422 The Tinguian 



All are attached to the single whirl of the traveler, and the process 

 begins. The operator at each end turns his whirl, or set of whirls, 

 rapidly toward the right, the one with the traveler bracing his foot 

 against the lower end, to keep the twisting bast under tension. A third 

 operator guides the grooved piece of wood from the traveler toward 

 the forming machine, as the three strands twist round each other into 

 rope. The bast is known as glnisgls, the rope as tali. 



Vines, rattan, and strips of bamboo are likewise twisted together 

 to form crude, but strong cordage. 



The making of thread is described under spinning and weaving, 

 but the cords used in snares and the like are prepared in a different 

 manner. The operator squats on the ground, and taking a strip of 

 fiber, places it on his thigh ; then with open palm he rolls it toward the 

 knee. The twisted bast is bent at the center ; the thumb and forefinger 

 of the left hand hold the loop, and the two strands are placed together. 

 These are now rolled toward the knee as before, the hand giving extra 

 pressure on the ulnar side, and then are rolled back toward the body 

 with pressure on the radial side. When the end of a band is reached, 

 a new one is rolled in, and the process is continued. A tie at the end 

 keeps the cord from untwisting. 



When very long strips of fiber are used, two men will work to- 

 gether. One holds the end of the loop, while the other twists each 

 half of the strip in the same direction. Then placing them together 

 on his thigh, he turns them, under pressure, in the opposite direction, 

 thus making a cord. 



Bark Cloth. — Bark cloth is still in common use for men's head- 

 bands and for clouts. It is secured from the same trees as the rope 

 material, but wider strips are taken, and it is customary to beat the 



FIG. 18. 



Bark Beater. 



bark thoroughly before it is removed from the wood. It is then split 

 to the desired thickness, after which it is beaten with wooden or bone 

 mallets (gikai), which are generally grooved transversely (Fig. 18). 

 The cloth produced is soft and pliable, but is not of the fineness of 

 tapa, and it is always in comparatively narrow pieces. In no instance 



