St. Landry democrat., 1885-05-09
KING MTEsA.

The Ring of Uganda, whose death we
announced on Wednesday, was, for
Africa, a remarkable man, probably the
most notable potentate of purely native
origin that the dark continent has pro-
duced. According to the estimate of
Colonel Grant, who, with Spoke, was
his guest twenty-three years ago. Mtesa
was probably not more than forty-eight
years of age at the time of his death,
and, having succeeded his father, Suna,
in 1857, he has reigned twenty-eight
years. The Waganda have the names
OF thirty-fiVe Kings who have reigned
down to the time of Mtesa in regular
succession, and, as Colonel Grant points
out, may probably account for the
''hlue blood and vanity which certain
ly ran in the VEINS Of Mtesa. This van
ity comes ont in all the narratives we
have from foreign yIsitors-Spcke and
Grant, Stanley, and Wilson and Felkin.
1t was eXcusable in a potentate who
had probably never been a hundred
miles from home, and who had never
come into contact with any greater
power than his own. to send ambassa-
doris to the Queen of England, and to
believe their reports of the insignifcance
of the British Empire as compared with
Uganda. Probably, however, no other
native African Prince, not even the
Muata Janyo himself, had been able to
organize state so completely and
make SO great an advance toward civ
ilization as the KING who has Just died
and his predecessors. Colonel Grant,
who knew him well, speaks of him
Proc. K. G. S., vol. ", D. 400 in terms
of real respect, and his estimate is es-
sentially supported by such men as Sir
Samuel Baker and Mr.. Stanley. We have
all read the latter's long, interesting and
dramatic account of his many CONVEX
sations with Mtesa about civilization
and Christianity. As we know, the result
of Mr.. Stanley's visit was that Protes-
tant missions were established in the
country, and, according to the mission
aries own reports, have had gratifying
success. But Mtesa was much per-
picked when he learned that there are
two Christian religions, the adherents
of which are as hostile to each other as
both are TO Mohammedanism or heath
anism. For a time, we believe, the
Roman Catholic emissaries succeeded
in placing their Protestant brethren
under the shadow of Mtesa's neglect,
if not absolute dispieasure, and in the
end he and his chiefs abandoned both
and reverted to Mohammedanism. AS
might be expected, the missionaries
from their point of view do not speak
SO favorablY of the late King as the ex-
plorers. Certainly from the European
point of view Mtesa was guilty of great
cruelties; but, as Colonel Grant shows,
these apparently indiscriminate sacri-
fees of human life were really the recog-
nized and organized modes of admin
istering justice in Uganda. Mtesa him
self was evidently a man governed
largely by impulse. It was a good point
in his character that when Colonel
Grant visited him, he made point of
visiting his mother every two days at
least. When Baker, as Colonel Grant
reminds us, was all but defeated by the
Wanyoro, force from Uganda arriv-
ing in the distance was the cause of the
of the enemy. Mtesa for
warded letters from Baker to Living
stone by his swift-footed soldiers, who,
after journey of six hundred miles.
found the veteran traveller was dead.
These and other facts, which may be read
in the pages of the travellers we have
show that Mtesa was eapa-
BILE of taking real interest in matters
far outside the range of the ordinary
savage mind. His army, wonderfully
and diciplined, Mr.. Stanley
estimates at 125, 900 men, and his fleet
at 500 canoes. The population of
Uganda proper is probably about a
million, but with neighboring depen-
dent territories about three millions. The
capital is finely situated on the slopes
Of the north shore of Lake Victoria Ny
ANA, from which, as Mr.. Stanley's IL
Iustration shows, broad path leads up
to the royal quarters. 1t is gratifying
10 learn that there have been compare
lively little violence and bloodshed at |
he change of monarchy. 1t used to be
The custom at the coronation of the new !
King to sacrifice his brothers, custom |
which the latter evidently regarded as
perfectly natural. Mtesa's brothers, at |
he time of Colonel Grants visit, went
about in chains, but all the same, and
.hough conscious of their fate, ''con-
and attended picnics, and
ooated, and played musical instruments
With their brother. the King, with per-
ect freedom of action and of speech"
What all the outside influences have
been that have had a civilizing effect on
Uganda before it was discovered by
Europeans, we do not know; what they
nave been since we do know pretty
ully, and the results so far have been
N the whole good. It is to be hoped
hat, under the young prince who now
I &. II al