Page:Two kings of Uganda.djvu/92

mugo gwange" ("My friend, sir, give me my stick "). But I said, "No, I was good before I saw you, but you have taught me to steal, and I like your stick." He had to content himself with my reply, and I left him to digest this practical sermon on the eighth commandment. I had seen a similar party a few days previously meet a little girl, and quietly strip her of her clothing, and leave her to go her way without a single rag. It is the custom that the great and powerful have carte blanche to seize people on the road, and take whatever they are carrying. Sometimes women, hoeing near the road-side, will capture a passer-by, and, on pain of a severe castigation or of robbing him, will make him take a turn at the spade while they have a smoke.

This custom leads to endless litigation, for if B.'s wives rob A.'s slaves, and A. happens to be a bigger man than B., there is material for a very pretty quarrel and lawsuit.

Soon after arriving at the great enclosure, the king's baraza was announced, and the crowd of chiefs, courtiers, peasants, foreigners, dancers, musicians, and others surged through the doors into the royal court of reception. On this occasion the Kabaka was keeping great state, and was sitting, dressed in native costume, upon a rude chair, over which a leopard skin had been thrown. A costly dark-red scented lubugu, or bark-cloth robe, was knotted over his right shoulder; he wore a collar or thick necklet of finest bead-work round his