil, with its
+abnormal generative properties, has been left uncared for
+and unkempt, till “thorns also and thistles,” the insignia
+of a blighted world, cover a land that might have been a
+veritable Eden.</p>
+
+<p>Tall, tangled weeds creep up to the very doorways of
+the houses, while most of the roads are merely narrow,
+beaten tracks. Whenever an attempt is made to tackle
+an appreciable task, a few days suffices to exhaust<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_91"></a>[91]</span>
+the labourer completely; at the end of that time he may
+be seen in a state of total collapse, with a strip of rag
+bound tightly round the hand, the outward and visible
+sign of being <i>hors de combat</i>.</p>
+
+<p>In Toro one realises at times the dead weight of life
+and its environment. The changes of the seasons—spring
+with the freshness of infancy and vitality of youth;
+summer decked in the exquisite glory of a new life;
+autumn and winter folding tired nature up in a long,
+deep sleep—are sadly missed where the trees are always
+green. The sympathy in nature is lacking; flowers lose
+their subtle and delicate charm; the bright, soft sward is
+there exchanged for the elephant grass with its saw-like
+blades. The birds have no song; the voices of music
+and poetry have never been heard; and as age after age
+has rolled by, no lip has breathed a prayer to its Creator.
+There are instances when heathenism seems to surround
+one with such blackness that the soul stands as if isolated
+in a foreign Land, breathing a new atmosphere in which
+there is lacking the spiritual ether of one’s native land.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_92"></a>[92]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XI">CHAPTER XI<br>
+<span class="smaller">Language</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>The language spoken in Toro is Lunyoro, and quite
+distinct from that used in Uganda; but it is undoubtedly
+the parent dialect and almost identical
+with that spoken in the Kingdoms of Unyoro and Ankole,
+besides being very generally understood by the tribes
+beyond Ruwenzori.</p>
+
+<p>For the first three years, Missionary work in these
+districts was carried on in Luganda, as neither the
+European nor Baganda teachers had sufficient knowledge
+of Lunyoro, and there were no books or reading-sheets in
+the language. Luganda was understood by some of the
+upper class men and a few women, but it was scarcely ever
+spoken, and none of the peasants were acquainted with it.
+Until these people could have their religion and reading-books
+in their own tongue, it seemed as if vital Christianity
+must remain more or less outside their actual lives. So
+towards the end of 1899 Mr. Maddox went up to Toro
+with the intention of studying and reducing the language
+of the people to writing.</p>
+
+<p>When we arrived in 1900 a little reading-sheet had
+been printed, and St. Matthew’s Gospel was in hand.
+But there was no book or literature to help us, and as the
+natives did not understand one word of English it seemed
+a hopeless difficulty. Miss Pike, my companion, had
+studied Luganda for six months, so was able to speak with
+those who knew it, and through interpretation to those
+who did not. By this means she piloted us both through
+those first days when the house was thronged with<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_93"></a>[93]</span>
+people from morning till night, and they pelted us with
+kind remarks and every imaginable and unimaginable
+question. I never felt so absolutely stupid as when they
+addressed me with a torrent of eloquence, until the idea
+struck me of retaliating with a continuous flow of
+English. It pleased them immensely, but certainly did
+not check them.</p>
+
+<p>The third day after our arrival, Mr. Maddox kindly
+gave us our first lesson in Lunyoro. He was trying to
+impress on us that the words were largely formed by
+prefixes and suffixes, so one had only to find the stem and
+it was all right. “Tinkakimuherayoga” was obviously,
+said he, from the verb “okuhu,” to give; find that, the
+meaning of the word was made plain: “I have never
+given it to him there”! My mind was chaotic, and I
+wondered if it ever would be anything else.</p>
+
+<p>After a few weeks our patient teacher had to go off on
+an itinerating trip, so we were left alone to flounder
+through the quagmires. I believe the best and quickest
+way of acquiring a new tongue is to summon up all the
+courage you possess and go in and out among the people
+until you adopt it much in the same way as an infant
+does its mother language. Undoubtedly it requires pluck.
+The first time I ventured forth with a remark, peals of
+laughter came from my audience, which almost quenched
+the one spark of courage left. Afterwards I learned this
+was a mark of their appreciation!</p>
+
+<p>In the fifth month, and after a great deal of hard
+persuasion, I decided on attempting to take a daily Bible
+Class. As the 8.0 morning drum sounded and I made my
+way to the church, my nerve powers fell below zero, and
+I felt decidedly limp. The words “Who hath made
+man’s mouth; I will be with thy mouth” pulled me
+together a bit, and I hurried in to my class to find
+between twenty and thirty women waiting for their
+teacher. Talking for one whole hour was a terrible tax<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_94"></a>[94]</span>
+on my vocabulary, and must have been even a greater
+tax on the endurance of the class. I was quite done when
+they were in a questioning mood; it would have been bad
+enough if there had been no foreign language to understand.
+The very first morning they asked me about
+Michael disputing with Satan over the body of Moses!</p>
+
+<p>It is rather surprising to find that such simple people
+possess so advanced a form of etymology. The parts of
+speech and general construction in a broad sense resemble
+the other dialects of the Bantu class, but the verbs are
+very complex and more technically developed than its
+offsprings, Luganda and Swahili. All our English tenses
+are employed besides several others met with in Greek.
+Most of these effect a complete change in the relative
+form. Verbs practically dominate all the other parts of
+speech; the nouns, with very few exceptions, are their
+parasites. A few straggling prefixes tacked on to the verb
+root are the only attempts the nouns make toward an
+individuality of their own. Adverbs and prepositions are
+rarely granted an independent existence. They add to
+the corpulence of the verb by being absorbed in it. The
+perfect harmony between nouns, adjectives, and verbs is
+a veritable man-trap, for a native will rarely understand a
+discord, however untutored he may be. Besides grammar
+and pronunciation, there are two other important things
+to study—the proverbs, and the mode of expressing ideas.
+The Batoro are not quite so versed in the metaphorical
+form of speech as the Baganda, who are capable of carrying
+on a lengthy conversation in the most mystical and
+involved proverbs, only quoting the first two or three
+words of each, and quite expecting you to imagine the
+rest. I trembled literally when this was first told me, for
+I had never been able to get beyond “never too late to
+mend” in English proverbs. But Lunyoro is really
+kinder in this respect. They do, however, exist in
+spasmodic forms. If you want to really win the love and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_95"></a>[95]</span>
+confidence of the people you have to make a regular
+business of learning their catch expressions and idioms,
+and dropping completely the habit of translating English
+into Lunyoro, then they will confer on you their highest
+degree “Oli Mutoro,” “you are a native of Toro.”</p>
+
+<p>The Batoro have what I believe is a unique custom
+among these tribes, that is, every mother gives a pet
+name to her child, and this clings to him always; it is
+used when addressing as a token of love or respect by
+friends and dependents. Ana Kageye constituted herself
+my African “Mother,” and straight away gave me the
+name “Adyeri” (pronounced Ar-de-air-y). This was
+very readily taken up by the people, as my name absolutely
+beat them. Only the King and one or two others
+got so near as “Hurudeki,” and really it took some time
+to answer up to “Beki” “Deki” “Heki” “Bodeki”
+“Hedeki” and even “Paratata,” which were all supposed
+to be “Hurditch.” Really, to save the poor family name
+from such rough treatment I was not sorry to put it away
+entirely except in memory.</p>
+
+<p>In less than five years a great deal has been accomplished
+in translation, and with the exception of a few
+hymns, it has been entirely undertaken by the one
+missionary who has also been responsible for direct
+mission work. During that period the New Testament, the
+Prayer Book with Psalms, two Catechisms, a hymn book
+of nearly one hundred hymns, and a reading sheet for
+learners have been completed in the language of the
+people. Since Lunyoro was adopted in place of the
+neighbouring dialect of Luganda, the work has gone forward
+in leaps and bounds, and to it must be attributed
+largely the wide spread of Christianity among the
+peasants in the villages. It is not an uncommon thing
+to find a village that has given up devil-worship, not
+through the instrumentality of a European or native
+teacher, but simply through the people having learned<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_96"></a>[96]</span>
+to read the Bible for themselves from someone who had
+been instructed in the alphabet or syllables.</p>
+
+<p>When Mr. Maddox was about to leave Toro for
+England, the King and chiefs came together and presented
+to him a letter signed by a very large number of
+Christian men. In it they expressed their warm appreciation
+of all the work he had done for them in translating
+the books, and earnestly hoped he would soon return to
+them again. These books form the entire library of the
+Batoro. They are most insatiable readers, and as you
+pass along the roads any hour in the day you will hear a
+voice here and there issuing from the little grass huts
+reading in loud measured tones from the Bible. It is
+impossible to estimate the purifying and sanctifying
+influence this literature has had on the national and
+family life. The conquering martial strains of the
+“Onward Christian Soldiers” have displaced and driven
+out of the country the old songs of plunder and bloodshed.
+Instead of the little children learning demoralising
+heathen songs and dances they are being taught to sing
+such hymns as “I think when I read that sweet story of
+old.” Right away among the creeks and crevices of the
+ancient Mountains of the Moon, on the very borders of
+the great primaeval forests inhabited by the little pigmy
+tribe, you hear to-day the strains of these Christian
+hymns.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_97"></a>[97]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XII">CHAPTER XII<br>
+<span class="smaller">Festivities in Toro</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<h3>I. <span class="smcap">Christmas.</span></h3>
+
+<p>Can it be that this is the season that in one’s mind is
+always associated with snow, Jack Frost, Santa
+Claus, shops and streets ablaze with gas jets,
+holly and mistletoe, people hurrying and jostling
+each other good naturedly, wrapped up in the warmest
+furs to keep out the crisp, frosty air, and wishing each and
+all the compliments of the season. Yes, it is really Yuletide!
+And yet the hills and dales are waving their
+ripening grain under the deep sapphire of a cloudless sky.
+The dry season is near its close, hills and mountains are
+scorched and parched, the banana groves and the tiger
+grass of the swamps which wind like a serpent’s trail
+round the base of the hills, are the only bright and green
+tracks that have survived the conflict with the equatorial
+sun. On all sides are to be seen tiny patches of cultivated
+land, even reaching up to the lofty peaks of
+Ruwenzori’s range, where the people have sown their
+grain (Buro), and this will soon be ready for the harvesters.</p>
+
+<p>In the garden round our bungalow mud house are
+gorgeous zinnias, balsams, mignonette, carnations, sweet
+peas, geraniums, nasturtiums, and two little rose buds.
+A few steps further will bring you round to the vegetable
+garden. One gardener being an Irishman, potatoes are
+very much in evidence, and of course cabbages. Besides
+these there are cauliflowers, green peas, beans,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_98"></a>[98]</span>
+celery, only wanting the nip of frost to make it excellent,
+lettuces, beetroots, cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, carrots,
+and turnips. And yet this is Christmastime! It is little
+wonder that one has constantly to revert to the calendar
+to be assured of this.</p>
+
+<p>And so we set to work to get the little gifts together
+that our kind friends from home sent us for our native
+friends—knives, pencils, bags, sashes, blotters, and so on.
+The wee tots from the school come down for their attendance
+prizes, and go away beaming with their new possession
+of a pinafore. Then the oxen are killed, and on
+the day before Christmas all the sick folk come to the
+“missionary butcher” and hobble off rejoicing with their
+joint of beef wrapped up in a banana leaf. And, although
+Father Christmas has assumed a black face in Africa, he
+does not pass by the white man’s door, and he leaves his
+gifts of a grass mat, animal’s skin, beans, beads, or
+bracelets, the only things with which he can fill his Toro
+sack.</p>
+
+<p>At 12.0 a.m. on Christmas Eve from the King’s, the
+Queen Mother’s, and the Mission Hills the drums are set
+beating, and from the English forts the guns are fired to
+proclaim to all the country that the Christian’s day of
+rejoicing has dawned, for the Christ child—Immanuel—has
+come. Then on the midnight air is borne the strains
+of “O come all ye faithful” and “Hark the herald angels,”
+sung by some of those who have been redeemed from the
+heart of Darkest Africa, and now step out from their
+little huts to join with us in praising God.</p>
+
+<p>At 8 a.m. on Christmas morning the church drum is
+beaten, calling the people together, and by 9.0 the church
+is completely crowded out, many being obliged to sit
+outside. In the schoolroom over four hundred of the
+peasant folk and children have gathered, and in the
+dispensary the sick have come together for morning service.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_99"></a>[99]</span></p>
+
+<p>The church is beautifully decorated with palm leaves
+and flowers that have been brought in by the people, and
+the building echoes with voice as the audience unites, as
+one man, in the service.</p>
+
+<div class="poetry-container">
+<div class="poetry">
+  <div class="stanza">
+    <div class="verse indent0">On Afric’s sunny shore, glad voices</div>
+    <div class="verse indent2">Wake up the morn of Jubilee</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">The negro, once a slave, rejoices;</div>
+    <div class="verse indent2">Who’s freed by Christ, is doubly free.</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<p>After that we all go to our homes, the natives to make
+merry over their beef and bananas, and we to prepare as
+near an approach to an English Christmas dinner as is
+possible, and although there are no grocers’ shops or
+fruiterers’ to supply the usual details, and our cook for
+the twelve years of his existence has been reared in
+African ignorance, still one can fare very excellently, for
+the guinea fowl and sausages are really turkey in all but
+name. The baron of beef, although far removed from the
+prize oxen of the English markets, is very good, and
+the home-made plum pudding, with its few suspicious
+native ingredients, brings up the menu to almost English
+standard.</p>
+
+<p>Boxing Day is generally a grand field day, when sports
+are arranged on an extensive scale, including running,
+pick-a-back, hurdle, three-legged, and obstacle races.
+This latter involves scaling a bamboo scaffolding, crawling
+through packing cases with the ends kicked out, climbing
+a tree, and wriggling through a stack of reeds. Then
+there is a greasy pole placed in an oblique position, at
+the end of which is hung a leg of goat. Big and small,
+old and young attempt this, quite regardless of the
+undignified tumbles each experiences. Loud was the
+shout of applause on one occasion, when the Katikiro,
+who is of clumsy proportions, after many falls landed
+safely at the top and secured the joint. A banana peeling
+competition for the women comes next. The competitors,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_100"></a>[100]</span>
+some twenty at a time, sit in a row with their knives and
+twenty green bananas on a leaf before them. When the
+whistle sounds they attack their task with great excitement.
+Some women, in place of knives, use sharpened
+pieces of wood. Those who finish first and peel the best
+receive prizes of calico. Scrambles for cowrie shells
+generally bring the sports day to a close.</p>
+
+<p>On more than one occasion Bishop Tucker has honoured
+Toro by dating his annual visit about Christmas time.
+This was the case during our first year in Toro. We
+had had a busy time previous to his arrival questioning
+and examining the hundred and fifty women candidates
+who were to be presented for confirmation, and when all
+this was completed we ran away to the crater Lake, eight
+miles distant, to snatch a few days’ rest. But on the
+second day we were unexpectedly recalled, as one of our
+fellow missionaries had been taken very ill and was
+obliged to be carried into Mengo under the care of the
+other one. So for the first time we two girls were left
+quite alone, eight days away from the nearest European.
+But we were too occupied to realise it. The engineers,
+surveyors, and foremen (?) having suddenly left us in this
+manner, we were obliged to see through the completion
+of the jobs they had taken in hand in order to get things
+into shape before Christmas. Here at last we found a
+chance of putting to use our youthful study of Euclid.
+With a measuring line and sticks we felt distinctly professional
+as we tried to mark out a new road, but we
+found that if only the ground space had been long enough
+to test it our two straight lines would certainly have
+enclosed a space. So perhaps Euclid’s axiom is only an
+absurdity after all!</p>
+
+<p>Then the house where the Bishop was to be entertained
+needed repairs. The roof was in such a state that one
+evening, while we were tidying up inside, a big storm
+visited us and simply poured down through the reed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_101"></a>[101]</span>
+ceiling into the sitting-room. Fortunately there are no
+carpets in these parts, for the floor was covered with
+puddles in a very few minutes. But the water soon
+drained off into the holes the white ants had made; they
+must have suffered from rheumatism that night!</p>
+
+<p>It was a difficult matter to find workmen just then, for
+most of the chiefs had gone off, each with some hundreds
+of men, to capture young elephants. Sir Harry Johnston
+had offered a certain sum for each young elephant
+brought in alive, as he was hoping to have them trained
+for transport use. A few days after the first party had
+set out, a loud report of distant yelling and screaming
+reached the school, where daily classes were going on.
+Nearly everyone ran out to discover the cause of the uproar.
+A large crowd was seen approaching, beating
+drums, blowing pipes, dancing, and shouting. There
+seemed no apparent occasion for such a row till one spied
+a tiny, hapless baby elephant, with ropes round its body
+and four legs, limping along among its captors. It died,
+like all its followers. But for a few days just then Toro
+threatened to become a most undesirable menagerie, for,
+besides these elephants and various monkeys, the King
+had collected, and sent to the Commissioner, one of the
+largest, most repulsive, and horribly human-looking
+chimpanzees. The mode of capture had been rather
+unique. The tree in which it had taken up its position in
+the forest was isolated by the capturers cutting down all
+the surrounding ones for some distance. Then, placing
+a circle of men with spears to guard the boundary,
+they felled the only standing tree, and as it suddenly
+crashed down with its coveted and unsuspicious object, a
+net was thrown over the black monster, that was then
+hustled into a large cane cage standing in readiness.</p>
+
+<p>One of our runaway Missionaries managed to get back
+to Toro just in time for the Bishop’s arrival three days
+before Christmas. We went with the King’s wife, his<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_102"></a>[102]</span>
+mother, his sister, and about 250 women, and waited for
+his arrival on the brow of a hill. All the men, headed by
+the King and Katikiro on horseback, had preceded us.
+When the Bishop came up, riding on his mule, he was
+literally besieged, and we could scarcely move on for the
+crowd. The days that followed were big days. Three
+hundred and sixty-four candidates came forward for confirmation.</p>
+
+<p>It was a truly wonderful sight to see the church with over
+500 men and women assembled for Holy Communion. My
+mind travelled back in thought to six years ago, when
+outside the houses had stood the devil temples. Generation
+after generation had passed, the Prince of Darkness
+exercising undisputed sway and holding the people in the
+most degraded and merciless allegiance. Now his power
+had been completely shattered, his temples cast down,
+and a great Invisible Temple was being builded together
+for a Habitation of God through the Spirit.</p>
+
+<p>Together at the Communion rails knelt the King in his
+royal robes, and close by was one of his peasant subjects
+dressed in a small goat skin. There was old Apolo Mpisi,
+the dispensary patient, with a beaming and peaceful
+countenance—this was his first communion. Among
+others, hobbled up an old lady on crutches, who had had
+her leg amputated during a visit from Dr. Cook, of
+Mengo. The responsibility was a solemn one of feeling
+that we had done something toward preparing many of
+the women for this holy ordinance. When we shall
+stand together, all united before the Throne in Heaven,
+will it not be glorious to have had a share, however small,
+in leading forward some of the multitude from Africa!</p>
+
+<p>As the powers of Heaven looked down upon Toro that
+day, surely they broke forth into a song of victory. Blessing,
+and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, and
+honour, and power, and might be unto our God for ever
+and ever, Amen.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_103"></a>[103]</span></p>
+
+<h3>II. <span class="smcap">Coronation Celebrations.</span></h3>
+
+<p>Although so far from things that stir and thrill the
+great heart of the British Empire, Toro must not be considered
+behind in loyalty to that centre of its Government.
+Certainly it exercised its utmost ingenuity to
+follow close in the wake of the plans and excitement that
+occupied the mind of every English subject for commemorating
+the great event of the Coronation of its King—Edward
+VII.</p>
+
+<p>Our mails from England for months seemed to have no
+other subject to talk about. Our minds pictured it all—sombre
+London stripped of its usual calm sobriety,
+decorated in full war paint. We were seized with a
+violent fit of patriotism, and because we could not join in
+the London throng, or even go to the grand festivities
+that were prepared by the Government at Mengo, we
+determined to do our best for Toro.</p>
+
+<p>First of all, some days before the event, invitations
+were sent out to the four other Europeans, and to the
+royal native court, for a coronation dinner. Ordering the
+donkey to be harnessed, someone was despatched to our
+village shop to purchase red, blue, and white calico, with
+which were made two long lines of streamers for decorating
+our station, and a large Union Jack to cover the
+Table in the Church. Some of the people came down to
+decorate the outside, while we decked the church inside
+with the royal and imperial colours. At 8.0 a.m. on Coronation
+Day over 1,000 people had gathered in and outside
+the church for a brief service. After prayer and Scripture,
+a Royal decree was read that had been sent out from
+England and translated, and this was followed by a brief
+address on the event of the day. Then we all rose and
+united in the good old National Anthem, that had been
+translated and type-written for the occasion.</p>
+
+<p>That was the first half of the day’s proceedings. The<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_104"></a>[104]</span>
+second half started at seven, when the dinner came off.
+The table was decked out with a table centre of red
+geraniums, white balsams, and cornflowers, the serviettes
+were folded as crowns, and the first course consisted
+of crown-shaped patties covered with the yoke of eggs,
+and studded with the white to represent crown jewels!
+King Kasagama and Queen Damali, dressed in draperies
+of silk and white linen, arrived with the other native
+guests, who had hung about the outside courtyard so as
+to avoid being the first arrivals. It was marvellous how
+easily and quietly our native guests manipulated the
+European table equipments; half concealed glances were
+cast in our direction every now and again. The serviettes
+rather puzzled them—were they to be left on the table or
+used as handkerchiefs? When the plum pudding came in,
+all ablaze, with a little British flag stuck at the top, three
+hearty cheers greeted it, the King joining in with
+boisterous glee.</p>
+
+<p>On the table there were three dishes of strawberries, the
+first we had been able to produce in Toro, and we were
+keen on introducing them into the country generally. Preparing
+a plateful with sugar and cream, I respectfully
+begged his Majesty to try a real English luxury. He
+glanced timidly at them, and showed the usual disinclination
+that is always evinced when given a new English
+dish to sample. He assured me that he was so satisfied
+that anything more was impossible, but, passing the plate
+to the Katikiro, told him to try it. The poor man, looking
+the picture of misery, begged to be excused, so it fell
+to the lot of the unfortunate chief minister to submit
+himself to the task. With a pitifully resigned expression
+he took one strawberry on a spoon, then another, and
+another, till he called out “Excellent, excellent, the best
+of all.” Forgetting his recent excuse, the King took the
+dish near at hand, and simply finished off the whole lot!
+The day following requests came from one and another<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_105"></a>[105]</span>
+for strawberry roots, and King Daudi superintended the
+Queen as she herself planted them in a plot outside the
+sitting-room window of his Majesty’s new house.</p>
+
+<p>After dinner the King was determined to do his part,
+and insisted on our all going up to his home. To our
+utter amazement we found our court outlined with
+hundreds of flaming torches, ten to twelve feet long; the
+bearers were waiting to conduct us to the royal palace.
+The whole distance was lined with double files of torchbearers,
+which made the country look like Earl’s Court
+Exhibition on an exaggerated scale. Big bonfires were
+burning on the surrounding hills, the torches of guests
+coming from all directions looked like so many fireflies.
+On arriving at the Royal Court, we were met with a blaze
+of fire. Quickly falling into order, the people unanimously
+shouted a salute to his Majesty and his friends, as we
+made for the chairs all set out on leopard skins outside
+the two-storied mud palace. Then the performance
+began. The Royal band was then in full force. On
+striking up one of the most weird, discordant tunes,
+nearly the whole crowd of people broke into dancing,
+their fluttering, white linen garments flapping about them
+as wings. More and more excited they got, till they
+danced so high as to appear held up in mid-air. Then
+they gave way to the pipers, who performed on
+instruments made from crude pieces of reed. Singing
+accompanied this performance—such fantastic tunes, all
+praising the greatness of their King and exalting in the
+prowess of his people, with ringing cheers interspersed for
+England, its King, and King Kasagama. The evening
+closed in giving us all a longing that the great
+Edward VII. might have seen how one of his kingly
+subjects in the heart of Africa had commemorated that
+important day.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_106"></a>[106]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIII">CHAPTER XIII<br>
+<span class="smaller">Tramp I. To the Albert Edward Lake</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>The year after our arrival in the country my companion
+and I were again on the tramp toward the
+Albert Edward Lake, combining an itinerating tour
+with a holiday. We started under not very propitious
+circumstances. The wet season was not over, and
+promised to treat us rather shabbily, for the rain began
+drifting down just as we had put off from home. We had a
+small body of caravan porters numbering about fourteen
+in all, and an ordained native deacon, named Apolo
+Kivebulaya, as protector and overseer of the forces. He
+is just one of the best natives you could ever meet.</p>
+
+<p>His experiences seem like a page out of apostolic history.
