TREASON.-Zulus, SP D.-Conveying information to the enemy, desertion from the tribe, contriving the death of the king or chief, or speaking evil against him, are punished among the Zulus by death and confiscation of goods.'

Congo People, S P D.- Lack of proper respect to the king or the king's wives is punished by death or slavery."

Dahomans, S P D.-In Dahomey, treason and cowardice are punished with death.3 The greatest respect to the king is compulsory. After war, the king, as judge, holds an open court of justice. Any individual may comment on the conduct of any other man during the war, and "if the charge be substantiated, punishment follows. Great liberty of spirit is enjoyed, and distinctions of rank laid aside." s

The Dahomans "reverence" their king, "with a mixture of love and fear, little short of adoration.” Even after horrible tyranny-when there was not an individual in the kingdom who had not lost some near and dear relative through the king's avarice or anger-their loyalty and attachment usually remained unshaken; for "whatever the king does they are persuaded is right." Yet, in the reign of Ahadeea terrible tyrant-who had been chosen king by the Prime Ministers, over the head of his elder brother, Zingah; this brother, with other conspirators, plotted to seize the government; but they were discovered, seized, and all put to death. "The prince was sewed up in a hammock and drowned" in the sea-this being the punishment appointed by the law for offences of the royal family. Later in the same reign, one of the Prime Ministers (the "Mayhou") rebelled, but was defeated and killed in battle, while all pris

1 Gardiner, pp. 94-5. Shooter, p. 156.

"Burton, A Mission to Gelele, i., 192, note. Pinkerton, xvi., 330.

* Forbes, i., 26.

'Dalzel, p. 133. Burton, A Mission to Gelele, i., 231, note.

Forbes, ii., 86.

Dalzel, pp. 67–70.

oners taken were put to death. ment for treason.

Here is wholesale punish

Ashantes, S P D.-The king is represented as an absolutely despotic monarch, but he is under "obligations to observe the national customs, which have been handed down to the people from remote antiquity; and a practical disregard of this obligation, in the attempt to change some of the customs of their forefathers, cost Osai Quamina his throne." Individuals are subject to the most despotic authority and are frequently victims of the royal jealousy or displeasure. "To speak disrespectfully of the king is a treasonable offence" in Ashantee; so also, "To speak of the death of a former king, or to inquire concerning the successor to the reigning sovereign." Everybody must get out of the way when the king's wives go abroad.'

Malagasy, S P D.-Desertion from the army and cowardice in battle were punished with death.3

"Rataffe was seized, and a public court of military and civil judges declared him guilty of disloyalty. Within four hours a spear was thrust through his heart." 4

Abyssinians, SP D.-The government is in the form of an absolute monarchy. Their legal system is based upon the ancient Code Justinian, but the king is "above all laws" and "often judges capital crimes himself." "It is death to strike, or lift the hand to strike, before the king." It is high treason to sit upon any seat of the king's.5

INCEST-Hottentots, S.-" The Hottentots allow not marriages between first and second cousins." They punish adultery with death."

South African Tribes between Cape Colony and Natal, SP. -"A man and woman whose origin can be traced to a

1 Beecham, p. 90, et seq. Reade, p. 43. 'Drury, p. 151.

Bruce, iv., 462–4, iv., 16.

'Beecham, pp. 4, 95, 123. Ellis, Hist. of Madagascar, ii, 368, 410. Kolbe, i, 155 and 157.

106

Uchawe or Black Magic

common ancestor cannot marry; nor can they, without breach of the law, have sexual intercourse one with another. Fines invariably follow breaches of the marriage law." 1

I

Abyssinians, SP O., etc.-" Incest is looked upon by the Abyssinians in its proper light. I remember only two or three instances of its occurrence; and in these the heinousness of the crime made such an impression on the feelings of the guilty persons that they confessed their sin publicly." Severe punishment with banishment into the mountains followed. The people "hooted" them out of the place, manifesting great" disgust." 2

EVIL-WITCHCRAFT-East Africans, S PD or slavery.— The crime of "uchawe or black magic" is punished by burning to death, or sometimes by selling into slavery.3

Gold Coast Negroes, S P.-" The Bulloms have a saying among themselves that a Bullom man cannot die, unless his death be occasioned by poison or witchcraft." Those believed guilty of killing a member of the tribe by witchcraft are sold as slaves. "The accused person frequently acknowledges the charge, and submits to his sentence without repining." +

Hottentots, S P.-"They (the Korannas) are much addicted to a mischievous sort of witchcraft, by means of which they often grievously torment each other."s All sudden sickness, pain and death they ascribe commonly to witchcraft. Old women among them are thought to be especially given over to this abominable art."

South African Tribes between Cape Colony amd Natal, SR D.--When any one falls ill, his friends go to the witch

1 Macdonald, Jour. Anth. Inst, (1890), p. 270.

Parkyns, ii, 220-21.

3 Burton, Lake Regions of Central Africa, i, 113, 265.

* Winterbottom, i, 237-8, 260; ii, 10, note.

5 Thompson, ii, 35.

"Kolbe, i, 219-20.

doctor to learn the cause of the disease. After a long while sitting in silence, he says oracularly, "You are being killed." "How, and by whom?" they ask. He replies that he cannot tell. They must return the following day, and meanwhile send a beast as his fee. The next day all the neighbors must attend the meeting. The witch doctor names to the chief the man who has bewitched "our brother;" all immediately separate themselves from the miscreant, and he is despatched that night. When the Rain Doctors fail to make rain fall after several attempts, "chiefs have been known to sacrifice every doctor belonging to the tribe in one huge holocaust."

I

Zulus, SPD.-Poisoning and practises with an evil intent termed witchcraft are punished by death and confiscation.2 Malagasy, S P D.--Among the Malagasy "chicanery, lying, cheating and defrauding are mere trifles, compared with the enormous offences of trampling or dancing upon a grave (sacrilege), eating pork in certain districts where it is prohibited, running after an owl or wild cat, or preparing enchantments. In order that the land may be purged from the evils of witchcraft, it is imbued with the innocent blood of the unfortunately suspected victim-poisoned, speared, strangled, or dashed over the fatal precipice." Not to lie to foreigners on political matters is a crime.3

ANCIENT PERUVIANS, MEXICANS AND CENTRAL AMERICANS.

Following those strong tendencies toward absolute monarchy, as seen in Africa, to their natural conclusion, we find terrible despotisms, like the empires of the ancient Peruvians and Aztecs, as they existed at the time of the Spanish conquest in the 17th century. The emperor is not only

' Macdonald, Jour. Anth. Inst. (1890), pp. 294-5.

2 Gardiner, pp. 94-5.

Ellis, History of Madagascar, i, 144, 389, 394.