The
sheik therefore proposed that I should join him with my troops and
capture all the women and children that belonged to his enemies. This
was natural enough, and was a simple example of the revenge that is
common to uneducated human nature. The sheik and I got on famously, and
I found a good listener, to whom I preached a touching sermon upon the
horrors of the slave trade, which I was resolved to suppress.
The good man was evidently moved at the allusion to the forcible
separation of children from their parents.
"Have you a son?" he asked.
"My sons are, unfortunately, dead," I replied.
"Indeed!" he exclaimed. "I have a son - an only son. He is a nice boy - a
very good boy; about so high (showing his length upon the handle of his
spear). I should like you to see my boy - he is very thin now; but if he
should remain with you he would soon get fat. He's a really nice boy,
and always hungry. You'll be so fond of him; he'll eat from morning till
night; and still he'll be hungry. You'll like him amazingly; he'll give
you no trouble if you only give him plenty to eat. He'll lie down and go
to sleep, and he'll wake up hungry again. He's a good boy, indeed; and
he's my only son. I'll sell him to you for a molote! (native iron
spade)."
The result of my sermon on the slave trade, addressed to this
affectionate father, was quite appalling. I was offered his only son in
exchange for a spade! and this young nigger knave of spades was
warranted to remain always hungry.
I simply give this anecdote as it occurred without asserting that such
conduct is the rule. At the same time, there can be no doubt that among
the White Nile tribes any number of male children might be purchased
from their parents - especially in seasons of scarcity.
Girls are always purchased, if required, as wives. It would be quite
impossible to obtain a wife for love from any tribe that I have visited.
"Blessed is he that hath his quiver full of them" (daughters). A large
family of girls is a source of wealth to the father, as he sells each
daughter for twelve or fifteen cows to her suitor. Every girl is certain
to marry; thus a dozen daughters will bring a fortune of at least 150
cows to their parents in all pastoral countries.
In Unyoro, cattle are scarce, and they belong to the king; therefore the
girls are purchased for various commodities - such as brass-coil
bracelets, bark-cloths, cotton shirts, ivory, &c.
I was anxious to establish a new and legitimate system of trade in this
country, which would be the first step towards a higher civilization.
