September, 1915. Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 109 



vantage over another in trading and in games. < >ne type of charm is 

 a narrow cloth belt in which "medicines" arc tied. These medicines 

 may be peculiarly shaped stones, bits of fungus growth, a tooth, shell, 

 or similar object. Such belts are known as pamadan, or lambos, and 

 are worn soldier-fashion over one shoulder. They are supposed to 

 protect their owners in battle or to make it easy for them to get the 

 best oi other parties in a trade. A little dust gathered from the foot- 

 print of an enemy and placed in one of these belts will immediately 

 cause the foe to become ill. 



It is a simple matter to cause a person to become insane. All that 

 is needed is to secure a piece of his hair, or clothing, place it .in a dish of 

 water and stir in one direction for several hours. 



Father Gisbert relates the following method of detecting theft: 



"There are not, as a rule, many thefts among the Bagobo, for they 

 believe that a thief can be discovered easily by means of their famous 

 bongat. That consists of two small joints of bamboo, which contain 

 certain mysterious powders. He who has been robbed and wishes to 

 determine the robber takes a hen's egg, makes a hole in it, puts a pinch 

 of the above said powder in it, and leaves it in the fire. If he wishes the 

 robber to die he has nothing else to do than to break the egg; but since 

 the thief may sometimes be a relative or a beloved person, the egg is 

 not usually broken, so that there may be or may be able to be a remedy. 

 For under all circumstances, when this operation is performed, if the 

 robber lives, wherever he may be, he himself must inform on himself 

 by crying out, T am the thief; I am the thief,' as he is compelled to do 

 (they say) by the sharp pain which he feels all through his bod}'. W nen 

 he is discovered, he may be cured by putting powder from the other 

 joint into the water and bathing his body with it. This practice is 

 very common here among the heathens and Moros. A Bagobo, named 

 Anas, who was converted, gave me the bongat with which he had fright- 

 ened many people when a heathen." 



In Bansalan crab shells are hung over the doors of houses, for these 

 shells are distasteful to the biiso who will thus be kept at a distance. 



I was frequently told of persons who could foretell the future by 

 means of palmistry, but was never able to see a palmist at work, or to 

 verify the information. 



MUSIC, DANCES AND CEREMONIES. 



The music for the dances is generally furnished by one or more 

 persons beating on several agongs of different sizes and notes, which 

 are suspended in regular order from the house rafters (Plate XXXa). 



