September, 1913- Wild Tribes of Davao District — Cole. 183 



The whole structure is so firmly lashed together with rattan that it is 

 capable of withstanding severe storms, despite the fact that it gives and 

 creaks with every wind. During violent storms the house is further 

 secured by anchoring it with rattan lines to nearby trees. 



Entrance to the dwelling is gained by means of bamboo or rattan 

 ladders. These are drawn up at night, and with all means of access 

 thus removed the inhabitants need have little fear of a surprise attack. 

 If enemies do attempt to dislodge them the defenders have the advantage 

 of their elevated position in the use of their weapons. 



Generally, each house contains only one room which varies in size 

 according to the number of inhabitants. Frequently two or three 

 families are found living in one house, for it is the custom for the suitors, 

 and often for the husbands of the married daughters, to live with the 

 girls' people. 



Near the door, or in one corner of the room, is a small box of earth 

 in which several stones are imbedded. This constitutes the hearth, 

 about which is found a miscellany of pots, jars, and other kitchen 

 vessels. The smoke finds its way out through a small opening at each 

 end of the roof, or through the narrow space under the eaves. There 

 is no recognized arrangement of the room. Utensils 1 are scattered 

 promiscuously about and when the inhabitants are ready to sleep they 

 occupy such parts of the floor as are free or can be most easily cleared. 



The people of a community build their houses within a short distance 

 of one another, yet seldom so close together as to form a village. How- 

 ever, village life is not entirely unknown, for in the vicinity of Cateel 

 Governor Bolton found six houses, partially surrounded by palisades, 

 perched on the top of a conical hill. 



Lieutenant Youngblood gives the following description of the 

 people and dwellings seen by him near the upper waters of the Agusan 

 river : 



"The people seemed to be living in an atmosphere of fear as far 

 as intercourse with the world outside their crater-like valley was con- 

 cerned. They believed it was death to look upon the sea, of which 

 they had heard disjointed tales, but which none of them had ever seen. 

 They feared the coast people with a mortal fear, justified perhaps by 

 the experiences of occasional meetings in times gone by. They fear 

 each other to a certain extent, especially men who live further north 

 of the headwaters of the Agusan. This ever-present state of fear gives 

 coloring to their whole life. They take to the brush at the least 



1 These consist of baskets, rice mortars, and winnowers, weaving outfits, bark 

 dye vats, as well as traps and weapons, nearly all of which are so similar to those 

 already described for the Bagobo that they do not call for special notice here. 



