152 THE MANOBOS OF MINDANAO— GARVAN mm To?.xxm, 



of the flight many women meet their end but that a good many remain in the houses and yield 

 themselves to the mercy of their captors. Some of these, especially the younger ones, are boimd 

 with rattan, if they offer resistance and dragged to the settlement of their captors. 



As soon as it is ascertained that there is no one left to offer resistance the warriors adorn 

 their lances with leaves of palma brava or such other palm fronds as may be found in the vicinity. 



Many warrior chiefs, especially of the Debabaon u group, have described the fight to me 

 and all agree that it is generally of short duration. This might be expected from the number of 

 precautions taken to insure success. According to all reports a strongly entrenched enemy is 

 seldom attacked, unless it is ascertained that a goodly portion of the male members are absent. 



As a resume of the method of attack, based on what I learned during my sojourn among the 

 Man6bos, I may say that there are no general nor partial encounters. The house or the settle- 

 ment is surrounded stealthily just before day, the warriors being spread out at intervals in bands 

 of three or four around the settlement and protected if possible by trees. The leader, who is 

 nearly always a warrior chief, takes up his position with some trusty warriors at the place of 

 closest approach to the house, or at some other strategic point. The arrowmen, who number 

 only a few, are stationed near him. They work at a disadvantage for they have to shoot upward 

 while their opponents in the houses can discharge their arrows downward. 



From these positions the attacking party make every effort to cause a panic among the 

 inmates of the house either by chopping down the posts which support the house or by firing 

 the roof. If either purpose is accomplished the besieged rush forth only to meet the point of 

 the lance or the edge of the bolo. 



There are no preconcerted movements, no combinations with centers, wings, and reserves. 

 The chief has little or no influence with his followers during the fight, though on account of his 

 personal prowess he is looked up to as a pillar of strength and would, no doubt, if given the oppor- 

 tunity, or if the abuse and banter were extreme, engage in a hand-to-hand encounter. Numer- 

 ous cases of this kind are on record. 



No women nor priests take part in the attack. There are no orators to inspire the warriors 

 to deeds of valor. In lieu of oratory, the warriors on each side engage in the most ferocious 

 abuse imaginable. Challenge after challenge is yelled out defiantly by the besiegers. In the 

 expedition which I joined in 1907, the attacking party incessantly defied their enemies to come 

 down, while the latter in return challenged the besiegers to approach. Neither party seemed 

 willing to take the risk so the arrowmen plied their arrows, the priestesses in the houses con- 

 tinued their invocations, and everybody howled challenges and imprecations at everybody else 



EVENTS FOLLOWING THE BATTLE 



CELEBRATION OF THE VICTORY 



After the fight is over the warrior chiefs perform a ceremony of which I have been able to 

 learn but few details. They are said to become possessed by their tutelary war spirits. They 

 dance and jump around the lifeless body of their chief enemy. n After performing their dance 

 they open the breast of the enemy and remove the heart and fiver, and place their charm collars i3 

 in the opening. When the heart and liver have been cooked, they consume them. But as 

 several war chiefs have assured me, it is not they that partake of the flesh, but their protecting 

 deities. Be that as it may, lemon u whenever obtainable, is mixed with the gory viands. Some 

 warriors informed me that their deities preferred the heart and fiver raw. 



It is perfectly legitimate to despoil the enemy's house and to bear away such few valuables 

 as may be found. The house, or houses, are then burnt, and the victors, leaving the slain 

 where they fell, hasten back with their captives to cheer the fond ones at home. 16 



» Babao is the district between the Salug and Libaganon Rivers. 



» Their tongues arc said to loll out of their mouths "one palm-length." This may seem somewhat exaggerated but I can throw no further light 

 on the matter. 



" Ta-li-han. 



I' Sti-di. It is interesting to note the frequency of the use of lemons or limes in religious proceedings. 



>' I have heard it said that the bodies of the slain are doubled up and put into holes in the ground in an upright position. As far as I know 

 this is an exceptional proceeding. 



