BUILDING THE RESIDENCY 



155 



than withies. When I suggested that knives would do 

 the spHtting quicker and better than teeth, I was met 

 with the reply, " But knives cost money." The first 

 band is about one foot from the ground, the others two 

 feet apart, and the two topmost close together. As the 

 bands get higher, scaffolding on an original native plan 

 is erected. The poles are sawn off evenly round the top, 



Tuci 



and a temporary post, the height of the roof, erected in 

 the centre of the circle, on which rests a cap of plaited 

 grass. The rafters are then arranged ; at first as many 

 as the small circumference of the cap will take are 

 placed in position and tied, then, as the circle grows 

 larger, others are inserted, till the whole conical roof 

 is formed of rafters fitted close together. These are 

 secured in the same way as the walls, with bands inside 

 and out well lashed together and attached to the top of 

 the walls, the temporary centre-pole being taken aw^ay 