+He, with his friend Sedulaka, came from Uganda to Toro
+in 1896 as teachers. When a European was afterwards
+stationed there, he went further afield, even as far as
+Mboga, on the boundaries of the Pigmy Forest, and there
+he established a Mission Station. At first he met with a
+great deal of opposition from the chief Tabala, which
+might have been expected from the graphic account the
+late Sir Henry Stanley gives of these uncontrollable
+people in his book “Darkest Africa.” Apolo’s house
+and few possessions were burnt by incendiarism, and for
+three weeks he remained hidden from his persecutors in
+a house of a woman, who had become a “reader”; but
+his zeal and faith never flagged even when he was
+cast into the chain gang, for there he commenced to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_107"></a>[107]</span>
+speak to his guards, and taught them to read the Testament,
+which he always carried about with him. Shortly
+after these things Tabala himself got converted to
+Christianity through the instrumentality of this very
+man, and, from being one of the fiercest opponents, he
+became, and has remained since, one of the most ardent
+supporters of the Christian Faith. Apolo is a well-known
+character throughout the country; nothing succeeds in
+ruffling his quiet, contented nature, but with a chronic
+beam on his old dusky face, he goes along in his daily
+routine of instructing catechumens or confirmation
+candidates, officiating at burials and marriages, or visiting
+the outlying Mission Stations.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus13" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus13.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>APOLO KIVEBULAYA.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Certainly we could not have had a native escort so
+respected and beloved all round these parts than good old
+Apolo.</p>
+
+<p>In order that we should find camp comfortably fixed
+up on the first day, we had despatched our belongings
+some time ahead. We were anxious to wait for the heat
+of the day to pass before actually starting off on our
+wheels. Just outside Kabarole the rain came down in
+torrents. We struggled to cycle on through it, but it was
+tough business. The mud, added to the hilly condition
+of the path, prevented us from making much headway.
+My wheel was a solid tyre, generally known as a “bone-shaker”;
+it would <i>not</i> stick on the down hills, and
+insisted on skidding along the narrow, slanting paths cut
+round them. Once I did a most uncomfortable somersault,
+and having for a second time got thrown into thick
+mud, relinquished the bicycle for the remainder of that
+day’s journey. When we reached camp, we were in a
+condition better imagined than described. Evidently the
+rain had rather damped the energies of our porters, for
+we found the tent only just commencing to be tackled,
+and mud, mud, mud, everywhere. It was certainly rather
+confusing; 5 p.m., and in a tiny space surrounded by<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_108"></a>[108]</span>
+banana trees were the jabbering porters; boxes were
+lying about in the mud, and a small crowd of inquisitive
+natives stood round gaping with astonishment. One of
+them kindly offered to turn out of his tiny hut to allow
+us to change our soaking clothes, and our stay there
+turned out to be somewhat longer than we bargained for,
+for one of our porters came to us with a cheerful grin
+saying that he had left the ground sheet of the tent
+behind. Stacks of soaking grass had been laid down over
+the wet mud inside the tent, and our low camp beds
+were almost sitting in it. So we had them removed into
+the hut, and there we passed the night. Oh, these native
+huts! There are no apertures for light excepting the
+low entrance; this one was partially divided into two
+apartments by means of a reed screen, and in one of these
+we slept; in the other, our girls cooked and knocked
+about. There was just squeezing space for our two beds.
+Above mine was a ledge, where some fowls were roosting
+and strutting about, shaking down the soot and cobwebs
+that hung round the inside of the hut. We scarcely
+dared attempt to close our eyes, as rats were scampering
+about very excitedly all night. We cleared off as soon
+as we could in the morning, hoping to settle on a more
+congenial spot next time. The road left much to be
+desired: it was a constant succession of hills and deep
+ridges, with a few swamps to add variety to one’s mode
+of travelling. Feeling scarcely like wading through
+these, I mounted the shoulder of a stolid porter, who
+stumbled through the mud and water above his knees. It
+is a tragic experience to balance yourself up so high, and
+only a woolly pate to tenaciously hold on to, especially
+when your carrier gets stuck in the mud, and extricating
+it, with an unexpected jerk, nearly sends his burden and
+himself head-first.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus14" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus14.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE ALBERT EDWARD LAKE.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>At every halting-place food was brought to us by the
+natives for our porters; they generally offer it as a gift,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_109"></a>[109]</span>
+but would be very disappointed if they did not get something
+of greater value in exchange. One has to be provided
+with a purse of curious dimensions, for at some
+villages reading sheets, hymn books, or gospels are the
+payments most valued; in others, calico, cowrie-shells,
+pice, or even beads of the particular design which
+happens to be the latest fashion in clothing there at the
+time. The scenery on our second day’s travel was
+exhilarating; the road lay near the base of Ruwenzori’s
+mountains. We steamed along on our machines with sun-hats
+and big sun-shades over ridges and through mud at
+which even a horse would stop and consider. Our noble
+Apolo insisted on keeping pace with our bicycles, and as
+small batches of natives passed on the road, gazing with
+blank astonishment at these “running snakes,” he called
+out with pride and elation “Look at the wisdom of the
+white man.” Just as this remark was shot out for the third
+time the front bicycle tumbled clean into an ant-pit, and
+was irremediably smashed up. The people did not
+evince any concern or surprise: they evidently considered
+it a part of the show. One of the onlookers was
+chartered to shoulder the fragments back to Kabarole. I
+am not quite sure if he did not wonder where the
+“wisdom” came in.</p>
+
+<p>When we were within one and a-half hours of our next
+camp, streams of natives came running out to meet and
+welcome us. They continued increasing in number till
+we reached the village, Butanuka, which seemed well
+awake, what with the shrieking excitement of the people
+and the howlings of the children, who yelled with fear
+and alarm. Really our welcome resembled our first
+appearance in Toro, for here as everywhere in these parts
+the people had never seen white women. The drum was
+beaten, and although we were tired out and longed for a
+quiet rest and a cup of tea, we were borne along with the
+crowd there and then into the little grass church, where<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_110"></a>[110]</span>
+the native teacher thanked God for sending us, and we
+expressed our joy at coming out to them. The chief had
+erected a large grass shed where we could sit during the
+time of day when the sun makes a tent absolutely unbearable.
+His wife brought us in her offering in the shape of
+a sheep, six chickens, eggs, twenty bundles of bananas,
+native spinach, and two large gourds of “mubisi”—banana
+juice. Butanuka is a charming spot, surrounded
+on three sides by mountains. Toward the south these
+suddenly terminate and expose an arm of Lake Dweru.
+In nearly all the valleys are stretches of cultivated land
+and banana groves, while the little brown grass huts peep
+out like so many eyes from among their green surroundings.</p>
+
+<p>There is a peculiar fascination in journeying through
+these unknown districts of Africa. When one can talk
+with the people in their own language they become an
+intensely interesting study. Cunning plus lying plus
+theft plus indolence—these qualities seem to sum up the
+very generally accepted idea of a black man. Thus the
+European approaches him with a distinctly biassed
+opinion, and instinctively realising that the white man distrusts
+him; the real self of the negro shrinks back into
+itself, the fidelity, dog-like affection, generosity, and keen
+penetration of his nature remain unrecognised because
+untouched. Dispel all preconceived ideas, study the
+people’s environment, the external and internal influences
+that sway them, approach them not as “niggers” but
+fellow creatures, and the European will never need to
+complain of the black man’s presumption, but will find it
+even possible to accept the inspired statement “God
+... hath made of one blood all nations of men.”</p>
+
+<p>During our three days’ stay at Butanuka we were
+besieged with callers. The sick came in for medicine,
+readers to be questioned for baptism, and others desirous
+of being written down for instruction. A teacher from a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_111"></a>[111]</span>
+neighbouring village was sent to us with an eager request
+that we should visit them. We agreed to squeeze it into
+one afternoon. Although the teacher had only been there
+at work one month we found quite a lively interest had
+been awakened among the people. The chief of the
+village, who was captain of the King’s soldiers, came out
+in big style to welcome us. After a little service and a
+great deal of medicining, we were taken to the chief’s
+hut, where a meal had been prepared for us. After
+seating ourselves on the soft, fresh grass that had been
+laid down on the floor we started operations. First of
+all water was brought in for hand ablutions, then the
+unsweetened cooked bananas were brought in, and a
+boiled chicken, all wrapped up in the banana leaves in
+which they had been boiled. The chicken was broken
+up into tempting morsels by the host and an immoderate
+helping of the bananas was plumped down in front of each.
+Then commenced the process of rolling the bananas
+into small balls in our hands, and punching a depression
+in the middle by which the gravy could be scooped
+up. A sheep and three chickens were brought to us as
+presents, and as we started off nearly the whole village
+followed on behind. In spite of hurrying we did not
+reach home before the darkness fell, and a thunderstorm
+broke over us, extinguishing the long, flaming torches
+which the natives carried; so we had to push along as
+best we could, and arrived in a wearied and very
+bedraggled condition.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Butanuka and keeping a southerly course we
+found ourselves shut in by the big mountains that rise up
+so erratically from their gently undulating surroundings.
+For the first time I indulged in the questionable luxury
+of being hammocked. We had been experiencing some
+days of heavy rains which had made the paths very
+muddy, and the long grasses through which we had to
+push our way was very wet, so that I determined to take<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_112"></a>[112]</span>
+advantage of the voluntary offers from some of the young
+Christian men, headed by the teacher, to act as carriers.
+The men gaily hoisted the hammock pole on their heads,
+and trying to appear unconscious of their 10½ stone
+burden, rushed off at a motor-like speed. They evidently
+felt a little uneasy of the possible consequences, for the
+front man kept calling out to me “Do not fear, my child,”
+but suddenly I was precipitated backward, the heavy pole
+on the top of me, and my black “father” was sprawling
+unceremoniously in the mud. After that they were convinced
+of the necessity of going slowly, especially as our
+imperceptible path lay somewhere between tall thistles
+that gave us uncomfortable pricks and scratches as we
+pushed our way through. When we reached our destination
+for that day the hammock bearers yelled and literally
+jumped with joy, regardless of my feelings, calling out
+“Juli Abakuru ba Buingereza,” “We are great people
+of England,” as they put me to the ground with “Well
+done, very well done, mistress”; but I felt in an
+advanced stage of mal de mer.</p>
+
+<p>That day we had a typical African travelling experience.
+After descending a long, almost perpendicular hill we
+landed where our path lay through a broad, rushing
+river, the force of which was so great that the men could
+scarcely stand. The recent rains had swelled the river,
+which, coming from the lofty snow peaks, formed into a
+perfect cataract. The first man who very gingerly went
+to test the strength of the water was carried off his feet
+and just saved himself by clinging on to the bank at a
+bend. After long deliberation Apolo, our leader, got
+together six or eight very powerful men, who volunteered to
+post themselves where the current was strongest and help
+the others along. The first load that was taken across
+was our sack of kitchen utensils, which floated cheerfully
+down stream for some distance. Then the men suggested
+taking me across in the hammock. I generously hinted<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_113"></a>[113]</span>
+to my companion that she should go over first, but she
+would not see it. So, summing together all my courage,
+I got into the hammock and they plunged along, dragging
+their burden through the madly rushing waters. After
+about three hours had elapsed everything was safely
+landed on the other shore, baggage and all. The only
+tragedy we had to relate was the sad fate of a chicken
+that, at sight of the tempestuous waters, broke from its
+captivity and was carried away by the relentless river to
+supply food to the hungry little fishes.</p>
+
+<p>Things were not much better on the following day.
+We had almost walked on to the Equator and the sun did
+its best to make us know it, so that at the end of four
+solid hours’ marching we literally collapsed under the
+shade of a big tree and sent scouts on ahead to ascertain
+the condition of the River Mubuku, through which our
+path lay. They returned with the news that the waters
+were so high that it was impossible to attempt crossing
+that day. We determined not to be done if possible,
+however, and pushed on to see for ourselves. The
+mountains seemed to close in upon us on all sides, and
+from their precipitous heights rushed down numerous
+rivulets, which united and formed the mighty Mubuku
+River. We halted on the stony bank and viewed the
+situation. On the opposite side could be seen groups of
+natives crouching down among the long grasses and
+peering with frightened glances in our direction. It was
+evident that we must wait till the waters had abated
+somewhat, so pitched camp close by and made the best
+use of our time by rallying the villagers round us, who
+gathered together in swarms. There, as everywhere, the
+cry was, “Give us a teacher.” The desire on the part of
+these people for instruction is quite remarkable, but to
+speak intelligently to them is very far from easy. They
+have never thought in the abstract, so it is essential to
+clothe every spiritual truth in parables or concrete<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_114"></a>[114]</span>
+qualities. One must get back further than the A.B.C.
+and adopt the kindergarten method. If one does not reach
+them it is because the teacher has forgotten how to be a
+child, or has failed to make the invisible visible. God in
+revelation and God in manifestation employed parabolical
+means for presenting to the natural man in his infancy
+truth which is infinite and incomprehensible.</p>
+
+<p>When once the desire for reading has been actually
+awakened in these people, nothing will deter them from
+mastering the letters. If they possess nothing with which
+to purchase the five cowrie shell reading sheet, they will
+be quite willing to bring in firewood or do any work in
+order that they may obtain it. One old woman at this
+particular camp brought her spade and cleared a small
+space round our tent, and when we gave her the longed-for
+wages she started right away to struggle with the
+Alphabet, although her eyes were dim and her bristly hair
+was tinged with white.</p>
+
+<p>Thus, when no teacher can be sent to the people, they
+are not left in total darkness, as the Bible is slowly
+penetrating the entire land and being read eagerly by its
+people.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning we found the waters had gone down
+sufficiently to enable us to venture cautiously. It was not,
+however, a very desirable experience; about twenty men
+supported the hammock while the waters were foaming
+and roaring beneath and coming right over the sides of
+the canvas; two men who were attempting to lift it out
+of the water by holding on to the sides were carried
+away by the strength of the current, then all the remaining
+availables made a hasty grab at the other side, with
+the result that I was on the point of being overturned and
+pitched out. I just managed to save myself by hanging
+on to the pole, but got drenched through.</p>
+
+<p>The following morning we started off at 7 a.m. The
+scenery was enchanting and the air very invigorating.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_115"></a>[115]</span>
+We continued steadily marching until 11.30, passing
+through hamlets absolutely deserted on account of the
+destructive visits of the elephants, which had torn up the
+banana trees from the roots, trampled down the Indian
+corn, and razed to the ground the little grass houses of the
+people. They themselves had fled in terror, leaving the
+wild pigs to feast on their potato patches.</p>
+
+<p>The four and a half hours’ walk gave us a decided
+hankering after an A.B.C. or Gatti, also a change of
+clothing, as our boots felt like water cisterns and our
+skirts were weighted with mud and water that literally
+trickled off the edges. The porters put our boxes down
+under a tree and went off in search of what they could
+pick up in the way of food, while we fished out some dry
+things and indulged in a meal of goat soup and cold
+chicken. Our guide told us another hour and a half
+would find us in camp, but at the end of two hours hard
+walking and no signs of our tent being visible we
+inquired how much further had we to go. “Oh,” said
+one of the porters, “it is impossible to halt here, three
+hours more will bring us to water and food.” This fairly
+did for us; we had somehow doled out our walking
+powers without reckoning for this extra distance, and we
+felt decidedly despondent. The natives always underestimate
+distance in order that the very prospect should
+not have a discouraging effect on a pedestrian’s spirits.</p>
+
+<p>The scorching sun had made us very thirsty, and we
+worked our teapot very hard that day; the mosquitoes
+gave us a lively time of it, but faint, yet pursuing, we
+dragged on, reaching our welcome little tent at 6 p.m.
+But oh, what a resting place. A strong smell of stale
+fish pervaded the air, mingled with all the odours peculiar
+to African huts, where cattle, sheep, chickens and people
+all huddled together. We found our tent pitched in the
+middle of a court completely surrounded and suffocated
+by fishermen’s huts, for we were close to the lake shore.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_116"></a>[116]</span>
+The only compensation for this and the mosquito
+discomforts was the enjoyment of tasting fresh fish once
+more. The lake fish somewhat resemble fresh haddocks
+and are of delicious flavour. On our arrival men were
+sent to catch them, and in half an hour they were
+served up steaming hot from the stewpan! Their
+method of fishing is primitive in the extreme. They
+have wicker baskets open top and bottom, which are
+shot down in the water; when they have enclosed a
+fish its kicking about is heard on the sides of the basket;
+then they thrust in their arms and draw out the captive.</p>
+
+<p>Nyagwaki, the mission station for which we were
+making, is situated on one of the southern points of
+Ruwenzori. A short, steep climb next morning brought
+us face to face with streams of people, who came hurrying
+down the mountain side to greet us and to help push us
+up the rougher places. When we reached the summit of
+the hill on which stands the village, a truly marvellous
+view stretched beneath.</p>
+
+<p>Evidently the Albert Edward Lake once extended over
+the miles of plain which lie to the north of it, for bare,
+flat islands appear here and there in the large arm of the
+lake that lies almost surrounded by plain. It is just as
+one might imagine the world looked when Noah came out
+of the ark with his family. At sunset the view was most
+impressive, the lake lay shimmering like a sea of gold,
+while the evening mist that gently touched the land made
+it appear as though it were blushing as the sun kissed
+good-night and disappeared behind the distant hills.</p>
+
+<p>A very vigorous work we found was going on here; the
+little mission church, with its capacity for about 200
+people, was well filled, and several came to be written
+down for baptism. An occasional visit to these isolated
+stations from a European missionary does much toward
+encouraging the young teachers and Christians who often
+are subject to severe and subtle temptations to fall back<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_117"></a>[117]</span>
+into the old heathen practices by which they are
+surrounded. The Chief of the village, Kasami, had been
+brought into touch with Christianity when visiting
+Kabarole during a visit from Dr. Cook. There he
+had undergone an operation for opthalmia, and, having
+received “new windows,” he returned to his country to
+use them in learning to read.</p>
+
+<p>Our experiences on the homeward journey were much
+the same, although we took a less circuitous route.
+Almost without exception, we got soaked through and
+through twice daily: first with the heavy dews, which
+necessitated a mid-day halt and change if malaria was to
+be avoided, then again, in the afternoon came the rains,
+which fell regularly from 1.0 p.m. and onwards. Our
+first thing on reaching camp was to have a large fire
+kindled and all our wardrobe hung round to dry, singe, or
+stiffen. Our boots suffered terribly—and so did we when
+we struggled into them each morning.</p>
+
+<p>One day, after five hours’ marching, the thunderclouds
+came tumbling together and sent down torrents of rain.
+We tried to squeeze up under a tree, but this soon offered
+no shelter, and even our mackintoshes could resist the
+water no longer. It was impossible to cook any food as
+the fire would not light; meanwhile our thirst became
+tragic, until the idea occurred to us of standing under
+each other’s umbrella and quaffing the streams that ran
+from the spokes! Hunger at last drove us on toward
+camp, despite the rain, but the roads required one to be
+rough shod. Faithful Apolo insisted on grabbing my arm
+with such a grip that when it finally lost all power of
+feeling, a row of bruises presented themselves to prove
+the conflict passed through.</p>
+
+<p>For a whole week we had been passing elephant
+tracks, which the porters declared were quite freshly
+made, but once only were we fortunate enough to see
+these magnificent monsters. At mid-day the porters had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_118"></a>[118]</span>
+spied three some distance off, slowly tramping along in
+the tall grass, but we only saw their heads and tops of
+their backs. At 5.30 p.m., however, that same day, a
+herd of fifteen passed comparatively close to us. In single
+file they solemnly marched over the brow of a hill,
+silhouetted against a gorgeous sky. A yell from one of
+the porters brought their heads round in our direction,
+when we saw that five had immense tusks. It was an
+imposing sight, the whole was so perfectly harmonious;
+there is something vast, untrammelled—a strange
+abandonment and magnanimity of nature in scenes like
+this, that even an Englishman must feel small!</p>
+
+<p>Antelopes, birds, and butterflies of the most brilliant
+colouring abounded in these parts, and these make up for
+the less attractive shades of an African tramp.</p>
+
+<p>We arrived home very much braced up (the malarial
+germs had not a chance of settling down), and feeling
+that we had perhaps been enabled to accomplish something
+toward the carrying out of the marching order,
+“Go ye into all the world.”</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_119"></a>[119]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIV">CHAPTER XIV<br>
+<span class="smaller">Tramp II. Holidays</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>August, I believe, is generally admitted to be the
+month of domestic monsoons. Bradshaw,
+Baedeker, and time tables are the hardest-worked
+books in the house at that time; trunks and boxes
+are all upset; and every conceivable seaside town and
+village is considered and rejected in turn as a possible
+antidote to the general disgust with which we regard
+home at that time of the year. Even in the remote
+corner of the world known as Toro, my companion and I
+managed to create something of the old disturbance by
+announcing that we wanted a holiday. Perhaps the conventionalism
+of our up-bringing was to blame for the
+suggestion, but I believe we were honestly a wee bit
+tired after eighteen months of wrestling with the
+language and becoming acquainted with such new conditions
+of life and work. But the fuss that Uncle Podger
+created whenever he undertook to do a little job was
+nothing compared to the business our little holiday
+involved. First of all we had to get the permission of
+the Missionary in local charge, and he had to write in to
+headquarters at Mengo to find out if the Committee
+were agreed on the point. Then the whole district had
+to be carefully considered as to the spot most likely to
+offer real rest and enjoyment without encountering any
+perils of microbes, perils of hunger, perils by animals,
+perils by heathen, and perils by cannibals! That
+seemed a difficult matter, but when it was at last all fixed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_120"></a>[120]</span>
+up the drum was beaten to rally together porters; food
+boxes, tent and furniture were packed up into parcels,
+and two cows were ordered to the front to complete our
+daily rations. Swarms of people came down to wish us
+good-bye; one dear old lady declared she was consumed
+with grief, and another that she was on the point of death
+because of our leaving, but we told them all to cheer up
+and hurried away to assure ourselves that we were really
+off. We found ourselves with two military attachés,
+who had been told off by the King with strict injunctions
+to guard his European friends on their travels. But
+rarely have I set eyes on more spindle-like specimens of
+humanity; if it had not been for the thick puttees, heavy
+jerseys, and cartridge belts with which they were laden,
+one would scarcely have noticed their presence.</p>
+
+<p>It had been decided to make for the southern shore of
+Lake Albert, which as the crow flies appears to lie about
+forty miles north of Kabarole. The first day we struck
+camp at the crater Lake only a few miles away. This
+spot has a peculiar charm; a turn in the road brings one
+suddenly in view of this still sheet of water, and there is
+something rather uncanny about the dead waters lying in
+sepulchres of the past. I am not surprised that the
+natives associate them with stories of devils and hobgoblins.
+One side of the crater has been worn away,
+leaving an outlet for the water that has accumulated
+in its mouth, and this flowed out a few hundred yards
+before it found its level. Numbers of duck play about
+the waters of the lake, and beautiful purple and pink
+water-lilies grow close to the banks. We found a regular
+orchestra of frogs croaking <i>forte fortissimo</i> as an all-night
+serenade. It was just one of those days when the world
+feels flooded with self-satisfaction and peace and God
+seems “to rest in His love” as we started off early the
+next morning. Having the loan of a Muscat donkey
+given me, I hurried off to get ahead of the caravan and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_121"></a>[121]</span>
+reach of listeners, and then gave full vent to my feelings
+in that glorious hymn, “Praise my soul, the King
+of Heaven.” An old woman, who had been fearfully
+startled at the unusual sight and sound, peered suddenly
+through the long grasses on the roadside, and so stopped
+my noble steed in his lively gallop. Exercising the usual
+native politeness, I greeted her with “How are you, my
+mother?” She replied in the most complimentary terms
+“How’s yourself, mother of my grandmother?” I then
+asked her why she wore the shell and bit of wood
+threaded on string round her neck, and she told me it
+was to cure a pain on the chest. The words felt like a
+harsh discord. When “Heaven lies about us” and every
+common bush is aflame with God, it is inconceivable how
+any man can remain cognisant only of the Spirit of Evil.</p>
+
+<p>Our path led us right close up to the north end of the
+Ruwenzori range, where it gets broken up into a
+succession of pyramid peaks, ridge intersecting ridge.
+Bamboo forests crowned the crests, as few points reached
+a higher altitude than eight thousand or nine thousand
+feet. The dry season had just about exhausted itself at
+that time, in consequence of which the grass on the
+mountains was dried up or had been burnt away in huge
+patches, exposing the bare soil and jagged rocks that
+frowned down upon us with uncompromising severity. As
+the second day closed in upon us, we stole out of our
+little tent to watch the storm freaks on the mountain
+sides. An old dame, with a basket of sweet potatoes
+balanced on her shaven pate, passed us, and stared hard
+from our headgear down to our boot leather, with grave
+disapproval. She insisted most vehemently that we must
+live without eating, for where could the food go when we
+were tied up in the middle like that! Which reminded me
+of a chief who visiting us one day just as we were going
+in to lunch, asked if we became like the Batoro when they
+had finished eating, who resemble inflated balloons.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_122"></a>[122]</span></p>
+
+<p>Instead of being able to take a direct route to the Lake
+over the hills we were obliged to get down into the
+Semliki plain, a long, unwholesome tract reeking with
+malaria that lies between and unites with a broad
+navigable river, the Albert Edward and Albert Lakes.
+Although actually in sight of the broad sheet of water, to
+our dismay we found the only path zig-zagged continually
+across the plain, so that we were actually let in for five
+days floundering up and down it—pushing our way
+through grass five to ten feet high always laden with
+moisture as we started out each day on our tramp. The
+river Semliki winds along the plain like a glittering
+snake: it is about thirty yards wide, and has a very rapid
+flow which prevents swamps from collecting along its
+course. A few straggling huts sprawled about on the
+banks go by the name of fishing villages. With small
+harpoons the fisherfolk spear the fish, which are chiefly of
+the carnivorous species. Great care has to be exercised
+by the people as the river abounds in crocodiles. The
+inhabitants of the plain are a timid, dull folk—they did
+not even venture to look up at us as we passed them,
+although they had never seen a white woman. Arriving
+at one village we found it absolutely deserted; the people
+had all fled on hearing of our approach, leaving their
+homes with their few possessions scattered about. A
+search party was organised from among our porters, and
+after a long hunt one poor, unhappy creature was brought
+in. He looked as if his last moment had come when he
+was brought to us, but when he heard his own language
+spoken and learned our peaceful intentions he went off
+and hauled in the others who were soon on the most
+friendly terms with us. Towards evening they all came
+round us as we had prayers with our boys and porters.
