in a
mat and is buried in the forest.[138]

[138] Maxey gives the following account of burial near Cateel: "The dead
person is dressed in his best clothes, wrapped in a piece of _abaca_
cloth, and placed in a coffin of bamboo poles, or one hewn from a solid
log, if the person was one of means, and buried. If of the poorer class
he is merely wrapped in a piece of matting-, and either buried or
covered over with stones, sticks, and the like. If of high rank, the
body is not buried, but after preparation is taken into the forest and
placed in a small hut under a _balete_ tree. Food, spears, bolos, hats,
shields, and some articles of furniture are placed on the graves to
placate the spirits who might otherwise bring harm to the surviving
members of the clan or family. There is no fixed period of mourning, but
the members of the family must wear black for some time after the death.
The sick are never abandoned prior to death, but slaves nearing death
are sometimes killed to stop their sufferings. The owner, however, must
first consult with others of the clan."

Returning from the burial all the people partake of a feast and then set
fire to the dwelling "because we do not like the _asuang_ which killed
the man in that house." During the ensuing nine days the spouse of the
dead dresses in black and for a month following, or until they can
purchase a slave, the whole family is barred from merry-making. Two
reasons for the purchase of this slave were advanced by members of the
tribe. One was that the family could be happy if they were still rich
enough to purchase a slave. The second, that they thus replaced the dead
man with another, "for the slaves are like members of our own family."

DECORATIVE ART.

The decorative art of the Mandaya is similar in many respects to that of
the Bagobo and Bila-an, yet in part it differs greatly from both. As is
true with the other tribes, the weavers make use of many figures which
they do not associate with any living forms, but which, nevertheless,
strongly suggest that they may have been derived from realistic designs.
In addition to such patterns they frequently employ figures which are
intentional copies of human or animal forms. Of these the most common
are those representing a man and a crocodile; these sometimes appear
together, sometimes alone. The requirements of the space to be filled,
as well as readiness of the worker to alter any part in order to give a
more pleasing effect t