POLYGAMY. 85 



(whether girl or boy) is called " zingoma" the other " kato." 

 The placenta of living twins is placed in a large earthen vessel 

 in a miniature hut, hastily erected in the yard, where it remains 

 during four days, and is then carried in procession to another 

 large hut built in high grass, and there left. But should the 

 twins die, they, together with their placenta, are left in an 

 earthen vessel in the hut of the mother until decomposition sets 

 in. In this case also the miniature hut is erected in the yard, 

 near which a man watches to scare away the hyenas, and then 

 the exposure follows as before. During this time, a perfectly 

 arbitrary period, the inhabitants of the house may not shave 

 themselves, and they keep aloof from every one as a sign of 

 mourning. When at last the exposure is over, the men and 

 women cut their hair and lay aside for a time all ornaments 

 (rings, &c), and, finally, the house in which the birth took 

 place is burned, expiation thus being made. 



Among the causes which reduce the population of this 

 country, unlimited polygamy is one of the most important. 

 It would be absolutely improper for even a small chief to have 

 less than ten or fifteen wives ; poor people have three or four 

 each. Now, as the chief in question has only four or five 

 favourites, whom he always chooses from among the youngest, 

 perhaps exchanging them for still younger ones when they 

 have lived with him a few months, a large number of 

 women are left fallow who would otherwise be capable of 

 production. To this cause must be added far too early 

 marriages. The fecundity of the women is confined to the 

 years between twelve and twenty-five. Unyoro women are 

 not very fruitful, whereas the Waganda and Wakidi (Lango) 

 are often blessed with ten to twelve children. I have never 

 seen women above twenty-five with babies. 



If a man in Unyoro wishes to marry, he has to buy his wife. 

 Four oxen or cows (three for less handsome girls) constitute the 

 usual price, of which two, if the wife bears a child, are paid to her 

 father, while the other must be kept ready for further disposal; 

 that -is, should the husband leave his wife, or be left by her, 

 the two animals become his property. A divorced wife can 

 marry again immediately, but her value in cattle is, of course, 

 smaller. Children belong to, and remain with, the father. 