+They were delighted with the singing, and without
+waiting to be correctly taught the tune of “Jesus loves
+me” they rushed into it, all together, and soon fell into<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_123"></a>[123]</span>
+unison. The original air was quite unrecognisable, but
+one must forget to be orthodox sometimes out here.
+Singing never fails to arrest the minds of the people, and
+offers an opportunity of telling them something of the
+Great and Loving Creator whom we laud and worship.
+Christ alone who is Wisdom can give one the confidence
+to attempt, in one short time, to draw aside the veil from
+the eyes and reveal the Father to those who have never
+heard His Name. Yet once having seen Him, one dares
+not allow that opportunity to pass by.</p>
+
+<p>Within the last few years this plain has been placed
+among the game preserves of the Protectorate; it will
+consequently be a tantalizing route to the sportsmen, as
+it abounds in antelopes of several kinds—harte-beestes,
+wilde-beestes, water-buck, wild boars, and birds of
+exquisite colouring. We could get practically no food
+for our porters, and on the second day’s fast, regardless
+of laws and regulations, we ventured out with a gun to
+try and bring down something. But it was impossible to
+get anywhere near the animals, as our scouts got so
+excited that they frightened them away before we could
+get within shooting distance. Then we tried the plan of
+despatching one of our noble soldiers with a number of
+men from one of the villages to the nearest market in
+order to buy food. The men procured some potatoes,
+and started back with them, but, as the military went on
+slightly in advance, they all decamped one by one, carrying
+off the food with them. They had evidently taken in
+the measure of their leader!</p>
+
+<p>The following day, Sunday, we could not do otherwise
+but press on, while our men were without food. At mid-day
+we reached a most indescribably desolate stretch of
+country; for many miles there extended scrub, interspersed
+only by thorn bushes and tall cactus trees. Being
+thoroughly exhausted with fatigue, we struck camp by
+three lonely huts that unexpectedly were dumped down<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_124"></a>[124]</span>
+in this wilderness, without any sign of cultivation around.
+The people were wretchedly emaciated and seemed to
+have no spirit or strength to provide themselves with
+nourishment. They declared nothing would grow, and
+they were obliged to live on what they hunted or the food
+which occasionally they could get in exchange for animal
+flesh or hides.</p>
+
+<p>The only prolific life was mosquitoes. We got out our
+prayer books towards evening to sing one of the well-known
+hymns, but our spirits were at low ebb and would
+not rise. Two hungry-looking vultures sat on a naked
+cactus tree opposite our tent, watching our effort; they
+did not encourage song! I do dislike those birds so!</p>
+
+<p>The fact was we were all feeling the dreariness of
+our surroundings, and needed a good, sound chop!</p>
+
+<p>During a holiday, perhaps more than at other times,
+one just longs for a Sunday back in the dear country.
+The exposure and frugality of camp life makes one appreciate
+the shelter and calm of the home life. That all
+seemed so far off, and yet the setting sun said it is but
+two hours away. It is always thus when we look up.
+Here below it is distance, time, and change; up there it
+is infinity, Eternity, God; and our citizenship, after all,
+is in heaven. Our earthly life, home, and loved ones are
+gradually passing beyond the arc of time, and hereafter
+we shall find all again, perfected and completed, like the
+rainbow, round the Throne.</p>
+
+<p>We were really getting very alarmed on our porters’
+account, but they were very plucky about it, and, seeing
+our concern, assured us they could go without food nine
+days! Nevertheless, they all sent up a shout of joy on
+the third day when a fairly flourishing little fishing
+village was spied close by, on the south end of the lakes.
+It consisted merely of a few scattered huts, but food was
+plentiful. As we arrived, the fishing smacks (dug-out
+canoes) had just come, bringing in a two days’ haul.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_125"></a>[125]</span>
+The fish, which resembled large cod and dabs, looked
+delicious, and was a rare treat after the everlasting goat
+and chicken. In the evening the proprietor of the boats
+came, asking if we would like to be paddled out on the
+lake. It was a case of paddling, for the canoe let in the
+water as quickly as two men could bale it out. Stacks of
+grass were laid at the bottom of the canoe for us to sit on,
+but we got horribly wet. The beauty of the scenery
+made us forget this, however. From the eastern shores
+rose, sheer out of the lake, cliffs rising to 800 or 900 feet,
+with thick vegetation growing down to the water’s edge;
+and round the wooded banks on the west the most
+gorgeously-coloured birds and herons sported about. The
+wide, tranquil waters, like a great sleeping ocean,
+rested in a dead calm. Suddenly, without the least
+warning, five huge hippopotami raised their ugly heads
+out of the water and snorted at us furiously, which made
+us beat a hasty retreat. But they were evidently keen on
+catching another glance at the Europeans, for in the
+middle of the night, when the whole camp was peacefully
+sleeping, we were awakened by feeling the ground literally
+shaking under us. A premonition of impending
+destruction seized us; then the ropes of our tent
+cracked, and we made for the poles, which were tottering.
+But the tent withstood the attack, and with loud, hungry
+snorts our clumsy mammoth intruders trundled off, under
+cover of night, to seek their prey.</p>
+
+<p>The people round the southern end of Lake Albert are
+extremely primitive. In their homes is no indication of
+the least exercise of intelligence to furnish themselves
+with any tool, utensil, or garment. Only a very few of
+the men and women adopt clothing; their food consists
+almost entirely of fish, which they hang out in the sun to
+dry. Those who possess a boat, a cooking pot, or a food
+basket have obtained them from other folk in exchange
+for fish, or inherited them from their ancestors. There<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_126"></a>[126]</span>
+are times when one asks if the soul of these people has
+ceased to pulsate, all human instincts are so crushed in
+them. But even here were the temples of a deity—in the
+centre of each courtyard stood a rickety wee grass hutch,
+in which offerings of food had been placed. Carlyle has
+rightly said that man was made a worshipping
+creature.</p>
+
+<p>At evening prayers we called the people round us, and
+tried to talk with them. One typical grey-haired old
+heathen appeared interested, but hurried the audience
+back to their homes as soon as possible. When we proposed
+moving off to a village higher up on the lake, he
+generously offered himself as escort, and, on our reaching
+the spot, went from hut to hut, as we thought, asking the
+people to bring us in food for barter. He then wished us
+farewell and returned to his home. We afterwards
+learned that he was circuit priest and had been to every
+home forbidding the people to visit or listen to the words
+of the white ladies for fear of offending their god, the fish
+of the lake, who might withhold their only means of
+sustenance. Demetrius has many descendants!</p>
+
+<p>Judging from the few days we spent roaming along the
+shores of the lake, I should say that it would be difficult
+to find a more fascinating spot for a holiday when once
+you get there. The botanist finds rare treasures hidden
+away in the creeks and crevices of the cliffs; the sportsman
+has a free hand to carry home as many hippo teeth
+or crocodile hides as he may desire, and the modern
+historian would find on its shores not a few materials for
+writing up the story of present day Africa.</p>
+
+<p>Quite close to where we were camped, took place some
+years ago the meeting between Emin Pasha and his
+rescuer, the late Sir Henry Stanley, who had, in his
+search for the lost general and his column, penetrated
+right through Africa from the West coast, overcoming
+almost insuperable difficulties. In spite of the attractiveness<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_127"></a>[127]</span>
+of the Albert Lake it is scarcely a cheerful place to
+be isolated at, and standing so near to the same spot one
+felt a strong pity for that Egyptian leader as he gave
+orders for his boat to be sunk to prevent the enemy
+seizing it, so cutting off all chance of his own escape.</p>
+
+<p>Time has wrought a phenomenal change; the country
+from being threatened by strong foes on the north, and
+harassed by rebellious tribes within itself, has now settled
+down into a quiet peace, and two English girls were able to
+stroll over the same soil in perfect safety, with nothing to
+fear, save perhaps that they themselves should fail to rise
+to the privileges given them of living and working in such
+a land where lie footprints in the sands of time.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_128"></a>[128]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XV">CHAPTER XV<br>
+<span class="smaller">Tramp III. Through the Four Kingdoms of the Protectorate</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>The Uganda Protectorate is built up of four independent
+self-governing kingdoms, besides some
+outlying districts to the South East, which are
+under the control of Chiefs. The kingdoms are—Uganda,
+Toro, Bunyoro, and Ankole. Toro is ruled
+over by a once rebellious branch of the Bunyoro tribe, that
+many years ago drove out the original inhabitants and
+established an independent kingdom. With this exception
+each state is absolutely distinct from the other in the
+general physique and customs of the people. All of the
+four reigning sovereigns have been baptised into the
+Protestant Faith, and excepting in the case of Daudi
+Chwa, King of Uganda, who is at present but a small lad,
+they are leading exemplary Christian lives and helping
+forward Missionary work in every way.</p>
+
+<p>A circular tour of 600 or 700 miles through these
+districts could be accomplished just within one month, but
+this would involve heavy travelling and give but a feeble
+chance of appreciating the rapid transitions that are met
+with in country, animal life, and people.</p>
+
+<p>It took us nearly nine weeks to go the round, as our
+object was to visit all the mission stations along the
+route. In Toro we deviated slightly from the direct path
+in order that church sites might be measured and pegged<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_129"></a>[129]</span>
+out. The English Government some months before
+had granted to the native church a certain amount of
+land which could be divided up and marked out wherever
+required. In the kingdom of Toro about 130 plots were
+chosen where, in the near future it is to be hoped,
+mission centres will be planted, manned by trained native
+teachers. Already between 90 and 100 have been taken
+up and occupied, which means that the country is slowly
+being net-worked with Christian testimony. Measuring
+and marking out land in these parts is a rather complicated
+business. Once only did I attempt to offer the help of my
+services, and never again. It means geometrically describing
+circles and right angles through the rankest weeds and
+tiger grass, stepping it out through swamp and marsh;
+planting young saplings at every point as boundary marks
+only to find all these carefully calculated demarcations
+removed after perhaps a few days, to suit the convenience
+of one of the land holders who was in need of firewood,
+or wished to extend his boundaries. <i>Quod non erat
+faciendum.</i></p>
+
+<p>Starting from Kabarole, we took a south-easterly
+direction toward Ankole, making the first halt at Isumba,
+a charming spot on the banks of a crater lake. There
+are seven more of these large volcano puddles in the
+immediate vicinity, lying in the heart of mountains of
+various altitudes. The waters are extremely picturesque
+with the rich tropical vegetation extending from the lip
+of the crater down to the water’s edge. Hippopotami
+plunge about in the day time, while at night they lug
+their heavy bodies up the steep banks and snort about
+from one lake to another in search of food. The country
+round is very beautiful and reminds one faintly of
+Cumberland—hills, mountains, forests, and lakes—the
+monkeys and ourang-outangs, however, would not allow
+that idea to take root; they made a fearful noise as we
+passed near their quarters. They were too much for our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_130"></a>[130]</span>
+little fox terrier, who worked himself into a great rage at
+being unable to get at these intruders of the peace; he
+simply made for the next native on the road (evidently
+thinking him one of the same tribe), but was driven off at
+the point of the spear that his antagonist was carrying.</p>
+
+<p>The forest close to our camp was swarming with
+monkeys, which made wide turning movements from
+branch to branch when disturbed. I kept on wondering if
+one was not going to land on my head. The two days old
+baby monkeys led their big sedate mammas exhausting
+scampers from tree to tree. What a good thing it is
+that they improve in behaviour during the process of
+evolution!</p>
+
+<p>At 9.0 p.m. a message came asking me to give medicine
+to a sick person close to camp. Taking our lantern we
+went out and administered physic, then hastened home
+as lions could be heard roaring some distance away. The
+oil unfortunately gave out before we reached our tent,
+and I must admit to a horrid sensation of fear lest one
+of them should spring out upon us from the pitchy
+darkness, as the roaring seemed to get nearer and nearer.</p>
+
+<p>In the morning our cowman came in with the tidings
+that one of these creatures had broken through the zariba
+built round the cowshed and run off with one of the
+calves.</p>
+
+<p>While encamped there a terrible storm visited us in
+the afternoon. We had watched the clouds rapidly
+gathering from all directions, increasing in density and
+rapidity until they collided together and crashed with
+terrific force on a near hill, blotting out all objects from
+view. Then, with united energy, these heavily charged
+thunder clouds bore down upon us with such anger that
+it seemed our little tents must be torn up and twisted into
+shreds. All the porters had been called out to stand each
+at his post to meet the enemy; and right well they did it,
+too, for as the tent cords snapped we must have soon been<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_131"></a>[131]</span>
+houseless if the men had not held on to poles and canvas.
+In less than half an hour the storm had passed, and then
+the porters set to work, repairing ropes, hammering in
+pegs, and redigging the trench round the tent.</p>
+
+<p>The following day, after a hot, dusty march, we reached
+one of the mission stations, and before we had the chance
+of a wash-up and rest, the teacher came begging us to go
+to the church, where the people were all waiting. So in
+we went and found nearly two hundred squeezed into the
+tiny reed building (intended to hold one hundred), all
+roaring from the various grades of the reading sheet.
+Instead of stopping the clatter when we entered, a sign
+from the teacher made each one put greater exertion into
+his reading and they simply yelled out their lesson to
+impress us with the progress they were making.</p>
+
+<p>After a short service with them, we were escorted to
+our tent by a considerable following. When my medicine
+chest appeared the scene was like the “Zoo” let loose.
+A guard had to stand round to prevent me from being
+suffocated; of course the majority of the applicants were
+shams. They watched to see which patient received the
+largest dose, then asked him what his complaint was, and
+by the time they had pushed their way to the dispenser
+were suffering from the same trouble, but in an acute form.</p>
+
+<p>On the fourth day we reached the capital of a Saza or
+country Kitagwenda. Toro is divided up into five large
+chieftainships or sazas, each of which is governed by a
+man who has tributary chiefs. The “lord” of Kitagwenda
+was ready in state to receive us as we arrived.
+His round reed house is built on the brow of a hill, and is
+surrounded by a tall, imposing plaited reed fence. As
+we slowly climbed up the broad, well-kept path, the
+chief, dressed in white linen, came down to meet us with
+a large crowd of followers. He was very keen on impressing
+us with his greatness, so ordered a drum to precede
+him and one piper. The people were all wildly excited,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_132"></a>[132]</span>
+dancing and shouting themselves husky. While this
+pandemonium was at its height, two poor, miserable-looking
+fat-tailed sheep were pushed forward for our
+acceptance. With these Uganda sheep all the good
+points were embodied in the tails. These are often as
+broad as the back, and hang in festoons almost to the
+ground. They are poor creatures, and are not cheap at
+2s. 8d., which is their market value. I doubt whether
+one animal contains as much nourishment as two pounds
+of Welsh mutton. At this place two of our first trained
+women teachers had been at work. They had experienced
+some difficulty in getting the women interested, for digging,
+cultivating, and cooking had provided ample excuse for
+staying in their homes. On the second day of our visit
+we rallied all the women together at the tall mission
+church and urged them to stand by their teachers, who
+had come with a message of love and peace and would
+instruct them in wisdom. There and then classes were
+formed, and some sixty came forward for daily teaching.
+At night a body of soldiers were sent down by the chief
+to guard our camp against the lions, which were very
+numerous in these parts. The head officer, feeling the
+importance of his commission, essayed to issue his commands
+in true British fashion by using a few words he had
+picked up from the English lieutenant in Toro. He
+drilled his men just outside our tent door, and it was
+evident that the language of their general, as he bawled
+out incomprehensible English, was quite a conundrum to
+the men, and in concealed whispers he was obliged to
+repeat his orders in the native tongue.</p>
+
+<p>A remarkably fine view of Ruwenzori snows was
+obtained at the junction of Ankole and Toro. With no
+cloud to intercept, miles of glittering ice stood out
+against a sapphire sky, and pushed down a hundred
+streams that tumbled in impetuous speed and flowed as
+swift rivulets through the forests that crossed our path.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_133"></a>[133]</span>
+Only those who have known the weariness of continual
+walking in the tropics can rightly appreciate the joy that
+these forest shades and the cool, refreshing rivers bring.
+At no time of the year could the country have been seen
+to better advantage; the grass fires had carried off all the
+long withered grass, and the hills were now carpetted with
+fresh, green glades. The forests displayed a strange
+variety of colouring, for the young buds of spring, the
+luxuriant verdure of summer, blended in exquisite contrast
+and harmony with the gold and ruddy tints of
+autumn. Shrubs of wild jessamine and seven-petalled
+tuber roses were in rich bloom on the roadside. These
+latter are called by the natives “Eky skulema njoju,”
+“that which gets the better of the elephants,” for
+although the bark is comparatively slender, it can stubbornly
+resist the force of the powerful elephant trunks
+that make matchwood of the larger forest trees.</p>
+
+<p>Two days further marching brought us to the boundary
+of Ankole, and glad were we to leave behind the rains of
+Toro, which had made the paths so slimy that with difficulty
+we maintained the perpendicular. Our peaceable
+caravan was evidently mistaken for a raiding horde. The
+villagers were in a most perturbed state of mind as we
+pressed on; the men collected together all their women,
+children, and goats and packed them off with all speed to
+hide in the swamps and hills, while a few of them
+remained hidden on the outskirts of the huts to sound an
+alarm at our approach.</p>
+
+<p>The language at this point deviated from that spoken
+by the people of Toro. Besides employing a few entirely
+different words, the Banyankole soften down the s, j, and
+k, and until the ear has become accustomed to these
+changes one might imagine it a distinct dialect. A rather
+welcome sight was the <i>men</i> working on the roads and
+digging in the banana plantations, in place of the peasant
+<i>women</i> who do all the rough manual work in Toro.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_134"></a>[134]</span>
+Ankole is a large ranch country. A gentle range of mountains
+extending toward the east shores of the Albert
+Edward is the only interruption to an extensive area of
+rolling land of which the whole kingdom is composed. It
+is inhabited by two separate races, the Bairu, who are
+the original people of the country, and the Bahima, the
+ruling race. The latter are an extremely superior order
+of people; generally speaking, they are of lighter complexion,
+and their features, in the sharply defined nose
+and chin and the thin lips, are in marked contrast to the
+other tribes of inland Africa. Another peculiar
+characteristic is that the women live in entire seclusion
+and keep the face and head covered, as in Mahommedan
+lands. It is generally believed that they migrated from
+Abyssinia or Arabia; probably disease among their cattle
+drove them from their native land, and they travelled
+south until they reached the pasture land of Ankole.</p>
+
+<p>At first sight the country looks scarcely inhabited—there
+are no fences or patches of cultivation which elsewhere
+denote villages. The population, however, is considerable,
+but the people are a tribe of herdsmen, who
+build unpretentious little grass huts among the soft,
+waving grass, and live almost exclusively on their cattle,
+which graze together in enormous herds. The oxen are
+splendid creatures, with immense horns; there is not so
+much hump with them as with the cattle of Uganda.</p>
+
+<p>The unvaried diet of milk and butter has produced
+a people of abnormal dimensions. The King, although
+only about 19 years of age, weighed 20 stone. He could
+not walk, but had to be carried about in a gigantic kind
+of clothes-basket. One little chief waddled into our tent
+to salute us who stood about three feet high and was
+nearly twice as large in circumference. The higher
+a person is in social position the larger is the amount of
+milk he must daily get down in order that he may reach
+a worthy correspondence in weight. On one occasion,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_135"></a>[135]</span>
+while walking along the road, we heard screaming and
+shouting coming from a hut, and, on going in to find out
+the cause, saw a young princess with her eyes bandaged
+and face dripping with milk; an old hag was standing
+over her with a cane, which she brought sharply
+down across her shoulders when the unfortunate girl
+declared she could take in no more milk. Being
+remonstrated with, the old woman explained how the
+young princess was only going through the customary
+preparation for her bridal days.</p>
+
+<p>As Uganda gradually opens up, Ankole will probably
+become the Leadenhall Market of the Protectorate.
+Excellent roads have been cut for transport to Entebbe,
+on the shores of the Victoria Nyanza, to Albert Edward
+Nyanza and Koki, and the Government has built a strong
+fort at Mbarara, the capital of Ankole, which is
+under civil and military control.</p>
+
+<p>After years of bigoted opposition to the missionaries,
+the country has now been thrown open to them. A large
+mud church had just been completed when we visited
+there, and a large number of men and women were under
+Christian instruction. For generations there had stood
+in the Royal courtyard a large drum, which was
+absolutely believed to bring death to the King who beat
+it. Immediately after the baptism of the King, he,
+Kahaya, in the sight of a large crowd of his subjects, went
+deliberately towards the drum; then, loosening the
+sticks, he stood for a moment looking round at his
+people, who were expecting his instantaneous death.
+With one mighty swing he brought the sticks down
+on the drum, which only thundered out, as it were, the
+doom which fell that day on their old heathen
+superstitions.</p>
+
+<p>Soon after arriving at the capital we went to pay our
+respects to the Royal Household.</p>
+
+<p>Passing out from the new mud “palace” of the King,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_136"></a>[136]</span>
+I went across to the ladies’ quarters. The seven wives of
+His Majesty Kahaya, who at that time was only an
+inquirer after Christianity, were all sitting silently in a
+semi-circle round the inside of their grass hut. The
+atmosphere was unbearably stuffy, and reeking with
+odours of rancid butter, for the custom is to rub this well
+into their bodies, and, without washing off the stale, they
+rub in a fresh quantity each day. They treat in exactly
+the same way the bark cloths in which they entirely
+envelop themselves. Not until I had become accustomed
+to the dim light could I distinguish the seven shrouded,
+dusky figures. Then they resembled so many ant heaps.
+After the usual voluminous salutations, they begged me
+to take off my hat and show my hair. I agreed, if they,
+on their part, showed me their faces. Immediately
+fourteen merry eyes popped out of the oily bark cloths,
+and a row of fat, smiling faces appeared. After satisfying
+their inquisitive questions about my clothes, my age,
+my parents, and how long I had been married, I tried to
+find out a little about them. From what I could learn,
+they seemed to spend all their lives huddled together as I
+saw them, with absolutely nothing to do except to feed.
+They neither cooked, sewed, plaited grass, cultivated, nor
+worked at any of the small industries common among
+other tribes. The Christian women teachers were visiting
+them each day, and a large number of women had
+shown a real desire to read. As their minds have been
+allowed to lie dormant for so long, it is a wonder
+that they can learn to do so really quickly.</p>
+
+<p>After a few happy days spent in Ankole, we pushed
+on in a south-easterly direction to Koki. Scarcity of
+water necessitated rather longer marches than usual, so I
+indulged in the luxury of a hammock. Six men were
+taken on as carriers who did not understand the art in the
+least. They literally galloped away with me. The
+hammock swung to and fro with such force that the ropes<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_137"></a>[137]</span>
+on the pole gradually slackened, and the canvas hung
+like a sling with its burden doubled up inside. My
+gesticulations and calls were quite unavailing, as the
+carriers ran on, singing gaily; then they suddenly hauled
+the pole over from one shoulder to another, which was
+more than it could stand, and, with a squeak of pain, the
+ropes burst, and the hammock fell with a big bump to
+the ground. While I stood endeavouring to recover
+from the rather boisterous mode of travelling, the carriers
+walked round inspecting the shattered ropes and congratulated
+each other on being such men of strength!</p>
+
+<p>We had reached a wide, scorching plain with no trees
+or shelter save a few tall thorn bushes, which made the
+ground all about like a pincushion with the points standing
+out. We had come along at such a rate that the
+caravan <i>and</i> lunch basket were miles behind. One
+hundred and five minutes were spent under that thorn
+bush waiting for the rear with nothing to read, nothing
+to look at, and nothing to eat. I tried to think a thought
+that might find a niche in my next journal letter, but the
+sun must have nearly melted all the brain cells as it
+poured down its burning rays, for nothing took shape.
+To punish the men for their rash behaviour I inflicted on
+my carriers the punishment of searching for firewood, so
+that when our detached corps joined us we soon had the
+kettle singing and a chicken frizzling to replenish
+exhausted strength and revive our fainting spirits. The
+following morning camp was awake at 4.0 a.m., and a
+hurried start was made in the dark so as to get the day’s
+march over before the sun had a chance of treating us as
+it had done previously. But it was rather an unfortunate
+day to have tried the experiment, as our path for the first
+three or four miles skirted a long swamp, the haunt of
+mosquitoes, and these little pests had not been frightened
+away by sunrise before we ventured through their
+domain. They swarmed round us like locusts, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_138"></a>[138]</span>
+although we kept furiously beating out at them in all
+directions at once, the prodigious application of Homocea
+afterwards was, for the first time in my experience,
+ineffectual in allaying the inflammation and irritation.
