The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55: 1601-1604; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
History
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 — Volume 12 of 55: 1601-1604; Explorations by Early Navigators, Descriptions of the Islands and Their Peoples, Their History and Records of the Catholic Missions, as Related in Contemporaneous Books and Manuscripts, Showing the Political, Economic, Commercial and Religious Conditions of Those Islands from Their Earliest Relations with European Nations to the Close of the Nineteenth Century
Demarcation line of Alexander VI; Missions -- Philippines; Philippines -- Discovery and exploration; Philippines -- History -- Sources
mentioned the baths it is fitting to relate what I can tell about them.
Of baths in the Philippines. Chapter X.
From the time when they are born, these islanders are brought up in
the water. Consequently both men and women swim like fishes, even from
childhood, and have no need of bridges to pass over rivers. They bathe
themselves at all hours, for cleanliness and recreation; and even the
women after childbirth do not refrain from the bath, and children just
born are bathed in the rivers and springs of cold water. When leaving
the bath, they anoint the head with ajonjoli [_i.e._, oil of sesame]
mixed with civet--of which, as we shall later show, there is great
abundance in those regions. Even when not bathing, they are accustomed
to anoint their heads for comfort and adornment, especially the women
and children. Through modesty, they bathe with their bodies drawn up
and almost in a sitting posture, with the water to the neck, taking
the greatest care not to be seen, although no one may be near to see
them. The most general hour for bathing is at the setting of the sun,
because at that time they have finished their labors, and bathe in the
river to rest and refresh themselves; on the way, they usually carry
some vessel for bearing water to use in their domestic duties. In the
island of Panay I saw all the people, at the conclusion of a burial,
hasten to the river upon leaving the church and bathe there, as was
the custom among the Jews--although these Indias have no knowledge
of that dead law. They keep a vessel full of water before the door
of every house; every person, whether belonging to the house or not,
who enters it takes water from the jar with which to wash his feet
before entering, especially during the season of much mud. They wash
their feet with great facility, rubbing one foot with the other:
the water flows down through the floor of the house, which is all of
cane and fashioned like a window-grating: with bars close together.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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