The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-01-30
KING MWANGA DEPOSED.
IA 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
tian officials appointed by his successor, the
deaths of many other converts to Christi
unity, the enforced flight of the missionaries,
and in proclamation that hereafter Uganda
is to be Mohammedan country.
The outbreak, it seems. was entirely due 70
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
Nyanza. There King Mwanga intended,
after destroying the canoes to &C.
sert them. in the belief that the Inc
guards would soon die of starvation: Inc
guards, having been warned OF the King s
intentions, refused to make the trip, and
turned the tables on Mwanga by suddenly
returning to his sapital and organizing an
attack on his palace
The attack was successful. ~ha guards
were determined to XII Mwanga if they
laid hands on him, brG he escaped by flight.
The victors in the fight named klwewa;
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 Christmas
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 10
curious way. They fed to the mission
boat Eleanor and got safely aboard. Soon
,afterward the boat was struck by hippo,
potamus with such force that it filled anu
sank. The five converts were drowned.
The English and French mission stations
were burned. and as many OF their lnmates
as could be found were murdered. All the
missionaries, it is believed, escaped and
reached Usamboio safely. The Msalala de.
pot is untouched. By the burning OF the
mission stations many letters addressed to
Henry NJ Stanley and Emin Bey have been
destroyed.
Mwanga was caught and is a prisoner
at Magwe. He has appealed to the
English missionaries for assistance;
Missionary Word from ISe'y tss revoatonsts as 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 Centrai
Africa, has an area Of 81, 600 square ml,es;
and population Of 5,00O.O00 1t is divided
into three provinces-Ud in the south,
Singo in the west, and Changwe in the east.
The men of Uganda are tall and well built,
with chocolate -colored skin and woolly halr
The Government is feudal. the King being
nominally supreme Succession is hereditary
nominally, but the successor 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 Mwangais is of the Wahuma
tribe The late King Mtesa claimed direct
descent from Kintu, HAM. =,
The Waganda are a warlike people and all
males hold themselves in readiness for mill
tary service. ,,,
thirsty monster in Africa, and is SUP
rage @ Whenever he has heard Of the
approach of a European traveller ne mas
been terribly excited. and ordinarily he has
relieved his feelings by butchering mission
aries. In 1856 he burned q. the stake
forty converts Of the missions OF
the Roman Catholic and English
Churches. Bishop Harrington was treacher-
ously assassinated by this unreasonlng
savage despot 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,
but finally contented himself with send
ing ENJOYS to Emin to demand explanations
His plot against his bodyguard, which has
led to his dethronement, is characteristic OF
this inhuman savage. what enect
Mwangas Imprisonment will have upon
Emin's fortunes it is idle to conjecture;
The brutal King has been his cher
enemy on the south, and has blocked the
road to the coast. His dethronement would
naturally be helpful to Emin. The e1ten,
sion of Mahometan sway, however, wlli
tility to Europeans.