Crowds stood within about six paces of the priests, waiting for the consecration of their various offerings, which were placed on stands made of bamboo. The offerings generally consisted of cocoa-nuts, plantains, pine-apples, mangoes, and other fruits; baskets of chickens recently fledged; pots, prios, and baskets of rice; trays piled up with a variety of cakes exhaling incongruous smells; strips of calico and silk; coins of silver, gold, and copper; besides numerous other objects.
After some minutes spent in prayer, the people going through all the external forms prescribed by their creed, which often constitute the whole extent of their knowledge of it, each priest dipped his goupillon into the basket of water, which he took into his left hand, and muttering some words, sprinkled the offerings as they were brought to him. All the holy men then bowed down, and repeated a loud prayer, which was echoed by the young ponditas and some of the bystanders.
