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g it to a suitable successor； and； in the second place； by putting him to death before his natural force was abated； they would secure that the world should not fall into decay with the decay of the man…god。 Every purpose； therefore； was answered； and all dangers averted by thus killing the man…god and transferring his soul； while yet at its prime； to a vigorous successor。
The mystic kings of Fire and Water in Cambodia are not allowed to die a natural death。 Hence when one of them is seriously ill and the elders think that he cannot recover； they stab him to death。 The people of Congo believed； as we have seen； that if their pontiff the Chitomé were to die a natural death； the world would perish； and the earth； which he alone sustained by his power and merit； would immediately be annihilated。 Accordingly when he fell ill and seemed likely to die； the man who was destined to be his successor entered the pontiff's house with a rope or a club and strangled or clubbed him to death。 The Ethiopian kings of Meroe were worshipped as gods； but whenever the priests chose； they sent a messenger to the king； ordering him to die； and alleging an oracle of the gods as their authority for the command。 This command the kings always obeyed down to the reign of Ergamenes； a contemporary of Ptolemy II。； King of Egypt。 Having received a Greek education which emancipated him from the superstitions of his countrymen； Ergamenes ventured to disregard the command of the priests； and； entering the Golden Temple with a body of soldiers； put the priests to the sword。
Customs of the same sort appear to have prevailed in this part of Africa down to modern times。 In some tribes of Fazoql the king had to administer justice daily under a certain tree。 If from sickness or any other cause he was unable to discharge this duty for three whole days； he was hanged on the tree in a noose； which contained two razors so arranged that when the noose was drawn tight by the weight of the king's body they cut his throat。
A custom of putting their divine kings to death at the first symptoms of infirmity or old age prevailed until lately； if indeed it is even now extinct and not merely dormant； among the Shilluk of the White Nile； and in recent years it has been carefully investigated by Dr。 C。 G。 Seligman。 The reverence which the Shilluk pay to their king appears to arise chiefly from the conviction that he is a reincarnation of the spirit of Nyakang； the semi…divine hero who founded the dynasty and settled the tribe in their present territory。 It is a fundamental article of the Shilluk creed that the spirit of the divine or semi…divine Nyakang is incarnate in the reigning king； who is accordingly himself invested to some extent with the character of a divinity。 But while the Shilluk hold their kings in high； indeed religious reverence and take every precaution against their accidental death； nevertheless they cherish the conviction that the king must not be allowed to become ill or senile； lest with his diminishing vigour the cattle should sicken and fail to bear their increase； the crops should rot in the fields； and man； stricken with disease； should die in ever…increasing numbers。 To prevent these calamities it used to be the regular custom with the Shilluk to put the king to death whenever he showed signs of ill…health or failing strength。 One of the fatal symptoms of decay was taken to be an incapacity to satisfy the sexual passions of his wives； of whom he has very many； distributed in a large number of houses at Fashoda。 When this ominous weakness manifested itself； the wives reported it to the chiefs； who are popularly said to have intimated to the king his doom by spreading a white cloth over his face and knees as he lay slumbering in the heat of the sultry afternoon。 Execution soon followed the sentence of death。 A hut was specially built for the occasion： the king was led into it and lay down with his head resting on the lap of a nubile virgin： the door of the hut was then walled up； and the couple were left without food； water； or fire to die of hunger and suffocation。 This was the old custom； but it was abolished some five generations ago on account of the excessive sufferings of one of the kings who perished in this way。 It is said that the chiefs announce his fate to the king； and that afterwards he is strangled in a hut which has been specially built for the occasion。
From Dr。 Seligman's enquiries it appears that not only was the Shilluk king liable to be killed with due ceremony at the first symptoms of incipient decay； but even while he was yet in the prime of health and strength he might be attacked at any time by a rival and have to defend his crown in a combat to the death。 According to the common Shilluk tradition any son of a king had the right thus to fight the king in possession and； if he succeeded in killing him； to reign in his stead。 As every king had a large harem and many sons； the number of possible candidates for the throne at any time may well have been not inconsiderable； and the reigning monarch must have carried his life in his hand。 But the attack on him could only take place with any prospect of success at night； for during the day the king surrounded himself with his friends and bodyguards； and an aspirant to the throne could hardly hope to cut his way through them and strike home。 It was otherwise at night。 For then the guards were dismissed and the king was alone in his enclosure with his favourite wives； and there was no man near to defend him except a few herdsmen； whose huts stood a little way off。 The hours of darkness were therefore the season of peril for the king。 It is said that he used to pass them in constant watchfulness； prowling round his huts fully armed； peering into the blackest shadows； or himself standing silent and alert； like a sentinel on duty； in some dark corner。 When at last his rival appeared； the fight would take place in grim silence； broken only by the clash of spears and shields； for it was a point of honour with the king not to call the herdsmen to his assistance。
Like Nyakang himself； their founder； each of the Shilluk kings after death is worshipped at a shrine； which is erected over his grave； and the grave of a king is always in the village where he was born。 The tomb…shrine of a king resembles the shrine of Nyakang； consisting of a few huts enclosed by a fence； one of the huts is built over the king's grave； the others are occupied by the guardians of the shrine。 Indeed the shrines of Nyakang and the shrines of the kings are scarcely to be distinguished from each other； and the religious rituals observed at all of them are identical in form and vary only in matters of detail； the variations being due apparently to the far greater sanctity attributed to the shrines of Nyakang。 The grave…shrines of the kings are tended by certain old men or women； who correspond to the guardians of the shrines of Nyakang。 They are usually widows or old men…servants of the deceased king； and when they die they are succeeded in their office by their descendants。 Moreover； cattle are dedicated to the grave…shrines of the kings and sacrifices are offered at them just as at the shrines of Nyakang。
In general the principal element in the religion of the Shilluk would seem to be the worship which they pay to their sacred or divine kings； whether dead or alive。 These are believed to be animated by a single divine spirit； which has been transmitted from the semi…mythical； but probably in substance historical； founder of the dynasty through all his successors to the present day。 Hence； regarding their kings as incarnate divinities on whom the welfare of men； of cattle； and of the corn implicitly depends； the Shilluk naturally pay them the greatest respect and take every care of them； and however strange it may seem to us； their custom of putting the divine king to death as soon as he shows signs of ill…health or failing strength springs directly from their profound veneration for him and from their anxiety to preserve him； or rather the divine spirit by which he is animated； in the most perfect state of efficiency： nay； we may go further and say that their practice of regicide is the best proof they can give of the high regard in which they hold their kings。 For they believe； as we have seen； that the king's life or spirit is so sympathetically bound up with the prosperity of the whole country； that if he fell ill or grew senile the cattle would sicken and cease to multiply； the crops would rot in the fields； and men would perish of widespread disease。 Hence； in their opinion； the only way of averting these calamities is to put the king to death while he is still hale and hearty； in order that the divine spirit which he has inherited from his predecessors may be transmitted in turn by him to his successor while it is still in full vigour and has not yet been impaired by the weakness of disease and old age。 In this connexion the particular symptom which is commonly said to seal the king's death…warrant is highly significant； when he can no longer satisfy the passions of his numerous wives； in other words； when he has ceased； whether partially or wholly； to be able to reproduce his kind； it is time for him to die and to