They
generally worship and adore the crocodiles when they see them, by
kneeling down and clasping their hands, because of the harm that
they receive from those reptiles; they believe that by so doing
the crocodiles will become appeased and leave them. Their oaths,
execrations, and promises are all as above mentioned, namely, "May
_buhayan_ eat thee, if thou dost not speak truth, or fulfil what thou
hast promised," and similar things.
There were no temples throughout those islands, nor houses generally
used for the worship of idols; but each person possessed and made
in his house his own _anitos_, [159] without any fixed rite or
ceremony. They had no priests or religious to attend to religious
affairs, except certain old men and women called _catalonas_. These
were experienced witches and sorcerers, who kept the other people
deceived. The latter communicated to these sorcerers their desires
and needs, and the catalonas told them innumerable extravagancies and
lies. The catalonas uttered prayers and performed other ceremonies to
the idols for the sick; and they believed in omens and superstitions,
with which the devil inspired them, whereby they declared whether the
patient would recover or die.
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