ismailia-第72章

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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　and　trumpets　were　sounded；　and　games　and　rejoicings
instituted；　which　continued　for　the　space　of　a　month。

〃The　dead　body　of　the　khan　was　then　brought；　together　with　the　bodies　of
about　a　hundred　men；　his　relations　and　followers。

〃A　large　vault　was　constructed　underground。　It　was　spread　with
magnificent　carpets；　and　the　body　of　the　khan　was　laid　in　it；　along　with
his　weapons　and　with　the　gold　and　silver　vessels　that　were　used　in　his
household。

〃Four　female　slaves　and　six　memluks　were　led　into　the　vault；　each
provided　with　a　drinking　vessel　filled　with　liquid。

〃The　entrance　of　the　vault　was　walled　up；　and　earth　was　heaped　on　the
top　until　it　resembled　a　large　hillock。

〃Four　horses　were　then　brought　and　made　to　gallop　in　the　neighbourhood
of　the　tomb　until　they　stood　still　with　fatigue。　A　large　beam　of　wood
was　erected　over　the　tomb；　and　to　this　the　horses　were　attached；　being
impaled　with　wooden　pales；　passed　longitudinally　through　their　bodies
and　projecting　through　their　mouths。

〃The　bodies　of　the　khan's　relatives；　whom　I　have　previously　mentioned；
were　likewise　deposited　in　vaults；　each　with　his　weapons　and　with　the
vessels　used　in　his　house。

〃Those　of　highest　rank　were　ten　in　number。　Over　each　of　their　tombs
three　horses　were　impaled；　and　one　horse　over　each　of　the　others。

〃The　day　was　one　of　public　solemnity；　and　no　one　abstained　from　its
observance；　neither　man　nor　woman；　Moslem　nor　infidel。　All　arrayed
themselves　in　funeral　garmentsthe　infidels　wearing　white　tailasans；
and　the　Moslem　white　gowns。

〃The　empresses；　wives　of　the　khan；　and　his　chief　followers　remained　in
the　neighbourhood　of　the　tomb　for　forty　days；　living　in　tents。　Some
prolonged　their　stay　up　to　a　year；　and　a　market　was　established　at　which
provisions　and　every　other　necessary　were　sold。

〃These　are　practices　of　the　existence　of　which　among　any　other　people　in
these　present　times　I　have　no　personal　knowledge。

〃The　Indian　infidels　and　the　people　of　China　burn　their　dead。　Others
bury　them；　but　without　burying　living　men　or　women　along　with　the
corpse。

〃But　I　was　informed　in　the　Soudan；　by　persons　upon　whose　word　full
reliance　may　be　placed；　that　among　certain　infidels　in　these　countries；
on　the　death　of　the　king；　a　vault　is　constructed　in　which　the　corpse　is
laid；　and　along　with　it　a　certain　number　of　his　courtiers　and　servants；
as　also　thirty　persons；　sons　and　daughters　of　the　most　distinguished　men
of　the　country。　The　fore…arms　of　these　persons　are　first　broken；　as　also
their　legs；　below　the　knees；　and　drinking　vessels　are　deposited　with
them　in　the　tomb。

〃I　was　informed　by　a　person；　one　of　the　chief　men　of　the　Masuffahs；　who
dwelt　in　the　country　of　Koobar；　in　the　Soudan；　and　who　was　a　favourite
with　the　sultan；　that　on　the　death　of　the　latter　the　people　wished　to
bury　my　informant's　son　in　the　tomb　along　with　those　of　their　own
children　who　had　been　chosen　for　the　same　purpose。　He　added：　'I
remonstrated；　saying；　〃How　can　ye　do　this？　The　lad　is　not　of　your　faith；
neither　is　he　one　of　your　children。〃　Finally；　I　ransomed　him；'　he
continued；　'with　a　heavy　payment。'〃。　。　。　。

This　is　an　interesting　fact；　that　so　long　ago　as　the　year　1346　such　a
practice　was　known　to　exist　in　Central　Africa。

When　the　funeral　rites　of　Kamrasi　were　over；　Kabba　Rega　ascended　the
throne；　and　succeeded　to　all　his　father's　wives；　with　the　exception　of
his　own　mother。　This　is　the　invariable　custom　in　Unyoro。

The　throne　is　composed　partly　of　copper　and　of　wood。　It　is　an
exceedingly　small　and　ancient　piece　of　furniture；　and　has　been　handed
down　for　many　generations　and　is　considered　to　be　a　cojoor；　or　talisman。
There　is　also　an　ancient　drum；　which　is　regarded　with　reverence　as
something　uncanny；　and　the　two　articles　are　always　jealously　guarded　by
special　soldiers；　and　are　seldom　used。

Should　the　throne　be　lost　or　stolen；　the　authority　of　the　king　would
disappear；　together　with　the　talisman；　and　disorder　would　reign
throughout　the　country　until　the　precious　object　should　be　restored。



CHAPTER　XIX。

RESTORATION　OF　THE　LIBERATED　SLAVES。

The　work　had　now　fairly　commenced；　and　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs　were
assured　of　a　grand　reform。　Already　the　slave…hunters　had　been　punished：
the　vakeel；　Suleiman；　was　secured　in　the　stocks；　and　the　slaves　that　had
been　kidnapped　had　been　restored　to　their　homes　in　Unyoro。　I　now
determined　to　insist　upon　the　restoration　of　all　the　Unyoro　slaves　that
had　been　carried　away　from　this　country；　and　were　captives　in　the
zareebas　of　Fatiko；　Fabbo；　Faloro；　and　Farragenia。　From　the　descriptions
of　Kabba　Rega　and　his　chiefs；　I　considered　that　these　prisoners　amounted
to　about　a　thousand　personswomen　and　children。

