a very fragrant fruit, and larger than the largest Spanish melon; macupas, which resemble apples; and santors, which taste like the quince. There are also many good oranges and lemons.
In the province of Ylocos is found a large tree whose blossoms resemble the white lily, and taste like fish. The Indians gather the blossoms in the morning, cook them, and eat them in place of fish. And, wonderful to relate, on the next morning the tree is again full of blossoms; and this occurs day after day.
In the mountain region, where there is scarcity of water, are found certain bejucos, six or eight brazas high, and larger around than the thumb. When this stem is cut, there gushes forth a great quantity of water, of excellent taste; and this liquid supplies the lack of water. Each bejuco will yield two or three cuartillos of water.[1]
CHAPTER ELEVENTH
Which treats of the rites and ceremonies observed by
the Moros in the vicinity of Manilla, and
of their social conditions
The god Batala. According to the religion formerly observed by these Moros, they worshiped a deity called among them Batala, which properly means "God." They said that they adored this Batala because he was the Lord of all, and had cre-
- ↑ The bejucos, as before explained, are various species of Calamus, commonly known as rattan. Blanco describes two of these (C. maximus and C. gracilis) as furnishing a supply of water. Some of the species attain a height of more than six hundred feet.