+We spied a few monkeys in the trees, but instead of being
+up to their usual pranks they solemnly sat staring at each
+other, looking deplorably sorry for themselves; evidently
+the mosquitoes had proved too much even for them. I am
+sure they would have been willing to pay a pied piper
+any fee.</p>
+
+<p>After five days journeying from Ankole we reached
+Rakai, the capital of Koki. The C.M.S. had two ladies
+stationed there and an ordained Muganda.</p>
+
+<p>Koki was in former years an independent kingdom ruled
+over by Kamswaga, but in recent years it has been joined
+to Uganda, on the King agreeing to become a “Saza”
+of his stronger neighbours.</p>
+
+<p>Excepting for Lake Kanyeti, which twists about among
+rich and varied vegetation, the scenery is unattractive—in
+the dry season the chalky soil gives an anæmic appearance
+to the country, and the rather too plentiful supply
+of swamps necessitates a large stock of quinine being
+always at hand. Kamswaga himself at that time had
+gone up to Entebbe on business, but hearing of our
+expected arrival had left us a greeting in the shape of an
+ox and quantities of food for our caravan. Visitors in
+these parts were rather a novelty, and the people came
+down in large numbers to look at us. I returned the
+visit of the wife of Kamswaga before leaving. Her
+reception house quickly filled with a number of men and
+women, each trying to get a word in edgeways with the
+“white” visitor. A handful of boiled coffee beans in the
+pods was passed to me to dispense to whomsoever I
+wished to honour. I was obliged to take a share, but that
+was very limited, for they are as hard as nuts to crack and
+like physic to swallow. On leaving they pressed round<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_139"></a>[139]</span>
+and bedecked my wrists with all sorts of curious wire
+and bead bracelets which they had taken off themselves.</p>
+
+<p>The work being carried on there was, happily,
+prospering. The school, daily classes, and the church,
+holding two hundred people, were well attended.</p>
+
+<p>A whole day’s excursion in a native skiff on the Lake
+gave us an opportunity of seeing something of the village
+work that has been opened up by the Mother Church of
+Rakai. We could not stay longer than three days, as
+there was still a long programme before us. Budu was
+the next district on the list to be visited.</p>
+
+<p>This is the stronghold of Roman Catholicism. At
+every side road we found a tall wooden cross standing and
+nearly everybody wore a medallion or scapular.</p>
+
+<p>At Kajuna the people were evidently not accustomed to
+seeing European visitors, and they came tearing out of
+their houses like mad creatures, dancing round us and
+clapping their hands. It was a perfect pandemonium,
+and we were not sorry to escape from such a rabble.</p>
+
+<p>The two missionaries welcomed us very warmly. They
+were hard at work on a much needed house for themselves.
+The new building was a unique structure, for it
+was built only of one brick—that is, the walls were formed
+of solid mud beaten down between wooden boards, which
+were removed when the mud had dried. The roof was
+thatched with strips of banana bark knotted on rows of
+poles. This is supposed to offer stronger resistance to
+lightning than the usual grass. A regular timber yard
+had been set up in a strip of Forest close by to supply
+doors and windows for the new house, and the natives
+were receiving from the missionary practical lessons in
+carpentering as they felled the trees, adzed them out and
+then sawed out planks in pits. The scene suggested
+pictures of Canadian life among the Rockies. Truly a
+missionary in Uganda is a compendium of trades.</p>
+
+<p>One of our hosts was an out-and-out Irishman, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_140"></a>[140]</span>
+when he was joined by an enthusiastic compatriot the
+conversation waxed very warm. I wonder if everyone
+belonging to the Emerald Isle regards it as the pole-star
+of the Universe—the two Sassenachs did not quite agree
+to it.</p>
+
+<p>At the time of our visit twenty-one men and women
+were being finally questioned with a view to baptism.
+No chiefs were then under Protestant instruction, and in
+consequence there was little inducement for their
+dependents to associate themselves with our missionaries.
+It was therefore very pleasing to find this number ready
+to publicly confess their faith in baptism, for one felt
+they must have been prompted by an honest and sincere
+conviction.</p>
+
+<p>A fifteen miles march from Kajuna brought us to the
+shores of the Lake Victoria Nyanza. Nearly six miles of
+the road was across a sand plain, and walking it was too
+much for me, for the boot at each step sank in four to six
+inches of burning sand. I was obliged to call the
+hammock-bearers to my assistance, who panted along
+without a murmur; but when they had safely landed me
+under the first tree of a lovely wood, they exclaimed
+“We are nearly dead.”</p>
+
+<p>The two boats provided for us looked very frail and
+small to carry two Europeans, eight “boys,” two steersmen,
+two balers-out of water, twelve rowers, and all our
+loads. The boats on this Lake are constructed of boards
+hewn out by native knives, and sewn together with cane.
+There are no seats for passengers, but sticks and grass
+are laid at the bottom. There was a big gale blowing
+when we wanted to make a start—foam-crested waves
+broke on the shingly shore as if it had been the Atlantic.
+One is surprised to miss the brine in the spray, forgetting
+momentarily that so immense an expanse of fretful water
+is other than an ocean. We waited two hours for the
+storm to abate, when the boatmen came saying we could<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_141"></a>[141]</span>
+put off. As soon, however, as we had rowed well out, the
+wind got up again and blew with terrific force;
+immediately the lake was lashed into anger, and had no
+mercy on our little craft. The oarsmen were quite unable
+to keep her from being driven broadside to the storm.
+Sitting at the bottom of the boat we watched wave after
+wave bear down upon us like a wall and break over our
+heads. The boatmen assured us that we could not
+stand much more, for the cane fibre that kept the boat
+together was rotten and giving way under the strength of
+the breakers. The heavy tossing made us feel wretchedly
+sea-sick, but we dared not let our courage flag, as the
+men were losing heart. We had drifted completely out
+of our course, but fortunately were driven toward one of
+the Sese Islands, which we ultimately reached, drenched
+through and very exhausted. Here we pitched our tent
+for the night, and as evening came a dead calm settled
+down on the Lake, and insect life awoke, swarming
+round us in clouds. All night we kept waking up to
+assure ourselves that we had not contracted sleeping
+sickness, as this was one of the haunts of that disease.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning dawned bright and calm, so we
+started before sunrise, startling the many gulls, divers,
+and herons that were indulging in a morning bath. The
+paddlers broke out into weird nautical songs; there is
+generally one man in a boat whose special work is to
+lead the singing to encourage the oarsmen. He begins
+with a loud shrill note, sustaining it with a few minor
+variations till a short stanza of the song is sung; then all
+the others join in with a deep, guttural grunt of assent to
+the words; this is repeated over and over and over again
+until the voice cracks. Seven hours’ rowing was as much
+as they would undertake in a day, so we landed on a
+beautiful little island which since then has been entirely
+depopulated by sleeping sickness. The sun was just
+about to say good-night when we put into Entebbe on the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_142"></a>[142]</span>
+following day. The view from the water was quite enchanting.
+A bold, rocky promontory reminded one of a
+bit of the borderland coast between England and Scotland,
+otherwise the shore and islands were covered with
+the most prodigious forest growth.</p>
+
+<p>As we landed from the boats and looked up at this
+town we really asked ourselves if this were Uganda.
+There are rows of neat villas with the strips of gardens
+back and front resembling the bijous of London suburban
+life; splendid wide roads with avenues of trees planted;
+a market with an English butcher, a dairy, an Indian
+bakery where delicious little loaves can be purchased for
+four annas, and an aggressive Indian firm that is the
+William Whiteley of Uganda, and manufactures mineral
+waters at two annas per bottle, are some among the
+many surprises. There is a very cosmopolitan population,
+and comparatively few of the real natives—Baganda—are
+seen in the town. The fifty or more Europeans
+made it feel very homelike after the isolated life in Toro;
+and yet after the first surprised impressions had partially
+worn off, one was conscious of two distinct elements
+running side by side—the English and the African—without
+actually becoming assimilated the one by the other.
+The result was that so many reminders of England
+brought with them feelings of home-sickness, but the next
+moment one was sympathising with the country yokel in
+London who pined for the rusticity of village home life.</p>
+
+<p>Our four days there were spent very pleasantly. Colonel
+Sadler, H.M. Commissioner, Mrs. Sadler, and several
+friends were most kind and hospitable; indeed we were
+almost strangers to our tents.</p>
+
+<p>A visit to the Botanical Gardens was most interesting.
+Mr. Mahon, who was then in charge, took us round and
+pointed out the tea, coffee, cocoa and cotton shrubs
+which gave promise of agreeing very amiably with their
+newly-adopted land. Fruit trees, vines and pine apples<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_143"></a>[143]</span>
+were also being experimented on, and the flower beds
+were aflame with colour. The idea is, I believe, to test
+what flourishes successfully in the Uganda soil, then to
+send out cuttings and encourage the cultivation of that
+plant throughout the Protectorate. Colonel Coles, who
+is in command of the troops, is a very keen horticulturalist,
+and has been most successful in rose-growing
+and in bringing to perfection the native crinum lily.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Entebbe, we made for Port Munyonyo by
+canoe, which took six hours in consequence of a wind
+working against us all the way. Reaching the Port at
+5.0 p.m. we had no time to inspect the vigorous dhow-building
+that was in operation. We hurried off on our
+seven to eight mile walk into Mengo, which we reached
+just after seven o’clock. A roast leg of goat and steaming
+potatoes were being served up by our kind hostess as we
+entered. I think we had rarely enjoyed a dinner more
+than that one, as we had eaten nothing since 7.0 a.m.
+excepting two cold sausages and some bread and milk,
+the only things procurable from our food basket in the
+canoe.</p>
+
+<p>This was the only time I had visited Mengo since first
+arriving in the country, and it was interesting to find out
+how many of one’s first impressions remained. Two
+years ago it had been to me a country unpenetrated, its
+people and language unknown, and now in a limited—very
+limited—degree the closed door had been pushed
+open and something from within had been revealed. In
+that time Mengo seemed to have made wonderful progress.
+A colossal brick cathedral stood on the site of
+the previous wicker building; it is a striking witness of
+what the Baganda can be taught to accomplish under
+such persevering and able instruction and superintendence
+as they have received. The educational work had
+developed considerably. At 8.0 one morning we went
+across to Mr. Hattersley’s boys school; he certainly had<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_144"></a>[144]</span>
+his work cut out, for I should not like to guess at the
+number of men and boys that were packed into the large
+class rooms, through which ran rows of desks and forms
+made at the Industrial Mission. At each class stood a
+native teacher setting sums or copies on the blackboards.
+His pupils were a strange collection, for a grey-bearded
+old chief would be sitting next to a sharp eyed infant,
+both eagerly wrestling with pen and ink. Specimens of
+writing, which had been acquired in six months, were
+shown to us, and they compared very favorably with a
+fourth or fifth standard in England. Every afternoon
+classes were held for the teachers for instruction in blackboard
+writing, geography, astronomy, natural history and
+Scripture, and these men were being sent out to the
+villages for educational work, when their course was
+completed. Since that time, scholastic work has received
+very special attention. A boarding high school for the
+sons of chiefs was opened in 1904, and the number of
+lads that were immediately sent by their fathers or
+guardians was a proof of its need. The Baganda are
+quite conscious of the fact that the time has come to
+rouse and equip themselves in order that they may be
+able to stand before the civilized nations with whom they
+are now brought so closely in touch.</p>
+
+<p>A third school is also in course of erection, which will
+be an intermediate step for those desiring to train afterwards
+for Holy Orders.</p>
+
+<p>The Industrial Department of the Mission is certainly
+one of the most necessary and practical methods of helping
+these people who possess no trades or crafts of their
+own. On passing along the road toward the Industrial
+quarters, one sees a crowd of men hard at work in the
+brick-fields, and others employed at rope-making. Entering
+the actual work-shop compound a buzz and whirr of
+machinery meet the ear. The first building is the
+carpenter’s sheds; here were men turning out book-cases,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_145"></a>[145]</span>
+chairs, tables, and really a first-class sideboard. Across
+the courtyard the printers and stitchers were hard at
+work producing Lunyoro hymn sheets, Luganda hymns,
+Luganda commentary on St. Mark, and a book of Uganda
+fables by Ham Mukasa. Until within six months of our
+visit all this work, including the building of the
+Cathedral, had been started and supervised by one man.
+Uganda owes a great debt to Mr. Borup for the invaluable
+help thus rendered to the country.</p>
+
+<p>The hospital, which was nearing its opening day when
+I had first seen it, was now in good working order and
+quite full up with patients; some, alas, suffering from
+the dread sleeping sickness.</p>
+
+<p>No one then dreamed that the fine building was on the
+eve of being completely destroyed by fire. But such was
+the case. Within a very few months the scene of pain,
+yet of peace and comfort, had given place to one of
+noisy activity, for on the old spot there was immediately
+put in hand the erection of the present solid brick
+building with an iron roof to resist the lightning which
+destroyed its predecessor, and a concrete floor that can
+withstand the constant traffic up and down the wards.
+After a few days we again set off on the march, making
+for Bunyoro, in a northerly direction. A good road had
+been cut for a distance of a hundred miles by order of the
+Government for transport purposes toward the Nile. On
+the second day we overtook an oxen wagon caravan,
+which was being conducted by a young Englishman, who
+we found was down with bad fever and cough. We sent
+him milk and meat juice, but could not dissuade him from
+pushing on in the evening. The scarcity of food for porters
+on the road makes delays very difficult, and in his case,
+travelling by night was essential as the oxen cannot bear
+the heat of the day. But being jostled along on springless
+carts in the damp and cold African nights did not
+suggest much comfort for a patient suffering from malaria!</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_146"></a>[146]</span></p>
+
+<p>Next day on arriving in camp we found no less than
+three other European caravans settling in. A military
+captain and a ship captain were coming down from
+Bunyoro, and a trader was making for that direction.</p>
+
+<p>Uganda is getting overrun with civilization! There is
+generally a little consternation and hurried confusion
+when an English woman is seen in camp. There is at once
+a shout for the “boy” who had relieved the pedestrian
+of his coat on the march, and a long search is made for
+the razor that very apparently had been some days in
+disuse. One of our fellow travellers who came in at
+afternoon tea suggested that a new regulation should be
+passed by the Government, ordering all ladies travelling
+on the road to send a white flag three miles ahead to
+warn fellow countrymen!</p>
+
+<p>We did some fairly long marches on this road, as we
+were anxious to complete our tour, and although fifteen
+to eighteen miles do not look anything to the Londoner
+who is accustomed to record spins on his bicycle, yet I
+think he would find five hours walking day after day a
+laborious task, especially when it means rising at 4.0 a.m.
+We had been a little unfortunate in our culinary arrangements,
+for our cook was taken ill and had been obliged
+to return to Toro. We took on a substitute from our
+porters’ ranks, who knew nothing about cooking. I carefully
+taught him how to turn out a decent pancake which
+he seemed really to master, but a few days afterwards he
+served up hard, solid, flour-and-water dough-balls, saying
+he feared he had forgotten the recipe, so the process of
+teaching had to be gone through over again. He never
+would believe that anything could be cooked without
+water—roast goat he cooked in quantities of it instead of
+fat, and buttered eggs were swimming in brown swamp
+water! Then all our other boys got down with fever,
+and one day we were without a single attendant.</p>
+
+<p>When we were half-way to Bunyoro, a Nubian caravan<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_147"></a>[147]</span>
+encamped close to us. We instantly ordered a close
+watch to be kept on our goods, as these folk have
+the reputation of being not too strictly honest. In spite,
+however, of vigilant guard, very soon things were
+missing. We succeeded in rescuing some articles from
+one of their temporary huts, but a large plate, which converted
+an open cooking pot into an African oven, was
+never found, and so we were deprived of bread and all
+baked food for the remainder of our journey.</p>
+
+<p>The country was a monotony of undulating land, with
+no hills, forests, or rivers to interrupt the continuity of
+sameness. For three days we were travelling through a
+district of Uganda called Singo, where eight years ago
+Mr. Fisher was stationed. A particularly dreary spot
+was pointed out to me as the place where he lived
+for months quite alone, and had one attack after another
+of fever. During one of those occasions, a woman, the
+wife of the district chief, came a long distance twice a day
+to nurse him, and, when he lapsed into unconsciousness,
+she took a razor and shaved his head to ease him. He
+was rather a shock to himself when he was well enough
+to see his own reflection in the lid of a Huntley &amp;
+Palmer’s biscuit tin—the only looking-glass then in his
+possession, as he had lost most of his things through a
+recent act of incendiarism.</p>
+
+<p>We were delighted to catch sight of the hills that
+lie round Hoima, the capital of Bunyoro, on the seventh
+day. Mr. Lloyd, who had been Mr. Fisher’s fellow-worker
+in Toro, and chaperon to the party from England
+of which I had formed part, came scorching down on his
+bicycle to meet us, with a large following of natives who
+had come to greet “their father.” In the year 1895 Mr.
+Fisher had visited these people, who, up to that time, had
+never heard of Christianity, and in 1898 was located at
+Hoima in order to establish a European Station. Then
+the country was in the grasp of famine; the people, from<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_148"></a>[148]</span>
+the King down to his peasant subjects, came each day to
+the European teacher and his two Baganda assistants
+begging food. Through the generosity of friends in
+England and Uganda, a fund was organized, and with
+presents in kind from the Christians in Uganda and Toro,
+hundreds of the Bunyoro were saved from starvation.
+With the return of the rains, the famine terminated, but
+this time of trouble had created and cemented a confidence
+between the natives and missionary, who learned
+to know them then better than if he had lived years in
+the country at the time of its prosperity. The King, his
+brothers, sister, and several of the leading chiefs, became
+sincere inquirers after Christianity, and ultimately
+acknowledged their faith in public baptism.</p>
+
+<p>The kingdom of Bunyoro is one of the most ancient
+now existing in inland Africa. Formerly it was the pre-eminent
+power of all the districts round and including
+Uganda, but for many years its strength has been on the
+wane through internal disaffections and external warfare.
+Toro, which was once ruled over by Bunyoro, broke
+away from its rule, and the Baganda gradually ascended
+north, appropriating to themselves large districts of
+Southern Bunyoro. Kabarega, then King of Bunyoro, was
+for years the terror of the surrounding weaker tribes. He
+was quite a remarkable character. Realizing the gradual
+decadence of his kingdom, with persistent effort and
+despotism he rallied his people together for one mighty
+struggle to regain their lost power. Marching on the
+surrounding weaker tribes, he raided, plundered, and
+burnt their villages, and King Kasagama (of Toro) and his
+people fled to the mountains for shelter. But in 1899
+the British Government sent up a force of Baganda under
+Colonel Evett, who succeeded in taking prisoner
+Kabarega. The latter has since remained a prisoner in
+the Seychelles Islands. His son Andereya, an earnest
+Christian and an able man, is now reigning in his stead.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_149"></a>[149]</span>
+The Bunyoro have always had a most elaborate priesthood
+and abundant ritual connected with their belief;
+hence it will be a long time before heathen customs and
+degrading forms of superstition will be effectually up-rooted.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus15" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus15.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>OUR HOME IN TORO.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>After the discomforts of the road it was delightfully
+restful to revel in the refreshing luxury of easy chairs,
+sipping cups of tea, surrounded with a hundred and one
+reminders of dear old England, while a pink-cheeked,
+chubby baby grabbed at the flat nose of his black boy
+nurse and cooed with satisfaction at having two, new,
+civilized admirers. A week spent with Mr. and Mrs.
+Lloyd, during which time we were enabled to visit the
+people and hold some meetings with them, brought us to
+the final stage of our circular trip—a seven days’ march
+home. The anticipation of once more seeing Ruwenzori,
+our mud bungalow house, and all the Batoro folk, made
+one forget to write notes and comments of those few
+days. But no written records were necessary to keep at
+least one day green in the memory. The wet season had
+begun in real earnest, which did not improve the many
+unbridged swamps that lay across our path at constant
+intervals. One day we were plunging through grass,
+often twelve feet high, for nearly three hours right off.
+Emerging from that, we had to pass through a succession
+of nine swamps. The only possible means of getting
+across was to sit on the shoulder of a thoroughly sturdy
+and sure-footed porter, holding on with all one’s might to
+his woolly head. At the ninth swamp I had maintained
+that position for ten minutes, with feet held straight out
+in front, as my noble carrier stumbled among a broken
+down bridge, sometimes to his armpits in black mud.
+Actually weeping tears, I called down to my steed, “My
+friend, you must put me down, my back is broken with
+weariness.” Without a word he floundered off through
+the grass, having spied a fallen tree trunk on which to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_150"></a>[150]</span>
+put down his burden. There we stood panting, too tired
+to speak, but a hallooing and a shouting at one side
+made us both turn round. There we saw the other
+European in a most indescribably mixed-up position,
+being brought along on the shoulders of two men, while
+two more hung on to a leg each. With scarcely a note
+of warning, the front man lost his foothold and
+disappeared with the second. The European immediately
+followed suit, but the remaining two stood their ground,
+still holding on to those legs.</p>
+
+<p>Never did the Mountains of the Moon appear more
+fascinating than when we returned to our home under
+their shadow after nine weeks’ absence. The first to
+welcome us, four miles out on the road, was old Apolo
+Kivebulaya, the native deacon. Close by on his heels
+followed my little god-son, the first baptised pigmy, who
+looked characteristically grimy, but his ugly little face
+appeared really pleasing as he ran up and welcomed his
+master and mistress back with a grin that seemed to
+stretch from one ear to another. Then the Katikiro
+came out with thirty to forty retainers, all of whom he had
+dressed up in brand new white linen turban caps as a
+token of welcome to us. Last of all rode out the King.
+“Well done, my friends. God be praised for bringing
+you back.” And we could only in our hearts respond
+“Amen.”</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus16" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus16.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>TABALA, CHIEF OF MBOGA, AND SUITE.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_151"></a>[151]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVI">CHAPTER XVI<br>
+<span class="smaller">Tramp IV. Towards the Pigmies</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>While the Kingdom of Toro has distinctly defined
+boundaries on the East, North, and South (the
+latter two being the Albert and Albert Edward
+Nyanzas) there are no lines of demarcation that bound it
+on the West. It adjoins the Protectorate to the Belgian
+territory that extends across from the Congo Free State,
+and until that boundary is officially fixed the Kingdom of
+Toro may be said to include a number of untamed savage
+tribes with a portion of the pigmies, who recognise no
+authority and rule outside themselves.</p>
+
+<p>Immediately the Toro Mission was established its
+first branch station was planted about sixty miles west in
+Mboga, the district that touches Stanley’s Great Forest—the
+home of the pigmies. Although the chief offered
+much opposition to the Baganda missionaries, yet the
+workers persistently held on, realising its important
+strategic position for reaching the many tribes round its
+borders, and it formed one of the few last links yet to be
+forged in order that Krapf’s dream of a chain of missions
+extending across Africa might be fulfilled. After opposition
+had burnt itself out and the Chief Tabala had himself
+become a Christian the work prospered vigorously,
+and in 1903 the number of men and women baptised
+reached over two hundred.</p>
+
+<p>In that year the question of boundary line between
+Belgian and British territory was again raised to be
+finally marked out. The decision would either result in
+the district of Mboga being retained by the British, or
+given over to the Belgians in exchange for a strip of land<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_152"></a>[152]</span>
+farther south, in which latter case the River Semliki
+would form the natural dividing line.</p>
+
+<p>It was considered expedient, pending the arrangement
+between the two Governments to strengthen in every
+way possible the mission work at Mboga so that it might
+not be shaken should it ultimately lie outside the Uganda
+Protectorate.</p>
+
+<p>It was, therefore arranged that in the five months
+remaining before leaving for furlough in England we
+should fit in a visit to that district. The time of year
+fixed on for starting was a little unfortunate, as the wet
+season was in full working order, and that never adds an
+enviable charm to the gipsy life of African travelling.
+It was evident that we were getting near the end of the
+prescribed period of service, for instead of gaily trudging
+off in stout boots and puttees, we pushed off from Kabarole
+with a donkey and a hammock, the only available modes
+of conveyance.</p>
+
+<p>When only three miles out we were overtaken by one
+of Toro’s special storms. The heavily laden clouds had
+been running off towards the west when Ruwenzori stood
+in their way and forbade them. So, in a terrible temper,
+they turned back and gave us the full benefit of their
+tears. My hammock bearers did not seem to mind; certainly
+they had nothing on that would spoil, and I believe
+these casual drenchings are the only occasions on which
+many of them feel the touch of water on their bodies. I
+have often seen them trying to avoid even this by taking
+shelter under a tree and holding a huge banana leaf over
+their head, when only clothed in a tiny goat skin. The
+donkey slipped along behind with its rider enveloped in a
+commodious mackintosh that left only the donkey’s nose
+and feet visible. In order to get to the mission station
+of Busaiga, where we were to spend a day, we had to
+turn off for two miles along a sloppy kind of sheep-track
+path, which the donkey managed better than my men,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_153"></a>[153]</span>
+who stumbled along in the mud, very fearful lest they
+should let their burden down. The man carrying our
+bath went before to warn them of danger; but we passed
+him half-way, for with a splash he fell. No one seemed
+to regard it as anything unusual, and continued marching
+on. Looking over the side of my hammock, the last I
+saw of him was a hopeless mix-up of black man’s limbs
+and bath sitting in inches of mud.</p>
+
+<p>It was very good to find a big fire burning and a hot
+cup of tea ready in a well swept native house that had
+been prepared for us, and designated for our temporary use.
+In the afternoon our tent was well surrounded by broad
+grins and inquisitive eyes as we were “at home” to
+callers. They continued coming in from 1.30 to 5.30, by
+which time the air felt heavy, so we escaped for an
+evening look-out. The complete range of mountains
+was clearly defined from south to north and terminated
+close to us, in the Semliki plain. Towards their northern
+base rested a heavy dense bank of white cloud that slowly
+glided along. When it had reached the farthest shoulder
+of the range, it woke from its soliloquy and with a mighty
+effort plunged upwards, and in a few minutes flooded the
+whole country with a dense, damp mist.</p>
+
+<p>The first of May dawned in all the brightness of its
+reputation. Lake, plain, valleys, and mountains appeared
+in their brightest garments to do honour to the day, and
+the air trembled in its endeavour to laud the Creator. No
+wonder that the people swarmed out of their stuffy little
+huts for morning service. It was then pointed out to
+them that their house of prayer needed rethatching, and
+in less than three hours the “restoration of the church”
+was completed, for streams of tiny naked figures went off
+and returned with a few strands of grass balanced on
+their heads; the women followed with heavier burdens,
+and the men were standing ready to tie it into small
+bundles and stuff them into the thatch. There was here<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_154"></a>[154]</span>
+as everywhere a great demand for “reading sheets,” and
+those who did not possess five cowrie shells (half a
+farthing) wherewith to purchase one brought in a bundle
+of firewood, two eggs, or undertook any little job in order
+to earn the sum. In the afternoon we had meetings for
+men and women. At each gathering over one hundred
+were present, which must have included nearly all the
+adult inhabitants of the place. The audiences one meets
+with in the villages are distinctly responsive; they
+evidently have an idea that it is a slight to leave the
+European to do all the talking. In the middle of your
+“sermon” one native will burst out with “Aye, aye, that’s
+so,” and the whole company will agree in chorus. Then,
+again, they will repeat after you a whole sentence that has
+struck them, and when your oration is over they all
+exclaim “That’s very good; well done, very well done.”
