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THE LAKE REGIONS OF CENTRAL AFRICA. 



him severely, exclaiming, partly in jest, partly in 

 earnest, " Ah ! now thou art still our comrade, but 

 presently thou wilt torture and slay, fine and flog us." 

 Fundikira proceeding to his native country inherited, 

 as is the custom, all his father's property and widows ; 

 he fixed himself at Ititenya, presently numbered 

 ten wives, who have borne him only three children, 

 built 300 houses for his slaves and dependants, and 

 owned 2000 head of cattle. He lived in some state, 

 declining to call upon strangers, and, though not de- 

 manding still obtaining large presents. Becoming 

 obese by age and good living, he fell ill in the autumn 

 of 1858, and, as usual, his relations were suspected of 

 compassing his end by Uchawi, or black magic. In 

 these regions the death of one man causes many. The 

 Mganga was summoned to apply the usual ordeal. 

 After administering a mystic drug, he broke the neck of 

 a fowl, and splitting it into two lengths inspected the 

 interior. If blackness or blemish appear about the 

 wings, it denotes the treachery of children, relations and 

 kinsmen ; the backbone convicts the mother and grand- 

 mother ; the tail shows that the criminal is the wife, 

 the thighs the concubines, and the injured shanks or 

 feet the other slaves. Having fixed upon the class of 

 the criminals, they are collected together by the 

 Mganga, who, after similarly dosing a second hen, 

 throws her up into the air above the heads of the crowd 

 and singles out the person upon whom she alights. 

 Confession is extorted by tying the thumb backwards 

 till it touches the wrist or by some equally barbarous 

 mode of question. The consequence of condemnation 

 is certain and immediate death ; the mode is chosen by 

 the Mganga. Some are speared, others are beheaded or 

 " ammazati," — clubbed: — a common way is to bind the 



