rrows; they certainly seemed as many as that,
to all of us who passed that point. [82]

Besides these, they had a thousand other superstitions. If they
beheld a serpent or lizard, or heard anyone sneeze, they would always
retrace their steps, and on no account go further at that time,
for such an occurrence would be an evil omen. The ministers of the
Devil also cast lots for them; this was another fraud and deceit
which I must not describe for fear of being too prolix. Nor can one
express the blindness in which they were, ignorant of their Creator:
let what has already been said suffice. In regard to the first point,
they had no places set aside for worship, or public days for general
festivities. Not until we went to Taitai did I learn that in many
of the houses there was another one, but smaller, made of cane, as
it were a little tower, fashioned somewhat curiously, to which they
passed from the main house by a short bridge, also made of cane. In
these were kept their needlework and other sorts of handicraft, by
means of which they concealed the mystery of the little house. From
information that I received from some of the faithful, it was in
reality dedicated to the anito, although they offered no sacrifice
in it, nor did it serve for other use than as it was dedicated to
him--perhaps that he might rest there when on a journey, as Elias
said to the other priests. [83] I had all these houses demolished,
so that not one remained. I also found in some little hamlets of the
Pintados a small house at the entrance of the village with only the
roof and ground floor, which served as a place where sacrifices are
performed. But, after all, it was not the general practice to have
any common place of worship, as did the ancient Pagans, or to come
together to any one place for solemn rites, or to have public and
general sacrifices offered in the name of the community. Individuals,
however, made offerings, each one for his own intention or need, and
in his own house or other private place; but they chose jointly their
own priest, male or female (of whom there were many), according to
their own devotion and taste. In Mindanao I saw many houses furnished
on the outside with small platforms made not unskilfully, of cane,
and on these stood some little wooden idols very poorly carved; and
in front of the idols was an earthen pot containing some hot coals
and a little of some disagreeable aromatic, which must have been a
sacrifice to