A Royal Burial

           

           Thenextday,May29th,thecityofKazoundepresentedastrangeaspect.Thenatives,terrified,keptthemselvesshutupintheirhuts.Theyhadneverseenaking,whosaidhewasofdivineessence,norasimpleminister,dieofthishorribledeath.Theyhadalreadyburnedsomeoftheirfellow-beings,andtheoldestcouldnotforgetcertainculinarypreparationsrelatingtocannibalism.

           Theyknewthenhowtheincinerationofahumanbodytakesplacewithdifficulty,andbeholdtheirkingandhisministerhadburntallalone!Thatseemedtothem,andindeedoughttoseemtothem,inexplicable.

           Jose-AntonioAlvezkeptstillinhishouse.Hemightfearthathewouldbeheldresponsiblefortheaccident.Negorohadinformedhimofwhathadpassed,warninghimtotakecareofhimself.TochargehimwithMoiniLoungga’sdeathmightbeabadaffair,fromwhichhemightnotbeabletoextricatehimselfwithoutdamage.

           ButNegorohadagoodidea.ByhismeansAlvezspreadthereportthatthedeathofKazounde’ssovereignwassupernatural;thatthegreatManitouonlyreserveditforhiselect.Thenatives,soinclinedtosuperstition,acceptedthislie.Thefirethatcameoutofthebodiesofthekingandhisministerbecameasacredfire.TheyhadnothingtodobuthonorMoiniLounggabyobsequiesworthyofamanelevatedtotherankofthegods.

           Theseobsequies,withalltheceremonialconnectedwiththemamongtheAfricantribes,wasanoccasionofferedtoNegorotomakeDickSandplayapart.

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