THE SOURCE OF THE NILE. 543 



ficer regulates the precedence of one nobleman over ano- 

 ther, and is poffeffed of the hiftory of all pedigrees, the 

 nobleft of which are always accounted thofe neareft to the 

 king reigning. 



Every man pleads his own caufe before the council, and 

 receives immediate fentence. It is a fettled rule, that thofe 

 who flrike the animal firft, if the lance remain upright, or 

 in the fame direction in which it enters the beaft, are un- 

 derftood to be the flayers of the beaft, whatever number 

 combat with him afterwards. There is one exception, how- 

 ever, that if the beaft, after receiving the firft wound, tho* 

 the lance is in him, fhould lay hold of a horfe or man, fo 

 that it is evident he would prevail againft them ; a buffalo, 

 for example, that mould tofs a man "with his horns, or an 

 elephant that mould take a horfe with his trunk, the man 

 who fhall then flay the beaft, and prevent or revenge the 

 death of the man or horfe attacked, fhall be accounted the 

 flayer of the beaft, and entitled to the premium. 



This was the ancient employment of thefe councils. In 

 my time they kept up this cuftom in point of form ; the 

 council fat late upon moft ferious affairs of the nation ; and 

 the death, banifhment, and degradation of the firft men in 

 the kingdom were agitated and determined here under the 

 pretence of fitting to judge the prizes of paftimes. This 

 hunting is feldom prolonged beyond a fortnight. 



The king, from ocular inflection, is prefumed to be able 

 to choofe among the young nobility thofe that are ready 

 for taking the neceffary charges in the army ; and it is 

 from his judgment in this that the priefts foretel whether 



his 



