§ III
Customs of the inhabitants of that island
Coming to the customs of the inhabitants of that land, we have to note their common tradition, namely, that the first inhabitants were blacks. Their barbarous descendants are preserved in the thickest forests and in the most retired mountains. They have no regular house, but stay where night overtakes them. They go almost naked, for they only cover the shame of nature with the bark of certain trees. Some of them have been seen to wear certain cloths made from cotton, called bahaquer. They use the bow and arrow, and very keen knives, with which they can sever the head of a man from the body at one stroke. Their employment is to go in search of Bisayan Indians, who live in the districts nearer the rivers and seashore; for they hate the latter with fury because these have, as they give out, usurped their own land.
It has been learned from serious and trustworthy persons that tall and very ugly men have been discovered in those dense forests, whose feet are turned backward. They live on the flesh of wild game, tree-roots, and fish, without doing any work. The very sight of those men was so terrifying that he who unfortunately chanced to see any one of them was left cross-eyed and squinted forever, just like those whom we call vizcos [i.e., “cross-eyed”]. An eyewitness of this piece of information confirmed this, who declared that he had seen and known certain Indians who were almost squint-eyed from the effect produced by the glance of those monstrous men. Those Indians say that their speed is such that they can catch the swiftest deer by running; and that upon catching those said Indians, the wild men talked very confusedly among themselves, but afterward left the captives hanging to some trees—whence they descended with great risk, and were left squint-eyed, because of having looked at those enormous barbarians. Some years later, another eyewitness who had experience in the affairs of that island added that such monsters, called tecmas, had been seen with ears misshapen because of their size, and that their mouth was like that of a dog; while they were so hideous in face and teeth that they caused great fright.
According to this information, these Indians have languages that are very diverse, with peculiar characters. But they almost universally talk the Bisayan, which is common and peculiar to Zibù, the head of the other provinces called Pintados. Those Indians and the Caraghas, with their other neighbors, go partly naked; for they cover the lower part of the body, while they wear certain twisted cloths on the head in the manner of a crown, or the duliman of the Turks, but without the little bonnet that the latter are wont to wear. The women are entirely covered, while, to protect themselves from the sun and other inclemencies of the weather, they use curiously woven hats of palm-leaves.
Their manner of religion was to adore, some the sky, and others the moon; or their now deceased ancestors; or the mountains or woods in which they believed their ancestors to dwell, accompanied by certain deities, enjoying perpetual tranquillity. They regarded it as certain that those who had been most valiant and tyrannical in this life were deified, and also that there was eternal punishment for some. Others, finally, reverenced most ugly idols made of stone or wood, which they called divatas. There were different kinds of such idols: some being destined for war, and others for sickness, sowing, and such objects. They were rendered furious by thunder, and defied the deity whom they supposed to have sent it; they called out loudly to it, and if that did not suffice, they took arms against it.
It is said that the ridiculous Alcoran of the Mahometans had penetrated even to that land from the Orient, having been taken there by certain zealots of that infamous sect, who were trying to extend it. However their efforts and false preaching availed them little; for the inhabitants of those islands were very much given to intoxication, and very fond of eating flesh forbidden by that false law. Consequently, that error took root in very few of them.
They had no certain days established throughout the year for their sacrifices, but made them as time and opportunity offered. They were punctual in offering these when they were going to fight. War was their universal inclination, because of their bestial and ferocious appetite to rob and to go on raids, committing depredations on the neighboring islands, and making slaves of all the people who came to their hands. They also offered sacrifices in sickness, the beginnings of their sowings, the building of their houses, and for other necessities. The duties of priest were exercised indifferently by both men and women, called baylanes. They made use of superstitions, lots, witchery, and other ceremonies.
The method of their ceremonies was as follows. Those who were to be present were summoned, handsomely dressed and adorned, by the sound of certain harsh bells (or, rather, unmusical cattle-bells) to the house where it seemed best—for they had no assigned temple—which was adorned with herbs and flowers. While they were waiting for all to gather, those who first came began certain songs, alternating between men and women, in time to the sound of a small drum. The victim was already prepared. It was either a hog or some captive, whose hands and feet they tied as if he were a young sheep. All the invited ones having arrived, the priest or priestess began their barbarous function by going into a private retreat beforehand, where he made six conjurations; and, after the devil had entered his body, he left the retreat with infernal fury to explain the oracle which all were awaiting. Then the priest, taking a small lance in his hand, danced about the sacrifice to the music of certain cattle-bells and rustic instruments. Finally, on reaching the animal or captive, the priest wounded it, and the bystanders killed it with spear-thrusts and blows. When the victim was dead, if it were a man, they cast it into the sea; if it were an animal, they quickly skinned, cooked, and ate it, drinking until they became intoxicated. But they kept something for the absent ones, as a relic, also reserving the most choice portion (generally the head), on a table that resembled an altar, for the devil whom they called the divata. No one touched that portion except the baylan, who afterward threw it into the water very reverently. The sacrifice was concluded with that ridiculous ceremony. However, they were wont to add certain other ceremonies, according to the purposes for which the said sacrifices were being made, as for instance in war. At such times, after their intoxication was over, they went to the shore of the river or sea; and, after launching a small boat, the baylan jumped into it, at the same time making his lying conjurations. If the boat moved, it was taken as a good sign, but if it were immovable, it was intimated to them that that war should not be made, unless they repeated the sacrifices.
They also made use of another ceremony to ascertain whom each one would capture. Each one kept in his house a great number of the teeth of the crocodile or wild boar, strung on a cord. He handed those to the priest very humbly. The latter received them with many salaams, ordained so that they should have reverence for him. Then he said certain badly-pronounced words ordering such teeth to move themselves, by whose number the said baylan prophesied those who would remain captive in the power of the owner of the string. In the same way they cast other lots, in order to ascertain the future and its accidents.