+It is most encouraging to a nervous speaker.</p>
+
+<p>Leaving Busaiga, we descended to a wide plateau,
+which was most likely at one time a lake bed, but the
+water has run off and left it quite dry. The curious
+parallel gorges, where villages now nestle, resemble
+immense yawning cracks formed by the land calling out
+for water. In one of these clefts, where there was a
+sleepy little hamlet, we pitched camp. The old chief of
+the place was sitting in his courtyard contentedly smoking
+a huge pipe. He did not take the least notice of our
+arrival, and, from what he said, if we had been a party
+of plunderers, he would have assumed exactly the same
+immovable attitude. It was a very stuffy place; the
+heat seemed to fall down listlessly in the little valley and
+had no strength to move off at night. As for the varieties
+of insects that visited us as the candles were lit, even the
+most initiated naturalist must have been puzzled at
+classifying them.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus17" style="max-width: 37.5em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus17.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE SEMLIKI RIVER.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>On the following day we were up at daybreak to cheat
+the sun, which we expected would do its worst for us in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_155"></a>[155]</span>
+the exposed Semliki plain. When we reached that level,
+although it was only 8.0 a.m., the heat was almost unbearable.
+The little donkey must have felt it rather
+badly, for it upset itself in the mud, and this twisted into
+weird contortions the invaluable umbrella that was being
+carried on its back. The Semliki River has to be crossed
+half-way across the plain; its waters are of a thick grey
+colouring, and in them are smuggled away crocodiles, all
+sorts of fierce fish with tusk-like teeth, and fever germs.
+A big dug-out canoe came over from the opposite bank to
+ferry us across, and then returned to fetch our porters,
+ass, and cows. The animals took most naturally to the
+skiff—which might perhaps be traced back to their
+ancestors of the Ark period.</p>
+
+<p>In the cool of the afternoon an old fisherman punted
+me out in his canoe. He attracted my attention to a big
+crocodile drawn up on the bank—it suddenly woke from its
+sleep and slipped into the water for an evening ablution.
+These dug-outs are scarcely what you might call inviting.
+I have never seen one that does not leak considerably, and
+it is difficult to imagine yourself comfortable when seated
+on a few rushes at the bottom of the boat, feeling all the
+time the water oozing in under you.</p>
+
+<p>Antelopes simply abound in the plain. In one spot
+alone there must have stood forty of these peaceful
+creatures. They evidently understand that all their
+district is preserved against the sportsman, for they now
+venture quite close to the path and look at passers by
+with the greatest impertinence. Two fine creatures with
+handsome antlers stood defying our caravan only about
+fifty yards away, and simply refused to be frightened off.</p>
+
+<p>Mboga stands on a ridge of hills about 18 miles on the
+opposite side of the plain to Ruwenzori. The scenery
+was in charming contrast to that on the previous day’s
+journey as we lifted up on to high land. Forest arteries
+flowed through every bend and hollow from the great<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_156"></a>[156]</span>
+aorta of Stanley’s Pigmy Forest that stretched away for
+miles behind the Mboga Hills. The trees closely
+resembled the English oak and mountain ash; there was
+a marked scarcity of flowers, and my butterfly net
+remained quite limp as we climbed up for three hours
+till the Mission station appeared in sight. The people
+that came out to meet us broke up into two parts; the
+one went with Mr. Fisher to superintend camping operations,
+and I was borne off by the others to the Chief’s
+reception hall to hold audience with his mother, who had
+ready a big black native pot of smoked milk to offer me.
+Over one hundred women then streamed in to look at the
+first European lady who had visited their country. They
+exclaimed, “Bwana Fisher has much grace and love, for
+he was the first white man to come and tell us of the
+religion of Christ, and now he has brought to us the first
+lady.” A large open shed had been erected by the Chief
+Paulo Tabalo, under which our tent could be erected and
+so sheltered from the burning heat of the day, and it also
+provided us with a large airy sitting room, which was
+necessary for the four weeks we intended to remain.</p>
+
+<p>The first thing that was absolutely essential to take in
+hand was the building of a new Church, for the reed
+one standing was totally inadequate to accommodate
+the people. Consequently each morning after a brief
+service the men and women poured across to the new
+site to start operations. The men, headed by their Chief,
+went off into the forests for poles, and the women, laying
+aside their white linen draperies, handled their hoes, and
+in a few days had completely cleared the plot of all the
+long grass with which it had been covered. It was quite
+astonishing to see the rapidity with which everybody
+went to work, and although the proposed large mud
+church looked rather a formidable undertaking, the
+Christians insisted on building a permanent mud house
+adjoining the Church, which they hoped would secure<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_157"></a>[157]</span>
+more frequent visits from the Missionary, or procure them
+an ordained teacher from Uganda.</p>
+
+<p>The late Sir Henry Stanley, in “Darkest Africa,” has
+given a most vivid picture of Mboga in his time. It was
+there he met with so much trouble and savage opposition
+from the natives. Paulo Tabalo tells a thrilling story of
+how his father collected together a large army to oppose
+the great white man on the banks of the Semliki River, but
+was compelled to flee, leaving behind a number of slain.</p>
+
+<p>Oppression has given place to justice, turbulence to
+peace, and the most abject fear of and subordination to
+the Evil Spirit is gradually being overcome by knowledge
+and trust in God.</p>
+
+<p>Stepping out from our tent one evening, I strolled away
+to a near hill to watch the sun set. As it slowly disappeared
+behind a low ridge of distant mountains it
+scattered trails of golden light across the plain, through
+which the white waters gleamed. Then for a few brief
+minutes the vast Ruwenzori Range appeared completely
+vestured in a deep pink transparent mist, above which
+shone as a coronet the pure white snows. Never again
+in the four weeks we spent there was such a wonderful
+effect repeated.</p>
+
+<p>The hushed stillness was suddenly broken by a voice
+that issued from a little hut almost hidden from view.
+Glancing round a tall rock that stood between, I saw a
+dusky figure sitting in the doorway peeling potatoes for the
+evening meal. She was quite unconscious of any intruder,
+and as she bent down over her work she sang in the native
+tongue “Like a river glorious is God’s perfect peace.”</p>
+
+<p>Mboga of the present is a “Cave of Adullam” to the
+numerous surrounding tribes who have fled from the
+hands of plunderers and raiders and come to settle down
+under the peaceful rule of the Christian Chief.</p>
+
+<p>Among the thirty-six men and women who had been
+instructed and were then presented for baptism there<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_158"></a>[158]</span>
+were representatives of five different tribes, three of whom
+were the first-fruits from those tribes. I held a daily
+class with them for three weeks, and so had a chance of
+comparing the brain power of these people. Certainly
+the one pigmy did not by any means stand last in the
+class; on the other hand, he displayed a very keen
+perception and often turned round to his neighbour and
+tried rather impatiently to rub in the point. On the
+other hand, he was entirely lacking in concentration, and
+it seemed impossible to pin his mind down to the subject
+under discussion. Every afternoon the people stopped
+work for two hours in order to go to Church to listen to
+the white missionaries’ words. On the first Sunday a
+hint was thrown out to them that they should study
+together in their homes, and so help each other to understand
+their Bibles better. The day following Paulo
+called his people together in his audience hall and told
+them that they had listened to very good words from
+their European friend and teacher, and he felt that if
+they were to become strong and be blessed by God they
+ought to carry out the advice given. Several of them
+thereupon started systematic Bible study in their homes.
+Many of the Christian women came to my afternoon
+class with questions prepared which they had planned
+out together; and they helped each other to make notes
+of my answers. I was surprised at the intelligence
+shown in their questionings, for they had received
+practically little teaching and are not naturally sharp.
+They asked many things about the Epistles, when they
+were written, whether on St. Paul’s journeyings or when
+in imprisonment; then they wanted to know the meaning
+of “Alpha and Omega” and “the woman clothed with
+the sun,” etc., etc.</p>
+
+<p>One afternoon, just as the class was closing, I looked
+up, and in the doorway of the Church stood two most
+repelling figures. Their hair had grown to the shoulders<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_159"></a>[159]</span>
+and was rolled into thin streaks with an ample quantity
+of white goat’s fat; they wore a mere fragment of clothing,
+and held in their hands a bow and sheaf of arrows.
+My lesson came to a dead standstill, and I asked the
+women who the two men were. “They eat each other,”
+was the reassuring response. I dismissed the class right
+away and made off, but found the two cannibals standing
+outside. Very bravely I went up and saluted them, but
+they only stared and grunted, then when I turned to
+hurry back to camp they came too! In spite of being
+told that they only eat their own people, I did not like to
+run any risk, so enticed a number of women to come
+with me all the way to our tent by saying I had some
+pictures just out from England to show them.</p>
+
+<p>As we stood there in Mboga among some of the most
+primitive of the human races it was difficult to realize
+that they formed part of that greatest existing empire of
+the world. Let us hope the time will soon come when
+these people will be brought within the circle of its moral
+and intellectual influence as well as the circle of its civil
+rule. One can scarcely imagine that there ever existed
+a more unenlightened age in the history of man than the
+present twentieth century among these distant subjects
+of Great Britain. From the brow of the Mission hill at
+Mboga no fewer than seven distinct practically untamed
+tribes, each with its own peculiar customs and dialect,
+lie within the range of eyesight. During the four weeks
+spent in these parts we had an opportunity of coming in
+direct contact with some people from each of these tribes,
+and as we learned something of their habits and modes
+of existence we realised in a deeper sense than ever before
+the significance of the words, “And darkness was upon
+the face of the deep.”</p>
+
+<p>After one month’s life under canvas, nomadic life loses
+its charm, especially when the rains are a little too
+generous. The last three weeks of our stay in Mboga<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_160"></a>[160]</span>
+proved somewhat distressful on this account, for the
+storms beat down upon our skeleton shed and poured in
+through the tent almost daily. The wide trenches dug
+round our quarters were quite ineffectual in carrying off
+the water which came sweeping in upon us like a flood.
+Frequently we were obliged to sit on our chairs or boxes
+with our feet tucked under us while the water gaily took
+possession of the ground floor of the tent.</p>
+
+<p>Then food was a difficulty, for no one would sell the
+few goats and chickens that they possessed. After the
+first fortnight they assured us that we had eaten up all
+the chickens in the place! (In spite of this we certainly
+lost weight.) Eggs were very scarce, and were sold at
+the same price as a chicken, for, they argued, an egg is
+a chicken, and the ones they brought for sale nearly
+proved their argument! All our boys got ill with malarial
+fever, and when they were at their worst a case of cholera
+was brought in to me for treatment. This seemed to be
+an unknown complaint in these parts, and the people had
+no idea of its infectious character. Already three deaths
+had occurred, and two households were stricken down
+with it through visiting the sick house. We immediately
+ordered all the infected huts to be quarantined and the
+strictest attention given to the burning of all contaminated
+matter. Fortunately the disease was thus checked from
+spreading, but not until four had succumbed to it.</p>
+
+<p>Our last Sunday spent there was a memorable occasion,
+for thirty-five men and women were admitted into the
+fold of Christ through the confession of their faith in
+Baptism, and sixty-two from this little “lighthouse”
+station united with us in Holy Communion. After the
+evening service two young men came forward and offered
+themselves to be trained as teachers to the villages beyond.
+So although darkness yet covers the land of Mboga it
+might be said “And the Spirit of God moved upon the
+face of the waters.”</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_161"></a>[161]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVII">CHAPTER XVII<br>
+<span class="smaller">In Darkest Africa. The Pigmies
+(Batwa) and their (Bambuba) Neighbours</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>In attempting to describe some of the tribes that we
+have come in contact with round Mboga, I feel the
+first place should be given to the Pigmies, for
+although they are the smallest of all folk, yet they are
+one of the most ancient peoples of history. Not only do
+they appear in the pages of the Greek historian,
+Herodotus, but to-day their representatives may be traced
+on the Pyramids. Beyond these bare facts of their existence
+nothing was definitely known about them until the
+late Sir Henry Stanley penetrated their forest home on
+his search for Emin Pasha, and startled the civilised
+world by his marvellous accounts of these legendary
+folk. Judging from their present conditions of life it is
+impossible to believe that they have made any advance,
+physically or morally, during the hundreds of years that
+have passed by since first they were known to the outside
+world.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus18" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus18.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE FOUR PIGMIES IN KABAROLE.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Their home is one vast, impenetrable forest which
+extends about one hundred and twenty miles north to
+south and nearly two hundred miles east to west; without
+intermission its vegetation has assumed abnormal proportions;
+out of dense, tangled undergrowth the trees<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_162"></a>[162]</span>
+have forced their way, and, as if to find breathing space
+and shake themselves free of the crush and their tiresome
+parasites, have reached a gigantic height. But the
+rubber plants, ivy, and creepers have proved equal to the
+task, and pushed their way up the tree trunks, have
+crawled along from branch to branch, until only glimpses
+of sunshine and sky appear through the thick foliage.</p>
+
+<p>Doubtless this obscurity and the seclusion of their
+environment have acted as a narcotic on the development
+of the people.</p>
+
+<p>Although small of stature they are by no means dwarfs,
+for their little bodies of four feet to four feet eight inches
+are perfectly proportioned. A very close view shows
+them to be covered with an almost imperceptible downy
+hair; on the arms this meets at the elbow as in monkeys.
+It may be due to their habit of sitting with arms crossed
+round their neck while the rain constantly drips down
+upon them through the trees. Their features are not
+prepossessing—in fact they are really ugly; a very broad
+bridgeless nose and two wide protruding lips appropriate
+as much space as the face can spare.</p>
+
+<p>They possess no permanent homes, but are constantly
+on the move, never spending more than three to five days
+at one spot. They burrow among the thick undergrowth,
+and make clearings round the trees in order to erect
+their tiny grass huts, which are built in less than an hour,
+with saplings stuck round in a circle and tied at the top;
+grass and leaves are then thrown over as roofing. Very
+few adopt any clothing. Each man travels about with a
+bow and quiver of poisoned arrows in order that he may
+keep the family supplied in food. Although peaceable
+among themselves, there is no civil cohesion among the
+pigmies. They recognise no king or chief; each man is
+perfectly free to control his own household. There are no
+class distinctions; but the best huntsman will have the
+largest following because with his spoils he is able to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_163"></a>[163]</span>
+effect exchanges with the near neighbours of the tribe—the
+Bambuba, a sturdy, thick-set race varying in height
+from four feet eight inches to five feet, who live on the
+north-east fringe of the Forest.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus19" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus19.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE BA-AMBAS: NEAREST NEIGHBOURS TO THE PIGMIES.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Necessity has never taught the pigmies to make fires.
+They are dependent on wood ashes from the Bambuba
+folk, which they carry about tied up in leaves, in which
+the fire smoulders for hours and is kindled into flame with
+a little gentle blowing. The Bambuba have learned to
+produce fire by means of igniting two little bits of stick by
+friction. They also make tiny torches of three or four
+thin twigs tied together by fibre; these are dipped into
+rubber juice freshly drawn away from the plant; then on
+the point of the torch is placed resin, which moderates the
+rate of combustion. One of these torches will keep
+burning for two to three hours. The pigmies do not
+cultivate the ground; they are exclusively a tribe of huntsmen
+who travel about in search of their prey. Their
+remarkable agility enables them to spring from branch to
+branch when watching the track of an animal. Often
+they are obliged to follow an elephant for hours before this
+forest monarch succumbs to the poisoned dart that has
+lodged itself in its tough skin; then as the huge animal
+rolls over like a thunderbolt falling, the little pigmies
+jump down from the trees, stand on the carcase, and
+draw out of a crude leather sheath their knives which
+have handles made of animals’ bones; they then commence
+cutting up the joints. Some of these will be
+carried off to the agricultural Bambuba tribe, who give
+potatoes, Indian corn, knives, or arrows for the meat.
+The rest is taken up into the trees and dried, after which
+it is either roasted or eaten raw. Although all their meat
+is poisoned they do not attempt to purify it, and the
+blood is regarded as a special delicacy. They do not,
+however, suffer any ill-effects, for the poison is said to
+have lost its power when once it has acted. The pigmies<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_164"></a>[164]</span>
+are regarded by the neighbouring tribes in very much
+the same way as the wild pigs, inevitable plunderers. At
+night they creep up to the potato patches, under cover of
+the long grass, and carry off their booty into the copse.
+No one dares to venture on revenge; indeed the surrounding
+tribes stand in terror of the little people because of
+their wonderful powers of self-concealment and deftness
+with their bows.</p>
+
+<p>A pigmy rarely possesses more than one wife, and
+never more than two. A man purchases her with
+poison or fowls—a woman is valued at eighty to one
+hundred chickens. The wives are treated kindly and
+with consideration; only when a husband is provoked by
+abuse does he attempt to subdue his fractious helpmate
+by a sound beating.</p>
+
+<p>A pigmy baby is the funniest little atom imaginable.
+A woman once brought to me her infant of three
+months; it was her first, and she evidently regarded it
+as an exceptional beauty. It was about the size of a sixpenny
+doll. I did not venture to touch it for fear of
+hurting it.</p>
+
+<p>Having only reached the outskirts of the Congo Forest
+we never had an opportunity of seeing the pigmies at
+home. Those we have met and conversed with are
+women and boys that were stolen some years ago, and
+now have no desire to go back to the forest. At Mboga
+we found seven under Christian instruction, one of whom
+had been baptised. In Kabarole there are two pigmy
+girls and one lad learning to read besides Blasiyo, who
+was the first of his tribe to be baptised.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus20" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus20.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>BLASIYO, FIRST BAPTISED PIGMY.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>He was my first God-child, the first of these wee and
+ancient people to step forth from their physical and
+spiritual darkness and before the listening Host of
+Heaven declare his belief in God the Father, God the
+Son, and God the Holy Ghost, his faith for salvation, for
+salvation in Christ’s sacrifice, and his desire to never be<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_165"></a>[165]</span>
+ashamed “to fight under the banner of the Cross.” He
+is a quaint little figure, with a high sense of his own
+importance, and is quite able to stand his ground alone
+when assailed by his taller companions. Work is a great
+trouble to him, but he is always ready for tricks and
+games. Football is his speciality, and he never misses a
+chance of squeezing his way into the game, even when
+the men’s team is on the ground. In order that he might
+have a game with his friends whenever he could shirk his
+work, he invented a very ingenious football of a goat
+skin stuffed with dried banana leaves. While learning to
+read we took him on our staff of boys, not that he did
+much work, but in order that we might try and instil
+clean and industrious habits into him. His duties were
+to help the cook by feeding the fire with fuel and keeping
+clean the pots and pans, but when he knew his master
+and mistress were at lunch, he would run away from his
+post, and fetch a large ivory warhorn; then, taking up
+his position outside the dining-room window, would blow
+for all he was worth. He accompanied the blasts with
+weird, swaying movements that gradually developed into
+wild dancing, and transformed the little figure into a
+veritable imp or gnome. His idea was that this entertainment
+would quite justify his act of truancy; and he
+reasoned that if he could get his master and mistress to
+laugh their anger would be dead, for laughter drives out
+wrath. When he came to us, cleanliness was not a
+strong point with him, and he was for the time being
+quite debarred from playing football on account of being
+crippled with jiggers—an irritating, infinitesimal insect
+that bores in under the surface skin of the feet, and if
+allowed to remain there sets up mortification. The fact
+of their being there did not trouble him in the least, but
+his inability to kick the football drove him to get them
+extracted. A message one day was brought in that a man
+wished to see me on business. Going out on to our<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_166"></a>[166]</span>
+verandah I found a powerful, muscular figure dressed in
+a colobus monkey skin. He told me that his name was
+Mbeba, which means “a rat,” and that he had been sent
+by the pigmy to contract for his jiggers. His fee would
+be five hundred cowrie shells, which was a big price, but
+it would be a long job. I felt it was an offer to close
+on, and did not in the least regret my investment of
+sevenpence halfpenny when the pigmy proudly emerged
+from a ten days’ operation with his unshapely little feet
+considerably battered, but in sound kicking order.</p>
+
+<p>Each week it was our custom to give round to our
+boys fifty or hundred cowrie shells for pocket money.
+These generally went to purchase pencils, or exercise
+books, or were carefully put by till sufficient were collected
+to buy a sheep or goat. But Blasiyo was never able to
+save a shell, for his great ambition was to ride about on
+a horse like the king, and as this was an impossibility
+he hired the tallest available man to run him up and
+down the roads on his shoulder for payment of shells.</p>
+
+<p>One day a loud altercation was going on in our courtyard,
+and I was called out to arbitrate between Blasiyo
+and his two-legged steed. The man’s grievance was that he
+had agreed to ride the pigmy round our courtyard for five
+shells, and now he was refused payment. Blasiyo listened
+until he had finished presenting his case; then, when
+called on to give his defence, declared the man had not
+fulfilled his contract, for he had cut off all the corners.
+He was told to pay down three shells, and these he produced
+from under his tongue! When he had learned to
+read, he was very anxious to exhibit his wonderful
+intelligence, and asked that he might have a class in the
+reading school. Accordingly he was enrolled as a
+teacher. With an air of great importance he used to
+strut into school and take up his position among his
+scholars, some twelve to twenty men, whom he had
+asked to be allowed to teach in preference to boys. One<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_167"></a>[167]</span>
+day while going the round of the school to take the
+register I found Blasiyo’s class in rebellion. The reason
+was that the teacher had brought with him a little cane
+and whacked them all round because they did not pay
+him due respect. “Without respect,” said he, “progress
+is impossible.”</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus21" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus21.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A GROUP OF PIGMY WOMEN.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>For several obvious reasons it will be impossible to
+send teachers to the pigmies under present circumstances.
+While they continue constantly moving about they cannot
+be satisfactorily reached; and no European or native
+of another tribe could live in the semi-obscurity of the
+dense forest, or exist solely on poisoned meat. The only
+hope of effectually reaching them is to teach and train
+those who are living outside among other people; for
+there is every reason to hope that some from among them
+might be found who will in the future be ready to go back
+to their old forest home and carry the torchlight of
+Truth to their own kith and kin.</p>
+
+<p>Meanwhile it is a cause of great rejoicing that already
+some of these strange tiny folk have been baptised into
+Christ Jesus, of whom the whole family in heaven and
+earth was named.</p>
+
+<h3><span class="smcap">The Bahuku.</span></h3>
+
+<p>In a strip of forest lying between the Semliki River
+and the Congo Forest, and within four hours of Mboga,
+lives a savage tribe known as the Bahuku. Among all
+the distinct races to be found on the western slopes of
+the Semliki Plain, these people undoubtedly are the
+most degraded and void of intelligence. Like the
+Ba-amba, many of the men allow their heads to remain
+unshorn: when the hair has reached to the nape of the
+neck they twist it into thin strands with goat’s fat, which
+is frequently mixed with a quantity of red earth. This
+gives them quite a terrifying appearance. They live in
+circular huts composed of closely-packed poles, with<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_168"></a>[168]</span>
+roofs of grass and leaves. They have no means of digging
+up the soil, but their method of cultivating is to cut down
+the grass and shrubs, to fell the trees, and sow their
+crops of Indian corn, beans and sweet potatoes among
+the stubble and roots.</p>
+
+<p>A Muhuku may have any number of wives, but is
+obliged to build a separate house for each, as the women
+are very quarrelsome among themselves. If any
+favouritism is shown for one wife the others make no
+attempt to conceal their jealousy, and sometimes poison
+or spear the unfortunate woman. The custom of procuring
+a wife is to take her in exchange for a sister, cousin,
+or any other available female relation. When these fail,
+goats will be taken as a substitute. By the former
+method a woman is free to leave her husband and marry
+another if she wishes, but purchase by goats is binding on
+her; she has become her husband’s property absolutely.
+Should she run away and return to her people they are
+immediately suspected of bribing or stealing her. The
+injured husband then sounds the warhorn, and a sharp
+encounter with spears and knives takes place between the
+two families. When the victor has succeeded in driving
+off his antagonists he claims the bodies of the slain,
+which are taken to his home and feasted upon in honour
+of the occasion.</p>
+
+<p>The warhorns of the Bahuku are regarded by them
+as family heirlooms, and have been handed down from
+their distant ancestors. They are formed out of small
+elephant tusks, which have been scooped out and shaved
+down to within two or three inches of the mouthpiece.
+Strips of elephant hide or lizard skin are sometimes
+neatly fitted round part of the horn and sewn with gut.
