Mary Slessor made up her mind to go out and give her whole life to Africa.  So she offered herself, a timorous girl who could not cross a field with a cow in it, as a missionary for cannibal Calabar, in West Africa.

For twelve years she worked at the centre of the mission in Calabar and then flung herself into pioneer work among the terrible tribe of Okoyong.  No one had ever been able to influence them.  They defied British administration.  For fifteen years she strove there, and won a power over the ferocious Okoyong savages such as no one has ever wielded.  “I’m a wee, wee wifie,” she said, “no very bookit, but I grip on well none the less.”

To-day over two thousand square miles of forest and rivers, the dark savages, as they squat at night in the forest around their palaver-fires, tell one another stories of the Great-White-Ma-Who-Lived-Alone, and the stories they tell are like these.

II.  THE HEALING OF THE CHIEF

Through the Forest in the Rain

A strange quiet lay over all the village by the river.  For the chief lay ill in his hut.  The Calabar people were waiting on the tip-toe of suspense.  For if the chief died many of them would be slain to go with him into the spirit-world—­his wives and some of his soldiers and slaves.

Suddenly a strange African woman, who had come over from another village, entered the chief’s harem.  She spoke to the wives of the chief, saying, “There lives away through the forest at Ekenge a white Ma who can cast out by her magic the demons who are killing your chief.  My son’s child was dying, but the white Ma[57] saved her and she is well to-day.  Many other wonders has she done by the power of her juju.  Let your chief send for her and he will not die.”

There was silence and then eager chattering, for the women knew that their very lives depended on the chief getting well.  If he died, they would be killed.

They sent in word to the chief about the strange white Ma.

“Let her be sent for,” he ordered.  “Send a bottle and four rods (value about a shilling) and messengers to ask her to come.”

All through the day the messengers hurried over stream and hill, through village after village and along the forest paths till at last, after eight hours’ journey, they came to the village of Ekenge.  Going to the courtyard of the chief they told him the story of their sick chief, and their desire that the white Ma who lived in his village should come and heal him.

“She will say for herself what she will do,” said the chief.

So he sent a messenger to Mary Slessor.  She soon came over from her little house to learn what was needed of her.

The story of the sick chief was again told.

“What is the matter with your chief?” asked Mary Slessor.  Blank faces and nodding heads showed that they knew nothing at all.