§ IIII
Continuation of the same
When about to go rowing or sailing, they prayed to the promontories or capes, attributing to them worship, as to the gods of war, with very sad cries. They watched to see if a certain bird appeared, called limocòn, similar to the turtle-dove of Europa. If they saw it in the direction that they were taking, it was a bad sign, and they did not leave the port. They also considered the toco or taloto—called chacon by our Spaniards, and very like the lizard[5]—as inauspicious. They feared the latter wherever they found it, as a thing very contrary to their designs. While the war lasted, they did not eat of the fish called pulpo[6] or of any other fish caught in a net. For they believed that if they tasted of that, they would become blind; while, if they ate of the others, they would lose the victory and would be made captives. They thought that if they ate with a light, they would be conquered; and consequently, never did they strike a light to eat, even though night had fallen. Those who remained in the village did no work for seven consecutive days; for, if they did not do that, they feared the defeat of their companions. On returning victorious, they asked their nearest dead relative, with their rude prayers (having stopped their boats), whether he would like to have a part in the taking of the captives whom they had. If the boats moved—which was but natural and necessary, since they were in the water—they believed that he assented. Thereupon, taking the best slave, they bound him hand and foot; and, taking him ashore, they passed the boat over him with great force and weight until they killed him with brutal cruelty. The sacrifice was concluded in the house with the death of another captive, who was killed by the wife of the conqueror.
They showed themselves very dutiful toward their dead, burying them with lamentations and remarkable minuteness of detail, increasing or lessening the obsequies according to the quality and worth of their actions. The nearest relatives were careful to close their mouths, for they feared lest the soul of the dead would enter into their bodies and do them a great deal of harm. Then they began their mourning by lugubrious songs, which one of the kin intoned, while the others were very attentive in order to respond, in time, with fearful cries. That lasted more or less time according to the excellence of the deceased, whose exploits were mentioned with great exaggeration. The friends and acquaintances came in, both to console them and to become intoxicated, which formed the relief for that sorrow. Only the mourners, who wore white, refrained from drinking, in order that they might receive the compliments of condolence soberly and in a dignified manner.
So great was their devotion to the souls of their parents and grandparents (whom they called humalagar), that they always offered them food in their banquets, especially when they finished any house, thinking that they themselves would die if they failed in that. They did the same with the first yield of their fruits. When they became sick, they invoked these ancestors to aid them, as we do the saints. Then they summoned certain old witches, who were their physicians. They respected the latter so greatly that, from the day on which they entered their doors, no fire was lit in that house, as a sign of great reverence. The medicines applied were after consultation with the devil, in the shape of a little idol or a very ugly figure of a man or woman, whom they asked for the life of the sick person. If the idol moved, it was a sign of death, just as remaining still was a sign of life and health. They made the same tests in the water, by putting a boat in it, and observing from a distance its state of quietness or motion.
During the time that those barbarous obsequies lasted, it was unlawful for anyone to go to any place where the deceased had gone, or where he had bathed, under penalty of the culprit’s losing his life immediately. After the days for the mourning had been completed, they covered the eyes and mouth of the corpse with sheets of gold. They carried it to the field in a coffin, and into distant caves or sepulchers among themselves; and buried it, together with a male servant if the deceased was a man, or a female servant if the deceased was a woman, so that such person might serve them, as they thought that that was necessary in the other life. Thus did the dead and living go hand in hand, without any recourse or dispensation. Such servants of the deceased were set apart for that purpose from their childhood, and were called atabang. If the deceased was rich, a greater number of servants was added. This is confirmed by the event that was rumored in the island of Bohol shortly before Miguel Lopez de Legaspi arrived at Zibù; for those people placed seventy slaves in the sepulcher of one of those barbarians, all arranged in order in a little ship, which they call caracoa—which was provided with anchors, rigging, and everything else, even arms and food, as if it had been launched in the sea.
Of the aforesaid, it is well known that that people believed in the error that the soul went with the body, and that they were maintained in the other life as in this. Consequently, they placed the most costly clothes in the sepulchers. The relatives added others, and even arms, if the deceased was a man, and the instruments of her domestic labor if a woman, together with all the other dishes and jewels of the house (not even excepting gold and precious jewels), in accordance with their taste, so that these might be enjoyed in the other life. The food was carried to them for the space of one year, and it was placed on an adorned table every day. When it was taken there, the food of the preceding day was taken away. That they threw into the water, and no one dared to touch it, as it was a sacred thing. They generally built a hut over the grave, so that the deceased should not suffer from the inclemency of the weather.
If the death were by violence, vengeance pertained to the children, and in default of children to the nearest relative. The sign of that obligation was to place certain armlets on the arms, as for instance, twigs of osier, more or less according to the station of the dead. Upon killing the first man whom they encountered—even though he were innocent—one armlet was removed; and thus they continued to kill until all the rings were removed from the arms. The avenger did not eat anything hot, or live in a settlement, during that wicked and barbarous vengeance.
Each year every relative punctually celebrated the obsequies, and that was a very festive day. They gathered a great quantity of food and beverages; they commenced many joyful dances; they stuffed themselves with what was prepared, taking some to their houses, and reserving the greater portion to offer to the divata, and to the deceased, in the following manner. A small bamboo boat was prepared, with much care, and they filled it with fowls, flesh, eggs, fish, and rice, together with the necessary dishes. The baylan gave a talk or a prolix prayer, and finished by saying: “May the dead receive that obsequy, by giving good fortune to the living.” Those present answered with great shouting and happiness. Then they loosed the little boat (sacred, as they thought), which no one touched, and whose contents they did not eat, even though they were perishing; for they considered that a great sin.
§V