Should Any Fail With Their Mission,
Reinforcements Are Sent, And The Runaways, Called Women, Are
Drilled With A Red-Hot Iron Until They Are Men No Longer, And Die
For Their Cowardice., All Heroism, However, Ensures Promotion.
The king receives his army of officers with great ceremony,
listens to their exploits, and gives as rewards, women, cattle,
and command over men - the greatest elements of wealth in Uganda -
with a liberal hand.
As to the minor business transacted in court, culprits are
brought in bound by officers, and reported. At once the sentence
is given, perhaps awarding the most torturous, lingering death -
probably without trial or investigation, and, for all the king
knows, at the instigation of some one influenced by wicked spite.
If the accused endeavour to plead his defence, his voice is at
once drowned, and the miserable victim dragged off in the
roughest manner possible by those officers who love their king,
and delight in promptly carrying out his orders. Young virgins,
the daughters of Wakungu, stark naked, and smeared with grease,
but holding, for decency's sake, a small square of mbugu at the
upper corners in both hands before them, are presented by their
fathers in propitiation for some offence, and to fill the harem.
Seizing-officers receive orders to hunt down Wakungu who have
committed some indiscretions, and to confiscate their lands,
wives, children, and property. An officer observed to salute
informally is ordered for execution, when everybody near him
rises in an instant, the drums beat, drowning his cries, and the
victim of carelessness is dragged off, bound by cords, by a dozen
men at once. Another man, perhaps, exposes an inch of naked leg
whilst squatting, or has his mbugu tied contrary to regulations,
and is condemned to the same fate.
Fines of cows, goats, and fowls are brought in and presented;
they are smoothed down by the offender's hands, and then applied
to his face, to show there is no evil spirit lurking in the gift;
then thanks are proferred for the leniency of the king in letting
the presenter off so cheaply, and the pardoned man retires, full
of smiles, to the ranks of the squatters. Thousands of cattle,
and strings of women and children, sometimes the result of a
victorious plundering hunt, or else the accumulated seizures from
refractory Wakungu, are brought in; for there is no more common
or acceptable offering to appease the king's wrath towards any
refractory or blundering officer than a present of a few young
beauties, who may perhaps be afterwards given as the reward of
good service to other officers.
Stick-charms, being pieces of wood of all shapes, supposed to
have supernatural virtues, and coloured earths, endowed with
similar qualities, are produced by the royal magicians. The
master of the hunt exposes his spoils - such as antelopes, cats,
porcupines, curious rats, etc., all caught in nets, and placed in
baskets - zebra, lion, and buffalo skins being added. The
fishermen bring their spoils; also the gardeners.
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