Note 9 — RELATION OF THE ZAMBAL1 INDIANS OF PLAYA HONDA, THEIR SITUATION AND CUSTOMS. BY FATHER FRAY DOMINGO PEREZ, OF THE ORDER OF PREACHERS AND VICAR-PROVINCIAL OF THE RELIGIOUS WHO ASSIST IN THE SAID MISSION. YEAR OF 16802

There is a kind of contempt which is very great among the Indians for one who has not murdered anyone. Consequently, those who have some little gold with which to pay for their murders are much given to this vice of murdering. They generally buy slaves or negrillos of the mountain so that their little sons might kill them. Binding the wretched slave or black they take said sufferer into the presence of their sons from three to seven years old and there kill him, and by that means their minds and all their being become acquainted with the idea of blood, so that when they are grown they may have so evil a custom. It is a curious thing that they generally buy many blacks or slaves for that purpose, and if one cannot do it, or has no wealth for the purpose of buying a black or slave in order that he may kill him alone, he unites with others, and thus many together buy said black. One buys the right to give the first lance-thrust or stab, another the second, another to take away a quarter of the head, another another bit of it, another half the head—according to the amount of the capital of each one—and he who wounds him with greater ferocity, that one has the best lot. I will relate a matter in regard to this, which happened to me when I was vicar of Abucay. Once I had about five little Zambal lads in the convent whom I was teaching to pray and read. It happened that the fathers of three of them came to see them, and that gave the children, who were seven or eight years old, a desire to return to Playa Honda with their fathers. I gave them permission, for their parents begged it of me. I did not give permission to the other two, and, consequently, they remained in said convent with me. While the other little fellows were returning in company with their fathers and passing by Mariyumo, which is a visita of Mariueles, it happened that the Indians of that visita, who are also Zambals and but very little different from those of Playa Honda, had that day caught a black of the mountain, whom they were about to kill on the following day. The Zambals and the children, their sons, stayed for the feast in celebration of the killing of the black. For their joy in being present at a death of any person in such a manner is as great as it is for Spaniards to attend a zarza or play or all to play at ring.9 That news came to the ears of the children, who remained under my care in Abucay, two months afterwards. They were told of the feast which their three companions had had in the village of Mariyumo when they were at the killing; and so great was their sorrow that they had not returned on that past occasion with their three companions that they began to bewail their lack of luck because they had not returned with their companions so that they also might have been present at the killing. Hence, one can infer their so great inclination for this vice, for those who have never seen nor known any better customs learn to kill from early childhood. And in case that anyone has entire information concerning the peace and quiet into which the Christians come by means of the Catholic faith, since they have to live among Indians of such customs, they must always have death in their hands or before their eyes, for one can trust no one, since they do not trust themselves. For every step that they take is at the risk of their lives. Often they kill from necessity, as they believe, so that they may not be killed, as happens when they see in their rancherías any person or persons whom they do not know. Since they do not know whether such persons are about to kill them, they anticipate them and take away their lives, but it is more usual to kill for revenge and to make oneself feared and famous in this matter. There are many of them who, when they have committed fifteen murders, place on the hams of the legs certain strings of a small white fruit of an herb which they call bantacan. When they have killed seventeen persons, they place the said fruit very close together in the manner of a rosary which they call tigdin. When the number has reached more than nineteen, they take away said fruit and in its place wear certain very highly colored sigueyes. But it is to be noted that, although twenty men take part in one murder, in order that they may wear that regalia, which they consider as tabi,10 each one claims said murder as his, as if he had done it alone. They also generally tie a long narrow strip of anahao, or palmleaf, on the hilt of their dagger or yua. That token shows that he who carries it was the first one to strike the person that was killed on that occasion. Notwithstanding the abovesaid, if anyone goes to their rancherías in company with another Zambal of their number, he is sufficiently safe although he might be still safer at Manila.