68 Field Museum of Natural History — Anth., Vol. XII. 



support for a rectangular base from which the sides of the structure 

 slope out at an angle of about 25 degrees from the perpendicular until 

 they meet the roof. The sides and roof are of bamboo beaten flat, the 

 latter covered with a topping of straw. 



In the hemp fields is an occasional shed where the fiber is sometimes 

 stripped, but more often these buildings, thus hidden from the public 

 gaze, house the forges on which the smiths fashion knives and spears, 

 or cast the bells and betel nut boxes so dear to the heart of each Bagobo. 



Aside from the shrines or altars, which we shall describe later, the 

 Bagobo erects no other buildings. He sometimes encloses a rice or 

 cornfield with a fence, but this requires no special skill in building, 

 since it consists of two parallel lines of uprights, between which bamboo 

 tubes are laid to the desired height (Plate XVIb). 



FOOD AND ITS PREPARATION. 



It is impossible, without including about everything edible in a 

 vegetable line to be found in the district, to give a full list of foods; 

 hence no such attempt will be made. Chief of all is the rice, many 

 varieties of which are grown in the mountain-side clearings. 1 



Next in importance is the camote, or sweet potato, and then follow 

 in the order of their importance: corn, banana, sago and cocoanut. 



Fish, eels, crabs, grasshoppers, monkeys," deer, pigs, and chickens 

 form a part of the food supply; in fact, the people seem to draw the line 

 at nothing but crows, snakes, mice, rats, goats, horses, dogs, and cats. 

 Despite the assertion of a number of worthy informants that the last 

 three are on the prohibited list, it is the opinion of the writer that it is 

 the scarcity of the supply rather than any feeling of prejudice which 

 causes them to be included. 



Salt and pepper are used as condiments. The former is secured in 

 trade with the coast natives and Chinese, while the latter is produced 

 by mashing the fruit of a small wild pepper, locally known as katombal. 



Rice, after being allowed to dry, is stored without being separated 

 from the straw. When a supply is needed a bundle is laid on a piece 

 of hide and is beaten with a wooden pestle, wielded by a woman or a 

 slave. This separates the grain, which is gathered up and placed in a 

 wooden mortar, where it is again beaten with the pestle until the outer 

 husk has been loosened. To remove the chaff the rice is taken from the 



1 Back of the coast there are no irrigated fields to be found in the Davao District. 



2 Some people refuse to eat monkey meat. 



