Ismailia

第63章

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第63章

Ismailia Sir Samuel White Baker

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  ”Thisnewsreachedthecapitalafewdaysafterourarrival。Thecitywasdecorated,drumsandtrumpetsweresounded,andgamesandrejoicingsinstituted,whichcontinuedforthespaceofamonth。”Thedeadbodyofthekhanwasthenbrought,togetherwiththebodiesofaboutahundredmen,hisrelationsandfollowers。”Alargevaultwasconstructedunderground。Itwasspreadwithmagnificentcarpets,andthebodyofthekhanwaslaidinit,alongwithhisweaponsandwiththegoldandsilvervesselsthatwereusedinhishousehold。”Fourfemaleslavesandsixmemlukswereledintothevault,eachprovidedwithadrinkingvesselfilledwithliquid。”Theentranceofthevaultwaswalledup,andearthwasheapedonthetopuntilitresembledalargehillock。”Fourhorseswerethenbroughtandmadetogallopintheneighbourhoodofthetombuntiltheystoodstillwithfatigue。Alargebeamofwoodwaserectedoverthetomb,andtothisthehorseswereattached,beingimpaledwithwoodenpales,passedlongitudinallythroughtheirbodiesandprojectingthroughtheirmouths。”Thebodiesofthekhan’srelatives,whomIhavepreviouslymentioned,werelikewisedepositedinvaults,eachwithhisweaponsandwiththevesselsusedinhishouse。”Thoseofhighestrankwereteninnumber。Overeachoftheirtombsthreehorseswereimpaled,andonehorseovereachoftheothers。”Thedaywasoneofpublicsolemnity,andnooneabstainedfromitsobservance,neithermannorwoman,Moslemnorinfidel。Allarrayedthemselvesinfuneralgarments——theinfidelswearingwhitetailasans,andtheMoslemwhitegowns。”Theempresses,wivesofthekhan,andhischieffollowersremainedintheneighbourhoodofthetombforfortydays,livingintents。Someprolongedtheirstayuptoayear,andamarketwasestablishedatwhichprovisionsandeveryothernecessaryweresold。”ThesearepracticesoftheexistenceofwhichamonganyotherpeopleinthesepresenttimesIhavenopersonalknowledge。”TheIndianinfidelsandthepeopleofChinaburntheirdead。Othersburythem,butwithoutburyinglivingmenorwomenalongwiththecorpse。”ButIwasinformedintheSoudan,bypersonsuponwhosewordfullreliancemaybeplaced,thatamongcertaininfidelsinthesecountries,onthedeathoftheking,avaultisconstructedinwhichthecorpseislaid,andalongwithitacertainnumberofhiscourtiersandservants;asalsothirtypersons,sonsanddaughtersofthemostdistinguishedmenofthecountry。Thefore-armsofthesepersonsarefirstbroken,asalsotheirlegs,belowtheknees,anddrinkingvesselsaredepositedwiththeminthetomb。”Iwasinformedbyaperson,oneofthechiefmenoftheMasuffahs,whodweltinthecountryofKoobar,intheSoudan,andwhowasafavouritewiththesultan,thatonthedeathofthelatterthepeoplewishedtoburymyinformant’ssoninthetombalongwiththoseoftheirownchildrenwhohadbeenchosenforthesamepurpose。Headded:’I

  remonstrated,saying,”Howcanyedothis?Theladisnotofyourfaith,neitherisheoneofyourchildren。”Finally,Iransomedhim,’hecontinued,’withaheavypayment。’”……

  Thisisaninterestingfact,thatsolongagoastheyear1346suchapracticewasknowntoexistinCentralAfrica。

  WhenthefuneralritesofKamrasiwereover,KabbaRegaascendedthethrone,andsucceededtoallhisfather’swives,withtheexceptionofhisownmother。ThisistheinvariablecustominUnyoro。

  Thethroneiscomposedpartlyofcopperandofwood。Itisanexceedinglysmallandancientpieceoffurniture,andhasbeenhandeddownformanygenerationsandisconsideredtobeacojoor,ortalisman。

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