194 UGANDA AND THE EGYPTIAN SOUDAN.

, earliest and sincerest converts will be drawn from among the poor of the country. The batongoli, or second order of chiefs, govern districts under the bakungu, and in time of war have to furnish a certain number of men as soldiers. Their position is frequently bestowed upon them as a reward for distinguished bravery in battle, and is tenable only for life, not being hereditary. The term batongoli, however, is a vague one to a certain extent, and there is often a wide difference between the members of this class, some ranking very high at court, while others are but little removed from the bakopi. The bakungu, or highest order of chiefs, like the \batongoli, vary a good deal in actual position. They iorm the bulk of the great council of the nation, /and the three leading bakungu are hereditary, the present representatives of the three families, in their order of precedence, being Mkwenda (or Gabunga), Sakibobo, and Kangao. The chief officer of the kingdom under the sovereign is the Katikiro, or lord chancellor ; he is appointed by the king, and holds his office for life, or during the king's pleasure, and takes precedence of all other nobles, sitting next the king in council. He need not be of good birth, and may even be, as the present katikiro is, the son of a mkopi, or peasant. All these chiefs are, in virtue of their position, magistrates or judges, and, decide civil and criminal causes which occur in their respective districts, though all the more serious