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sequently the candidate whom in an election the chief or chiefs belonging to that kyika are bound to support.

The king is always surrounded by his wives; and, when he is old and feeble, it is often suspected that they give him his coup de grace. In fact I think it is not improbable that Mutesa was smothered to death by his wives, so that polygamy, at any rate at the king's court, carries with it certain decided disadvantages.

When once the election to the throne is decided, the unsuccessful candidates are put into durance, and guarded, inside an enormous enclosure, by Kasuju, the chief appointed keeper of the king's children. In former times, it is said, the other brothers, with one or two exceptions, were put to death.

The king has his council, or "Lukiko," answering roughly to our own Privy Council, of the chiefs whom I have just mentioned, with others of less degree. He himself appoints all the chiefs, called "Aba-saza,” and all the officers of his court, or "Batongole." Besides these, he appoints the under officers in the households of these chiefs. Thus these vassals, as they hold their appointments at the pleasure of the king, and not of their actual masters, are consequently largely in the power of the king; and this gives him enormous power over them, and, through them, over their masters also.

It is invariably the policy of an able Buganda king to play off one chief against another, and one party of his subjects against an opposing party. Even in dealing with foreigners, the same astute course of action has