the golden bough-第93节

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sed；　whether　partially　or　wholly；　to　be　able　to　reproduce　his　kind；　it　is　time　for　him　to　die　and　to　make　room　for　a　more　vigorous　successor。　Taken　along　with　the　other　reasons　which　are　alleged　for　putting　the　king　to　death；　this　one　suggests　that　the　fertility　of　men；　of　cattle；　and　of　the　crops　is　believed　to　depend　sympathetically　on　the　generative　power　of　the　king；　so　that　the　complete　failure　of　that　power　in　him　would　involve　a　corresponding　failure　in　men；　animals；　and　plants；　and　would　thereby　entail　at　no　distant　date　the　entire　extinction　of　all　life；　whether　human；　animal；　or　vegetable。　No　wonder；　that　with　such　a　danger　before　their　eyes　the　Shilluk　should　be　most　careful　not　to　let　the　king　die　what　we　should　call　a　natural　death　of　sickness　or　old　age。　It　is　characteristic　of　their　attitude　towards　the　death　of　the　kings　that　they　refrain　from　speaking　of　it　as　death：　they　do　not　say　that　a　king　has　died　but　simply　that　he　has　gone　away　like　his　divine　ancestors　Nyakang　and　Dag；　the　two　first　kings　of　the　dynasty；　both　of　whom　are　reported　not　to　have　died　but　to　have　disappeared。　The　similar　legends　of　the　mysterious　disappearance　of　early　kings　in　other　lands；　for　example　at　Rome　and　in　Uganda；　may　well　point　to　a　similar　custom　of　putting　them　to　death　for　the　purpose　of　preserving　their　life。

On　the　whole　the　theory　and　practice　of　the　divine　kings　of　the　Shilluk　correspond　very　nearly　to　the　theory　and　practice　of　the　priests　of　Nemi；　the　Kings　of　the　Wood；　if　my　view　of　the　latter　is　correct。　In　both　we　see　a　series　of　divine　kings　on　whose　life　the　fertility　of　men；　of　cattle；　and　of　vegetation　is　believed　to　depend；　and　who　are　put　to　death；　whether　in　single　combat　or　otherwise；　in　order　that　their　divine　spirit　may　be　transmitted　to　their　successors　in　full　vigour；　uncontaminated　by　the　weakness　and　decay　of　sickness　or　old　age；　because　any　such　degeneration　on　the　part　of　the　king　would；　in　the　opinion　of　his　worshippers；　entail　a　corresponding　degeneration　on　manking；　on　cattle；　and　on　the　crops。　Some　points　in　this　explanation　of　the　custom　of　putting　divine　kings　to　death；　particularly　the　method　of　transmitting　their　divine　souls　to　their　successors；　will　be　dealt　with　more　fully　in　the　sequel。　Meantime　we　pass　to　other　examples　of　the　general　practice。

