第63章

”Thisnewsreachedthecapitalafewdaysafterourarrival。Thecitywasdecorated，drumsandtrumpetsweresounded，andgamesandrejoicingsinstituted，whichcontinuedforthespaceofamonth。”Thedeadbodyofthekhanwasthenbrought，togetherwiththebodiesofaboutahundredmen，hisrelationsandfollowers。”Alargevaultwasconstructedunderground。Itwasspreadwithmagnificentcarpets，andthebodyofthekhanwaslaidinit，alongwithhisweaponsandwiththegoldandsilvervesselsthatwereusedinhishousehold。”Fourfemaleslavesandsixmemlukswereledintothevault，eachprovidedwithadrinkingvesselfilledwithliquid。”Theentranceofthevaultwaswalledup，andearthwasheapedonthetopuntilitresembledalargehillock。”Fourhorseswerethenbroughtandmadetogallopintheneighbourhoodofthetombuntiltheystoodstillwithfatigue。Alargebeamofwoodwaserectedoverthetomb，andtothisthehorseswereattached，beingimpaledwithwoodenpales，passedlongitudinallythroughtheirbodiesandprojectingthroughtheirmouths。”Thebodiesofthekhan’srelatives，whomIhavepreviouslymentioned，werelikewisedepositedinvaults，eachwithhisweaponsandwiththevesselsusedinhishouse。”Thoseofhighestrankwereteninnumber。Overeachoftheirtombsthreehorseswereimpaled，andonehorseovereachoftheothers。”Thedaywasoneofpublicsolemnity，andnooneabstainedfromitsobservance，neithermannorwoman，Moslemnorinfidel。Allarrayedthemselvesinfuneralgarments——theinfidelswearingwhitetailasans，andtheMoslemwhitegowns。”Theempresses，wivesofthekhan，andhischieffollowersremainedintheneighbourhoodofthetombforfortydays，livingintents。Someprolongedtheirstayuptoayear，andamarketwasestablishedatwhichprovisionsandeveryothernecessaryweresold。”ThesearepracticesoftheexistenceofwhichamonganyotherpeopleinthesepresenttimesIhavenopersonalknowledge。”TheIndianinfidelsandthepeopleofChinaburntheirdead。Othersburythem，butwithoutburyinglivingmenorwomenalongwiththecorpse。”ButIwasinformedintheSoudan，bypersonsuponwhosewordfullreliancemaybeplaced，thatamongcertaininfidelsinthesecountries，onthedeathoftheking，avaultisconstructedinwhichthecorpseislaid，andalongwithitacertainnumberofhiscourtiersandservants；asalsothirtypersons，sonsanddaughtersofthemostdistinguishedmenofthecountry。Thefore-armsofthesepersonsarefirstbroken，asalsotheirlegs，belowtheknees，anddrinkingvesselsaredepositedwiththeminthetomb。”Iwasinformedbyaperson，oneofthechiefmenoftheMasuffahs，whodweltinthecountryofKoobar，intheSoudan，andwhowasafavouritewiththesultan，thatonthedeathofthelatterthepeoplewishedtoburymyinformant’ssoninthetombalongwiththoseoftheirownchildrenwhohadbeenchosenforthesamepurpose。Headded：’I

remonstrated，saying，”Howcanyedothis?Theladisnotofyourfaith，neitherisheoneofyourchildren。”Finally，Iransomedhim，’hecontinued，’withaheavypayment。’”……

Thisisaninterestingfact，thatsolongagoastheyear1346suchapracticewasknowntoexistinCentralAfrica。

WhenthefuneralritesofKamrasiwereover，KabbaRegaascendedthethrone，andsucceededtoallhisfather’swives，withtheexceptionofhisownmother。ThisistheinvariablecustominUnyoro。

Thethroneiscomposedpartlyofcopperandofwood。Itisanexceedinglysmallandancientpieceoffurniture，andhasbeenhandeddownformanygenerationsandisconsideredtobeacojoor，ortalisman。

Thereisalsoanancientdrum，whichisregardedwithreverenceassomethinguncanny，andthetwoarticlesarealwaysjealouslyguardedbyspecialsoldiers，andareseldomused。

Shouldthethronebelostorstolen，theauthorityofthekingwoulddisappear，togetherwiththetalisman，anddisorderwouldreignthroughoutthecountryuntilthepreciousobjectshouldberestored。

CHAPTERXIX。

RESTORATIONOFTHELIBERATEDSLAVES。

Theworkhadnowfairlycommenced，andKabbaRegaandhischiefswereassuredofagrandreform。Alreadytheslave-huntershadbeenpunished：

thevakeel，Suleiman，wassecuredint

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