Her
Majesty Became Genial, As She Had Been Before, And Promised To
Provide Me With Suitable Society.
I then told her I had desired
my officers several times to ask the king how marriages were
conducted
In this country, as they appeared so different from
ours, but they always said they dared not put such a question to
him, and now I hoped she would explain it to me. To tell her I
could not get anything from the king, I knew would be the surest
way of eliciting what I wanted from her, because of the jealousy
between the two courts; and in this instance it was fully proved,
for she brightened up at once, and, when I got her to understand
something of what I meant by a marriage ceremony, in high good
humour entered on a long explanation, to the following effect: -
There are no such things as marriages in Uganda; there are no
ceremonies attached to it. If any Mkungu possessed of a pretty
daughter committed an offence, he might give her to the king as a
peace-offering; if any neighbouring king had a pretty daughter,
and the king of Uganda wanted her, she might be demanded as a
fitting tribute. The Wakungu in Uganda are supplied with women
by the king, according to their merits, from seizures in battle
abroad, or seizures from refractory officers at home. The women
are not regarded as property according to the Wanyamuezi
practice, though many exchange their daughters; and some women,
for misdemeanours, are sold into slavery; whilst others are
flogged, or are degraded to do all the menial services of the
house.
The Wakungu then changed the subject by asking, if I married a
black woman, would there be any offspring, and what would be
their colour? The company now became jovial, when the queen
improved it by making a significant gesture, and with roars of
laughter asking me if I would like to be her son-in-law, for she
had some beautiful daughters, either of the Wahuma, or Waganda
breed. Rather staggered at first by this awful proposal, I
consulted Bombay what I should do with one if I got her. He,
looking more to number one than my convenience, said, "By all
means accept the offer, for if YOU don't like her, WE should, and
it would be a good means of getting her out of this land of
death, for all black people love Zanzibar." The rest need not be
told; as a matter of course I had to appear very much gratified,
and as the bowl went round, all became uproarious. I must wait a
day or two, however, that a proper selection might be made; and
when the marriage came off, I was to chain the fair one two or
three days, until she became used to me, else, from mere fright,
she might run away.
To keep up the spirits of the queen, though her frequent potions
of pombe had wellnigh done enough, I admired her neck-ring,
composed of copper wire, with a running inlaid twist of iron, and
asked her why she wore such a wreath of vine-leaves, as I had
often seen on some of the Wakungu.
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