The Wahuma, Although They Keep
Slaves And Marry With Pure Negroes, Do Not Allow Their Daughters
To Taint Their Blood By Marrying Out Of Their Clan.
In warfare
it is the rule that the Wahinda, or princes, head their own
soldiers, and set them the example of courage, when, after firing
a few arrows, they throw their bows away, and close at once with
their spears and assages.
Life is never taken in Karague, either
for murder or cowardice, as they value so much their Wahuma
breed; but, for all offences, fines of cows are exacted according
to the extent of the crime.
31st. - Ever proud of his history since I had traced his descent
from Abyssinia and King David, whose hair was as straight as my
own, Rumanika dwelt on my theological disclosures with the
greatest delight, and wished to know what difference existed
between the Arabs and ourselves; to which Baraka replied, as the
best means of making him understand, that whilst the Arabs had
only one Book, we had two; to which I added, Yes, that is true in
a sense; but the real merits lie in the fact that we have got the
better BOOK, as may be inferred from the obvious fact that we are
more prosperous, and their superiors in all things, as I would
prove to him if he would allow me to take one of his sons home to
learn that BOOK; for then he would find his tribe, after a while,
better off than the Arabs are. Much delighted, he said he would
be very glad to give me two boys for that purpose.
Then, changing the subject, I pressed Rumanika, as he said he had
no idea of a God or future state, to tell me what advantage he
expected from sacrificing a cow yearly at his father's grave. He
laughingly replied he did not know, but he hoped he might be
favoured with better crops if he did so. He also place pombe and
grain, he said, for the same reason, before a large stone on the
hillside, although it could not eat, or make any use of it; but
the coast-men were of the same belief as himself, and so were all
the natives. No one in Africa, as far as he knew, doubted the
power of magic and spells; and if a fox barked when he was
leading an army to battle, he would retire at once, knowing that
this prognosticated evil. There were many other animals, and
lucky and unlucky birds, which all believed in.
I then told him it was fortunate he had no disbelievers like us
to contend with in battle, for we, instead of trusting to luck
and such omens, put our faith only in skill and pluck, which
Baraka elucidated from his military experience in the wars in
British India. Lastly, I explained to him how England formerly
was as unenlightened as Africa, and believing in the same sort of
superstitions, and the inhabitants were all as naked as his skin-
wearing Wanyambo; but now, since they had grown wiser, and saw
through such impostures, they were the greatest men in the world.
He said, for the future he would disregard what the Arabs said,
and trust to my doctrines, for without doubt he had never seen
such a wise man as myself; and the Arabs themselves confirmed
this when they told him that all their beads and cloths came from
the land of the Wazungu, or white men.
1st, 2d, and 3d. - The new year was ushered in by the most
exciting intelligence, which drove us half wild with delight, for
we fully believed Mr Petherick was indeed on his road up the
Nile, endeavouring to meet us. It was this: - An officer of
Rumanika's, who had been sent four years before on a mission to
Kamrasi, had just then returned with a party of Kamrasi's who
brought ivory for sale to the Arabs at Kufro, along with a
vaunting commission to inform Rumanika that Kamrasi had foreign
visitors as well as himself. They had not actually come into
Unyoro, but were in his dependency, the country of Gani, coming
up the Nile in vessels. They had been attacked by the Gani
people, and driven back with considerable loss both of men and
property, although they were in sailing vessels, and fired guns
which even broke down the trees on the banks. Some of their
property had been brought to him, and he in return had ordered
his subjects not to molest them, but allow them to come on to
him. Rumanika enjoyed this news as much as myself, especially
when I told him of Petherick's promise to meet us, just as these
men said he was trying to do; and more especially so, when I told
him that if he would assist me in trying to communicate with
Petherick, the latter would either come here himself, or send one
of his men, conveying a suitable present, whilst I was away in
Uganda; and then in the end we would all go off to Kamrasi's
together.
4th. - Entering warmly into the spirit of this important
intelligence, Rumanika inquired into its truth; and, finding no
reason to doubt it, said he would send some men back with
Kamrasi's men, if I could have patience until they were ready to
go. There would be no danger, as Kamrasi was his brother-in-law,
and would do all that he told him.
I now proposed to send Baraka, who, ashamed to cry off, said he
would go with Rumanika's officers if I allowed him a companion of
his own choosing, who would take care of him if he got sick on
the way, otherwise he should be afraid they would leave him to
die, like a dog, in the jungles. We consoled him by assenting to
the companion he wished, and making Rumanika responsible that no
harm should come to him from any of the risks which his
imagination conjured up.
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