norH] BEADS AND BEADWORK 121 
the tie are firmly knotted in one bundle either to or outside of the 
junction of switch and crosspiece and will finally constitute the 
lateral limits of the apron. The intervening loops are cut at their 
extremities and their constituents (n) in bundles of 8, 9, 10, or so, 
loosely looped onto the crosspiece. In the meantime (pl. 18 A) the weft 
ohas been prepared. This consists of two strands of very fine cotton of 
alength sufficient to complete the article of dress. Some 3 or 4 feet of 
this two-strand cotton is threaded at a time with the beads, the 
remainder being rolled into a miniature hank or skein. The bead end of 
the weft is fixed to the tie and is then passed through the upper ends of 
the first three loops—that is, those of the outermost uncut bundle (m)— 
leaving a couple of beads between each. The next bundle is now 
unlooped from the stick and its constituents separately and in rota- 
tion passed through the two strands between every two beads— 
that is, instead of the weft strands being passed in and out between 
the warps the reverse process takes place. The warp strands having 
been thus dealt with and the weft tightened and pressed to its 
uppermost limits, their ends are again loosely looped onto the cross- 
piece and the next bundle dealt with in similar fashion. When 
‘the last bundle is reached, it is treated as the first one—namely, 
the weft is passed through the three loops and a couple of beads left 
between each. Turning over the frame now, work is recommenced 
from right to left, but previous to the insertion of the weft into 
the first three loops the two halves of each loop are twisted to pre- 
vent the first row of weft from slipping down out of place. Other- 
wise the process is identical, care being taken when the last bundle 
of three loops is reached that a similar twist is made as before. 
The frame is again turned over, work recommenced from right to left, 
and thus row after row formed until the required depth is obtained 
(B) (pls. 14 B;18C). To obtain the correct shape peculiar to this 
apron (a width greater below than above) one of two or sometimes 
both measures are resorted to—an increase in the number of beads 
intervening between the warp strings or the attachment here and 
there of another strand to a warp, so as to make two of it. 
The manufacture of a bead apron is essentially woman’s work. 
In Surinam, de Goeje says they are made either on a board or on a 
wooden frame, of which he figures a somewhat unusual shape (GO, 6). 
In the illustration on plate 14 B, the operator has passed her thighs 
through the frame in between the bend of the switch and the cotton 
cross-tie: a position that at first sight makes the shape of the frame 
appear unusual. 
60160° —24 9+ 
