196 EDITORIAIv. 



what was to happen to him until the moment he was tied, when he began to cry; 

 and furthermore, that death was almost instantaneous, the only cry being one 

 uttered when the spear first entered his side. 



Datu , a man about 60 years of age, says that in his life he has attended 



or officiated at fifty human sacrifices, 'more or less, both among the Bagobos and 

 Bilans, and that human sacrifice is also a practice among the Tagakaolos, although 

 he has never been present at one held by that tribe. The Bagobos do not sacrifice 

 any but old and decrepit or useless slaves captured from other tribes, but the 

 Bilans sacrifice even their own people. Being asked if it was customary to eat 

 any portion of the body sacrificed, my informant replied that it was not customary 

 nor did he know of any case where such a thing had occurred. 



The last sacrifice previous to this was held at Talon during the year of the 

 drought (about 1905) when a Bilan slave, an old man who was paralyzed in one 



arm, was sacrificed by Datu , his master. Wlien asked if the sacrifice of 



an animal wouW not do as well as that of a human being, they said no, better 

 to have no sacrifice at all. They appeared utterly unconscious of having com- 

 mitted any crime, told their story with frankness, said it was a matter not 

 talked about among their own people, but that if we wanted to know the facts 

 they would give them to the authorities. They maintained that the ofi'ering of 

 human sacrifices by their tribe was an old custom and as far as they knew was 

 the only way to appease the wrath of the evil spirits, but they said if they were 

 ordered to give the custom up they would do so even if the devil got them all. 



In view of the facts in this case as brought out in the investigation, it is not 

 thought that it is a case for prosecution before the courts, but rather one for 

 religious instruction in so far as it is possible to give it. When it is considered 

 that only a year and a half ago these people could not be approached by a white 

 man without taking to the brush, and that now they will come down out of the 

 mountains to meet the officials to discuss a question of this kind, it is evident that 

 they have great confidence in our Government. 



I explained to them that human sacrifices were wrong and would not be allowed 

 by our Government, and furthermore that I could not let them ofi^, but would 

 write and explain everything to the provincial governor, who would decide what 

 was to be done in the premises. These people have promised me that if I would 

 assist them to secure a good location near the coast, they would move down from 

 the mountains. I have promised them my assistance in the matter and I intend 

 to try and get them down to a point near Digos in the near future. 



These accounts differ in minor points, but the essential details agree 

 very well. I know of no white man who has witnessed this event. The 

 fact that none of our party learned about the sacrifice until we had 

 passed through the place where it took place shows how secret the whole 

 affair was kept. The native foreman on a near-by American plantation, 

 where we stopped for a day or two, was the principal actor in the scene. 



The Bagobos are, on the whole, very tractable and well disposed to- 

 ward Americans, in spite of this primitive and bloody custom. I lived 

 among them for several days and felt not the least anxiety. Good judg- 

 ment and tact in dealing ^Adth them will doubtless enable the provincial 

 officials to induce them to give up this practice even though they have 

 made human sacrifices for many years. 



"Warren D. Smith. 