The　Dinka　are　a　congeries　of　independent　tribes　in　the　valley　of　the　White　Nile。　They　are　essentially　a　pastoral　people；　passionately　devoted　to　the　care　of　their　numerous　herds　of　oxen；　though　they　also　keep　sheep　and　goats；　and　the　women　cultivate　small　quantities　of　millet　and　sesame。　For　their　crops　and　above　all　for　their　pastures　they　depend　on　the　regularity　of　the　rains：　in　seasons　of　prolonged　drought　they　are　said　to　be　reduced　to　great　extremities。　Hence　the　rain…maker　is　a　very　important　personage　among　them　to　this　day；　indeed　the　men　in　authority　whom　travellers　dub　chiefs　or　sheikhs　are　in　fact　the　actual　or　potential　rain…makers　of　the　tribe　or　community。　Each　of　them　is　believed　to　be　animated　by　the　spirit　of　a　great　rain…maker；　which　has　come　down　to　him　through　a　succession　of　rain…makers；　and　in　virtue　of　this　inspiration　a　successful　rain…maker　enjoys　very　great　power　and　is　consulted　on　all　important　matters。　Yet　in　spite；　or　rather　in　virtue；　of　the　high　honour　in　which　he　is　held；　no　Dinka　rain…maker　is　allowed　to　die　a　natural　death　of　sickness　or　old　age；　for　the　Dinka　believe　that　if　such　an　untoward　event　were　to　happen；　the　tribe　would　suffer　from　disease　and　famine；　and　the　herds　would　not　yield　their　increase。　So　when　a　rain…maker　feels　that　he　is　growing　old　and　infirm；　he　tells　his　children　that　he　wishes　to　die。　Among　the　Agar　Dinka　a　large　grave　is　dug　and　the　rain…maker　lies　down　in　it；　surrounded　by　his　friends　and　relatives。　From　time　to　time　he　speaks　to　the　people；　recalling　the　past　history　of　the　tribe；　reminding　them　how　he　has　ruled　and　advised　them；　and　instructing　them　how　they　are　to　act　in　the　future。　Then；　when　he　has　concluded　his　admonition；　he　bids　them　cover　him　up。　So　the　earth　is　thrown　down　on　him　as　he　lies　in　the　grave；　and　he　soon　dies　of　suffocation。　Such；　with　minor　variations；　appears　to　be　the　regular　end　of　the　honourable　career　of　a　rain…maker　in　all　the　Dinka　tribes。　The　Khor…Adar　Dinka　told　Dr。　Seligman　that　when　they　have　dug　the　grave　for　their　rain…maker　they　strangle　him　in　his　house。　The　father　and　paternal　uncle　of　one　of　Dr。　Seligman's　informants　had　both　been　rain…makers　and　both　had　been　killed　in　the　most　regular　and　orthodox　fashion。　Even　if　a　rain…maker　is　quite　young　he　will　be　put　to　death　should　he　seem　likely　to　perish　of　disease。　Further；　every　precaution　is　taken　to　prevent　a　rain…maker　from　dying　an　accidental　death；　for　such　an　end；　though　not　nearly　so　serious　a　matter　as　death　from　illness　or　old　age；　would　be　sure　to　entail　sickness　on　the　tribe。　As　soon　as　a　rain…maker　is　killed；　his　valuable　spirit　is　supposed　to　pass　to　a　suitable　successor；　whether　a　son　or　other　near　blood　relation。

In　the　Central　African　kingdom　of　Bunyoro　down　to　recent　years　custom　required　that　as　soon　as　the　king　fell　seriously　ill　or　began　to　break　up　from　age；　he　should　die　by　his　own　hand；　for；　according　to　an　old　prophecy；　the　throne　would　pass　away　from　the　dynasty　if　ever　the　king　were　to　die　a　natural　death。　He　killed　himself　by　draining　a　poisoned　cup。　If　he　faltered　or　were　too　ill　to　ask　for　the　cup；　it　was　his　wife's　duty　to　administer　the　poison。　When　the　king　of　Kibanga；　on　the　Upper　Congo；　seems　near　his　end；　the　sorcerers　put　a　rope　round　his　neck；　which　they　draw　gradually　tighter　till　he　dies。　If　the　king　of　Gingiro　happens　to　be　wounded　in　war；　he　is　put　to　death　by　his　comrades；　or；　if　they　fail　to　kill　him；　by　his　kinsfolk；　however　hard　he　may　beg　for　mercy。　They　say　they　do　it　that　he　may　not　die　by　the　hands　of　his　enemies。　The　Jukos　are　a　heathen　tribe　of　the　Benue　River；　a　great　tributary　of　the　Niger。　In　their　country　the　town　of　Gatri　is　ruled　by　a　king　who　is　elected　by　the　big　men　of　the　town　as　follows。　When　in　the　opinion　of　the　big　men　the　king　has　reigned　long　enough；　they　give　out　that　'the　king　is　sick'a　formula　understood　by　all　to　mean　that　they　are　going　to　kill　him；　though　the　intention　is　never　put　more　plainly。　They　then　decide　who　is　to　be　the　next　king。　How　long　he　is　to　reign　is　settled　by　the　influential　men　at　a　meeting；　the　question　is　put　and　answered　by　each　man　throwing　on　the　ground　a　little　piece　of　stick　for　each　year　he　thinks　the　new　king　should　rule。　The　king　is　then　told；　and　a　great　feast　prepared；　at　which　the　king　gets　drunk　on　guinea…corn　beer。　After　that　he　is　speared；　and　the　man　who　was　chosen　becomes　king。　Thus　each　Juko　king　knows　that　he　cannot　have　very　many　more　years　to　live；　and　that　he　is　certain　of　his　predecessor's　fate。　This；　however；　does　not　seem　to　frighten　candidates。　The　same　custom　of　king…killing　is　said　to　prevail　at　Quonde　and　Wukari　as　well　as　at　Gatri。　In　the　three　Hausa　kingdoms　of　Gobir；　Katsina；　and　Daura；　in　Northern　Nigeria；　as　soon　as　a　king　showed　signs　of　failing　health　or　growing　infirmity；　an　official　who　bore　the　title　of　Killer　of　the　Elephant　appeared　and　throttled　him。

