The folks of Bukuru are people of few words, signs being largely used instead of speaking, though, estimating from the number of wives acquired in some quarters, I should say that the language of love must be an extremely easy dialect. To express “No” in the sense of there being none, the right forefinger is brought past, touching, the lips, at which the slightest semblance to a whistling sound is made. “I do not know,” such as the answer to where a person is for whom the questioned individual has regard, is replied to by raising the shoulders. “I do not know and I do not care” is conveyed by the open hands and the forearm at right-angle to the upper limb. Answer respecting the age of anyone not the person questioned is made by the fist held vertically at a distance from the ground, indicating the height of the individual, from which illustration the age has to be gauged. The people have no sense of calculation beyond four or five years. A gift or anything given in payment is usually received without word or sign. Should it be sufficiently liberal to impel stronger feeling the equivalent of “Thank you” will probably be uttered. Should the recipient be stimulated to add emphasis he will say “Mr feng”—the first word pronounced Mer—translated, “I rejoice,” and with the elbows of bent arms strike the ribs repeatedly. The figures in the photographs which exemplify the sign language were placed at my disposal by the kindness of Mr E. Evans, one of the two men of the Sudan United Mission station in Bukuru. The natives were in his service, which accounts for wearing so much clothing and also, possibly, for their rather fleshy appearance. The Pagan working in the fields is lean, wiry, active, yet strong and healthy. [Illustration: BUKURU PAGAN SIGN LANGUAGE. (1) “No.” (2) Indicating a person’s age. (3) “Don’t know and don’t care.” (4) “Don’t know.” (5) Gratitude. (6) Large numbers expressed by beating the fists together. (See page 257.)] What is to be said of this mission station planted in the heart of the country of wild tribes? Medical attendance is given, and it was pathetic to see the look of appeal by women, children and men who came for wounds and ulcerous parts to be washed. Several young natives had been trained to the use of the antiseptic syringe and dressing and they carried out that part of the treatment after a case had been looked at by one of the white men. In this humanitarian course the mission is doing angel’s work, though I cannot refrain from wondering if it was necessary to go so far afield for needful patients. As to the religious aspect, I cannot understand why this out-of-the-way part of the world was sought to spiritualise the heathen whilst so many of that description abound in Great Britain. CHAPTER XXXI ADMINISTERING JUSTICE AND TAXATION