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.