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.