Umbogo；　the　interpreter；　declared　that　Abou　Saood's　companies　would
attack　the　government　troops；　should　I　insist　upon　the　liberation　of　the
slaves。　He　had　lived　with　these　slave…hunters；　and　he　had　frequently
heard　them　declare；　that；　〃should　the　Pacha　ever　arrive　in　this　country；
and　insist　upon　the　suppression　of　slavery；　they　would　shoot　him　rather
than　lose　their　slaves。〃　I　treated　this　idea　as　an　absurdity。

At　the　same　time　that　Kabba　Rega　and　his　people　were　eager　for　the
restoration　of　the　numerous　women　and　children　that　had　been　stolen　from
Unyoro；　they　were　themselves　great　slave…dealers。

M'tese；　the　powerful　King　of　Uganda；　on　the　southern　frontier　of　Unyoro；
was　in　the　habit　of　purchasing　ivory　in　that　country　for　the　merchants
of　Zanzibar。

These　purchases　were　made　by　an　exchange　of　slaves；　brass…coil
bracelets；　and　long　cotton　shirts；　which　were　either　of　British　or
Indian　manufacture；　that　had　arrived　via　Zanzibar。

M'tese；　with　his　usual　sagacity；　did　not　permit　the　merchants　of　that
country　to　enter　Uganda　in　force；　but　he　received　from　them　both　slaves
and　merchandise；　which　he　sent　into　the　surrounding　countries　for　the
purchase　of　ivory。　He　thus　monopolized　the　trade；　and　kept　the　price　at
a　minimum。

In　Unyoro　there　was　an　established　value　for　a　healthy　young　girl。　Such
a　person　was　equal　to　a　single　elephant's　tusk　of　the　first　class；　or　to
a　new　shirt。　Thus　a　girl　could　be　purchased　for　a　shirt；　and　she　might
be　subsequently　exchanged　for　a　large　elephant's　tusk。

In　the　country　of　Uganda；　where　the　natives　are　exceedingly　clever　as
tailors　and　furriers；　needles　are　in　great　demand。　A　handsome　girl　may
be　purchased　for　thirteen　English　needles！　Thus　for　slave…traders　there
existed　an　excellent　opening　for　a　profitable　business。　A　girl　might　be
bought　for　thirteen　needles　in　Uganda；　to　be　exchanged　in　Unyoro　for　an
elephant's　tusk　that　would　be　worth　twenty　or　thirty　pounds　in　England。

Abou　Saood's　brigands　had　been　far　too　lawless　even　for　this　innocent
traffic；　and　in　default　of　the　merchandise　necessary　for　such　profitable
exchanges；　they　had　found　it　more　convenient　to　kidnap　young　girls；
which　saved　much　trouble　in　bargaining　for　needles　and　shirts。

In　every　African　tribe　that　I　have　visited；　I　found　slavery　a　natural
institution　of　the　country。　I　had　at　length　discovered　that　it　was　bad
policy　to　commence　a　dissertation　against　the　slave　trade　generally；
this　attacked　local　interests；　therefore　it　was　more　diplomatic　to　speak
against　the　capture　of　women　and　children　that　belonged　to　my　hearers；
but　to　avoid　a　discussion　upon　the　moral　aspect　of　the　slave　trade。

The　negro　idea　of　the　eighth　commandment　is：　〃Thou　shalt　not　stealfrom
ME；〃　but　he　takes　a　liberal　view　of　the　subject　when　the　property
belongs　to　another。

I　had　been　rather　startled　in　the　year　of　my　arrival　at　Gondokoro；　when；
during　the　voyage；　I　landed　and　conversed　with　some　sheiks　of　the　Shir
tribe。　One　of　these　headmen　was　loud　in　his　complaints　against　the
slave…hunters　and　against　the　slave　trade　in　particular；　from　which　his
tribe　had　suffered。　Many　of　the　women　and　children　had　been　carried　off
by　a　neighbouring　tribe；　called　the　Berri；　on　the　east　of　the　Nile。　The
sheik　therefore　proposed　that　I　should　join　him　with　my　troops　and
capture　all　the　women　and　children　that　belonged　to　his　enemies。　This
was　natural　enough；　and　was　a　simple　example　of　the　revenge　that　is
common　to　uneducated　human　nature。　The　sheik　and　I　got　on　famously；　and
I　found　a　good　listener；　to　whom　I　preached　a　touching　sermon　upon　the
horrors　of　the　slave　trade；　which　I　was　resolved　to　suppress。

The　good　man　was　evidently　moved　at　the　allusion　to　the　forcible
separation　of　children　from　their　parents。

〃Have　you　a　son？〃　he　asked。

〃My　sons　are；　unfortunately；　dead；〃　I　replied。

〃Indeed！〃　he　exclaimed。　〃I　have　a　sonan　only　son。　He　is　a　nice　boya
very　good　boy；　about　so　high　（showing　his　length　upon　the　handle　of　his
spear）。　I　should　like　you　to　see　my　boyhe　is　very　thin　now；　but　if　he
should　remain　with　you　he　would　soon　get　fat。　He's　a　really　nice　boy；
and　always　hungry。　You'll　be　so　fond　of　him；　he'll　eat　from　morning　till
night；　and　still　he'll　be　hungry。　You'll　like　him　amazingly；　he'll　give
you　no　trouble　if　you　only　give　him　plenty　to　eat。　He'll　lie　down　and　go
to　sleep；　and　he'll　wake　up　hun