552 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS [voL. 48 
sangbay, the same as is observed by the Apurahuanos. This takes 
place in April. The celebration of the fiesta is the same as by 
the Apurahuanos with the difference that all classes of diversions 
and dancing are permitted and in them men, women, and children 
participate. Neither do they observe the sacrifice of the chicken 
as the Apurahuanos do. The Batacs, however, construct two little 
huts in imitation of a house. In the one house is placed palay, in 
the other are imitation houses of bees made of the leaves of the 
balasbas or species of palm. The babailan will then recite the 
prayers and earnestly beseech Diwata that he give to the tribe a 
year of much palay and bees. The two little houses signify that in 
this year Diwata give them an abundance of palay that shall fill their 
houses and that the woods be filled with bees. The ceremonies being 
completed, they will eat, drink, and dance. They eat heartily very 
much like beasts. The celebration of this feast takes place in the 
solitary places of the woods, distant from the beach two or three 
kilometers. 
When one of the people becomes ill the babailan officiates in the 
same manner as among the Apurahuanos. When a quarantine is 
established, instead of placing mecate, or ropes at the entrances 
to the house, a piece of wood known as langaday or gaalo an 
instrument used to hull rice, is placed there. When a man dies, 
especially if it be the chief of the tribe, the news is told to all the 
people. Every one is obliged to break forth into weeping even 
including visiting strangers. When the head of a family or some 
person of distinction dies special messengers are sent to all the 
places. When the messengers arrive, they do not speak, but they 
take the hand of the head of the family and either kiss it or press 
it. The family then know the dire misfortune and accompany the 
messenger to his home. - Surrounding the body of the dead person, 
they weep, speaking amid their lamentations of the dead man’s 
powers, his influence among the tribe, his meritorious deeds, etc., 
which custom, among us, would augment the grief of a family in- 
stead of allaying it. The body of the dead is permitted to remain 
in the house for an indefinite time, according to the wish of the 
family and the social position of the man. The body is buried 
without any ceremony. In the grave are placed articles of clothing 
and food and this act is repeated from time to time. 
Moreover there is another custom which is very peculiar and 
equally ridiculous. Three days after the burial of the body, every 
person who assisted at the interment is obliged to return to the 