The　Matiamvo　is　a　great　king　or　emperor　in　the　interior　of　Angola。　One　of　the　inferior　kings　of　the　country；　by　name　Challa；　gave　to　a　Portuguese　expedition　the　following　account　of　the　manner　in　which　the　Matiamvo　comes　by　his　end。　It　has　been　customary；　he　said；　for　our　Matiamvos　to　die　either　in　war　or　by　a　violent　death；　and　the　present　Matiamvo　must　meet　this　last　fate；　as；　in　consequence　of　his　great　exactions；　he　has　lived　long　enough。　When　we　come　to　this　understanding；　and　decide　that　he　should　be　killed；　we　invite　him　to　make　war　with　our　enemies；　on　which　occasion　we　all　accompany　him　and　his　family　to　the　war；　when　we　lose　some　of　our　people。　If　he　escapes　unhurt；　we　return　to　the　war　again　and　fight　for　three　or　four　days。　We　then　suddenly　abandon　him　and　his　family　to　their　fate；　leaving　him　in　the　enemy's　hands。　Seeing　himself　thus　deserted；　he　causes　his　throne　to　be　erected；　and；　sitting　down；　calls　his　family　around　him。　He　then　orders　his　mother　to　approach；　she　kneels　at　his　feet；　he　first　cuts　off　her　head；　then　decapitates　his　sons　in　succession；　next　his　wives　and　relatives；　and；　last　of　all；　his　most　beloved　wife；　called　Anacullo。　This　slaughter　being　accomplished；　the　Matiamvo；　dressed　in　all　his　pomp；　awaits　his　own　death；　which　immediately　follows；　by　an　officer　sent　by　the　powerful　neighbouring　chiefs；　Caniquinha　and　Canica。　This　officer　first　cuts　off　his　legs　and　arms　at　the　joints；　and　lastly　he　cuts　off　his　head；　after　which　the　head　of　the　officer　is　struck　off。　All　the　potentates　retire　from　the　encampment；　in　order　not　to　witness　his　death。　It　is　my　duty　to　remain　and　witness　his　death；　and　to　mark　the　place　where　the　head　and　arms　have　been　deposited　by　the　two　great　chiefs；　the　enemies　of　the　Matiamvo。　They　also　take　possession　of　all　the　property　belonging　to　the　deceased　monarch　and　his　family；　which　they　convey　to　their　own　residence。　I　then　provide　for　the　funeral　of　the　mutilated　remains　of　the　late　Matiamvo；　after　which　I　retire　to　his　capital　and　proclaim　the　new　government。　I