﻿526 The Philippine Journal of Science 1914 



SUPERSTITIONS 



When a person commences to build a house and he sees a rat or a mouse, 

 he discontinues his work, as that predicts bad luck. 



After all materials needed to build a house are prepared and ready to 

 start the work, all the people of the community come to help; but after 

 the house is built, if the owner sees a crow, a mouse, or a snake, he at 

 once moves the house into another solar or lot. When his house is once 

 more built, if he sees no more of these animals, he holds a three days' 

 canao, for which at first a chicken is killed and then some hogs. After all 

 these ceremonies are over, if the owner has no bad dream or sees no bad 

 omen, he will then inhabit the house. If within three days he sees or hears 

 nothing, he holds another canao of chicken, but if he sees anything that 

 predicts bad luck, or has a bad dream, he leaves the house forever and 

 finds himself another place to live. 



The barrio of Sabangan is the central barrio of the township and when 

 the Spaniards first came to this country they established their headquarters 

 for the guardia civil there. 



This document is made out by the presidente of the township together 

 with the secretary, due to the fact that the teniente of the barrio, the old 

 men, and the old women do not know how to read or write. 



This document of ' information is signed by the presidente and the old 

 men of the community who were all present, and is dated this date (July 

 6, 1911). 



SAN EMILIO 1I4 



No legends or customs are related of this township. It is 

 comprised of the following barrios, each of which is divided 

 into two or more parts: San Emilio, Tiagan, Baang, Lancuas, 

 Kalumsing, Sibsibu, Paltoc, and Matibuey. Parts of the town- 

 ship belonged formerly to Abra subprovince and to Ilocos Sur 

 Province. The names of the old sites inhabited by the people 

 of the present territory of the municipality were Ampagadan, 

 Baioes, Bago, Lipay, Batbatay, Batingco, Petredo, Gunnabec, 

 Bising, Bangbagas, Nagbukel, Liang, Paracad, Pitocan, Laqueb, 

 Bacongan, and Limpa, but these places were deserted because 

 of sickness, in accordance with Igorot custom. Part of the 

 known history dates back to 1829. In Spanish times, a garrison 

 of 1 lieutenant, 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, and 12 soldiers was 

 stationed in San Emilio. The Filipino soldiers of the revolution 

 followed them, and then the American soldiers were stationed 

 there until 1904. One friar was stationed there from 1890 to 

 1897. "In 1894, the comandante politico militar and the friar 

 enforced baptism upon the people of the townships of San Emilio 

 and Concepcion. All the people, youths and adults, with no 

 exceptions, were baptized, but the customs of the Igorots. such 



114 For a description of San Emilio, see Perez. Egorrotes, 248, 244 It 

 was formerly a part of the district of Bontoc. 