+The centre part of the instrument, which has become
+much discoloured by time, is decorated with various
+curious designs. These probably were intended for hieroglyphic
+writing or distinguishing family marks, but their<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_169"></a>[169]</span>
+significance, if ever there really was any, is quite unknown
+to the present generations. The Bahuku are very loth
+to part with these horns for fear of offending the spirits
+of their forefathers. A few, however, were willing to risk
+their displeasures when they saw the skinny little goats
+we sent out as purchase money.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus22" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus22.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE BAHUKU: CANNIBAL RACE.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Human flesh is regarded as a luxury among them,
+besides corpse-eating. The upper class buy from the
+peasants their dead for two to six goats. The bodies
+that are not sold for food are buried with a very prolonged
+ceremony. A deep hole is digged and the corpse is
+placed in a sitting posture with the hands crossed on the
+chest. It is then covered over with earth as far as the
+neck; the head is left exposed for six days, during which
+time the friends come and bestow on it their farewell
+glances. Then the burial is completed and the grave is
+carefully swept and guarded day and night until the
+family removes to another place.</p>
+
+<p>Their religion is a form of fetishism. Tiny devil
+temples are built among the long grass away from the
+homes of the peoples so that the evil spirits may be kept
+at a safe distance. Only the men and old women are
+allowed to visit these little grass temples to take offerings
+of food or to practice divination. The men take with
+them a horn in order to acquaint their wives with the
+time of their worship.</p>
+
+<p>Several from among these people came and visited us
+during our stay in Mboga, and although they were quite
+friendly, they expressed no wish for a teacher to be sent
+to them. Indeed, their minds seemed so unutterably void
+that they appeared incapable of receiving any new impression.</p>
+
+<h3><span class="smcap">Babira and Balega.</span></h3>
+
+<p>A few years ago, before European rule was established
+over the country, Mboga could scarcely have been a<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_170"></a>[170]</span>
+desirable quarter in which to find oneself shut up. The
+Bahuku, on the west, then practised cannibalism without
+any restraint, and captured anyone who ventured near
+their domain.</p>
+
+<p>Then, while the vindictive little pigmies and half-tamed
+Bambuba enclosed it on the south and west, two
+powerful and savage tribes joined hands and claimed the
+district running north, right along to the western shores
+of the Albert Lake. These Babira and Balega people are
+very closely allied in features and customs, but the
+former are numerically very inferior. These have a
+peculiar practice, which I believe to be unique among
+Central African tribes, that is, the women bore a hole in
+their top lip and gradually increasing this until it is able
+to enclose a disc of wood two and even three inches in
+diameter. A Mubira woman came to call on us whose
+disc measured two and five-eight inches across. The size of
+the wood inserted proclaims the rank of the person.
+Peasants are only allowed to wear pieces of stick the
+same dimension as a match. The weight of the wood
+causes the lip to fall down over the mouth, and, in order
+to eat, it is necessary to lift up this shutter with one
+hand while the other conveys the food to the mouth.
+Frequently the lip breaks under the strain put upon it, in
+which case the disconnected ends are carried back and
+tied to the ear.</p>
+
+<p>While the Balega do not adopt this inhuman custom
+of their neighbours, they have not reached to their degree
+of civilisation in introducing clothing. The Balega
+women still groan under the weight of pounds of thick
+brass wire wound round their arms and legs. This is
+supplemented by a prodigious amount of beads.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp45" id="illus23" style="max-width: 26.5625em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus23.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A MUBIRA LADY: AN AFTERNOON CALLER.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp45" id="illus24" style="max-width: 26.5625em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus24.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A NATIVE OF BALEGA: The first to be baptised of his race.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Until brought under Belgian rule these people refused
+to recognise allegiance to any power. Nominally they
+were under Bunyoro, for the King of that country years ago
+went across and laid waste the whole district plundering<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_171"></a>[171]</span>
+their sheep, cattle, and women. This was repeated
+by successive kinds till the people were compelled to
+yield to the claims of the Bunyoro. But their submission
+was compulsory and not permanent, so that when Bunyoro
+was troubled with civil war and outside foes the Balega
+ceased to be controlled by them. But the Bunyoro are
+very proud of a legend that relates how their King
+Ndohura, who conquered the Balega, while fighting them
+broke his stick and from it sprung up the Forest of Kirare.
+Returning from the war the same King is said to have
+slipped on a rock, and his footprint is to be seen to this
+day.</p>
+
+<p>These people are very clannish and insular. Children
+remain under their mothers’ roof until they marry. If,
+like the “old woman,” they lived in a shoe, the mother
+would need a fairly roomy one, for often her offspring
+number twenty to thirty. As a man possesses many
+wives he has a lively time trying to keep his children in
+hand. When the sons marry they bring their wives and
+build close to the old homestead, and generally continue
+to recognise the authority of their father, and no other.</p>
+
+<p>They believe in an evil spirit called Nyakasana, for
+whom they build a little grass temple in the court yard of
+their houses. They always offer to him the first-fruits
+of their potato, Indian corn and millet crops, and when
+they kill a goat for meat or entrap an antelope they take
+to their little temple a portion of the flesh, before tasting
+it themselves. The spirits of the dead have constantly
+to be propitiated by gifts of food and live stock. These
+are carefully kept apart, and when any member of the
+family is taken ill, the offerings to the dead are brought
+in, so that the sick person shall look on them and
+recover.</p>
+
+<p>During our stay at Mboga, the first man from the
+Balega tribe was baptised, and since then several
+teachers have gone to them from Bunyoro and found<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_172"></a>[172]</span>
+a great willingness and desire among the people for
+instruction.</p>
+
+<p>Thus gradually the Light is dawning on “Darkest
+Africa.”</p>
+
+<p>“Arise shine, for the light is come and the glory of
+the Lord is risen upon thee. For behold the darkness
+shall cover the earth and gross darkness the people but
+the glory of the Lord shall arise upon thee....
+And the Gentiles shall come to Thy light, and kings to
+the brightness of Thy rising.” Isaiah.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_173"></a>[173]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XVIII">CHAPTER XVIII<br>
+<span class="smaller">A Climb to the Snows</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>It is impossible to live any length of time in close
+proximity to Ruwenzori without being overcome
+with a desire to reach the land of glittering ice that
+resembles an enchanted city with its pinnacles,
+turrets and domes pointing upward to the sun, which with
+all its equatorial strength has ineffectually endeavoured to
+displace the age-long snows and ice. The highest point
+has, in recent years, been estimated to reach an altitude
+of 20,000 to 22,000 feet. The snows are not often clearly
+visible, for in the dry season the hot heavy mist that
+envelops the whole country completely hides the range
+from view, while in the wet season clouds frequently veil
+the highest peaks. From the glaciers rush numerous
+streams that flow down into the Albert Edward Lake,
+and out again by the River Semliki to the Albert Lake
+and the Nile. In ancient times an Egyptian caravan
+road extended right down into these interior districts
+along the route of this great natural watercourse. Doubtless
+the Egyptians, and probably Solomon, drew their
+supplies of ivory from the vast herds of elephants that
+still ramble about round Ruwenzori with tusks some
+weighing 150 to 200lbs. each.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp45" id="illus25" style="max-width: 26.5625em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus25.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>STIFF CLIMBING: A CLIMB TO THE SNOWS.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>The old legend that the sacred river Nile had its
+source in Heaven may have originated from the reports
+brought back by traders that one of its most important
+tributaries flowed down from a mountain that seemed to
+reach into Heaven. The Baganda call the mountain<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_174"></a>[174]</span>
+“Gambalugula lufumba ebiri,” which means “the leaf
+that cooks the clouds.” This has reference to their
+custom of cooking all their food in banana leaves. Their
+imagination regards the mountains as a big leaf which
+holds the clouds over the boiling springs that bubble up
+from the base of the mountain, the mists that sweep
+down the mountain sides is the stream from the “cooking
+pot.”</p>
+
+<p>Ruwenzori does not consist of one single snow peak
+like Kilimanjaro and Kenia, but vast fields of intercepted
+snow and ice extend for over twenty miles North
+and South.</p>
+
+<p>The late Sir Henry Stanley heard of its existence in
+1875, but not until his second visit to its locality in 1887
+did he obtain a complete view of the snows.</p>
+
+<p>Since that date several have tried to reach the glaciers,
+but only three expeditions had been successful up to the
+time of our ascent. Others had proved unfortunate in
+the time of year, for it is impossible to accomplish
+the task in the wet season. Mountain sickness, and
+pneumonia among the carriers had compelled others to
+turn back from the attempt. Until 1904 no one had
+tried to reach the snows from the Western side of the
+mountain range. From the east several had unsuccessfully
+endeavoured to discover a route to higher altitudes,
+but the one along the course of the Mubuku River was
+the only one that had proved practicable. During our
+visit to Mboga we were very fortunate to obtain continual
+views of the snow peaks, and we were convinced
+that an ascent from that side of the mountains would
+prove more resultful. This has been conclusively confirmed
+since by a recent explorer, Dr. David, who
+reached a point 16,000 feet high; that is, 1,200 feet
+higher than anyone previously. To scale Ruwenzori’s
+highest point must remain an impossible task. No one
+could endure the penetrating cold for the period of time<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_175"></a>[175]</span>
+required to master the prolonged and precipitous heights.
+Besides a complete Alpine outfit being required, tent and
+food would be compulsory, and no native would undertake
+the transport of these things beyond the lowest
+glacier point, and even if this difficulty could be overcome,
+camping space might be sought for in vain. Judging
+from the angle at which my bed was placed at one camp,
+I can picture an over ambitious adventurer, having
+pitched his tent within 3,000 feet of the summit, suddenly
+finding himself and his belongings toboganning down
+over the glaciers at lightning speed, only stopping to find
+himself landed in a freezing morass.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus26" style="max-width: 37.5em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus26.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A PEEP AT THE SNOWS.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>In 1903, Rev. A. L. Kitching, Mr. Fisher, and myself
+started off for a trip to that unfrequented region. Our
+baggage looked more suitable for a Polar expedition than
+a climb on the Equator. Every conceivable fusty and
+moth eaten winter garment was hauled out and packed
+into a waterproof sack; eider-down quilts, India rubber
+foot warmers, and bales of blankets for ourselves and
+boys formed part of the caravan. The reports of our
+mountaineering predecessors led us to anticipate an
+arduous and colossal task, but our ambition was not to
+attempt more than those who had a wider experience in
+mountain climbing than ourselves, but to stand on that
+untraversed land of ice where scarcely mortal foot had
+trod, and to inhale its cool life-giving air so that we
+might be refreshed for a return to work in the hot
+tiring lowlands.</p>
+
+<p>January was the time fixed on for the expedition. That is
+generally regarded as one of the most reliably dry months
+in the year, but the mountains manage to upset all one’s
+calculations, and in Toro fine weather is more the exception
+than the rule. So we found ourselves in a few
+very stiff storms before we had even reached the base of
+the mountains. Our porters were aggravatingly discouraging,
+and on the first day, regarding my skirt flapping<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_176"></a>[176]</span>
+about after a drenching shower, shook their heads, and
+said, “Perhaps the two Bwanas will reach the snows,
+but who ever heard of a woman doing it.” They did not
+understand that their very argument was one of my
+strongest incentives! Four days of strong marching
+from Kabarole brought us to a village of the Bakonjo
+called Bihunga. It was about 6,000ft. high, tucked away
+in the very heart of the mountains. Frowning peaks and
+ridge upon ridge of dense foresting completely shut us in
+from the outside world. Save for the noise of the River
+Mubuku, as it rushed madly down and tumbled into the
+valley beneath, there was no sound to break the deep
+silence of the mountains. All nature was at perfect peace
+with itself, and the few clouds that seemed wearied
+in their flight through the hot, dry air rested for a while
+on the green slopes as if to enjoy the quiet and beauty of
+the scene. It was to these strongholds that the Batoro
+fled in past times for security when the raiding King
+Kabarega of Bunyoro made plundering expeditions into
+their country. Although they found safety and shelter in
+the thickly-wooded crevices and creeks, the refugees
+searched in vain for food, and while some were able to
+drag through the time of their temporary captivity by
+subsisting on the roots and leaves of wild plants,
+hundreds are said to have died from hunger and
+exposure.</p>
+
+<p>The so-called village at which we halted was a collection
+of three tiny circular huts, built of poles packed as
+closely together as possible. Round and outside these
+was tied a thick padding of dried banana bark, leaves,
+and saplings, as protection from the gales and storms that
+blew down from the snows and whistled round these
+little dwellings.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus27" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus27.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>SNOW PEAKS.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>A grandsire and his dame, two sons, one daughter-in-law,
+and an infant composed the entire population. The
+old man, in a very contented state of mind, sat in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_177"></a>[177]</span>
+the doorway of his hut smoking a pipe over a foot in
+length. He gave us a most reassuring smile of welcome.
+The two females, heavily decked round the knees and
+arms with scores of plaited and greased bracelets,
+immediately made off with themselves into the thick
+vegetation, and only came out of their hiding by a great
+deal of persuasion. We explained to the people the
+object we had in view, and how we wanted to leave our
+Batoro porters with them to await our return, while we
+took on men from among them who were acquainted
+with the mountains and inured to the cold. The two
+young men at once offered their services, and promised
+instantly to get together as many other porters as
+required. We wondered how they could do this, as there
+was no sign of a habitation, excepting two lonely huts on
+a far distant height. But, after making a long, far-reaching
+sound with their lips, there suddenly appeared, as if
+by magic, quite a number of figures emerging from far
+and near. The Bakonjo, in the old times of rapine and
+oppression, had chosen out the most secluded spot where
+they might safely build their homes, and they still adopt
+this practice, from custom—no longer from necessity.
+Among the dense forest growth it is quite impossible to
+detect their huts, and as only a very small minority of
+the Bakonjo cultivate the soil, there is nothing around to
+indicate human existence.</p>
+
+<p>As is the case among most of these tribes, the women
+do all the digging and sowing, but they are very few
+in number as compared with the men, and in consequence
+are regarded as valuable property, and not to be worked
+to excess. Being naturally more prone to indolence
+than industry, the furnishing of the daily board depends
+almost solely on what the husbands can bring in from
+the hunt and exchange, but they generally keep in store
+a stock of arum roots (the women’s cultivation) on which
+they can fall back when fortune fails the huntsmen.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_178"></a>[178]</span>
+The men are a striking race, their arduous searching
+after rats and conies (hyrax) often leads them up to the
+regions of ice; this constant climbing and exposure to the
+cold have developed their muscles in a remarkable
+manner, and with the surefootedness of a mule and lightness
+of a gazelle they spring up the steepest bank and
+rock, experiencing no fatigue.</p>
+
+<p>Besides being their chief item of diet, the coney supplies
+them with practically their sole clothing. Six or eight of
+the little skins are sewn together, and worn over the
+shoulders, secured by a thin piece of hide round the
+neck.</p>
+
+<p>Although the conies have enough sense of self-preservation
+to burrow among the rocks for shelter, they
+have not sufficient instinct to escape their capturers when
+once they have tracked them down. The men sit
+patiently for hours outside the conies’ entrance door, and
+when at last the little creatures come out in single file to
+search for a meal, a stick suddenly descends on one head
+after another; sometimes fourteen to fifteen in one family
+are killed off in this way.</p>
+
+<p>Twenty men were chosen out, from those that offered,
+to act as carriers, two more were appointed guides, and
+two of special strength were told off to help me over the
+exceptionally rough bits of climbing. While the necessary
+agreements were being gone through, the sky
+became suddenly overcast with dense, threatening clouds,
+and a loud clap of thunder, that reverberated all round
+us again and again, scattered us in every direction with
+great speed to our several homes. From the tiny
+window of our bedraggled tent we peeped out at the
+storm, as the forked lightning struck one peak after
+another almost simultaneously, and the thunder concussions
+made the very mountains tremble.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus28" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus28.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>SNOW PEAKS.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>An Academy picture, of many years back, illustrating
+Dante’s Inferno, seemed to have assumed living form<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_179"></a>[179]</span>
+here. It was almost impossible to believe that such a
+transformation could have taken place in so short a time,
+for in comparatively few minutes day was plunged into
+night, calm into torrential storms, and quietude into a
+fierce battle of the elements.</p>
+
+<p>When we at last ventured to draw back the canvas
+doorway the rain had ceased, and mud, mud, mud lay
+everywhere. The storm had left behind it a cold, raw,
+dismal evening. And there drawn up in single file before
+the tent were our twenty porters and guides, who, in
+order to appear more pathetic, had come without their
+fur shoulder garments. One of the guides stepped forward
+as spokesman and explained that they wanted to be
+paid in advance. They absolutely refused shells and
+rupees, and would only accept calico, which, they said,
+would protect them from the cold on the journey to the
+snows. Judging from the quantity of clothes we had
+heaped already on ourselves to keep off the penetrating
+damp wind, their demand threatened to be a real
+difficulty, as we had only equipped ourselves with a
+limited supply of calico. They were then asked what
+length of material each required as wages, and in a half
+timid voice, as if afraid of uttering such an extortion, the
+answer came “three hands apiece” (one and a half yards).
+Our calico managed to run to that, and thereupon each
+man received his advance payment. With a broad grin
+of satisfaction and pride they struggled to tuck as much
+of themselves as possible inside their fifty-four inches of
+material. The result was quite ludicrous, but they
+appeared perfectly delighted. Evidently their plea had
+only been a ruse to insure their wages, for none of the
+calico was seen on the journey. The only personal
+impedimenta with which most of them travelled were a
+few strands of smouldering grass encased in a bark
+sheath. This was brought out immediately we struck
+camp, and they had ferretted out a shelter for themselves<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_180"></a>[180]</span>
+under a rock or trees. A fire was quickly kindled, and
+round this they all squatted and roasted the conies they
+had entrapped during the day’s climb. At night they did
+not attempt to erect a hut or covering, but maintained
+this same cramped position round the fire; they interlaced
+arms, and each one slept with his head resting on
+the next man’s shoulder. On one occasion the rain
+poured down upon them all night long, and although their
+little shoulder coney-skins were hopelessly inadequate
+to insure them against a thorough soaking, they turned
+up in the morning in the most cheerful spirits, absolutely
+unaffected by their uncongenial surroundings.</p>
+
+<p>In preparing for the actual ascent to the snows from
+Bihunga we were obliged to reduce our outfit to mere
+essentials. A large caravan would have experienced
+considerable difficulty in the matter of food; and each
+man was only able to carry a load of twenty to twenty-five
+pounds, which was fastened to a strong sling of fibre
+and slipped round the forehead. This method of carrying
+is adopted by the Bakonjo tribe, and leaves the arms
+perfectly free for climbing up on fours, which is so often
+necessary. I was the only member of the party privileged
+with a bed; the two men had to content themselves
+with waterproof sacks and blankets. Our boys judged
+spoons, forks, and knives as non-essentials and reduced
+us to two forks and one pen-knife, so for some days we
+had to return to the most primitive manners at meal-times.
+Our first day’s real climbing began in a kind of
+retrograde direction, for we had to slide down a hopelessly
+greasy track for some two hundred yards. My two
+supporters evidently anticipated a lively time; they were
+required to render aid at once; the fact was, my feet
+refused to stick, and in struggling to keep me back with
+yards of calico brought round under my arms, I nearly
+succeeded in dragging them down head-first. They were
+urged to manage better than that, and they promised to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_181"></a>[181]</span>
+improve, but explained how they had had no practice at
+that kind of travelling, and were a little unprepared for
+it. I again tried the plan of a calico body sling when a
+very steep bracken ascent had to be scaled, and the sun
+was at its height. The men went in front, each pulling
+most vigorously at the calico end which he held, but
+they somehow always managed to jerk in the wrong
+place. Just as I had breathlessly succeeded in securing
+a foothold a big pull from the front almost robbed me of
+my last gasp. So I dispensed with such questionable
+aid and found all the help I wanted in a long bamboo
+which our guide presented to me as a kind of charm, for
+it had taken him up to the glacier when he escorted Sir
+Harry Johnston’s expedition. At an altitude of seven
+thousand feet we reached the point where tropical
+vegetation assumes its most exquisite form. The river
+Mubuku had to be crossed and recrossed six times in the
+one march, and all along its river bed was the richest
+display of varied forms of vegetable life. Several species
+of palm trees, a few wayward bamboos, tree-ferns, a tree
+resembling the English yew, and the bright red-flowering
+Ekirikiti tree. The forests passed through frequently
+recalled some of the most charming parts of Devonshire;
+the ground was carpeted with ferns and moss interspersed
+with forget-me-nots and orchids.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus29" style="max-width: 37.5em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus29.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>CROSSING THE MULUKU RIVER.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>At Bihunga we left behind all human habitation. Our
+first halt after leaving it was under a rock at a height of
+eight thousand feet. From the almost intolerable silence
+it seemed as if we had also got beyond all animal life.
+We listened in vain for the insect’s hum, the bird’s
+chirrupping, or the squabbling of the monkeys. However,
+similar welcome sounds had not entirely ceased, for
+very occasionally a night bird hooted, a rat squeaked, or
+a solitary fly cheered us with its living presence.</p>
+
+<p>Our camping space was decidedly cramped, and the
+tent felt very insecure, for it was impossible to drive poles<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_182"></a>[182]</span>
+or pegs into the rocks; the canvas merely had to be
+balanced by tying the ropes to large stones. Water was
+also very scarce, and, in spite of a consuming thirst after
+our hot climb, we were obliged to content ourselves with
+two cups of tea and half that amount for a wash down.</p>
+
+<p>The region of Bamboo Forests was next reached, and
+it was disappointing to find that what looked so attractive
+from a distance beneath when seen from within was
+nothing but a monotonous stretch of stiff brown sticks
+surmounted by masses of green grass. The bamboos had
+completely monopolised the soil to the exclusion of almost
+every other plant. For hours we were pushing our way
+through these obstinate poles that would not bend or
+budge an inch to let us through. Men went before to
+slash them down, and as we stumbled over the broken
+stems my poor skirt was literally torn into shreds, even
+though it had been shortened eight inches the previous day.
+Emerging from bamboo-land we crossed a stretch of
+marsh and found ourselves surrounded by frowning bare
+rock peaks which rose almost perpendicularly from where
+we stood. Pointing up to a spot about one thousand feet
+above us, our guide indicated the only possible halting
+place. Although so near, it took us over two hours to
+reach; with the utmost caution we had to drag our bodies
+up the sheer face of the rocks. At one place we had
+recourse to a rough native ladder formed of two long
+bamboo poles with rungs of the same tied with grass.
+This was placed against an absolutely smooth-faced
+stretch of rock, where for a space of ten to fifteen feet
+no hold could be obtained. To add to the danger, strong
+mountain streams were pouring down over the rocks, not
+only soaking us through, but making our grip less secure.
+Certainly I had never before been in such a critical
+position; it was quite impossible to get a real firm footing,
+and one slip might have resulted in dragging others
+down into the seething waters and rocks that lay beneath.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus30" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus30.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>KICUCEI CAMP.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_183"></a>[183]</span></p>
+
+<p>On reaching the top, vegetation assumed an entirely
+new form. The only trees were gigantic heaths, but it
+was almost impossible to distinguish them, for the stems
+were covered with a thick moss, which in some places
+was 12 inches deep. In colouring it varied from a dark
+brown to a light golden or deep red. The trees were
+almost entirely denuded of leaf, and festoons of whitish
+lichen hung from branch to branch. The ground was very
+marshy, for the hills that enclosed us emptied down into it
+numerous small torrents. About fifteen square yards of
+dry land was found on which to erect our tent and hang
+up the clothes to dry. Our stout marching boots had
+already succumbed to the rough usage, and we each took
+a strong needle and thread to see who could turn out the
+neatest job. In the evening the rain poured down upon
+us in a deluge, and continued all night till it even
+penetrated the double roof of our canvas waterproof tent;
+besides this, as we were now at an altitude of 10,000ft.,
+the cold was indescribable. Each breath we took seemed
+to cut at the chest like a knife, and, in spite of blankets
+and an eider-down, it was impossible to sleep with the
+damp piercing cold. All the following day the rain
+continued and kept us prisoners at this indescribably
+cheerless spot. I had time to overhaul the shattered skirt;
+it looked a hopeless task, for it really would not bear
+shortening again. The advice was then given me to cut
+it up and put it into bands under the knees, which I acted
+upon on hearing the toughest bit of climbing was yet to
+come. When we were at last able to push on, and the
+garment was worn with puttees and a football jersey, I
+felt like an evoluted man.</p>
+
+<p>For three hours from Kicucu camp we did not once
+touch the ground; during the whole of that time we were
+slowly climbing with hands and feet over fallen heather
+that for scores of years must have lain in that position,
+only becoming more seasoned with time. The thick moss<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_184"></a>[184]</span>
+that still clung on to the slender bark was very deceptive,
+and, when mistaken for firm soil, broke away from the tree
+and one suddenly found oneself slipping down, down
+between branches and barks; fortunately there was a
+depth of fallen forest underneath, and this saved me from
+disappearing beyond the armpits. These heaths grow
+on the rocks in a very thin surface soil which is not able
+to support them when they reach great heights, consequently
+the tree falls, and in this way the irregular jagged
+rocks have been bridged and joined up by the continually
+increasing amount of timber thrown across.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp56" id="illus31" style="max-width: 28.125em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus31.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>MULUKU GLACIER.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Having once disentangled ourselves from this tumbled-down
+forest, a weird scene was opened out before us.
