September, 1913. Wild Tribes ok Davao District — Coee. 189 



t 



sticks, which pierce the feet of those in pursuit. A night camp is 

 effectively protected in the same manner against barefooted enemies. 



The arms used are spears, fighting knives with wide bellied blades, 

 daggers, narrow shields with which weapons are deflected (Fig. 52), 

 and in some sections bows and arrows. The fighting knives and 

 daggers (Plates LXXV-LXXVI) deserve more than casual notice. 

 The heavy bellied blades of the knives are highly tempered, and not 

 infrequently are bored through and inlaid with silver, in which instances 

 they are known as binuta, — blind (Plate LXXVa). The sheaths, with 

 their sharply upturned ends, are made of light wood on which are 

 carved decorations, attached or inlaid bands of silver, or stained 

 designs. The handles of the weapons are also decorated with incised 

 silver bands. 



Much as the fighting knives are prized, the dagger, bayadan or 

 bddau, is in even greater favor. It is worn on the front left-hand part 

 of the body in ready reach of the right hand, and is never removed 

 unless the owner is in the company of trusted relatives. A light thread, 

 easily broken, holds the dagger in its sheath and the slightest disturbance 

 is enough to cause the owner to draw his weapon. 



The older warriors claim that it formerly was their custom to 

 protect themselves with strips of hemp cloth, limbotimg, which they 

 wound many times around their bodies in order to ward off knife 

 thrusts, but this method of protection seems to have fallen into disuse. 1 



Individual warriors lie in ambush for their foes, but when a great 

 raid is planned the party is under the command of a bagani. These 

 attacks are arranged to take place during the full moon and the 

 warriors usually assault a settlement which they think can be taken by 

 surprise, and hence unprepared. It is very seldom that these people 

 fight in the open, and invaders do not attempt a combat unless they 

 feel sure of the outcome. If they find a house well protected they may 

 attempt to fire it by attaching a torch to an arrow and shooting it 

 into the grass roof, the occupants being slaughtered as they rush out. 

 If one of the enemy puts up an especially good fight his body is opened 

 and the warriors eat a portion of his heart and liver, thinking thus to 

 gain in valor. 



Mr. Maxey mentions the use of poisoned weapons in the neighbor- 

 hood of Cateel, but the Mandaya of the south seem to be entirelv 

 ignorant of this custom. Maxey's account of the preparation of the 

 poison is as follows: 



1 This type of protective armor is still used by the Bukidnon of Central Min- 

 danao. 



