academy of scences! CUSTOMS REGULATING DOMESTIC RELATIONS, ETC. 173 



tive contestants that dispose of such side issues and bring about an amicable and satisfactory 

 settlement. 



It is customary for the one who loses to regale the assembly with a good meal. In Manobo- 

 land this latter is the great solace for all ills and the source of all friendship. So, when the question 

 under dispute has been settled, the one who lost sends out and gets the pig and drink that have 

 been brought for that purpose. When prepared, the food is set out on the floor, the guests are 

 distributed in due order, and then begins one of those meals that must be witnessed in order to 

 be understood. One feature of this feast is that the two former adversaries are seated together 

 and vie with each other in reciprocating food and drink. As they warm up under the influence 

 of the liquor they load large masses of food into each other's mouths, each with an arm around 

 the other's neck. 



Upon the following day, or perhaps that same day, the winner of the case reciprocates with 

 another banquet. When that is finished, the other party may give another banquet and so they 

 may continue, if their means permit, for many days. I assisted at one peacemaking in which 

 the banqueting lasted for 10 successive days. 



DETERMINATION OF GUILT 



BY WITNESSES 



The usual and natural method of determining the guilt of the accused is through the instru- 

 mentality of witnesses. They are questioned and requestioned at great length even if the defend- 

 ant be not present. There seems to be no necessity for this procedure, for the defendant admits 

 his guilt when brought face to face with the plaintiff or with the witnesses. The testimony of 

 children is not only admissible but is considered conclusive. That of a woman testifying against 

 a man for improper suggestions and acts is considered sufficient to convict him. 



False testimony in the presence of witnesses and relatives is almost unheard of. I suppose 

 that this marvel is to be attributed to the fear of the dire retribution that would infallibly over- 

 take the false witness. 



BY OATHS 



Ordinarily no oath is administered nor any other formal means adopted to make certain 

 that the accused or the witnesses will tell the truth, but there is a practice which is sometimes 

 followed whenever the veracity of anyone is doubted. This is called to-tung or burning of the wax, 

 a ceremony that may be used not only with witnesses but with anyone from whom it is desired to 

 force the truth. I have used it very successfully on numerous occasions in getting information 

 about trails. The ceremony consists in burning a piece of beeswax in the presence of the party 

 to be questioned. This signifies that if he does not answer truthfully his body by some process 

 of sympathetic magic, will be burned in a similar manner. After making his statement and while 

 the wax is being burned, he expresses the desire that his body may burn and be melted like the 

 wax if his statement is untrue. This is another example of the pervading belief in sympathetic 

 magic. 



BY THE TESTIMONY OF THE ACCUSED 



In the various instances that have come under my observation, the guilty one, as a rule, 

 vigorously denied his guilt until confronted in public assembly by his accusers, so that I judge 

 that custom does not require him to make a self-accusation until that time. But when duly 

 confronted with witnesses, he nearly always admits his guilt. 



For if the defendant should deny his guilt and if there were no evidence against him other 

 than suspicion, the injured party would be justified in inflicting injury on anyone else, according 

 to the principles of the private-seizure system. If it should later be discovered that the defend- 

 ant was the original offender, the innocent parties who were the victims of this seizure would 

 ultimately take terrible vengeance on him. I was informed by the Debabaons that a false 

 denial of one's guilt before the assembled arbiters and relatives is especially displeasing to the 

 deities. I failed to get information on this point from Manobos, but it would be fairly reasonable 

 to conclude that their belief in the matter is identical with that of the Debabaons. 



