Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-01-25
KING MWANGA DEPOSED.
A BlOOdthirsty Monarch De.
thrOned by His Body Guard.
Arabs Put a Number Of Mission
aries to Death in Africa,

Information has just been received of a
revolution in Uganda, Central Africa, which
has resulted in the complete overthrow Of
King Mwanga, the slaughter of many Chris
tan officials appointed by his successor, the
deaths of many other converts to Christi
unity, the enforced flight OF the missionaries,
bnd in proclamation that hereafter Uganda
Is to be a Mohammedan country.
The outbreak, it seems, was entirely due to
the bloodthirsty instincts and cruel intentions
of King Mwanga. In October he cOncOcted a
plot to destroy the members Of his body guard.
The latter were under orders to take canoes
Tor certain island in Lake Victoria
Nyanza. There King Mwanga intended,
after destroying the canoes, to de-
guards would soon die of starvation The
guards, having been warned of the Kings
Intentions, refused to make the trip, and
turned the tables on Mwanga by suddenly
returning to his capital and organizing an
attack on his palace.
The attack was successful. The guards
were determined to kill Mwanga if they
laid hands on him. out he escaped by fight.
The victors in the fight named Kiwewa,
the brother of Mwanga, as King. and
he was crowned. Kiwewa's policy was
was not satisfactory to the bulk of the
people, as he appointed Christians
to the principal offices. The discomfort of
the anti Christian faction was soon famed
to fury and an irregular hunt for Christians
followed. Many Of the Christian officials
were killed and the only Christians who es-
capped death did so by flight.
Five converts to Christianity met death in
curious way. They fled to the mission
boat Eleanor and got safely aboard. Soon
afterward the boat was struck by a hippo
potamus with such force that it filled and
sank The five converts were drowned.
The English and French mission stations
were burned, and as many OF their inmates
as could be found were murdered. All the
missionaries, it is believed escaped and
reached UsamboiO safely. the Msalala de-
mission stations many letters addressed to
Henry NJ. Stanley and Emin Bey have been
destroyed.
Mwanga was caught and is, a prisoner
at Mfagwe. He has appealed to the tn
Missionary Mckay has received
word from the revolutionists that
they intend to destroy all the mission sta
tiOns in Central Africa in revenge for Eng.
lands anti-slavery policy, and he is warned
that missionaries will not be treated with
more tenderness than their missions.
Uganda is in the eastern part of Central
Africa, has an area of $4,000 square miles,
and population of 100000. 1t is divided
into three provinces in the south,
SingO in the west, and Changwe in the east.
The men of Uganda are tall and we'll built,
with chocolate colOred skin and woolly hair.
The Government is feudal. the King being
SupIeIIIe CuCC6SSlOu Is SCl1Idl
nOminally, but the success " is generally mi
nor. who is chosen by three hereditary chiefs,
who, with the young Kings mother, carry
on the Government until he attains his
majority King Mwanga is Of the Wahuma
tribe The late King Mtesa claimed direct
descent from kintu, Ham.
The Waganda are warlike people and all
males hold themselves in readiness for mill
tary service.
Mwanga is probably the most blood
thirsty monster in Africa, and is sub
ject to paroxvsms of uncomfortable
rage. Whenever he has heard of the
approach of a European traveller he has
been terribly excited, and ordinarily he has
relieved his feelings by butchering mission
aries. In 1886 he burned az the stake
forty converts of the missions of
the Roman Catholic and English
Churches. Bishop Harrington was treacher-
ously assassnated by this unreasoning
savage despot a nd many other missionaries
have shared the same fate. When Mwanga
heard of the Stanley expedition, he cast muir
derous eyes on the nearest mission stations,
ing ENJOYS to Emin to demand explanations.
led to his dethronement, is CHARACTERISTIC Of
this lnhuman savage. What effect
Mwangas Imprisonment will have upon
Emin's fortunes it is idle to conjecture.
The brutal King has been his chief
enemy on the south, and has blocke' he
road to the coast His dethronement
naturally be helpful to Emin. The extern
non of Mahometan sway, however, will
have the effect of exciting renewed hos
ility to Europeans.