162 THE MANOBOS OF MINDANAO— GARVAN [Memo {vo*xxi£ 



on to the settlement of C who in exchange for his pig wants five pieces of Mandaya cloth. A is 

 afraid to take the pig on such terms because the Ihawan Manobos are in arms on account of a 

 recent killing, and as the trade route for Mandaya cloth passes through the territory of the 

 Ihawan Man6bos he sees no possibility of fulfilling a contract to deliver the cloth. So off he 

 goes to the settlement of D where he finds a pig for which the owner demands four yards of blue 

 cloth, two of red, and two of black, together with a specified quantity of salt. A thinks that it 

 will be easy for him to run over to some Christian settlement and get those articles in time to 

 pay D, so he clinches the bargain by putting a series of knots in a strip of rattan to represent 

 the number of days to expire before the date of payment. This he delivers to D and the con- 

 tract is sealed. He then returns to his settlement with his pig, and turns it over to some one 

 else perhaps, to whom he owes a pig, or, if it was intended for a sacrifice, to the family priest or 

 priestess. In due time it is disposed of with much satisfaction to the gods and to the inner man. 

 As the day for payment approaches, A must take measures to get the salt and the cloth for D, 

 so he hastens to the settlement of E, if sickness in the family, or heavy rains, or some other obstacle 

 does not prevent him, but finds that E requires a Mandaya bolo for the articles needed and as A 

 has no such object and sees no immediate prospect of obtaining it, he goes on to F's. F demands 

 a certain amount of beeswax and a Mandaya dagger in exchange for the cloth and the salt and 

 as A feels that he can procure these articles, he closes the bargain, promising to deliver the goods 

 within so many days or weeks. 



A now owes D cloth and salt, payable within 14 days, let us suppose. He is also under con- 

 tract to F to furnish him a dagger and a specified amount of beeswax, also on a specified date. 

 Upon the approach of the time agreed upon A runs over to F's only to find that F had been 

 unable to get the cloth and the salt, either because no Bisaya trader has been up to the Christian- 

 ized settlement on the river, or because of heavy rains or for some other reason. The result is 

 that A returns to his settlement without the cloth and the salt. Upon his arrival at D's or upon 

 D's arrival at his settlement, as the case may be, he excuses himself to D, setting forth in detail 

 the reason for his failure. He treats D as best he can, and fixes another date for the delivery of 

 the salt and the cloth, the same to be delivered at D's settlement, D returns to his home with- 

 out the salt and the cloth and awaits the delivery. 



Now it may happen that, through the fault of A or through the fault of F or through unfore- 

 seen circumstances, A is unable to keep his agreement. D has made many useless trips to col- 

 lect from A. It is true that D has been feasted by A upon every visit but the long delay, and 

 possibly his debt of salt to someone else, is gradually provoking him. So one day he speaks 

 somewhat strongly to A, setting a definite term for the payment. If A is unable to meet his 

 obligations after this ultimatum, or if D suspects or has proof that A is playing a game, matters 

 become strained and D has recourse to one of three methods: (1) Collection by armed intimida- 

 tion; (2) the tawdgan or seizure; (3) war raid. 



The last two methods have been sufficiently explained in Chapter XVIII but the first needs 

 a little explanation. 



After all attempts to collect by peaceable means have failed, the creditor assembles his male 

 relatives and friends and proceeds to the house of the debtor with all the accoutrements of war. 

 It is customary to bring along a neutral chief or two from other clans. Upon arriving at the 

 debtor's house no hostile demonstrations are made. The creditor and his party enter as if their 

 object were an ordinary visit. Should, however, the debtor have abandoned his house, this part 

 of the affair would be at an end, for the creditor would be justified in adopting the second method 

 (i. e., the seizing of any object, human of other that he might see), or the third method. 



Should his debtor, however, be present, the creditor and his companions are regaled with 

 betel nut and food and the meeting is perfectly goodnatured. But gradually the subject of the 

 debt is introduced and then begins the pandemonium. If the chiefs who have accompanied the 

 creditor's party have enough moral influence to bring about an agreement, the matter is settled, 

 but if not, the visiting party may depart suddenly with yells of menace and defiance, and very 

 frequently may have recourse to the seizure method, taking on their way home any object that 

 they may encounter such as a pig, or even a human being. Hence as soon as it becomes known 



