ismailia-第87节

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replied；　〃Abou　Saood　is　a　liar；　and　you　are　Kamrasi's　friend；　and　my
father：　therefore　you　will；　I　am　sure；　assist　me；　and　relieve　me　from　my
great　enemy；　Rionga。　I　shall　then　know　that　you　are　indeed　my　true
friend。〃

Once　more　it　was　necessary　to　change　the　conversation。　A　number　of
buffoons　that　were　kept　about　the　court　for　the　amusement　of　the　young
king　now　came　forward。　The　crowd　was　driven　back；　and　an　open　space
having　been　thus　cleared；　they　performed　a　curious　theatrical　scene；
followed　by　a　general　fight　with　clubs；　until　one　man；　having　knocked
down　all　the　party；　remained　the　victor。　The　scene　terminated　with　an
act　of　disgusting　indecency；　which　created　roars　of　laughter　from　the
immense　crowd；　who　evidently　considered　this　was　the　great　joke　of　the
piece。

〃Kabba　Rega　now　took　leave；　and　retired　as　he　had　before　arrived；　with
drums；　whistles；　horns；　flageolets；　making　a　horrid　din　。　。　。　。〃

The　spot　that　I　had　selected　for　a　station　was　at　the　southern　edge　of
the　town；　from　which　site　the　land　sloped　into　a　valley　about　a　hundred
feet　below。　I　had　at　once　commenced　clearing　away　the　high　grass；　and；
as　usual　when　first　settling；　I　had　broken　up　a　few　small　plots；　and　had
already　sown　seeds　of　English　cucumbers；　sweet　melons；　&c。

The　soil　was　wonderfully　rich；　at　the　same　time　it　was　very　easily
worked。　When　the　tall　rank　grass　was　torn　out　by　the　roots；　a　fine
surface　was　exposed　that　resembled　dark　chocolate。　This　was　a　vegetable
loam；　with　a　minimum　of　two　feet　thickness；　resting　upon　a　bright　red
quartz　gravel。

The　quartz　was　not　rounded；　and　appeared　to　be　only　the　residue　of
decayed　rock　that　had　never　been　subjected　to　the　action　of　running
water。　When　washed；　a　handful　remained　of　sharp　and　clear　white
fragments。

With　such　a　subsoil　the　country　must　be　healthy；　as　the　heaviest　shower
drained　rapidly　through　the　gravel。

I　employed　the　prisoners　in　clearing　the　grass；　while　the　soldiers
commenced　cultivation；　and　dug　up　the　ground　with　a　number　of　hoes　that
I　borrowed　from　Kabba　Rega。

These　implements　are　nearly　the　same　in　shape　as　those　in　Gondokoro　and
throughout　the　Madi　country；　but　smaller；　and　the　iron　is　very　brittle
and　inferior。　They　are　not　used　like　the　Dutch　hoe；　with　a　long　handle；
but　are　fixed　upon　a　piece　of　wood　with　a　bend　of　natural　growth；　so　the
hoe　can　be　used　with　a　downward　stroke　like　a　pick…axe。

On　29th　April　I　commenced　building　a　government　house　and　public　divan。

The　king　of　Uganda　（M'tese）　has　envoys　throughout　the　countries　which
surround　his　dominions。　One　of　these　chiefs；　who　represented　M'tese　at
Masindi；　paid　me　a　visit；　and　gave　me　a　good　deal　of　information。

He　described　the　M'wootan　N'zige　（Albert　N'yanza）　as　forming　the　western
frontier　of　Karagwe；　from　which　point　it　turned　westward　for　a　distance
unknown。　This　was　a　similar　description　to　that　given　by　Kamrasi　some
years　ago。

I　gave　the　envoy　a　red　and　yellow　handkerchief　to　tie　around　his　head。
The　man　was　neatly　dressed　in　Indian　clothes　that　had　arrived　from
Bombay　via　Zanzibar。

On　30th　April；　Kabba　Rega　sent　a　present　of　twelve　elephants'　tusks；
forty…one　loads　of　tullaboon；　twelve　pots　of　sour　plantain　cider；　and
thirty…four　cows。　At　the　same　time；　he　complained　that　some　of　Abou
Saood's　people　were　taking　slaves　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Foweera　and
Kisoona。

The　principal　chiefs；　together　with　Kabba　Rega；　assured　me　that　Abou
Saood's　people　had　been　in　the　habit　of　torturing　people　to　extract　from
them　the　secret　of　the　spot　in　which　their　corn　was　concealed。
Throughout　Unyoro　there　are　no　granaries　exposed　at　the　present　time；　as
the　country　has　been　ravaged　by　civil　war；　thus　all　corn　is　buried　in
deep　holes　specially　arranged　for　that　purpose。　When　the　slave…hunters
sought　for　corn；　they　were　in　the　habit　of　catching　the　villagers　and
roasting　their　posteriors　by　holding　them　down　on　the　mouth　of　a　large
earthen　water　jar　filled　with　gloving　embers。　If　this　torture　of
roasting　alive　did　not　extract　the　secret；　they　generally　cut　the
sufferer's　throat　to　terrify　his　companion；　who　would　then　divulge　the
position　of　the　hidden　stores　to　avoid　a　similar　fate。　This　accusation
was　corroborated　by　Mohammed；　the　Cairo　dragoman。

