204 NOTES ON THE MONBUTTU.

substituted brother of the deceased so ingratiated himself with the people that he remained in possession after the majority of the real heir, who only received his honours at the death of the regent. It also sometimes happens that, should there be several brothers of nearly the same age, the popular voice decides that not the eldest but the cleverest and most respected of them shall ascend the throne, and this is arranged without war or the shedding of blood. The rejected candidates retire quietly into private life, and as a: matter of fact the relations of chiefs differ in no way from the rest of the people. The sub-chiefs were originally appointed by the ruler, but as they are not dismissed from their posts unless well-founded complaints are made against them, and are even allowed to remain © in office on the accession of a new ruler, who thus gains their support, they virtually constitute an hereditary nobility. At the same time, the right of the ruler to appoint his sub-chiefs and to dismiss them is fully admitted. Individuals who greatly distinguish themselves, or render special services, even should they belong to the servile class, are rewarded by grants of land in sparsely peopled districts or on the borders. . There the new chief is at once afforded an opportunity of proving his capacity by attracting people, by founding a village, cultivating the land, and conquering and pacifying the frontier districts.

The laws of succession in Monbuttu have, however, been completely upset by the interference of the Danagla, by whom so-called ‘ Dragomans” were raised to be chiefs in place of the legitimate rulers, and put in possession. Thus, the larger part of Munza’s old district is to-day in the hands of Gambari, the son of a smith, who, again, appointed his brothers to be sub-chiefs, although the legitimate rulers, Munza’s sons and nephews, are still alive. Quite recently the official entrusted with the government of Monbuttu has not hesitated to appoint Wando’s son, Mbittima, to the post of the exiled Mambanga, as chief of the Mabisanga, although this Mbittima is a Zande, and not a Monbuttu. It is easy to conceive that such arbitrary proceedings have produced great confusion in connexion with the territorial titles, and that pretexts for disputes are constantly cropping up. I therefore at once set to work to find out all I could as to the legitimacy of the present rulers, and as the