roTH] HUTS AND HOUSES 249 
perhaps upon the same foundation. In Surinam, when choosing a 
new residence, the redskins, says Penard, note whether the kind of 
clay out of which they manufacture their pottery is present or not, 
and since this clay is mostly found in the savannas it comes to pass 
that most Carib villages are to be found on the edge of a savanna. 
At any and every settlement the houses would bear no regular ar- 
rangement, the one with the other; just built here, there, and every- 
where, close to or distant from one another. (PEN, 1, 97, 98.) 
291. While it would appear that some of the island Arawak houses 
were palisaded (RO, 529), examples of similar constructions re- 
corded on the mainland are rare. The first to draw attention to a 
palisade was Von Berkel, who, during his residence on the Berbice 
between 1670 and 1674, saw them at two Arawak villages on the 
cross path to the Demerara River. This is what he says: “ The house 
at Ouden Amen, wherein we had slept at night, was one of those 
wherein the Indians defend themselves from hostile attacks. Such 
hostilities were practiced on various villages during my stay out 
there. It had a length of about 120 to 130 feet and a breadth of 
between 30 and 40, and was invested around with palisades as thick 
as an ordinary spar, with some openings between the spaces to shoot 
through, for which object they have recourse to their arrow and bow, 
not knowing how to defend themselves in any other manner. I saw 
likewise therein nothing in the world but bows and arrows. These 
houses, which have to be maintained by the villagers collectively, 
are thatched with leaves of an uncommon size... In case of fire 
the whole roof can be hurriedly cut away” (BER, 29). There was 
also at Naby an arsenal, just as in Ouden Amen village, but it was 
falling down, the reason being that as the area was so densely popu- 
lated by the whites the Indians trusted themselves to their care and 
vigilance (BER, 32). In more recent times the elder Schomburgk 
speaks of an Arekuna settlement at Arawayam Botte being inclosed 
or barricaded, he himself noting that in this respect the settlement 
differed from others that he had seen (ScF, 205). His younger 
brother also came across two cases, again in Arekuna territory, near 
the Carimang and Carapu Rivers, respectively (SR, m, 344, 347). 
Appun subsequently reported them on the upper Mazaruni at an 
Akawai settlement above Cako Creek and at Hanare village, where 
four houses were inclosed. In the former case the palisade consisted 
of posts about 10 feet high stuck into the ground close to one another, 
which by means of several crosspieces all bound together with vine 
rope, maintained great strength. It stretched a fair distance away 
round the compound. Only a small door that was barred at night 
led into the settlement. It served as a protection against surprise 
60160°—24——17 
