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