Soldiering and Sport in Uganda 



which Christianity was obtaining over his subjects, 

 and determined to extirpate it root and branch. 

 The year following" his accession he caused Bishop 

 Hannington to be murdered whilst in Busoga en 

 route for Uganda. During 1886 the brutality meted 

 out to the Christians equalled, if not surpassed, even 

 the worst persecutions of the ancient Romans. 

 Hunted like wild beasts, they were tortured, 

 mutilated, and burnt; and yet through it all the 

 Baganda displayed extraordinary heroism, and 

 willingly suffered the most painful deaths rather 

 than abjure their faith, even coming forward to be 

 baptized while the executioner was performing his 

 sickeninor and horrible work. 



Mwanga, mad with intoxication by native beer, 

 surrounded by the most dissolute companions he 

 could collect, took a pride in committing the most 

 fearful and revolting crimes. One Christian was 

 seized, his arm hacked off and roasted before his 

 eyes, then his leg was cut off and likewise burnt 

 before him, and then finally they threw him into 

 the flames. 



An end to this reign of horror was finally 

 reached by Mwanga failing in a Pagan plot to 

 decoy to their deaths the chiefs of the Christian 

 and Muhammadan creeds ; he was in his turn 

 deposed by them and driven out of the country, 

 while liberty of worship was once more pro- 

 claimed under his brother Kiwewa, who was 

 elected king. 



Unfortunately this respite, under the latter's 



34 



