When making these visits the Kalubi was accompanied by certain
dedicated youths, some of whom the god always put to death. Those who
had made the journey six times without molestation were selected for
further special trials, until at last only two remained who were
declared to have "passed" or "been accepted by" the god. These youths
were treated with great honour, as in the instance of Komba and on the
destruction of the Kalubi, one of them took his office, which he
generally filled without much accident, for a minimum of ten years,
and perhaps much longer.
Mrs. Eversley knew nothing of the sacramental eating of the remains of
the Kalubi, or of the final burial of his bones in the wooden coffins
that we had seen, for such things, although they undoubtedly happened,
were kept from her. She added, that each of the three Kalubis whom she
had known, ultimately went almost mad through terror at his
approaching end, especially after the preliminary roarings and the
biting off of the finger. In truth uneasy lay the head that wore a
crown in Pongo-land, a crown that, mind you, might not be refused upon
pain of death by torture.
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