lly, by offering repeated healths, they all
became intoxicated. In some of their idolatries they were accustomed
to place a good piece of cloth, doubled, over the idol, and over the
cloth a chain or large, gold ring, thus worshiping the devil without
having sight of him. The devil was sometimes liable to enter into
the body of the catolonan, and, assuming her shape and appearance,
filled her with so great arrogance--he being the cause of it--that
she seemed to shoot flames from her eyes; her hair stood on end, a
fearful sight to those beholding, and she uttered words of arrogance
and superiority. In some districts, especially in the mountains, when
in those idolatries the devil incarnated himself and took on the form
of his minister, the latter had to be tied to a tree by his companions,
to prevent the devil in his infernal fury from destroying him. This,
however, happened but rarely. The objects of sacrifice were goats,
fowls, and swine, which were flayed, decapitated, and laid before
the idol. They performed another ceremony by cooking a jar of rice
until the water was evaporated, after which they broke the jar, and
the rice was left as an intact mass which was set before the idol;
and all about it, at intervals, were placed a few buyos--which is a
small fruit [27] wrapped in a leaf with some lime, a food generally
eaten in these regions--as well as fried food and fruits. All the
above-mentioned articles were eaten by the guests at the feast; the
heads [of the animals], after being "offered," as they expressed it,
were cooked and eaten also.

The reasons for offering this sacrifice and adoration were, in addition
to whatever personal matters there might be, the recovery of a sick
person, the prosperous voyage of those embarking on the sea, a good
harvest in the sowed lands, a propitious result in wars, a successful
delivery in childbirth, and a happy outcome in married life. If this
took place among people of rank, the festivities lasted thirty days.

In the case of young girls who first had their monthly courses, their
eyes were blindfolded four days and four nights; and, in the meantime,
the friends and relatives were all invited to partake of food and
drink. At the end of this period, the catolonan took the young girl
to the water, bathed her and washed her head, and removed the bandage
from her eyes. The old men said that they did this in order that the
girls might bear children, and have fortune in finding husba