ill say; consider that you will be buried outside of
holy ground.' The idea of being buried on the beach is what gives
them most fear. This can only be explained by saying that they have
seen the cemetery and the beach and not hell, nor the other world,
which, as one would believe, costs them much to conceive--although
in reality they do believe in it, in the same way as many Europeans
believe in it, but without understanding it, and only because the
sages give assurance of it....

"In spite of this indifference regarding the future life, they
generally order masses said for the souls of their ancestors, and
not because of compromise or vanity, but true faith and devotion,
although this does not argue much in favor of their religiousness. For
the Igorots, who are the type of the Filipinos, although they do not
believe in the immortality of the soul, have many superstitions in
regard to the shades of the dead....

"In some places the curas have to lock the doors of the church after
mass, so that the people will not depart without hearing the sermon,
and this in places quite religious, as is Pangasinan. Many of those who
are carried to Mindanao or to Jolo as captives become renegades with
the greatest ease; and then they will not return, even though they may.

"Some make the sign of the cross as they go down the stairways. All
stop on the street at the sound of the prayer-bell; and the same
thing happens in the houses, where they often pray on their knees
with true devotion. They all remove their hats when passing in front
of the church, and many stop to pray. Nevertheless, all the curas
assert that they make a false confession, for they only confess the
three following sins: absence from mass, eating of meat during Lent,
and vain blaspheming; although it is apparent to the curas that they
have committed other greater sins. It is a great trouble to get them
to take part in the procession, and those who can do so escape through
the cross streets. In Manila it is necessary for the regimental heads
to appoint soldiers to go to take part in this act, and to pay them
one-half real; and, were it not for this expedient, it would sometimes
be impossible to do it. The curas have considerable trouble in the
villages in getting them to confess. They are given forty days of
grace, and many come after being threatened with twenty-five lashes;
while many of the degree of captain, and many who are not, get
along in spite of all witho