When the natives wish to know if they are to be victorious in war, the great men of the district consult the favourite cemi, no others being admitted into the house or temple.  The principal chief snuffs cogiaba, and makes a long address to the idol.  Then stands a while with his head turned round resting his arms on his knees, after which looking up to heaven he relates the vision he has seen, pretending to have conversed with the cemi, and delivers his favourable or unfavourable responses, according as it may have struck his imagination during the fit of intoxication produced by the cogiaba.

20.—­24[4].  The cemis have various names, one was called Baidrama, which is said to have been a burnt dead body restored to shape by having been washed in the juice of giuca.  Corocose is the name of another, which is said to have removed itself from a house that was on fire to another dwelling, and used to cohabit with the women.  Opigielguoviran is said to have had four feet like a dog, and when the Christians came to the island ran away into a morass and disappeared.  Guabancex is said to have been a female cemi and to raise storms, being accompanied by two inferiors; Guataniva, who summoned the other cemis to aid in raising the intended storm, and Coatrischie who gathered the waters of inundations in the mountains and then let them loose to destroy the country.  Faraguvaol is the name of another that used often to escape from its temple.

25.  Cazziva a former cacique instituted a fast or abstinence of six or seven days, which the natives still practise.  They shut themselves up during that period, without using any food except the juice of certain herbs, in which they likewise wash themselves, and become so weak that they see visions and get revelations.  Giocauvaghama, a cemi, is said to have revealed to Cazziva that whoever survived him would soon be subdued by a clothed people who were to arrive in the island and would rule over and kill them.  This they first thought was to have been done by the Canibals or Caribs, but they only plundered and fled; and they now believed that the prophecy referred to the Christians.

When I was at the fort Madalena with Arriaga the governor, it pleased God to give the light of the faith to a whole family of that province of Maroris, consisting of sixteen persons all relations, five of whom were brothers.  The first of these who was baptised was Guaticaua, named John in baptism, who suffered a cruel death and in my opinion died a martyr, crying out Dio aboridacha, I am Gods servant.  Another of these brothers was named Anthony, and died equally a Christian.  I afterwards resided with a cacique named Guarionex nearly two years, who at first seemed much disposed to become a Christian, desiring to be taught the Paternoster, Creed, and other Christian prayers, but he fell off by the persuasions of some of the other principal people.  I thence repaired to another cacique named Mauiatue who evinced a favourable inclination to become a Christian; and on our way we left some religious pictures in a house for the use of the catechumens, for them to kneel and pray before.  Two days after we were gone six Indians came to that house of prayer by order of Guarionex, took away the pictures by force, threw them down, covered them with earth, and pissed upon them, saying “Now you will see what fruit they will yield.”