of Edinburgh , Session 1885-86. 
723 
They are to a certain extent indolent, but then the necessities of 
life are easily obtained. They are cleanly, but drunken, and many 
are gluttonous ; drinking is not condemned — gluttony is. They are 
very indecent. 
Human life is little respected, the people being valiant and not 
afraid to die. Unless strongly moved by passion, they cannot be 
said to be cruel, and although passionate they are not revengeful, 
that is amongst themselves ; against their enemies they cherish very 
strong feelings of hatred, and woe betide the district into which 
they make a raid. 
Children are well looked after, and the aged men are respected 
and kindly treated. With the women it is otherwise, as on account 
of polygamy, they hold a low place in the social scale. Before 
marriage they are fairly chaste, afterwards, notwithstanding the 
severe laws on the subject, they are very lax. 
Crimes . — It is rather difficult to give definitely the state of the 
criminal code, for this reason, that although the Waganda have 
definite laws with regard to the punishment of crime, yet they think 
very lightly of it should they escape detection. Crimes against the 
person may be summed up as follows : — Homicide is considered 
criminal, except in cases where there has been great provocation, or 
in some rare cases where a son kills his old father, in order to 
inherit his honours. Suicide is very rarely practised, and is greatly 
condemned. Maiming, abduction, and assault may not as a rule be 
revenged by the party injured, but the ordinary legal procedure 
must be set in motion. With regard to adultery, persons taken in 
the act, if the adultery is committed with women belonging to the 
king or great chiefs, may be summarily executed ; otherwise the 
case must be tried by a judge. Unnatural offences, which have 
been introduced by the Arabs, are intensely abhorred ; they are 
happily of rare occurrence ; the stake is the punishment. Arson 
and theft are the principal crimes against property. Arson is con- 
sidered to be an offence against the community, whereas theft 
is only an injury against an individual. Crimes against the State 
are very rare ; when they occur it is usually on the instigation of 
one of the sons of the reigning monarch. 
Until quite recently, offences against religion have been un- 
known, but, since the Arabs and European missionaries have 
