Black people was caused by the fact of our ancestors having
always used soap, while the blacks used only plain water. This
ethnological fact having been established, I gave him a small piece, to
his great delight, as he expressed his intention to become a white man.
I was always chatting with Umbogo and the various chiefs, especially
with my favourite, Kittakara, who was Kabba Rega's most confidential
counsellor. They gave me a graphic account of the royal funeral that had
taken place a few months ago, when Kamrasi has interred.
When a king of Unyoro dies, the body is exposed upon a framework of
green wood, like a gigantic gridiron, over a slow fire. It is thus
gradually dried, until it resembles an over-roasted hare.
Thus mummified, it is wrapped in new bark-cloths, and lies in state
within a large house built specially for its reception.
The sons fight for the throne. The civil war may last for years, but
during this period of anarchy, the late king's body lies still unburied.
At length, when victory has decided in favour of one of his sons, the
conqueror visits the hut in which his father's body lies in state. He
approaches the corpse, and standing by its side, he sticks the butt-end
of his spear in the ground, and leaves it thus fixed near the right hand
of the dead king.