+Almost surrounded by a lofty ridge of rocks was a wide
+river basin fed by the melting snow from above. With
+the exception of one waterfall which poured down from a
+height of about 200 feet, the water did not descend in
+streams, but fell slowly in sheets from the surrounding
+rocks. The few trees visible were entirely enveloped in
+the white lichen, and the ground was covered with thick
+drab moss, dwarf cactus plants, and a tall green poker
+called by botanists lobelia, but resembling in shape
+Cleopatra’s needle. The effect was that of a world
+tottering in its old age on the verge of death—it was
+easier to imagine it another planet, for is it possible to
+recognise Earth without voice, without colouring, and
+almost without life. We plunged through this morass
+and found the moss saturated like a sponge with freezing
+water. The effect was chilling in the extreme, and before
+we had crossed it half way my limbs felt quite numbed
+with the cold; I scarcely knew how I dragged myself up
+into our last camp. The roof only of our tent was somehow
+fixed up under a rock, over the entrance of which
+water continuously trickled. But these little discomforts
+were quite forgotten when towards sunset the clouds
+rolled away and the land of snow and ice was revealed<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_185"></a>[185]</span>
+crowning near ridges and peaks with its dazzling whiteness,
+while in the hollows and clefts all round lay patches of
+glistening ice. Before sunrise next morning we were all
+astir, impatient to reach the goal of our expectations. The
+air was clear and crisp, patches of freshly fallen snow lay
+around us on all sides, icicles hung from the rocks, and
+little frozen puddles glistened like glass. The wet
+penetrating cold of the two previous days was now
+exchanged for the dry frosty breezes that nipped toes,
+finger-tips, nose, and ears. Although the thermometer
+had fallen to freezing point, no numbing sensation was
+experienced; but as the blood tingled through the veins
+it seemed to impart a feeling of rejuvenation, and an
+uncontrollable exhilaration laid hold of the spirits. In
+the valley of the Muluku glacier vegetation had once
+more assumed its healthy green colouring; a little silver-leafed
+buttercup even ventured to peep out at us, and a
+tiny white flower, almost identical with the Swiss
+edelweiss, concealed itself among the rocks. This
+beautiful little fertile spot seemed a special pet of the
+snow mountains, for they clasped it in their great white
+arms as if desiring that its only life should impart some
+degree of warmth to their implacable nature.</p>
+
+<p>Ruwenzori certainly has not left one point of its snows
+unfortified against intruders. Having taken possession of
+the most unconscionable heights, all sorts of subtle man-traps
+have been laid up the mountain’s sides, and even if
+an attempt is made to merely stand on the threshold of
+its domain an almost impassible rock barrier guards the
+portal, just as the adventurer imagines all difficulties
+have been passed. But that realm of ice allures one on
+to dare much, and so while two ropes were thrown down
+from above the forbidding rocks, one was hastily tied
+round the body and with the other we slowly climbed
+up hand over hand. Twice we attempted this performance,
+and twice we succeeded in mastering the situation,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_186"></a>[186]</span>
+and then—we stood face to face with one of
+Ruwenzori’s glaciers. It was in the shape of a huge,
+open mouth, and as it slowly pushed its way down into
+the valley, the tongue collected the few fragments rubbed
+off the rocks and taken up from the soil, but the cave
+itself was one spotless mass of dazzling white.</p>
+
+<p>We had decided to dismiss any idea of prolonging our
+stay at this altitude, realizing the terrible suffering that
+this involved among the porters in previous expeditions,
+so, instead of using any of the precious time in attempting
+to reach a higher point, which seemed futile without
+Alpine implements, we explored the Muluku glacier cave,
+from which flows that remarkable river that carries
+its cool, life-giving stream into the scorching plain till it
+loses itself in the Albert Edward Lake.</p>
+
+<p>Only one of our personal boys had succeeded in facing
+out the difficulties of the climb. While standing on the
+ice with us, he took out from his pocket a little tin pot,
+which he filled with ice. He explained it was a present
+for his wife. Afterwards, when we had descended to
+camp, he took it out to show the other boys, and,
+although disgusted beyond measure at the trick nature
+had played him, he consoled himself by taking the
+water to his wife to explain to her how it was once
+a stone.</p>
+
+<p>Scrambling up on to the glacier, we looked beyond
+over miles and miles of ice that for hundreds of years
+God—the Creator—alone had been beholding. Although
+we were standing nearly 14,000ft. above sea-level, the
+highest peak, that rose as a white dome above its companions,
+appeared miles above us. It was difficult to
+judge of its approximate height, as so many other points
+intervened, but it could not have been much less than
+20,000ft.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus32" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus32.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>BACK FROM THE SNOWS: BAKONJO PORTERS.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Having climbed above cloud-land, there was nothing
+to break the reflex in the ice of the deep sapphire sky, and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_187"></a>[187]</span>
+as the sun poured down its white heat, the whole world
+around glittered and sparkled with iridescent hues.</p>
+
+<div class="poetry-container">
+<div class="poetry">
+  <div class="stanza">
+    <div class="verse indent0">“A step ... opened to my view,</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Glory beyond all glory ever seen</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">By waking sense or by the dreaming soul!</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">The appearance, instantaneously disclosed,</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Was of a mighty city—boldly say</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">A wilderness of building, sinking far</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">And self-withdrawn into a boundless depth</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Far sinking into splendour—without end!</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Fabric it seemed of diamond and of gold,</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">With alabaster domes and silver spires</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">And blazing terrace upon terrace high</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">Uplifted ... Forms uncouth of mightiest power</div>
+    <div class="verse indent0">For admiration and mysterious awe.”</div>
+  </div>
+</div>
+</div>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_188"></a>[188]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XIX">CHAPTER XIX<br>
+<span class="smaller">Missionary Work</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Missionary enterprise in Uganda has been justly
+described as one of the greatest modern triumphs
+of Christianity. Indeed, the record of its workings
+read like pages from the annals of the infant
+Church in Apostolic days. But, whereas in those times
+Christianity had to face the most exclusive and bigoted
+form of belief, Judaism, the highly developed intellectual
+power of Grecian learning, and the shameless profligacy
+of civilized Rome, in Uganda it has had no force to contend
+against save barbaric ignorance that could not stand
+before the advent of Truth and Righteousness. After the
+missionaries had been working some years in the country
+it occurred to them that the most effectual way of reaching
+the people was to try and meet their insatiable
+demand for instruction by instituting throughout the
+country little synagogues or reading schools, where the
+people could come together daily and be taught to read
+by one who had received some training. A little graduated
+reading sheet, consisting of the alphabet, syllables,
+words, the Lord’s Prayer, and a selection of texts, was circulated
+by the thousand at a charge of ten cowrie shells
+each. By these means within a comparatively short
+time the land had been sown with portions of Holy
+Scripture, which were being eagerly read by the people,
+who possessed no other books.</p>
+
+<p>Certainly the success of Christianity in Uganda has
+been due to the widespread distribution of the Bible<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_189"></a>[189]</span>
+among the people and the remarkable desire and ability
+on the part of the Baganda to impart whatever knowledge
+they have been able to assimilate. It has been
+rightly said that every country must be evangelized by its
+own people. Certainly this has been proved to be so in
+Uganda. A European pioneer missionary is obliged to
+travel with a certain number of things, and, however
+meagre they may appear in his eyes, yet to these poor
+Africans they represent great wealth and create a deal of
+suspicion. They will gather round him half timidly and
+full of curiosity, and while he is endeavouring to deliver
+his message to them, their eyes are travelling from his
+collar stud to his boots, then from his bath to the frying-pan,
+and all the time they are thinking within themselves,
+“Wonderful, wonderful; the white man is beyond our
+understanding quite!” When they, at last, attempt to
+listen and find that he is speaking to them in their own
+tongue, and not in English, in spite of the slight foreign
+accent, they are absolutely incredulous, for they cannot
+believe that they and the European can have anything in
+common. The European is white, he has wisdom—great
+wisdom—he is rich, but the African is black and a fool,
+and a beggar; the white man worships one great,
+wonderful Spirit, and the black man worships a spirit—only
+it is an evil one. On the other hand, if one of the
+native converts goes out on pioneer work, he ties all his
+possessions in a sleeping mat, and off he starts with the
+little bundle on his head. When he reaches his destination,
+he creates no suspicion or fear, as he unrolls his
+mat, shakes out his bark-cloth covering, and takes a drink
+of water from his gourd; they see he possesses nothing
+beyond what they themselves own. But as he draws out
+of a little cotton bag a Book, they all gather round
+to inspect the novelty, and he tells them that the Book is
+a written voice, and the letters stand for the words
+uttered; he has learned to read the signs, and he<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_190"></a>[190]</span>
+has come to teach them to do so, for it is God’s voice
+that has spoken to them. Immediately their excitement
+is aroused, and the teacher from that time has found his
+pupils. As there is no house large enough to hold them
+all, they set to work to build a reading school, and, as
+many come from a distance and are anxious not to arrive
+late for the day’s lessons, a big drum is hung outside the
+building and beaten every morning at 7.0 and 1.0 to warn
+everybody that in one hour reading will commence.
+After a few months, when the European visits the station
+on an itinerating tour, he finds a demonstrative welcome
+awaiting him. Food is brought and banana juice to
+show their gratitude for the teacher having been sent.
+Then their books are produced in order that the
+European may hear the great wisdom they have
+learned, and others come with questions about words
+they have read in their Gospels and do not understand.
+Uganda to-day is calling out for European missionaries
+more than it ever was, not to evangelise the heathen but
+to organise, train and instruct the thousands of Christian
+men and women, that they may be capable of taking
+their place among the civilised nations of the world, and
+become a praise and a glory in their land.</p>
+
+<p>It was through two young Baganda teachers that
+Christianity was first carried into Toro in the year 1895.
+At that time the country was in a very unsettled state.
+The King, Kasagama, had not long been established on the
+throne, and his chiefs were not too eager to own allegiance
+to him. Soon after the arrival of these two evangelists,
+Kasagama was falsely accused before the British Officer
+in charge of the Government Station there, and was
+thrown into the chain gang. On his release he was
+advised to go into Mengo to the Government headquarters
+and have his case gone into. His stay there ran
+into some months. During that time he was deeply
+impressed by the change that Christianity had effected in<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_191"></a>[191]</span>
+Uganda, and attended the Church classes daily that he
+might receive instruction. When Her Majesty’s Commissioner
+had heard the charges and exonerated
+Kasagama he was told to return to his Kingdom with
+full power ratified by the British Government. Before
+leaving Uganda he begged Bishop Tucker to be allowed to
+publicly confess his faith in Christ by Holy Baptism, and
+asked that a European missionary might be sent to Toro
+to help him and his people to increase in the wisdom of
+God. Meanwhile there was great excitement in Toro
+when the people heard that their king, after such a long
+absence, was coming back to them, and they collected
+together in hundreds at the capital to welcome him. As
+he mounted the hill, leading to his house, the people
+thronged him, dancing and screaming with joy and
+poured into his courtyards. Then, standing up and
+ordering them to remain quiet, he delivered his speech to
+them. He told of all the wonderful things he had seen
+in Mengo, of his own confession of Christianity in the
+Cathedral, and concluded by saying that he wished his
+country to go forward in strength and wisdom, and this
+could only be obtained from God, so he called on his
+people to believe in his God, to stand by him faithfully
+in the united desire for the good of their country.</p>
+
+<p>From that day the teachers had as much as they could
+do to instruct all those who came forward to be taught;
+and when Bishop Tucker arrived there the following year
+with Mr. Fisher, who was to establish a permanent
+station, he found fifteen men and women ready for
+baptism.</p>
+
+<p>Excepting in the case of old people, everyone in
+Uganda desirous of being baptised must first learn to
+read. When they have passed the standard required of
+them and are ready to enter a baptismal class, they are
+obliged to bring with them two witnesses or sponsors who
+can vouch for the sincerity of their belief by the outward<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_192"></a>[192]</span>
+conformity of their lives to the teaching of Christianity.
+Then, for from three to six months instruction is given
+them for two hours four days a week. At the end
+of this course of teaching each candidate is carefully
+examined, and should the result be satisfactory the name
+is read out twice in Church and anyone is asked to bring
+forward a reason, if such there be, for keeping back the
+candidate from baptism. Thus every care is taken to
+test converts thoroughly before admitting them into this
+sacred rite.</p>
+
+<p>Toro very soon sought to emulate the church in
+Uganda in recognising its responsibility to those living in
+darkness around, and one year after the founding of the
+work in the capital, young men came forward and offered
+themselves to be trained as teachers to the distant villages.
+Apart from an honest desire to enlighten those who
+have not received the Truth as it is in Christ Jesus, there
+is little to tempt men to devote themselves to this service—the
+only payment they receive is sufficient unbleached
+calico with which to clothe themselves. The people in
+the villages who have sent in the pressing request for a
+teacher are expected to build their own “synagogue,” as
+well as house, and feed the teacher sent to them. In this
+way the whole native church organisation throughout
+the Protectorate is self-supporting. In Toro alone, seven
+years after the introduction of Christianity, there were no
+less than eighty-five mission stations established throughout
+the Kingdom, with a staff of one ordained Muganda
+deacon and one hundred and five paid men and women
+teachers, all supported entirely by the young Christian
+Church. Besides these there was a strong band of
+honorary workers who taught in the capital on weekdays
+or went out to the near villages on Sundays.</p>
+
+<p>Once a year there is a “review of the troops,” when all
+the teachers—regulars, reservists, and volunteers—come
+into the capital for re-equipment and reappointment.</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_193"></a>[193]</span></p>
+
+<p>One of these events took place after we had been in
+the country only a few months, when we were decidedly
+new to the way things were managed out here, and still
+retained a fair amount of the provincialism of home
+training; so when a teachers’ conference was announced
+we conjured up in our minds a kind of forthcoming
+Mildmay or Keswick Convention on a small scale, but
+the arrangements took a slightly different form. The
+first day opened with a big feast to all the workers. The
+dispensary was converted for the day into the banquetting
+hall; the entrance was draped in gaudy native
+cloths, and the floors of the two rooms were carpeted
+with banana leaves. The men were allocated to one
+room and the women to the other. Long before the
+hour of the feast the guests had arrived and packed
+themselves as closely together as was possible in circles
+of seven or eight, the King and his chiefs forming one of
+the groups. An ox had been killed for the feast; it was
+boiled in banana leaves and served up with quantities of
+unsweetened, cooked bananas. Prodigious piles were
+placed in the centre of each circle of guests, and then
+business began! Off came their top draperies or coats,
+and with bare arms all eagerly outstretched towards the
+food they dived into their food with astonishing rapidity
+and energy. The banana mash was rolled round the
+fingers into balls and stuffed down their throats without
+any regard being given to mastication. The King and
+chiefs seemed to momentarily forget their dignity, and
+ate till the perspiration rolled down their faces. Tea
+was served round in kettles; every available cup, mug,
+basin and jug on the station had been collected together
+for the use of the guests—and the two-quarts jugs were
+far more popular than afternoon tea cups.</p>
+
+<p>With no small compunction I submitted myself to the
+native custom and joined in the feast. After a series of
+hand ablutions I sat on the floor next to the King’s<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_194"></a>[194]</span>
+mother, who picked some of the choicest bits of meat off
+a bone and set them before me. It was such an effort
+for 3.0 p.m. in the tropics, and visions of Mildmay’s
+shilling tea tent, with its ices and strawberries, made at
+least the first stage of the Conference appear very
+different.</p>
+
+<p>The King’s band, with its medley of instruments, round
+drums, cylindrical drums, squat drums, horns, and reed
+pipes decorated with monkey tails, performed boisterous
+symphonies outside. But when, after the feast, the
+people were for the first time introduced to the phonograph,
+the Toro band stood still in astonishment, and as
+an English orchestral band roared out “Soldiers of the
+Queen” it felt quite eclipsed and could only exclaim
+“Ekyamahano, ekyamahano” (marvellous, truly marvellous).</p>
+
+<p>The following day the real Convention started, and
+was continued over three days. The mornings were
+entirely given over to devotional meetings, and in the
+afternoons the workers were asked to bring forward difficulties
+met with in their work, and discussions were
+invited as to what more effectual measures could be
+employed in organisation and in strengthening of the
+various mission stations. Throughout all the meetings a
+deep and earnest interest was evinced by the teachers.
+It was most encouraging to watch the enthusiasm
+gradually growing and to hear the young teachers talk of
+their work and their peculiar difficulties relating to the
+subject treated.</p>
+
+<p>A specially impressive service was held when all the
+workers gathered in from near and far distant heathen
+districts met together at Holy Communion.</p>
+
+<p>Before returning to their spheres of service a large
+missionary meeting was held in the church, at which
+most stirring accounts were given of the victories against
+the powers of darkness. At the close, a collection was<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_195"></a>[195]</span>
+taken up. For this a large packing case was placed in
+the centre of the chancel to receive the larger contributions
+and a row of baskets for the smaller offerings. Then
+the people came up in single file to place in their gifts;
+one brought a tusk of ivory, another a huge bundle of
+bananas, others beans, potatoes, and sugar cane, the
+Queen forty yards of fine white linen, others chickens,
+and finally a goat was brought up and tied to the pillar.
+One little boy, carried away by the impulse of the
+moment, put his little fez cap into the basket, and as
+this was only a loan it had to be redeemed afterwards.</p>
+
+<p>The sight was very remarkable. It was as if one had
+been taken back to the Court of the Tabernacle at the Feast
+of First fruits. The similarity of these people’s lives with
+those of Old and New Testament history is so strong
+that it is difficult to convey to the native mind the idea
+of distance in time, and often one is asked if Joseph, the
+son of Jacob, was the husband of the Virgin Mary, or if
+Paul before his conversion was the first King of
+Israel.</p>
+
+<p>The Toro Church has now reached its sifting time.
+The excitement and rash enthusiasm of infancy have
+matured into the more evenly balanced judgment of manhood.
+Its disciples are learning to weigh the demands of
+its tenets, its refusal to compromise with sin and with
+almost everything that has constituted their existence for
+centuries past, and its call for constant activity of heart
+and hand as opposed to the intolerable indolence of their
+nature. All these things must constantly be borne in
+mind by the missionary if he is not to be unnecessarily
+depressed by occasional failure on the part of the converts.
+One must not look for impossibilities, and the
+growth of past centuries cannot be destroyed in a day.
+I am not sure but that too much is expected of the young
+teachers. For instance one goes out to the villages when
+only quite a youth with a hereditary taint, many generations<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_196"></a>[196]</span>
+old, of the worst forms of heathenism as against two or
+three years of religious instruction. He is the only
+Christian in the village, and, indeed, for miles round; and
+there he is surrounded by the old heathen practices and
+constantly tempted to return to habits of the past, while
+he has not the same normal amount of moral and intellectual
+strength which nerves an English lad to fight
+against these external influences and internal tendencies.
+And yet only about twenty per cent. of them really
+fail.</p>
+
+<p>King Daudi Kasagama once said that the white man
+could never understand how fierce was the black man’s
+conflict with himself at times. The one has generations
+of civilization and Christianity as a rear-guard, and the
+other, centuries of corruption and self-indulgence. Without
+trust in a Divine keeping power, said he, one would
+inevitably fall. Ten years have now passed by since the
+Baganda teachers left for heathen Toro, and in that time
+the character of almost the entire country has been practically
+transformed. British jurisdiction has established
+peace throughout the Kingdom, and now that an end has
+been put to tribal and civil warfare, there is nothing to
+distract the mind of the people from settling down and
+learning to improve their land.</p>
+
+<p>In the districts that have come under the influence of
+Christianity, heathenism has been abolished, if not absolutely
+at least in the outward form of practice. Over
+three thousand converts have been baptized, and although
+this only represents a very small proportion of the
+inhabitants, it includes mainly the more influential and
+leading body of men.</p>
+
+<p>The desire of the Batoro for teaching and their love of
+reading promise much for the future of the country if this
+can be satisfactorily coped with immediately and not
+starved by inability on the part of the missionaries to meet
+the need. It certainly cannot be said of Uganda and<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_197"></a>[197]</span>
+Toro “of the making of books there is no end.” The
+Baganda are, I believe, limited to ten books, namely:—</p>
+
+<ul>
+<li>Holy Bible.</li>
+<li>Prayer Book.</li>
+<li>Hymn Book.</li>
+<li>Oxford Bible Helps.</li>
+<li>“Search and Find.”</li>
+<li>Geography Book.</li>
+<li>“Pilgrim’s Progress.”</li>
+<li>“Kings of Uganda.”</li>
+<li>English Primer.</li>
+<li>Commentaries on three Gospels.</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p>Those of the Batoro who do not understand Luganda
+and so are confined to books written in their own
+language, only possess the New Testament, Prayer Book,
+with Psalms and Hymn Book. Through the generous
+aid of the British and Foreign Bible Society, the
+Religious Tract Society, and the S.P.C.K., which have
+provided the country with almost the whole of its
+literature, these books have been supplied at a cost price,
+much under their cost of production and carriage, so as
+to bring them within the possible reach of the people,
+who, as a whole, are exceedingly poor.</p>
+
+<p>But even so, it is generally necessary, in the villages
+especially, for the people to make real efforts to supply
+themselves with books they require. A curious scene
+was enacted in the courtyard of our house when the
+teachers came in from their stations on the first Monday in
+every month to execute the orders for books or stationery
+entrusted to them by their people. Our yard was
+temporarily converted into a live-stock market, for the
+purchases were rarely made with cash. The most popular
+currency was cowrie shells, which were tied up in
+bundles by means of dried banana bark, but when these
+were beyond the means of the would-be purchaser, he
+would send in by his teacher a goat, or chickens, or eggs.
+A curious shaped till was needed by the salesman! One
+of his orders would be for “One chicken, Matthew,”
+which being interpreted was “One Gospel of St.
+Matthew, price one chicken.”</p>
+
+<p>Another man, after purchasing a hymn book for six
+eggs, would ask if he had enough eggs over to buy<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_198"></a>[198]</span>
+Bunyan. It frequently happened that a lad had been
+carefully collecting the eggs from his one hen for weeks,
+but as the hen had not been very obliging by the time
+the right number was reached, the salesman was distinctly
+out of profit through his customer.</p>
+
+<p>Others, who possessed nothing saleable, came in from
+distances of ten to fifteen miles and asked to be hired for
+work during the day, in the late afternoon they would set
+off on their journey home the proud owners of the little
+hymn book or reading sheet which had been thoroughly
+earned.</p>
+
+<p>At the close of one of the terms of the teachers’ preparation
+class, prizes were to be given for the best
+answers at their examination, and the first prize was to
+be the option of four yards of calico or a Bible. The
+one who on this particular occasion stood out preeminently
+first was a peasant youth of about eighteen
+years of age with exceptionally well-formed and forceful
+features. His dress consisted of a coarse piece of the
+bark-cloth knotted on the shoulder: having come from a
+distant district he had never known the luxury of the
+calico garments worn by the more fortunate town folk.
+As he came forward to receive his prize, the choice
+between the calico and the Bible was given him. For a
+while he stood handling the material, then looked down
+at his own shabby garment; but it was only a momentary
+hesitation—laying aside the calico, he took up the Bible
+and clasping it with both hands, said “My master, the
+Bible has got the better of the cloth.”</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_199"></a>[199]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XX">CHAPTER XX<br>
+<span class="smaller">Medical Work</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>Realising that the acquisition of the language
+would be slow work, with no books to study, and
+only five hours teaching a week, I had decided on
+arriving in Toro to plunge into work right away. It
+was not a case of going out in search of work, for outside
+one’s very door was the mute call for help. When the
+tidings of our arrival had filtered through to the villages,
+sick folk came from every direction to see if the white
+women had brought medicine. In our courtyard each
+morning there was quite a large company of maimed, halt
+and blind, who had hobbled along, or been brought in,
+some from very long distances, by their friends. The very
+prevalent forms of skin diseases, ulcers, and the hacking
+cough required no language even for diagnosis by an
+amateur dispenser; other patients, by eloquent grunts and
+gesticulations, managed to convey some idea of their
+complaints; and the remaining class, whose language and
+sickness were conundrums to the European “quack,”
+received a mild dose of nauseous physic; certainly it
+did them no harm, and in some cases their faith in that
+dose of “white man’s medicine” worked the cure.</p>
+
+<p>At first I used to receive the sick folk on our verandah,
+but they became too numerous, so a removal was
+effected. The first house of the European missionary in
+Toro was still standing, but was quite uninhabitable, as
+it had been made of reeds which rot very quickly. It
+stood in a very forest of weeds. The long elephant grass<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_200"></a>[200]</span>
+barred all the windows and doors against would-be
+intruders, snakes suspiciously lay hidden among the
+thick tangled undergrowth, and a few half-choked
+flowers struggled to exist as a witness to a past cared-for
+garden and in protest against their present usurpers.</p>
+
+<p>A few days of hard work with hoe and shovel cleared
+a breathing space all round the house, the ceilings and
+walls were swept down and repaired, new beaten mud
+floors laid in all the three rooms, shelves and boxes fixed
+up as fittings, a rough table, chair, enamel wash-hand
+basin brought in as furniture, and there was a splendid
+dispensary quite formidable in appearance and decidedly
+pretentious for one who possessed no qualifications
+beyond a few months hospital training. In Africa
+a little knowledge is not dangerous so much as useful.
+The most appalling forms of suffering are met with on
+every hand, and nothing but inhuman, superstitious, and
+absolutely ineffectual means are employed to alleviate it.
+Even if one can only cleanse and bind up the wounds
+and pour in oil, the look of gratitude and contentment
+that reward the soothing of the pain reminds one that it
+has not been wasted labour.</p>
+
+<p>This first dispensary consisted of three apartments, the
+“consulting room,” drug store, and waiting room, where
+patients assembled every morning at 8.30 for instruction
+in reading and a short bright gospel service. This
+primitive medical work was a distinctly effectual means of
+reaching the bakopi (peasants), who had not hitherto
+been touched in any large numbers. The King having
+been the first in the country to adopt Christianity, the
+work in its initial stage had extended almost exclusively
+to the upper classes, while the “foreign” language had
+been an obstacle to the peasants who could not understand
+it.</p>
+
+<p>It was frequently found that the curiosity and interest
+of patients in the letters and syllables were so awakened<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_201"></a>[201]</span>
+that when there was no longer need to attend the
+dispensary several passed on to the school to be further
+instructed.</p>
+
+<p>One of the first patients was an old man who had been
+receiving ulcer medicine from the missionary then in
+charge. Although his hair was sprinkled with grey, and
+he suffered from an impediment in his speech, nothing
+would daunt him in his assiduous struggles to master the
+alphabet. Day after day he came, and even when cured
+of his ulcer continued coming, as he was afraid to go to
+the big school to learn. Actually he did in time master
+words of three letters, and then, as he was so anxious to
+be baptized, he was put into an old men’s daily Bible Class
+for instruction. His joy was beyond description when
+with tears streaming down from his eyes he came to me
+one day saying, “My mistress, I have finished being
+questioned, and now I am going to be baptized.” I asked
+him, “Mpisi, will baptism save us?” And he answered,
+“Oh no, only Jesus who died for us on the Cross.”
