forces.[69] The ministers of this religion were the Ba-mandwa or sorcerer-priests. Originally these priests were of the Bahima stock. Indeed, this religion which prevails amongst so many tribes in western and equatorial Africa seems to have had (like the Bahima aristocracy) a Hamitic origin, and to have come originally from the regions east of the White Nile. Mutesa’s Court was remarkable for its hierarchy of officials. The principal minister is now the Katikiro, but was formerly styled Kamuraviona. He was formerly the commander-in-chief, though now no longer associated with such office. Some functions were hereditary, such as the Pokino or Governor of Buddu; but these hereditary posts were formerly the recognition of the existence of feudatory princes. The Kimbugwe was formerly the guardian of the king’s navel string and the keeper of his drums. The Mugema was the commissioner in charge of the royal tombs; Kasuju was the guardian of the king’s sisters; Mukwenda was his treasurer; Kauta was the steward of his kitchen; Seruti his head brewer; and so forth. In course of time many of these functions were purely honorary. The system seems to have come, like so much else of the civilisation of Uganda, from the Hamitic invaders, and it bears a curious resemblance to the origin of similar functionaries in the courts of Europe. Society also was divided much as it is in our own world. There were the Royal Family and its collateral branches, known as Balángira, or princes. The princesses were called Bambeja. The Baronage was styled Bakungu. Then there was an upper class of functionaries known as Batongoli, while the peasants were classed as Bakopi.