82 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



The divisional officers then find subordinate officers, who find 

 men, and the army proceeds with its march. Should any fail 

 with their mission, re-enforcements are sent, and the runaways, 

 called women, are drilled with a red-hot iron until they are men 

 no longer, and die for their cowardice. All heroism, however, 

 insures promotion. The king receives his army of officers with 

 great ceremony, listens to their exploits, and gives as rewards 

 women, cattle, and command over men the greatest elements 

 of wealth in Uganda with a liberal hand. 



As to the minor business transacted in court, culprits are 

 brought in bound by officers, and reported. At once the 

 sentence is given, perhaps awarding the worst torture, linger- 

 ing death probably without trial or investigation, and for all the 

 king knows, at the instigation of some one influenced by wicked 

 spite. If the accused endeavors to plead his defense, his voice 

 is at once drowned, and the miserable victim dragged off in the 

 roughest manner possible by the officers who love their king 

 and delight in promptly carrying out his orders. Young virgins, 

 the daughters of officers, stark-naked, and smeared with grease, 

 but holding, for decency's sake, a small square of cloth at the 

 upper corners in both hands before them, are presented by their 

 fathers in propitiation of some offense, or to fill the harem. 

 Seizing-officers receive orders to hunt down offending officers, 

 and confiscate their lands, wives and children. An officer 

 observed to salute informally, is ordered for execution, when 

 everyone near him rises at once, the drums beat, drowning his 

 cries, and the victim of carelessness is dragged off, bound by 

 cords, by a dozen men at once. Another man, perhaps, exposes 

 an inch of naked leg while squatting, or has his cloth tied con- 

 trary to regulation, and is condemned to the same fate. 



CHARMS AND MAGIC. 



STICK-CHARMS, being pieces of wood of all shapes, supposed 

 to have supernatural virtues, and colored earths, endowed with 

 similar qualities, are produced by the royal magicians ; the 

 master of the hunt exposes his spoils, such as antelopes, cats, 

 zebras, lions, etc. ; the fishermen bring their catches ; the cutlers 



