cattle-bells and rustic instruments.  Finally, on reaching the animal or captive, the priest wounded it, and the bystanders killed it with spear-thrusts and blows.  When the victim was dead, if it were a man, they cast it into the sea; if it were an animal, they quickly skinned, cooked, and ate it, drinking until they became intoxicated.  But they kept something for the absent ones, as a relic, also reserving the most choice portion (generally the head), on a table that resembled an altar, for the devil whom they called the divata.  No one touched that portion except the baylan, who afterward threw it into the water very reverently.  The sacrifice was concluded with that ridiculous ceremony.  However, they were wont to add certain other ceremonies, according to the purposes for which the said sacrifices were being made, as for instance in war.  At such times, after their intoxication was over, they went to the shore of the river or sea; and, after launching a small boat, the baylan jumped into it, at the same time making his lying conjurations.  If the boat moved, it was taken as a good sign, but if it were immovable, it was intimated to them that that war should not be made, unless they repeated the sacrifices.

They also made use of another ceremony to ascertain whom each one would capture.  Each one kept in his house a great number of the teeth of the crocodile or wild boar, strung on a cord.  He handed those to the priest very humbly.  The latter received them with many salaams, ordained so that they should have reverence for him.  Then he said certain badly-pronounced words ordering such teeth to move themselves, by whose number the said baylan prophesied those who would remain captive in the power of the owner of the string.  In the same way they cast other lots, in order to ascertain the future and its accidents.

Sec.  IIII

Continuation of the same

When about to go rowing or sailing, they prayed to the promontories or capes, attributing to them worship, as to the gods of war, with very sad cries.  They watched to see if a certain bird appeared, called limocon, similar to the turtle-dove of Europa.  If they saw it in the direction that they were taking, it was a bad sign, and they did not leave the port.  They also considered the toco or taloto—­called chacon by our Spaniards, and very like the lizard [46]—­as inauspicious.  They feared the latter wherever they found it, as a thing very contrary to their designs.  While the war lasted, they did not eat of the fish called pulpo [47] or of any other fish caught in a net.  For they believed that if they tasted of that, they would become blind; while, if they ate of the others, they would lose the victory and would be made captives.  They thought that if they ate with a light, they would be conquered; and consequently, never did they strike a light to eat, even though night had fallen.  Those who