742 Proceedings of the Royal Society 
the lowest class being the slave population, consisting of prisoners 
taken in war and their descendants. They are very well treated, 
but are liable to be sold to Arab slave dealers. The second are the 
Bachopi ; they form the mass of the population, and from them the 
army is recruited, which has made the army of Uganda feared far 
and near. 
The third class, that of the Batongoli, are recruited from the 
Bachopi, but their honours are not hereditary. They govern the 
provinces, and are obliged to collect a certain number of soldiers 
in time of war. They receive their rank for distinguished bravery 
in the field or for other services rendered to the state. Although 
bearing the same name they are not all of equal rank, as some are 
governors of towns, others only of small villages. The fourth class 
consists of Bakungu, nearly all of whom belong to the Luchiko, or 
council, and are governors of large districts of land. The three 
great hereditary chiefs belong to this class. They govern the three 
districts into which Uganda is divided, and naturally take precedence 
over all other members of their class. The prime minister of 
Uganda is appointed by the king. He is called the katikiro ; he 
sits next to the king, being also next in authority to him, although 
he may previously not have been a chief. The privy council is 
composed of the katikiro, the three hereditary chiefs, and one or 
two other favourites of the king, and the king’s sister. The 
general council consists of all the Bakungu and Batongoli who are 
in residence at the capital, — for the rule is that all must reside there 
in rotation for three months in the year. The other nine months 
they can live where they like, unless required on account of war. 
The chief brewer and the head cook to the king are also members 
of the great council, and possess a considerable amount of influence. 
Whatever the privy council decides must be carried out, for no 
king dare oppose their decisions. This general council is in attend- 
ance daily at the palace from about nine to twelve, but it does not 
follow that it meets the king every day, as it is summoned and 
dismissed at his good pleasure, although in exceptional cases the 
hereditary chiefs can insist on the council being held. Should the 
king wish for the advice of the privy council during the sitting of 
the general council, he summons them close to him, and they con- 
fer in a low tone, their voices being rendered inaudible to those 
