Here, again, was a conflict between our laws, the application of which we are bound to uphold, and native customs, having the force of law and so far regarded by the highlanders as meeting all necessities.  The practice of head-hunting still exists in the Bontok country, though the steady discouragement of the Government is beginning to tell.  Here in Bontok itself, a boy, employed as a servant in the Constabulary mess, dared not leave the mess quarters at night; in fact, was forbidden to.  For his father, having a grudge against a man in Samoki across the river, had sent a party over to kill him.  By some mistake, the wrong man was killed, and it was perfectly well understood in Bontok that the family of the victim were going to take the son’s head in revenge, and were only waiting to catch him out before doing it.  These homicides can, however, be atoned without further bloodshed, if the parties interested will agree to it.  A more or less amusing instance in kind was recently furnished by the village of Basao, which had in the most unprovoked manner killed a citizen of a neighboring rancheria, the name of which I have unfortunately forgotten.  The injured village at once made a reclama (i.e., reclamation, claim for compensatory damages), and Basao agreed, the villages meeting to discuss the matter.  When the claim was presented, Basao, to the unspeakable astonishment and indignation of the offended village, at once admitted the justice of the reclama, and handed over the damages—­to-wit, one chicken and pesos six (three dollars).  This was an insult to the claimant; for on these occasions it seems that each party takes advantage of the opportunity to tell the other what cowards they are, what thieves and liars, how poor and miserable they are, that they live on camotes—­in short, to recite all the crimes and misdemeanors they have been guilty of from a time whereof the memory of man runneth not to the contrary, this recital being accompanied, of course, by an account of their own virtues, qualities, and wealth.  The claimants in this case accordingly withdrew, held a consultation, and, returning, declared that in consequence of the insult put upon them the damages would have to be increased, and demanded one peso more!  The body is always returned, and the damages cited are for a body accompanied by its head; if the head be lacking, the damages go up, no less than two hundred pesos, a fabulous sum in the mountains.

The highlanders [35] believe in bird signs and omens drawn from animals generally.  A party sent out to arrest a criminal had been ordered to cross the river at a designated point.  Returning without their man, the chief was asked where they had crossed, and, on answering at so-and-so (a different point from the one ordered), was asked why he had disobeyed orders.  It seems that a crow had flown along the bank a little way, and, flying over, had alighted in a tree and looked fixedly at the party.  This was enough:  they simply had to cross at this point.  Sent out again the next day, a snake wriggled across the trail, whereupon the chief exclaimed joyfully that he knew now they would get their man at such a spot and by one o’clock, that the snake showed this must happen.  Unfortunately it did so happen!