LOCAL GOVERNMENT. 89 becomes giddy, and is thus easily detected. This custom, observed also in Uganda, is now disappearing, like so many other peculiarities, before the partial civilisation of the country, consequent on the Egyptian occupation. What I now note as customary may after a few years have become half legendary.

The whole of Unyoro is divided into large districts, over each of which a makungo, temporarily appointed by the king, presides, whose duty it is to collect the contributions of cattle, -corn, &c., due to the sovereign, and to administer justice; but he does not possess the right of pronouncing the sentence of death, which belongs to the monarch alone—not as in Uganda, where every makiungo may put a man to death. Appeals are often made to the kine by those sentenced by the makungo. . The petitioner kneels down before Kabréga’s door at a distance of ten paces, and sets forth his requests. Kabréga then decides—not always in favour of the makwngo. A _ makungo is dependent for provisions for himself and those belonging to him on the district he administers, in which he cultivates large tracts by means of his own slaves, and has his own herds. If he acquits himself of his duties well, he remains in office; if not, a small executive force is sent by the king, his zeriba is surrounded, and everything it contains —wives, children, herds, &c., with the exception of grown-up sons—is confiscated on behalf of the king. Another makzngo is appointed, who immediately enters into his office. They are bound to present themselves from time to time at the king’s court with presents. Hach makiwngo appoints a number of matongali, who administer sub-divisions of the district on the same principles. A makuingo usually retains all the matongalis he finds in power on taking office, and hence this dignity is far more permanent than the other, often indeed it has become hereditary. Punishments consist for the most part in the confiscation of girls, women, and cows; a sentence of death is but seldom decreed by the king, for, as Kabréga very justly observed to me, “a dead man pays no taxes.”

Here,. as in Uganda, the bodies of those who are put to death may not be buried, but are thrown into tall grass.

My huts were situated on a hill, which slopes away gently towards the west and north, while towards the east and south