masalanta, who was the patron of lovers and of generation. The idols
called Lacapati and Idianale were the patrons of the cultivated lands
and of husbandry. They paid reverence to water-lizards called by them
_buaya_, or crocodiles, from fear of being harmed by them. They were
even in the habit of offering these animals a portion of what they
carried in their boats, by throwing it into the water, or placing it
upon the bank.

They were, moreover, very liable to find auguries in things they
witnessed. For example, if they left their house and met on the
way a serpent or rat, or a bird called _Tigmamanuguin_ which was
singing in the tree, or if they chanced upon anyone who sneezed,
they returned at once to their house, considering the incident as an
augury that some evil might befall them if they should continue their
journey--especially when the above-mentioned bird sang. This song had
two different forms: in the one case it was considered as an evil
omen; in the other, as a good omen, and then they continued their
journey. They also practiced divination, to see whether weapons,
such as a dagger or knife, were to be useful and lucky for their
possessor whenever occasion should offer.

These natives had no established division of years, months, and days;
these are determined by the cultivation of the soil, counted by moons,
and the different effect produced upon the trees when yielding flowers,
fruits, and leaves: all this helps them in making up the year. The
winter and summer are distinguished as sun-time and water-time--the
latter term designating winter in those regions, where there is no
cold, snow, or ice.

It seems, however, that now since they have become Christians, the
seasons are not quite the same, for at Christmas it gets somewhat
cooler. The years, since the advent of the Spaniards, have been
determined by the latter, and the seasons have been given their proper
names, and they have been divided into weeks.

Their manner of offering sacrifice was to proclaim a feast, and offer
to the devil what they had to eat. This was done in front of the idol,
which they anoint with fragrant perfumes, such as musk and civet,
or gum of the storax-tree and other odoriferous woods, and praise it
in poetic songs sung by the officiating priest, male or female, who
is called _catolonan_. The participants made responses to the song,
beseeching the idol to favor them with those things of which they
were in need, and genera