﻿518 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



Balili, Tuboc, Banaba, and Aban. These were the fathers and grand- 

 fathers of those who make these statements. 



The wealthy old man Tibaldo, who was called campo, was headman of 

 this pueblo, and in each barrio was a wealthy old man of the same barrio 

 who was called mede. 101 



The names of those who have been medes that are remembered are Bang- 

 oafigdan, Aguelba, and Quioaen. 



Those appointed held those offices [of campo and mede] for an unlimited 

 period, and were only succeeded when the pueblo or barrio so decided, and 

 were relieved by a son or other member of the family. 



The medes [each] had in their barrio an ato (kind of court), a small 

 building in which the entire barrio assembled, headed by the mede, in 

 order to discuss the affairs pertaining to the barrio. (Plate II, fig. 1.) 

 The medes communicated these matters to the campo. The latter there- 

 upon assembled all the former in one of the atos, and the matter was 

 discussed in order that he might give his decision. The campo could not 

 decide any matter without the approval of one or two medes, although 

 he believed his decision proper and necessary. There were matters that 

 were decided by the medes, if they formed the majority. 



At present this court is involved at times in family disputes and in 

 the case of debts, and is held as follows: Any person appears before the 

 mede and makes a complaint against another person for debt. The mede 

 thereupon sends word to the other medes to assemble in the ato. They 

 summon the defendant, take the declarations of the two litigants, and 

 as soon as the defendant has been declared guilty sentence is given and 

 the sentence communicated to the defendant, with a fine which is imposed 

 of a hog or other animal, and of tapuy, which are consumed by all [the 

 medes] and by those present. Furthermore, he is forced to pay double 

 the debt. If the plaintiff loses the suit between himself and the defendant, 

 he has to give a hog and tapuy, which are consumed by all the people 

 as above said. In cases in which the plaintiff and defendant maintain their 

 positions obstinately because of a strong denial on the part of the latter, 

 the medes oblige them to take the pudong. This is a kind of examination 

 and proof, and is conducted as follows: The medes and old men prepare 

 a small bit of [sharp] steel, and a bamboo through which the steel can 

 pass easily when let fall through the hollow. While the above objects 

 are being prepared, other old men proceed to sacrifice chickens, at the 

 same time praying to their gods to aid them with the litigants, as each 

 one [of the gods] may desire. When everything is ready, the above- 

 mentioned litigants are made to squat on the ground on their heels. As 

 soon as they are in position, he who is about to perform the operation 

 approaches. This is usually an old man, and [there is] another one 

 who acts as witness or assistant. The former places the bamboo on top 

 of the head of one of the above-mentioned litigants and drops the above- 

 said piece of steel through the hollow of the said bamboo. This, throuch 

 the force of its fall, makes a slight wound in the scalp, from which oozes 

 a small drop of blood. Then he does the same to the other litigant, also 

 in the presence of the other witness or assistant. When the operation 

 is ended, the medes and old men examine very carefully the drops of blood 



101 A note in this account later on defines campo as the headman of the 

 pueblo and mede as the headman of the barrio. 