It　is　difficult　to　conceive　the　brutality　of　these　brigands；　who；　thus
relieved　from　the　fear　of　a　government；　exhibit　their　unbridled　passions
by　every　horrible　crime。

Umbogo；　the　interpreter；　was　now　regularly　installed　in　a　hut　within
call　of　my　tent。　This　man　appeared　to　be　exceedingly　fond　of　us；　and　he
was　the　main　source　of　information。

He　had　a　very　lovely　wife；　a　Bahooma；　who　was　a　light　brown　colour；　with
beautiful　Abyssinian　eyes；　she　had　been　given　to　him　by　Kabba　Rega；　with
whom　he　was　a　great　favourite。

Umbogo　was　very　intelligent；　and　he　took　a　great　interest　in　all　my
plans　for　establishing　free　trade　throughout　the　country：　but　he　told　me
privately　that　he　thought　the　idea　would　be　opposed　secretly　by　Kabba
Rega；　who　would　wish　to　monopolize　all　the　ivory　trade；　in　order　to　keep
up　the　price；　and　to　obtain　the　whole　of　the　merchandise。

The　great　variety　of　goods　much　astonished　him；　and　he　advised　me
strongly　to　send　for　a　large　supply　of　soap；　for　which　there　would　be　a
great　demand；　as　a　light　complexion　was　greatly　admired　in　Unyoro。　He
said　that　Mohammed；　the　Cairo　dragoman；　was　several　shades　lighter　since
I　had　supplied　him　with　soap；　this　was　true；　as　he　had　been　very　filthy
before　my　arrival；　but　Umbogo　was　persuaded　that　the　difference　between
white　and　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。　This　is　symbolical　of　victory。

The　son　now　ascends　the　throne；　and　the　funeral　of　his　father　must　be
his　first　duty。

An　immense　pit　or　trench　is　dug；　capable　of　containing　several　hundred
people。

This　pit　is　neatly　lined　with　new　bark…cloths。

Several　wives　of　the　late　king　are　seated　together　at　the　bottom；　to
bear　upon　their　knees　the　body　of　their　departed　lord。

The　night　previous　to　the　funeral；　the　king's　own　regiment　or　body…guard
surround　many　dwellings　and　villages；　and　seize　the　people
indiscriminately　as　they　issue　from　their　doors　in　the　early　morning。
These　captives　are　brought　to　the　pit's　mouth。

Their　legs　and　arms　are　now　broken　with　clubs；　and　they　are　pushed　into
the　pit　on　the　top　of　the　king's　body　and　his　wives。

An　immense　din　of　drums；　horns；　flageolets；　whistles；　mingled　with　the
yells　of　a　frantic　crowd；　drown　the　shrieks　of　the　sufferers；　upon　whom
the　earth　is　shovelled　and　stamped　down　by　thousands　of　cruel　fanatics；
who　dance　and　jump　upon　the　loose　mould　so　as　to　form　it　into　a　compact
mass；　through　which　the　victims　of　this　horrid　sacrifice　cannot　grope
their　way；　the　precaution　having　been　taken　to　break　the　bones　of　their
arms　and　legs。　At　length　the　mangled　mass　is　buried　and　trodden　down
beneath　a　tumulus　of　earth；　and　all　is　still。　The　funeral　is　over。

Upon　my　return　to　Egypt　I　was　one　day　relating　this　barbarous　custom　to
a　friend；　when　Mr。　Kay；　of　Alexandria；　reminded　me　of　the　curious
coincidence　in　the　description　of　the　travels　of　Ibn　Batuta；　written
A。D。　1346。

I　am　indebted　to　Mr。　Kay　for　the　following　extract　from　the　work　of　Ibn
Batuta；　which　will　go　far　to　prove　the　extreme　conservatism　of　Africans
in　all　that　regards　their　rites　and　customs。

On　his　arrival　at　Khan　Balik　（Pekin）；　Ibn　Batuta　found　that　the　khan；　or
emperor；　was　absent。　His　cousin　had　risen　against　him；　and　had　been
joined　by　most　of　the　ameers；　who　accused　the　khan　of　having　broken　the
laws　of　the　Yassak；　and　had　called　upon　him　to　abdicate。

The　emperor　marched　against　the　rebels　at　the　head　of　an　army　（which；
Ibn　Batuta　says；　consisted　of　a　million　cavalry　and　half　a　million
infantry）。　A　battle　was　fought；　in　which　the　khan　was　defeated　and
killed。

〃This　news　reached　the　capital　a　few　days　after　our　arrival。　The　city
was　decorated；　drums