+“Then what is the use of baptism?” “Well,” said he,
+“Christ told us to believe and be baptized, and it shows
+that we want to leave our bad habits and follow the habits
+of Christ.” From that day he has rarely missed coming
+to the dispensary, not always for medicine, but that he
+might teach the patients what he has learned.</p>
+
+<p>A daily attendance of thirty to fifty sick folk soon
+exhausted our limited supply of drugs, and when Dr. and
+Mrs. A. Cook, on an itinerating round, paid a medical
+visit to Toro twelve months after our arrival they found
+the medicine almost completely used up. Till the
+arrival of fresh stores the patients were being kept
+together by supplementing the diminished stock with
+table salt, mixed spice, and curry powder. This latter I
+found was a much-appreciated prescription, and as none
+of the missionaries were partial to it and each had a good
+supply among their stores, I dispensed it generously to<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_202"></a>[202]</span>
+dyspeptic patients. You never saw such agonizing
+grimaces as when they swallowed a spoonful raw, but
+they smacked their lips, saying, “Omubazi mubingi muno
+muno,” “Medicine very very good,” and would have
+finished off the whole tin if they had been allowed.</p>
+
+<p>That visit from the real “medicine-man” was a grand
+time for our people, and they were not slow to show their
+appreciation and wonderment when opthalmic patients
+found themselves with “new windows,” and surgical
+subjects, the possessors of “new bodies.” After that the
+Toro dispensary became amalgamated with the Mengo
+Medical Mission, and was regularly supplied with
+medicines. The chief diseases met with out there are
+skin complaints, malaria, dyspepsia, pleurisy, bronchitis,
+besides paralysis, muscular rheumatism, dysentery, and
+pneumonia. Owing to the inexperience of the dispenser
+nothing surgical was attempted in those days beyond
+lancing abscesses and gums, cutting tongue-tied infants,
+and stitching up leopard-torn patients. One man was
+brought in from a leopard hunt in a terrible condition;
+limbs and body were badly damaged, while the face was
+scarcely visible, the flesh of forehead and one cheek having
+been torn away, exposing bone and teeth. The extraordinary
+thing was, that after weeks and weeks of careful
+treatment, some very deep scars were the only signs
+remaining of the terrible ordeal he had passed through.</p>
+
+<p>These Batoro have grown absolutely reckless in the
+hunt. Their method is to surround the spot where the
+leopard is known to lie crouched, and slashing down the
+thick vegetation that conceals their prey, they gradually
+draw closer and form a smaller circle round it. All the
+time they scream and pour down invectives on the head
+of the leopard, and by the time it actually appears in
+sight they have worked themselves up into such a state
+of excitement that, losing all self-control, some will
+actually throw themselves upon the infuriated creature.<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_203"></a>[203]</span>
+With one last death effort the leopard throws all the
+strength of its fury into its final attack; torn, and perhaps
+with mangled limb, the man is released from the grasp of
+his foe by a hundred spears being run through its body.
+The injured are then borne on stretchers in triumph to the
+dispensary, and while the wounds are being attended to,
+the carriers and friends laud the extraordinary prowess of
+the patient. Every man who is able to carry home a
+blood-stained spear is sure of his wife killing the fattest
+goat or cooking the best possible meal in their honour.</p>
+
+<p>One day, while dispensing medicine, an unusual
+shuffling and pushing seemed to be going on in the
+doorway, and walking round to find out the cause, I
+saw a cow being pushed by force toward me. The
+herdsman explained that it was very sick with “Kifuba”
+(chest—generally meaning indigestion). In order to
+quickly get rid of this undesirable patient I mixed up
+some castor oil with salt and ordered it to be administered
+in one hour’s time. I thought that would allow the cow
+and its master to get a safe distance off.</p>
+
+<p>I rather regretted this afterwards, for very soon another
+veterinary case was brought in for treatment. This time
+it was our own faithful Muscat donkey; it was suffering
+terribly from the plague of flies that generally appear in
+the dry season. The poor creature’s legs were absolutely
+raw, and it had almost lost the power of standing. After
+the donkey boy had applied antiseptic washing and
+ointment I tried to fix on bandages, but donkey’s legs
+were evidently never made the right shape for that—I
+could not get the bandages to stick. Mr. Fisher was then
+consulted on the point, and of course, man-like, he
+suggested trousers. It really sounded very suitable, so I
+set to work on a pair, and when the donkey was put into
+them he looked most distinguished. The people gathered
+round in numbers to see it, and exclaimed, “What
+honour the European gives his animal!” There were<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_204"></a>[204]</span>
+several spectators who were not clothed so magnificently,
+and being afraid of giving the impression of extravagant
+waste, I explained to them the object of the garment
+and our ideas of kindness to dumb animals. The
+donkey did not take at all kindly to his first pair of
+trousers; perhaps they did not fit well; at all events,
+he kicked them to pieces in two days. A second pair was
+made on a modified scale, and whether or not the owner
+had cultivated more civilised instincts, it is not easy to
+affirm, but they remained intact till they were no longer
+needed, and the owner was able to run about and be up
+to his usual pranks again.</p>
+
+<p>Great care has to be exercised in administering drugs,
+as the people have absolutely no idea as to how they act
+on the system. Medicine intended to last for some
+days has often been swallowed down in one dose, as
+they argue that if so much physic can cure them at
+all, the sooner it is taken the better. Powders for
+internal use have been received with incredulity and
+sometimes scorn by those suffering from skin diseases,
+and they will insist on impressing the dispenser that they
+are quite well inside. If, with all their persuasion, they
+cannot obtain some blue stone to apply to the sore (which
+they simply love, as it causes them to scream uncontrollably),
+then they go off with their packet of powders and
+show the superiority of their wisdom to that of the white
+doctor by using it externally.</p>
+
+<p>One of the very few medicines that it is absolutely
+necessary to keep under lock and key is sulphur, which is
+well known to them as an unfailing skin remedy when
+mixed up with butter. Our cook once bribed one of my
+little assistants to smuggle some away for him, and being
+misled by the similarity in appearance, the lad gave
+him iodiform instead. This he mixed up into an ointment
+and smeared well all over his body. As he sent up
+dinner that evening iodiform was as pronounced as oil is<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_205"></a>[205]</span>
+in a German table d’hote. It was soup à l’iodiform,
+viande à l’iodiform, confection à l’iodiform, café à
+l’iodiform, in fact there was no getting away from it.
+When we left the table in despair we were like a
+chemist’s laboratory.</p>
+
+<p>As for ideas of hygiene, these are absolutely absent from
+the native’s mind. When a person is very ill, regardless of
+her station in life, she is carried into the dirtiest and
+smallest hut. This is soon crowded up with well-meaning
+and sympathetic friends, whose one idea of condolence
+seems to be to assure the invalid that she is on the point
+of dying. The hut continues filling up till the only inlet
+for fresh air (the cramped doorway) is entirely blocked
+up, by which time the condition and atmosphere of the
+hut becomes so indescribable that it is a wonder anyone
+comes out alive. These things suggested to my mind
+that a few elementary lessons on hygiene might perhaps
+prove beneficial, so, taking to my afternoon class a
+diagram of the human body, I described to them the
+anatomy of the body, blood circulation, &amp;c. Their interest
+and surprise were great. They had always imagined
+that blood circulated from the head. This was their
+argument for cutting their heads in cases of fever; they
+reasoned that malaria was an over-heating of superfluous
+amount of blood, so they must let out some. At first they
+were inclined to doubt the soundness of the new theory of
+circulation from the heart, and asked “can a river flow
+up, does it not always flow down?” “What about a
+spring?” said I. They thought for one moment, and then
+answered “The European’s wisdom has overcome ours.”
+Then a new difficulty struck them, how was it in the case
+of women, for they had no hearts. Their old King
+Kabarega, when he killed off his wives, had cut open
+some, and never found one with a heart. So the statement
+had become an accepted fact with them. How
+could they have believed such an error!</p>
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_206"></a>[206]</span></p>
+
+<p>They also imagined that mind was tucked away in the
+heart, and did not in the least associate brain with intellect.
+Poor woman, minus heart, therefore minus mind,
+was very poorly endowed.</p>
+
+<p>Their attention and interest were very keen, and did
+not seem to diminish when the moral was applied in
+the shape of ablutions, fresh air, and the care of the body
+being essentials to health.</p>
+
+<p>It is sometimes difficult to arrive at an exact diagnosis
+of a patient’s ailment. One will describe her complaint,
+pointing to her lungs, as a voice inside that says “Chew,
+chew.” Another affirm that a spear is running into every
+part of his body. Infants are always suffering from evil
+spirits or poisoning, in cases when a dose of dill water
+would be generally prescribed.</p>
+
+<p>Although I have occasionally met with a native doctor
+in a sick house, I have never been able to discover a
+native drug or remedy outside cupping, branding, and
+revolting forms of witchcraft. These men make a
+regular study of the art of deception and exact
+exorbitant fees in the form of goats or even oxen. As
+an example let me give the case of a lad who was suffering
+from tuberculosis. He had consulted the witch doctor,
+and after having paid his fee was told that he had been
+poisoned. Whereupon the “surgeon” drew his knife
+out from his belt and made a number of small incisions.
+He then declared he could see the poison inside the
+youth and took it away. But the lad was not cured and
+so came down to give the European’s wisdom a trial.</p>
+
+<p>This ignorant credulity of the people has sometimes
+proved useful to the white man in times of extremity. In
+one instance a European noticed that his daily supply of
+milk was continually disappearing in an unaccountable
+way, and one day he determined to investigate the cause.
+It had been proved that the cows were not to blame; they
+had given their usual supply. The milk boy was cleared,<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_207"></a>[207]</span>
+for the boys of the household vouched for having seen it
+being delivered. The discrepancy in the amount had
+unmistakably occurred in the cook house, where the cook
+alone was resident at the time. So the culprit was called
+up to be examined. He insisted on his innocence
+declaring all the while that he did not know how
+to drink milk. As no eye-witnesses could be called the
+idea struck the “magistrate” that he would conclude the
+matter quickly and unquestionably by their own means.
+Turning to a youth close by he said “Just fetch me my
+little pocket knife to bore a hole and see if the milk is
+inside the cook.” Whereupon the culprit fell on his
+knees exclaiming, “Oh, master, I did drink the milk.
+Forgive me, I pray you.”</p>
+
+<p>After the affiliation of the Toro branch with the
+medical headquarters at Mengo, the work was placed on
+a far more satisfactory basis. A report had to be sent in
+every three months with statistics dealing with daily
+attendance at the dispensary, out-patients’ visits, etc.
+Then, in addition to this, a list was made out yearly of
+drugs and dressings needed for the forthcoming twelve
+months, which ensured an adequate and regular supply
+of medicine. The work, however, passed through a
+varied succession of small vicissitudes. Our faked-up
+building had to be pulled down, as the site was needed
+for a new missionary’s house, but in exchange we got a
+brand-new airy dispensary. We scarcely knew ourselves
+with such spacious surroundings, and the two little native
+assistants, who had been trained to attend to all dressings,
+assumed quite a ridiculous air of professional importance,
+to say nothing of the feelings of the quack doctor! But
+at the end of a fortnight we were completely evicted from
+our grand premises—patients, staff, drugs, and all. A
+violent storm had destroyed the only house that had been
+standing ready to receive a fresh addition to the staff of
+missionaries, which was then only within a few days of<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_208"></a>[208]</span>
+arrival in Toro. As there was not another available
+inch, the new dispensary had to be speedily converted
+into a domicile.</p>
+
+<p>Feeling decidedly crest-fallen, my little assistants and I
+packed up all the medical impedimenta and carried them
+over to a little reed building that had been the reading
+school till the constantly increasing inside pack had
+necessitated more ceremonious premises.</p>
+
+<p>We completed our removal, and had not been installed
+many weeks when a furious hurricane swept over the
+little hill capital, and succeeding in throwing our new
+dispensary completely over on its side. When the debris
+and roof were cleared away, a most heterogeneous
+collection of medicines were revealed, all hopelessly
+mixed up in wild confusion. Pills of every shape and
+form were scattered about, bottles of liquid drugs, and
+stock mixtures had been smashed up, and the combination
+of odours was enough to frighten away all the microbes
+for miles round. Once more, and for the fourth time,
+the dispensary was transferred to different quarters, and
+there it remained until the present complete medical
+compound was erected at the advent of the much-longed-for
+and long-expected doctor in 1904. Through the
+generosity of a friend in England the “Gurney Hospital”
+and new dispensary were then built, together with the
+doctor’s house. The former is a good-sized building
+consisting of two wards for thirty-four patients, besides
+consulting and waiting rooms, while the broad ten-foot
+verandah which runs all round allows ample space for
+convalescents.</p>
+
+<p>At first the Batoro were inclined to be fearful of undergoing
+chloroform, but King Kasagama, half out of
+curiosity and half out of a real desire that his people
+should derive the fullest benefit from the “doctor’s
+wisdom,” successfully banished these fears. One morning
+he came down to the dispensary asking that a slight ulcer<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_209"></a>[209]</span>
+from which he was suffering might be lanced under
+chloroform. This was kept a profound secret from his
+people till it happened to reach the ears of his mother
+just as he was getting over the operation. The poor old
+lady came bustling down in breathless speed very fearful
+of the effects the “sleeping medicine” might have had
+on her son. She was intensely relieved to find that
+nothing worse had resulted than rather a sorry expression
+on the usual smiling countenance of the patient. It soon
+became the topic of the hour, and even to the distant
+villages the news spread. From that time surgery was
+in great demand; in fact it became a kind of fashionable
+epidemic.</p>
+
+<p>The need for medical work in these parts is seen in
+the one hundred to one hundred and fifty out-patients
+that came up every day for doctoring, and the scarcity of
+vacant beds ever since the opening of the new hospital.
+Indeed it seems a practical impossibility to carry out to
+these people the message of love, peace, and goodwill
+unless one can at the same time do something to alleviate
+the terrible physical suffering to which they are subject.
+Besides being a most effectual channel for conveying
+balm and healing to their souls, the object lessons given
+to the in-patients must accomplish much in introducing
+new ideas of cleanliness and possible comfort into their
+own poor, dirty homes.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<p><span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_210"></a>[210]</span></p>
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="CHAPTER_XXI">CHAPTER XXI<br>
+<span class="smaller">Scholastic Work</span></h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<p>There are many people who, not being quite
+up-to-date in missionary literature, have an idea
+that the work of a missionary in such places as
+Africa is to stand under the shade of a huge sun-hat,
+umbrella, and palm-tree, in the broiling heat of the
+day, and preach to a small crowd of open-mouthed
+astonished semi-savages. The picture does not attract
+them, and they dismiss the subject from their minds with
+“I could never be a missionary.”</p>
+
+<p>Well, although I have found in Africa the identical
+topee, the umbrella, palm-tree, the broiling sun, and a
+few gaping crowds, yet the picture is a painful distortion
+of the truth. If there is one thing that a missionary has
+less to do with than any other, it is preaching—at least,
+that is so in Uganda. He rather assumes the rôles of
+teacher, schoolmaster, builder, carpenter, doctor, nurse,
+and everything else, for he has learned that the African
+cannot be a saint without being a scholar and an artisan,
+any more than men of other nations can.</p>
+
+<p>Besides the more direct spiritual work and the medical
+work that are being carried on in Toro, there are also
+industrial and educational departments. This former
+branch has not been developed to any extent, owing to
+the lack of workers, but, as far as he is able, King Daudi
+Kasagama personally superintends it. Being most
+anxious that his people should be instructed in useful
+trades, some years ago he sent a youth, Iburahimu, into<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_211"></a>[211]</span>
+Mengo to be apprenticed for two years to carpentering at
+the Industrial Mission of the Church Missionary Society.
+When the period had transpired and the lad had served
+his time, Daudi wrote to England ordering Rs.300 worth
+of tools, and, close to his own house, the King had
+a large suitable shed erected. Iburahimu was then
+installed as Carpenter to the Royal Household, and
+twenty youths, who had signed for a two years’
+apprenticeship, were placed under him for instruction.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus33" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus33.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>A SCHOOL IN TORO.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>Any serving lad of the King who was employed on
+no particular service, and refused to be taught, was put in
+the chain gang for three months; for His Majesty was
+determined to put a price on loafing in his household.</p>
+
+<p>The entire educational work of Uganda is being
+carried on in Church Schools. Receiving no subsidy
+from the British Government, up to the present there has
+been no question of Education bills, and consequently
+there are no passive resisters among the Baganda!</p>
+
+<p>The School system is, I believe, the one adopted by
+the Americans in their board schools, where boys and girls
+learn together, and no social distinctions are recognized,
+but in Uganda, besides non-differentiation of sex and
+caste, there are also no age limitation—children, parents,
+and grandparents all attend the reading schools.</p>
+
+<p>On reaching Toro, Miss Pike immediately took over
+this department of the work, and within a few months
+the School had outgrown two different buildings, and an
+extension had to be contemplated in order to make room
+for the 300 average daily attendances. As soon as this
+was made known, a willing band of workers was collected
+together under the Katikiro, and started throwing out the
+end of the mud building. I am quite sure no Member of
+Parliament ever laboured more strenuously than this one
+did! Whether it was levelling the soil, demolishing the
+old wall, erecting the new, or roofing it in, he was
+always in the thick of it. But his dignity would not<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_212"></a>[212]</span>
+permit him to throw aside any of his superfluous
+garments! And the coarse, Jaeger-coloured vest, tweed
+coat and waistcoat, and top layers of draperies proved
+very oppressive. Every now and again he sank back in
+his chair quite exhausted, gorgeous coloured handkerchiefs
+were applied as mops to his steaming brow, and
+two attendants stood round with an umbrella and fan.</p>
+
+<p>A mistress in these reading schools must be free from
+any neuralgic or nervous tendencies. I was simply overcome
+with admiration at the spirit of fortitude and calm
+endurance that my colleague was displaying when I paid
+my first visit to the Toro seminary. Morning prayers
+had been concluded, and the School had sorted itself out
+into about twenty classes, which represented various
+grades, from the alphabet to St. Matthew’s Gospel stage,
+and each was presided over by a native teacher. The
+scholars were a queer medley; chiefs clothed in their
+white linen gowns sat on tiny round stools, which they
+brought tucked under their arm, and in the same class,
+struggling over the same letters, were seated on the
+ground serving boys, probably their own, and raw peasants.
+Women who had just left their cultivation and, strapping
+the baby to their shoulders, hurried off to school, were
+sitting with quite small infants, perhaps being taught
+their syllables by their own little daughters.</p>
+
+<p>Excepting in the alphabet classes, the scholars sat in a
+circle round their teacher who, with a strand of grass,
+pointed to the letters which all the pupils were expected
+to shout out together. The one little reading sheet only
+allowed those directly in front to read the letters right
+way up; the others, who were careful to take up the
+same position each day, learnt at all angles. Quite a
+large proportion of the Batoro are able to read their
+books upside down in consequence. When all the classes
+were fairly started and each of the three hundred pupils
+was trying his best to drown his neighbour’s voice, the<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_213"></a>[213]</span>
+noise was indescribable. Each class had its own formula
+which was recited metrically. Take for instance, the
+one dealing with syllables of three letters—all the pupils
+sang out “b—w—a, we call it bwa,” then the teacher
+intoning, asked “how many letters and what are they
+called,” and the answer was shouted back “letters three,
+b—w—a, and they are always bwa.” Then they tackled
+b—w—e, b—w—i, b—w—o, in the same way and so on
+all down the alphabet. While this pandemonium is
+going on, one after another is sent up by his teacher to
+be examined by the European. The pupil who answers
+satisfactorily is then given a pass to a higher form; he
+returns to his old class to receive the profuse congratulations
+of his contemporaries, and then marches off to his
+new quarters full of pride and elation.</p>
+
+<figure class="figcenter illowp100" id="illus34" style="max-width: 43.75em;">
+  <img class="w100" src="images/illus34.jpg" alt="">
+  <figcaption class="caption"><p>THE BAKONJO AT HOME.</p></figcaption>
+</figure>
+
+<p>One would wonder how it is possible to ever learn
+to read in such a hubbub, but the Batoro have a
+remarkable power of insulating themselves from their
+environment, and some have been known to pass right
+through the school, from the alphabet to the highest
+reading class in four months.</p>
+
+<p>Until 1902 no other secular subjects were taught
+excepting writing, but at that time it was thought advisable
+to increase the educational work amongst the
+Christian men and women, consequently two separate
+schools were arranged for them in which they could be
+taught writing, arithmetic, geography, and dictation.</p>
+
+<p>Miss Pike, who was then in charge of the women’s
+work, took over their school, and I was responsible for
+the other.</p>
+
+<p>My pupils consisted of members from the Toro Cabinet,
+House of Lords and House of Commons! The Katikiro,
+our Lord Chief Justice, was nominated school chastiser.
+Corporal punishment was his usual method of dealing
+with a noisy scholar; with a sudden bound off his chair
+he made a rush at the culprit, and if he was not quite<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_214"></a>[214]</span>
+sure who the offender was he struck a box on the ears at
+all in the vicinity of the noise. The King reserved for
+himself the office of school inspector, and generally
+looked in on his way home from morning service at
+the Church.</p>
+
+<p>Arithmetic was not at all an easy subject to start
+teaching these people, and they could not for a long time
+understand figures in the abstract. Numeration was the
+thing they were started on. With a blackboard and
+chalk I wrote up the usual 1, 10, 100, and then attempted
+an explanation. One pupil instantly interrupted with
+“But what are the ten?” “Oh, I said, ten anything,
+ten chickens or ten eggs.” “But if it’s a chicken how can
+it be an egg,” he replied. The Katikiro found arithmetic
+very difficult. He stuck at “twice two” for days; he
+would insist that it made twenty, and even when he was
+convinced otherwise, his memory refused to agree with
+his conviction. But when he at last mastered the “two
+times” table and numeration up to a million, he rubbed
+his hands with satisfaction, and exclaimed “What
+wisdom!” When Kasagama heard of the different
+subjects being taught he evidently thought that tailoring
+ought to be included, for, one day he sent down a lad
+with a roll of white duck, and an earnest request that I
+would teach him how to make coats. The boy was sent
+away with an explanation that in our country men did
+the tailoring. But His Majesty was not to be put off,
+and so the message came back “would ‘Bwana Fisher’
+teach him?” Our protestations only called forth more
+beseeching requests, so in despair I took a pattern from a
+London coat and showed the boy how to put it together.
+The result was far from being complimentary to the
+original, but Kasagama did not take into consideration
+the cut, so much as the fact that it <i>was</i> a coat.</p>
+
+<p>A few of the more promising pupils used to come
+together each afternoon for extra instruction, in order<span class="pagenum"><a id="Page_215"></a>[215]</span>
+that they might be able to help in the morning school
+which was getting beyond the work of one person.
+Elementary astronomy was added to their list of subjects,
+and was a theme of intense interest and wonderment to
+them. One afternoon a very simple explanation had
+been given them on how the world was held up in space
+by the law of gravitation. After asking a number of
+questions they begged me to teach them nothing more
+that day, for they wanted to take the words away and
+think them out. One man, who was a Muganda, stayed
+behind and very apologetically, as if afraid of suggesting
+that he doubted the veracity of my words, he asked if the
+world is held up by gravitation, how did it manage for
+the first three days, for in Genesis we read that the sun,
+moon, and stars were created on the fourth!</p>
+
+<p>Uganda to-day presents a land rising from a sleep of
+centuries. The outside world in its onward march has
+stepped in, and with its Babel of Tongues roused the
+people from their long deep slumber. Thus startled out
+of lethargy, the surprised nation stands gazing in wonderment
+at a great world controlled by undreamed-of mental
+and moral forces. And a new desire has been born
+within them, a desire to bring themselves under the same
+irresistible powers. The possibility is there, but the
+guiding of the mind and soul of the people cannot be
+undertaken by itself. England holds herself responsible
+for the protection of its national life, and it is for the
+Church of God to-day to stand at the helm, and steer
+past the rocks and shoals till the people have learned to
+take over the control themselves.</p>
+
+<hr class="chap x-ebookmaker-drop">
+
+<div class="footnotes">
+
+<div class="chapter">
+
+<h2 class="nobreak" id="FOOTNOTES">FOOTNOTES</h2>
+
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a id="Footnote_1" href="#FNanchor_1" class="label">[1]</a> Native guards or soldiers.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+<div class="footnote">
+
+<p><a id="Footnote_2" href="#FNanchor_2" class="label">[2]</a> Surely the most ardent critic of missions could not have failed to
+be convinced of the reality of these people’s Christianity had he
+looked at the order of this great service. Their reverent behaviour
+as they worshipped in a church built with their own hands, and
+listened to one of their own native clergy, must have deeply impressed
+even the most cynical onlooker.</p>
+
+</div>
+
+</div>
+
+<div style='text-align:center'>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 76250 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
+
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diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt
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+This book, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
+metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be
+in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES.
+
+Procedures for determining public domain status are described in
+the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org.
+
+No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in
+jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize
+this book outside of the United States should confirm copyright
+status under the laws that apply to them.
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
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+++ b/README.md
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+book #76250 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/76250)