Tonzeka gave as an example of the foolishness of the people in his district the following case that was brought before him for judgment.
“A pig belonging to the Lumu people was killed by a Manga man on a farm belonging to one of his wives. The Lumu folk demanded payment for the pig; but this was refused on the ground that any pigs found digging up cassava roots on a farm can be killed. After a time the Manga women went to work that piece of ground again, and the Lumu women met them there, and, being more numerous, took away the hoes belonging to the Manga women, and claimed the land as their pig was killed on it, and no compensation had been paid for it. That evening the chief of Manga sent a message to the chief of Lumu, and the messenger carried a gun, which he should not have done, so the Lumu people took the gun away from him on the plea that he was bringing force into their town.”
“How did you settle that palaver?” asked Satu.
“Well, you know,” replied Tonzeka, “that any pig found on another’s farm may be killed, and in some parts of the country the man who kills it can take half the flesh for the trouble of killing it, and to compensate him for the damage done to his farm; and the other half he sends to the owner of the pig. In this part, when a pig is killed for trespassing, the one who kills it leaves it at the place where it was slain, and sends to tell the owner what he has done, and he himself has to fetch the carcass, and as he finds it on another person’s farm he has sure proof that it has trespassed.”
“Yes,” assented Satu, “I know those are the different customs, and in our district we always take half the pig.”
“But,” continued Tonzeka, “this case was complicated because the Manga people allowed their messenger to take a gun with him when he was sent with their message.”
“That was very foolish of them,” said Satu, “but how did you decide the case?”
“I judged it thus,” answered Tonzeka. “I fined the Lumu people one pig for attempting to claim land which did not belong to them, as the killing of a pig gave them no rights over the land on which it was killed; and I fined the Manga people one goat, as the messenger had no right to carry a gun when he went to deliver a message. It was taking force into another’s town, and was also an exhibition of insolence.”
“You judged wisely,” commented Satu, “and I hope you received a fat pig and a large goat for your trouble.”
“You will be able to judge that for yourselves,” laughingly replied Tonzeka, “for the fines[[30]] only arrived this morning, and you will be eating the pig for your evening meal.”