ted gobernadorcillo], and the rejoicing is universal. In
the tribunal (city hall) he occupies a large lofty seat, which is
adorned with the arms of Espana and with fanciful designs, if his
social footing shows a respectable antiquity.

On holy days the officials go to the church in a body. The
principalia and the _cuadrilleros_ form in two lines in front of the
gobernadorcillo and the music precedes them. In the church the latter
occupies a seat in precedence of those of the chiefs, who have benches
of honor. After the mass, they usually go to the convent to pay their
respects to the parish priest; and they return to the tribunal in the
same order, the musicians playing a loud double quick march. [104]
There they hold a meeting, at which the gobernadorcillo presides, in
which he, in concert with the cabezas, determines the public services
for the week.

The tributarios of many towns go, after mass, to hear orally the orders
that the cabezas communicate to them. In order to summon any of them
when necessity requires, they have adopted certain taps of the drum;
and on hearing it they go to the tribunal.

If the gobernadorcillo is energetic or has a bad temper, the cabezas
fear and respect him highly; but if he is irresolute they abuse
him. When he goes out on the street, an alguacil with a long wand
precedes him.

Since the majority of these pedaneos do not talk Spanish, they are
authorized to appoint _directorcillos_ [i.e., petty directors],
who receive very slender pay. The directorcillo--who has generally
studied for several years in the university or the colleges of Manila
without concluding his course--writes the judicial measures, and
the answers to the orders of the provincial authorities; serves as
interpreter to the pedaneo, when the latter has to talk to Europeans;
and exercises entire influence in all matters. By virtue of that he
sometimes commits abuses that the gobernadorcillo finds it necessary
to tolerate, in order not to lose his services; for there are towns
where one cannot possibly find another inhabitant to take his place,
because of their ignorance of Castilian. All that redounds to the hurt
of the honest administration of the towns, and even the prestige of
the government, since the said directorcillos are wont to ascribe to
the superior orders their own exactions and annoyances.

Each town of Filipinas contains a number of cuadrilleros, proportional
to its citizenship. They are under obligati