THE MAGUXGO. 17 



mrissa -drinking, but is accompanied by no ceremonies. Fecun- 

 dity increases a woman's prestige, and sterility attaches a stigma 

 to her. Polygamy is universal. At the birth of a child 

 no ceremonies are observed except the naming of it by the 

 father ; but if twins are born, and especially if they are of the 

 same sex, the whole village unites in celebrating the happv 

 event. Besides the word for twins, the language contains two 

 special words for the first and second born of them. 



The ALagiingo are very clean and particular in eating and 

 drinking. Corn is very little cultivated in the countrv, and 

 what little there is (sorghum and eleusine) is used chiefly in 

 the preparation of mrissa. The principal food consists of 

 sweet potatoes (Batatas edulis) and bananas, which are very 

 abundant. Sesame and groundnuts, and more rarely voand- 

 zeia, are cultivated, and, together with several varieties of 

 wild hibiscus, provide oil and vegetables. Meat is little eaten, 

 the flesh of elephants and hippopotami never, for it causes 

 eruptions on the skin, as also does crocodile flesh. The people 

 are very fond of all kinds of game and fish ; they hardly 

 ever eat fowls, and still more rarelv eggs. 



"When any one dies, a shallow trench is dug near to the hut 

 of the deceased, and the body, placed on its right side, and 

 fully clothed, is laid in it, and then it is filled- up. "Wailing is 

 the only outward sign of grief. No utensils, &c., are put into 

 the grave. The sons and the wives of the father divide the 

 inheritance between them. I saw a most interesting case of 

 puerperal mania in a domesticated negress in the station of 

 Magungo. It was to me a unique experience. 



In the districts of Unyoro with which I have become ac- 

 quainted (Shibiro, Magungo, Masindi, Londii, Kisiiga, Kariima, 

 Atada, Fauvera, Koki, ATruli), two entirely distinct languages 

 are spoken, one of which is divided into two perfectly distinct 

 dialects. In Karuma and Atada, as also in parts of Fauvera, 

 as well as in the districts bordering on the middle course of 

 the Somerset Nile, the people speak Shifalii, a language per- 

 fectlv identical with the Shiili language. The negToes who are 



v CD CD CD 



acquainted with the Shiluk language assert that the Shiili and 

 Shifalii languages are identical with it. If this be the case, 

 it is a very interesting fact, considering the distance, and also 



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