342 THE LAND OF THE LION 
has reason to congratulate herself, without undue lauda- 
tion, on the accomplishment of the greatest work of humanity 
that the world has ever seen. It is only ten or fifteen 
years since the whole country from the ocean to the Congo 
groaned beneath oppression and bloodshed; on the coast 
the Arab took two children out of three in every family 
as slaves. From Lake Victoria almost to Mombassa 
the Massai harried the land. The valleys were deserted, 
no one dared to keep cattle for fear of exciting the cupidity 
of the raiders. In Uganda, Mtessa put thousands and tens 
of thousands to death in apparently aimless fury. The 
caravans of the slave traders travelled the whole country 
seeking victims. Every tribe was at war with its neighbour. 
Nature augmented the terrible misery by causing terrible 
famines.” 
So much is only too true. Incidentally how strong 
a testimony is this borne by Sir Charles to the innate 
capacity and docility of the native. No rude children 
of the wild anywhere in the world are easier to lead or 
more faithful to those who lead them. They have wel- 
comed the rule of England though that rule, so far as it 
has been extended to them, is as yet a rather shadowy 
rule. It has been just, it saves the oppressed from the 
oppressor and it most conscientiously strives to safeguard 
the rights of all. The well-to-do are not despoiled, nor are 
the feeble enslaved. ‘‘The Song of the Birds” that the 
young men of the Elgao sang to us as they danced by the 
signal rock overlooking the wide valley, is a true song 
to-day. The women need no longer fear for husband, 
son or daughter. The spears are no longer red, and the 
warrior may safely doze the day away as he squats in 
the sun on the table rock from which his forefathers so 
often cried to the tribe a dreadful note of warning. 
The Elgao contentedly herds his little flock. The 
small brave communities of the forest N’dorobo come 
