166 Proceedings of Royal Society of Edinburgh. [sess. 
house for four or five days, according to his wishes. It often 
happens that they follow a man who pleases them of their own 
accord and stay with him. He is bound to comply with their 
wishes, and to provide them with food, &c. Their reward consists 
of cowries, bark-cloths, dressed hides, and even slaves, according to 
the circumstances of the man they fall in love with. Should the 
reward fall below their expectations, they always appeal to Kabrega, 
who in most cases decides in their favour, although he derives no 
benefit whatever from them. All that they earn belongs to them, 
and should one of them amass a fortune she sets up a seriba of 
her own, and perhaps marries one of the king’s slaves. Should one 
of them bear a child it belongs to the king as a slave. If it be a 
boy, he is placed later on among the pages ( Vagaraggara)^ and when 
grown-up is enrolled in the bodyguard, always as a slave, but no 
reproach clings to him because of his illegitimate birth. If it be a 
girl, she is brought up to her mother’s profession, also remaining of 
course a slave of Kabrega, who however comes into no personal 
contact with these women. The institution seems to be very old, 
and Kabrega told me that the first of such women were not 
Wanyoro.” When I was told of this custom I was informed that 
Kabrega exercised the right qI jus primae noctis with these women. 
They are sometimes permitted to go about the country in couples ; 
they wear a distinctive dress, which I saw. If they quarter them- 
selves upon any individual, they take precedence over his wives, and 
expect a good present. Apart from this institution, the Wanyoro 
may be said to be fairly moral. 
Language . — In all probability, the original language of the 
Wanyoro belonged to the Bantu group. It differs, however, dis- 
tinctly from Luganda. I was not in Unyoro long enough to learn much 
about it, but I know that it is very much corrupted, in the northern 
districts the language being very nearly akin to that spoken by the 
Wachopi, while in the south-eastern districts there is a certain 
mixture of Luganda. As Emin mentioned, it is very curious that 
the market names for articles are different from those in everyday 
use. (See Appendix.) 
Grant remarks that the language spoken in Unyoro differs but 
slightly from that spoken at Karagwe. It was not, however, under- 
stood by his followers until they had been some time in the country, 
