Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-01-02

take no presents that Speke bad to shoot
one hundred cows daily for the king s
pleasure; that arrivel would be celebrated
by the massacre OF great number of peo.
Pile; that he abbored slavery, that no sick
person could enter bis territory &c /
was consequently very anxious TO reach
Uganda to test these wonderful reports,
aud soon fouud that he took the most enor.
nous preseuts we had made; daily shot
few cows, the meat OF which The men got !;
no human sacrifices made 10 honor of my
arrival; slaves he had immense numbers,
and ne sent carrying party TO bring me,
an invalid, up two hundred miles; SO that
the report proved to some extent fabr-
cation The 6rst time Speke took me
here to call upon him he presided at an
immense levee (the most theatrical affair, y
looking perfect fop and dandy--abeit
with an overwceniDg and contemptuous air
(cauSe custom not to look at him J His
bad clothes and head ornaments were put
on with the greatest care and neatness:
not hair was out of place, and evidently
his ladies' maids had spared no pains 10
his toilet. Two or three females sooth
sayers, called Witehnesee, sat by his side
to hand him bis wine cup, or brush of a
speck sshould it fall on the king; they sp-
peared to exercise some sacred functions
about the courr, ard were supposed to
divine every event They could obtain
interviews aud TO show their influence
where no other party could prevail. And
where the most naughty women, queens in
the land, bowing to or scknowledgl none.
They dressed Enthusiastically, ard like every
individual present, exquisiely clean and
tidy, with natural wreaths Of flowers, stuff
ed lizards, shells. beads or seeds dresses of
Salmon tinted bu k cloths 10 their ,kles,
aprons, perhaps TWO or three shining black,
white, or red skins of the kid-for hours
they sit IN this state waiting upon the king
until be chooses to terminate his evee by
retiring 10 another court.
| Many curious barbarous customs prevail
in Uganda is that if page does not
convey properly the kings orders, or mis-.
conveys them, the poor boy has his intellect
sharpened by having one or both ears cut
otf-maimed boys aud handless men, not
seemingly disgraced, were therefore not at
all uncommon; aud On his seeing my hand,
1t at once struck him that had beeu
page, for he asked me. He punshes 10y
torture to Gealh-the lives of men Gnl
women are taken for the most trivial often.
ses--a common saying being that he never
looks bright or no business can be done till
the day has been commented with few
being leu 10 execution. Not day pissed
without our hearing of o. actually seeing
some poor victim A miserable young glll
or handsome woman, from the palace gate
might be seen walking down the road per
lecty alone aud UNDECIDED by passers by;
wailing father or mother, iu the must
onler, agonzing tones, perhaps bleeding
from spear wound, and mouruiuly FOL
lowing single palace guard, walking fifty
yards ia front oi her 10 the place of execu
tiou, Others would have whipcvrd around
The waist, and follow the miu along ike
dog; while others pull, have seen mvsli
Reluctantly, against the cord by which they
are being led 10 death, screaming most
cruelty.
Princesses by birth had several privileges
they could not be executed like others
aud the kings sister, the handSomest girl in
The palace, lad the privilege If also being
his wife Al the close of the levee draw
ing room would be held ia anotuer court.
No one was admitted exec pt ourselves aud
interpreters, because the public on pain OF
death dared not look oil the queens. His
majesty, seated on d camp chalr, would be
surrounded by about two huudred of his
wives sqnatlIng on The ground, sister at
his feet 10 talk nonsense 10, or confidential
ly to. Conversation would turn upon guns
when queen would fly TO bring in his; or
ON our route, or uron our strange appear.
ance Such nte,v ews would last couple
OF hours and were generally enlivened by
bands OF drums or flutes, or bufoon sing
ing comic str raus outside the enclosure.
He returned my call the day atler my
visit. heard the sound Of rushing moo
outside the fence OF our hut, when in boand
ed the young king, bareheaded, clearing
the fences, dressed in an opeU chntz JACKET
no shirt, aud loose white trousers, trimmed
with red, aud looking not the swell OF Yes
terday, but the picture of negro black
guard. He WAS followed by twenty lads
and boys, his brothers, carrying guns,
sticks, dead vultures and other birds wi hich
be had shot. Que or two were heavily
ironed, feet and hands, another had a
wide awake of leather on; all were as
Jolly as only Africans eau be. Giving
him chair outside the hut, be rapidly
turned over the leaves of sketch book
stared wildly about, asked whether hi:
likeness had yet been doue-whether we haC
seen the birds he had shot-ordered ME t
show my head uncoserer TO his brothers
who squatted round him, tearing at sugar
cane in the most rayenous manner. In 4
moment he was off to shoot ard enjoy him
self followed by the rauble o! brothers, eact
J struggling to get in front of aud preced'
him, Ho bad gone picnicpg, having
changed his dirty or torn clothes from ,
! box load carried on q boys head aud re
} turned TO bis palace by lorchlight, the tre
! meudous rstlling din Of the ineskooro on the
palace drums accompanying his instruments
; In marching through his country yon ar'
s escourted by City OF his army, and gal
| ali. who has drummer TO beat the reveille'
3 company's call, alarm, or assembly, is il
e commend. The drummers are general.
very smart fellows. as they must follow tn
: captain and his dog wherever they ma.
s lead them. You are the guest of the king
Q aud most never pay the people for any thing