No other power could have done this."
There were still many chiefs who liked to go to war and to fight with other
tribes. But Mary had friends who would tell her of the plans of these
chiefs. She would have to go to them and persuade them not to fight. One
of Mary's dearest friends was Ma Eme. When she would hear of trouble, she
would send a messenger to Mary with a medicine bottle. This would mean, "Be
ready for trouble."
Mary was so good at settling the arguments between the chiefs that the
British government made her a vice-consul. This was something like a
governor and judge. The jungle people would not let the white men come and
make new laws or settle their arguments, but they did listen to Mary. She
was a very fair and honest judge. The people loved and obeyed her.
But life was not easy. Not all the natives were Christians. Even those who
were, were not always good Christians but would sometimes slip back into
the old heathen ways. Then it was hard for Mary and her helpers to get to
the different places. There were no easy roads through the jungles, and
wild animals were always there ready to kill the careless traveler.
Mary received many gifts both from the natives and from her friends in
England and Scotland. One of the gifts she loved the best was a little
steamboat, which the natives called "smoking canoe." The boys and girls in
Scotland had given the money to buy this boat.
Pages:
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111