BANTU NEGBOES 595 



pots, and, seeing the child, and being struck by its beauty, rescued it and took 

 the babe to her home. She informed the mother that she had found a beautiful 

 thing in the lake. The mother, conscience-stricken, and recovering her maternal 

 feelings, arranged that that the woman should tend it, To prevent suspicion she 

 made the woman a present of a barren cow as a reward for the pot made by the 

 woman, and subsequently repeated the presents in the form of milch cows until 

 the child was full grown. As Ndaula was nearing maturity, he met and quarrelled 

 with the mukama's herdsmen, whose cattle drank from the same salted water holes. 

 So overbearing was he that the king was drawn into the quarrel, and went one 

 day with his herdsmen, placed his seat near the holes, and ordered the men to 

 wait for Ndaula ; when he came they were to fall upon him and spear him. The 

 men did as they were told, but when they lifted their spears, their arms fell 

 powerless beside them. The king was very angry when they fled back to him with 

 their strange news, and, leaving his seat, he took his spear and went himself to 

 attack Ndaula, Ndaula thereupon killed him and, coming into the circle of 

 herdsmen, placed himself upon the king's seat and proclaimed himself the king. 

 The herdsmen then ran to the daughter of Bukuku — she was his only child— and 

 cried out that Bukuku had been killed by Ndaula. She raised her voice and said, 

 41 To-day I have heard both evil and good — my father is dead, but my son is king." 

 Ndaula was the first of the house of the Bachwezi. 



He at once divided the country into eleven parts. Bwera he gave to Wamala ; 

 Buruli to Lubanga (rather half-witted)*; Mwengi to Mugeni ; Kiaka, being a good 

 hunting country, to Ibona, a hunter ; Bunyara (now in North Uganda) to Mugarra 

 (known as having a rolling walk) ; Burega (west of Lake Albert) to Mulindwa (he 

 was credited with exceptional supernatural poAvers, even for his race — bringing death 

 at a word) ; Chumya was given part of Uganda, as he had trading tendencies ; the 

 Sese Islands were given to Mukasa t (until recently there was a praying stone — 

 iron— called Mukasa on one of the islands) ; Bugoma was given to Nsinga ; Kahauka 

 had Toro ; Bugaya, Bugungu, and Chiope were given to Kilo. With the exception 

 of Mukasa, these were all brothers of Ndaula, Mukasa is supposed by some to 

 have been a brother, others say a follower of the family. 



About this time Isimbwa (the father of Ndaula) went hunting in Bukedi. There 

 he was attracted by a young woman whom he saw in the field, made overtures to 

 her, and later on the woman bore a child, Lukedi (or the "Man of Bukedi," the 

 Land of Nakedness). There was a severe law in force in Bukedi against 

 seduction, and search was made for the seducer of this woman, but she refused to 

 expose him, and taking her people to a tree, said she had conceived as she slept 

 under that tree. This tree has been called Nyabito. The Bakedi J race were 

 known in Unyoro as "the bad people," principally on account of their fierce 

 demeanour, accentuated by their peculiar head-dress and very black complexion. 

 Lukedi, as he grew in years, was noted for the habit he adopted of going alone on 

 the bank of the Nile, leaning on his spear whilst standing on one leg with the 

 other bent and the foot resting on the upright knee, his eyes ever on Unyoro 



* The peculiarities and characteristics of these brothers are still recorded in 

 songs and dances. 



f First an ancestor, now a great ancestor spirit ruling the lake waters. 



% " Bakedi " means " the naked." It is the name given by the Baganda and Banyoro 

 to the Nilotic Negroes. Bukedi is equivalent to the modern districts of Acholi 

 and Bukedi (the Lango country). 



