VENTURELLO] MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF TAGBANUAS 521 
crimes and because of the general indignation of the tribe merits 
the severest punishment. Those guilty of incest are confined in a 
cage made of thorny reeds. To them is given a scant portion of 
food for a limited time. They are then taken to the sea, a discourse 
is given to the people who have gathered there, exhorting them to 
be particularly careful not to imitate so detestable and scandalous 
a crime as that perpetrated by these who in payment for their per- 
versity are about to be cast into the depths of the sea from which 
. they will never again return. The guilty are then hurled forth into 
the sea. . 
The crime of murder is punished with a fine or reimbursement 
not exceeding: 500 bandi, the equivalent of 50 pesos. This fine is 
paid to the family of the deceased. If the murderer should not have 
sufficient means to pay the full amount of the fine, the family and 
relatives of the deceased have the right to avenge themselves upon 
the murderer or any of his relatives. This, however, very rarely 
occurs, for the relatives of the rancheria from which the murderer 
comes, in order to avoid so lamentable consequences in their home, 
contribute according to the resources of each, the amount imposed 
by the tribunal. In this case the delinquent becomes free of peril; 
but he is under obligation to pay to each of his countrymen the 
amount of the fine which they religiously lent to him. Usually a 
rich man will pay the fine for him with the condition that should 
the bandi, or its equivalent which the noble has lent to him, not be 
returned within a specified time, then shall the murderer and his 
posterity (lineal descent) be declared slaves. 
Civil debts are also treated in this manner when the time desig- 
nated by the creditor has elapsed more than once and the debtor has 
found no means to pay the debt. 
In the case of the crime of murder it is to be noted that in the 
very same act of the assault or fight, the right of vengeance on 
the part of the relatives of the deceased is legal as long as the act 
has not been made known to some chief or maguerar and as long 
as the delinquent has not sought the protection of the authority. 
When once this is made public and has become a matter of the coun- 
cil, the right to revenge themselves by force perishes. 
Regarding the crime of theft or robbery it is scarcely considered 
as such, but is held in the light:of a minor offence. There exists 
among them no greater penalty than the restitution of the objects 
stolen, the author of the crime being called a thief and a person of 
bad conduct. Should he, however, repeat this fault twice or more 
