During This Time An Interesting Case Was Brought Before Us For
Judgment.
Two men having married one woman, laid claim to her
child, which, as it was a male one, belonged to the father.
Baraka was appointed the umpire, and immediately comparing the
infant's face with those of its claimants, gave a decision which
all approved of but the loser. It was pronounced amidst peals of
laughter from my men; for whenever any little excitement is going
forward, the Wanguana all rush to the scene of action to give
their opinions, and joke over it afterwards.
29th and 30th. - On telling Rumanika this story next morning, he
said, "Many funny things happen in Karague"; and related some
domestic incidents, concluding with the moral that "Marriage in
Karague was a mere matter of money." Cows, sheep, and slaves
have to be given to the father for the value of his daughter; but
if she finds she has made a mistake, she can return the dowry-
money, and gain her release. The Wahuma, although they keep
slaves and marry with pure negroes, do not allow their daughters
to taint their blood by marrying out of their clan. In warfare
it is the rule that the Wahinda, or princes, head their own
soldiers, and set them the example of courage, when, after firing
a few arrows, they throw their bows away, and close at once with
their spears and assages. Life is never taken in Karague, either
for murder or cowardice, as they value so much their Wahuma
breed; but, for all offences, fines of cows are exacted according
to the extent of the crime.
31st. - Ever proud of his history since I had traced his descent
from Abyssinia and King David, whose hair was as straight as my
own, Rumanika dwelt on my theological disclosures with the
greatest delight, and wished to know what difference existed
between the Arabs and ourselves; to which Baraka replied, as the
best means of making him understand, that whilst the Arabs had
only one Book, we had two; to which I added, Yes, that is true in
a sense; but the real merits lie in the fact that we have got the
better BOOK, as may be inferred from the obvious fact that we are
more prosperous, and their superiors in all things, as I would
prove to him if he would allow me to take one of his sons home to
learn that BOOK; for then he would find his tribe, after a while,
better off than the Arabs are. Much delighted, he said he would
be very glad to give me two boys for that purpose.
Then, changing the subject, I pressed Rumanika, as he said he had
no idea of a God or future state, to tell me what advantage he
expected from sacrificing a cow yearly at his father's grave. He
laughingly replied he did not know, but he hoped he might be
favoured with better crops if he did so. He also place pombe and
grain, he said, for the same reason, before a large stone on the
hillside, although it could not eat, or make any use of it; but
the coast-men were of the same belief as himself, and so were all
the natives.
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