256 THE WORLD'S WONDERS. 



The son now ascends the throne, and the funeral of his fathet 

 must be his first duty. An immense pit or trench is dug, capable 

 of containing several hundred people. This pit is neatly lined 

 with new bark-cloths. Several wives of the late king are seated 

 together at the bottom, to bear upon their knees the body of 

 their departed lord. The night previous to the funeral, the 

 king's own regiment, or body-guard, surround many dwellings 

 or villages, and seize the people indiscriminately as they issue 

 from their doors in the early morning. These captives are 

 brought to the pit's mouth. Their legs and armc are broken 

 with clubs, and they are pushed into the pit on the top of the 

 king's body and his wives. An immese din of drums, horns, 

 flageolets, and whistles, mingled with the ye'.ls of a frantic crowd, 

 drown the shrieks of the sufferers, upon whom the earth is shov- 

 eled and stamped down by thousands of cruel fanatics, who dance 

 and jump upon the loose mould so as to force it into a compact 

 mass, through which the victims of this horrid sacrifice cannot 

 grope their way, the precaution having been taken to break the 

 bones of their arms and legs. At length the mangled mass is 

 buried and trodden down beneath a tumulus of earth, and all is 

 still. 



When the funeral rites of Kamrasi were over, Kabba Rega 

 ascended the throne, and succeeded to all his father's wives, with 

 the exception of his own mother. This is the invariable custom 

 in Unyoro. The throne is composed partly of copper and of 

 wood. It is an exceedingly small and ancient piece of furniture, 

 that has been handed down for many generations, and is consid- 

 ered to be a cojoor, or talisman. There is also an ancient drum, 

 which is regarded with reverence, as something uncanny ; and 

 the two articles are always jealously guarded by special soldiers, 

 and are seldom used. Should the throne be lost or stolen, the 

 authority of the king -would disappear, together with the talis- 

 man, and disorder would reign throughout the country until the 

 precious object should be restored. 



