The Government Revenues Are
Levied, On A Very Small Scale, Exclusively For The Benefit Of The
Chief And His Grey-Beards.
For instance, as a sort of land-tax,
the chief has a right to drink free from the village brews of
pombe (a kind of beer made by fermentation), which are made in
turn by all the villagers successively.
In case of an elephant
being killed, he also takes a share of the meat, and claims one
of its tusks as his right; further, all leopard, lion, or zebra
skins are his by right. On merchandise brought into the country
by traders, he has a general right to make any exactions he
thinks he has the power of enforcing, without any regard to
justice or a regulated tariff. This right is called Hongo, in the
plural Mahongo. Another source of revenue is in the effects of
all people condemned for sorcery, who are either burnt, or
speared and cast into the jungles, and their property seized by
the grey-beards for their chief.
As to punishments, all irreclaimable thieves or murderers are
killed and disposed of in the same manner as these sorcerers;
whilst on minor thieves a penalty equivalent to the extent of the
depredation is levied. Illicit intercourse being treated as
petty larceny, a value is fixed according to the value of the
woman - for it must be remembered all women are property. Indeed,
marriages are considered a very profitable speculation, the
girl's hand being in the father's gift, who marries her to any
one who will pay her price.
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