Others
bury them, but without burying living men or women along with the
corpse.
"But I was informed in the Soudan, by persons upon whose word full
reliance may be placed, that among certain infidels in these countries,
on the death of the king, a vault is constructed in which the corpse is
laid, and along with it a certain number of his courtiers and servants;
as also thirty persons, sons and daughters of the most distinguished men
of the country. The fore-arms of these persons are first broken, as also
their legs, below the knees, and drinking vessels are deposited with
them in the tomb.
"I was informed by a person, one of the chief men of the Masuffahs, who
dwelt in the country of Koobar, in the Soudan, and who was a favourite
with the sultan, that on the death of the latter the people wished to
bury my informant's son in the tomb along with those of their own
children who had been chosen for the same purpose. He added: 'I
remonstrated, saying, "How can ye do this? The lad is not of your faith,
neither is he one of your children." Finally, I ransomed him,' he
continued, 'with a heavy payment.'". . . .
This is an interesting fact, that so long ago as the year 1346 such a
practice was known to exist in Central Africa.
When the funeral rites of Kamrasi were over, Kabba Rega ascended the
throne, and succeeded to all his father's wives, with the exception of
his own mother. This is the invariable custom in Unyoro.
The throne is composed partly of copper and of wood. It is an
exceedingly small and ancient piece of furniture, and has been handed
down for many generations and is considered to be a cojoor, or talisman.
There is also an ancient drum, which is regarded with reverence as
something uncanny, and the two articles are always jealously guarded by
special soldiers, and are seldom used.
Should the throne be lost or stolen, the authority of the king would
disappear, together with the talisman, and disorder would reign
throughout the country until the precious object should be restored.
CHAPTER XIX.
RESTORATION OF THE LIBERATED SLAVES.
The work had now fairly commenced, and Kabba Rega and his chiefs were
assured of a grand reform. Already the slave-hunters had been punished:
the vakeel, Suleiman, was secured in the stocks, and the slaves that had
been kidnapped had been restored to their homes in Unyoro. I now
determined to insist upon the restoration of all the Unyoro slaves that
had been carried away from this country, and were captives in the
zareebas of Fatiko, Fabbo, Faloro, and Farragenia. From the descriptions
of Kabba Rega and his chiefs, I considered that these prisoners amounted
to about a thousand persons - women and children.
