208 THE WORLD'S WONDEH. 



was considered high treason, and was punished with immediate 

 death. In such cases, where either Kamrasi or his brother 

 determined upon the sudden execution of a criminal, the signal 

 was given by touching the condemned with the point of a lance, 

 whereupon the person who had been so unfortunate as to incur 

 the king's displeasure was beaten to death upon the spot. Some- 

 times the condemned was touched by a stick instead of a lance- 

 point ; this was a signal that he should be killed by the lance, 

 and the sentence was carried out by thrusting him through the 

 body with numerous spears thus the instrument used to slay 

 the criminal was always contrary to the sign. 



KAMRASI IN A COWARDLY RETREAT. 



THE victory over Kionga bore fruit which Kamrasi was not 

 destined to partake of, for, while he was contending over the 

 spoils, news came that Mtesa, of Uganda, hearing that Kamrasi 

 had intercepted Baker and held him a prisoner in order to pre- 

 vent him from visiting the former with presents, was coming to 

 kill the perfidious king and take Baker to Uganda. This report, 

 which was speedily confirmed, threw the cowardly Kamrasi into 

 a panic again, and although Baker counseled a stand and offered 

 to help him repel the invaders, he was bent on beating a retreat 

 to his fastness on the islands of the river ; nor would anything 

 stay his purpose. The grass huts were accordingly set on fire 

 and the retreat began. Baker intended to proceed to Atada, 

 Kamrasi having promised to send porters to carry his things, 

 but when morning came the porters failed to report, and he at 

 once saw that the king's promise was merely a ruse to keep him 

 at the village and be first attacked by Mtesa. So incensed wa s 

 he at such perfidy, that he sent a messenger to Kamrasi, telling 

 him if the porters were not sent at once he would join Mtesa and 

 attack him on the islands. This message frightened the king 

 into a compliance. 



The journey toward Atada was by a narrow pathway leading 

 through very high grass. Mrs. Baker had yet to be carried on a 

 litter, and the progress was very slow. After a short inarch it 

 was discovered that Richarn, Baker's most faithful and service- 



