ried, but she
always found them out, and then they would cower and slink away before
her flashing eye.

Very difficult questions which puzzled the Government officials had
sometimes to be decided, but Ma was never at a loss. Once two tribes
laid claim to a piece of land, and a British Commissioner tried for
days to find out to whom it belonged, and failed. He was in despair. Ma
came, and as usual appealed to the people themselves.

"Isn't it the custom for the tribes to whom land belongs to sacrifice to
it?"

"Yes, Ma."

"Can you tell the tribe that has been in the habit of sacrificing to
this bit of land?"

"Yes, Ma. Our tribe," said one of the big men.

"Then it belongs to you."

"Quite right, Ma," cried every one, and they went away laughing.

The people who came to Court were so ignorant and foolish that Ma
sometimes did what no other judge would do; she treated them like
naughty children, and gave them a slap or a rap over the knuckles, and
lectured them and sent them away. After sullen, fierce-looking men had
been fined for some offence, she would take them to the Mission House
and feed them and give them work. Then, in the evening, she would gather
them together and talk to them about Jesus.

[Illustration: THE MBIAM POT.]

The oath given to the witnesses was not the British one, but the native
one or _mbiam_. A pot or bottle was brought in filled with a secret
liquid which had a horrible smell. One of the chiefs dipped a stick
into it and put some of the stuff on the tongue, head, arm, and foot of
the witnesses, who believed that if they told a lie it would kill them.
They often trembled with fear when taking it. Once one died suddenly
after giving false evidence, and the people thought it was a judgment
upon him.

[Illustration: GIVING THE OATH.]

Judge Slessor had to look sharply after the native policemen, for they
were important men in their own eyes, and often did things they ought
not to have done. One went to summon villagers to clean the roads. The
children in the Mission school were singing their morning hymn, and he
rushed in among them lashing with his whip and shouting, "Come out and
clean the roads." The teachers complained, and the policeman was tried
before Ma.

"You need to be punished," she said, "for you have grown so big that you
will soon be knocking your head against the roof." This pleased the
people even more than the punishment he got from the jury.

The Court became f