they learn that there is any contagious disease, or fear death, several
of them assemble and make a human sacrifice, asking the devil to let
them live, since they generously offer him that victim. They also
believe that the disease can be conjured. But the time that it is
necessary to make a sacrifice, according to the law of the Bagobos, is
at the death of anyone of the family, before they can remove the
_lalaoan_ or mourning * * * At the point and on the day assigned, all
the sacrificers assemble, or possibly one member of each of the families
who are in mourning, at times fifty or more. The value of the slave
sacrificed is paid among them all, and he who pays most has the right to
sacrifice first."[**]

[**] In BLAIR and ROBERTSON, Vol. XLIII. pp. 244-51, will be found a
very interesting letter from FATHER GISBERT, in which he describes the
sacrifice of a Bagabo[sic] half-blood who had fallen in debt.

The official files in the Governor's office at Davao contain an account,
written by Gov. Bolton, of the sacrifice at Cataloonan, July 1, 1904.
This was held to secure the return to health of Chief Obo, who later
died.

[Transcriber's note: The two paragraphs immediately above both comprise
a single footnote.]

By the side of the trail, or in the forests, little shrines or platforms
about 3 ft. high and a foot square at the top, are frequently seen.
These are known as _buis_ and are erected for the _buso_, in order to
avert their displeasure and to keep them at a distance from the
dwellings. When the family has been subjected to petty annoyances, or
when for any other reason, the _mabalian_ thinks an offering should be