the idols. But although those people had no temples, they
had, in the second place, priests and priestesses, whom the Tagalos
call _Catolonan_, and the Bissayans _Babailan_. They vied with each
who could best contrive with the Devil (who deceived them) to take
advantage of the blindness of the people, to deceive them by a thousand
frauds and artifices. Father Antonio Sedeno related how, at the time
when he was living in Florida, he undeceived the Indians concerning
one of these impostors of their own nation. This man pretended to
heal diseases by applying a tube to that part where the sick man
felt most pain, and then with his mouth at the other end sucking the
air from within: after this operation, he spat from his mouth three
small pebbles, which he claimed to have extracted from the body of
the patient. [84] The father, by a very efficient means, once made
him spit the pebbles out of his mouth before applying the tube, and
thus his deception was revealed. In like manner these priests practice
many deceptions upon those blinded infidels--especially in cases of
sickness with which the latter are afflicted, which so oppress them
that they seek at once a remedy, and whomsoever gives or promises it
to them they revere and worship, and give him their all. Indeed there
are some of these priests who have a special compact with the Devil,
who lends them signal aid and assistance, Almighty God permitting this
for his own hidden purposes. The Devil communicates with them through
their idols or anitos, playing the role of the dead man whom they are
adoring; and often he enters into the person of the priest himself,
for the short space of the sacrifice, and makes him say and do things
which overwhelm and terrify the onlookers. This divine fervor is also
attained (the duties of the office being taught) through special
friendship, or kinship, or as a legacy. This inheritance is highly
esteemed by them, in their blindness--and through cupidity, for,
besides the renown and honor with which all look up to them, those
infernal ministers obtain rich offerings (that is, the third part),
all of which are for them. For no one will be present at the sacrifice
who does not make an offering--gold, cotton, a fowl, or other things.

These things, added to the principal offering, that made by the
person for whom the sacrifice was offered, which was a rich one--and,
moreover, additional to the sacrifice itself, which most often was a
fine fat hog