ROTH] DOMESTIC IMPLEMENTS AND REQUISITES 287 
another 12 inches. Two sticks or rails (B, w, w) are now placed 
across the bases of the projecting strands so as to lie parallel with 
the edge of the square, the outer rail being about 3 inches distant 
from it. In the variety of sifter reserved for domestic requirements, 
which is naturally the stronger and better of the two, the edging 
is completed as follows: Starting at a corner from right to left, the 
projecting strands are taken up two at a time (ab), rolled twice 
over the outside rail, then passed behind themselves and over the 
inside rail, to be finally again tucked behind themselves, and now 
looped so that their free extremities (gy) lie on top. The same 
process is repeated with the second pair of strands, and so on, the 
free ends left over from the previous ones being always included in 
the lower loop. Of course the bundle composed of these free ends 
becomes too unwieldy after a time, when it will be appropriately 
thinned by cutting away as many as may be necessary. Upon com- 
pletion of one side of the square the next is treated in similar fash- 
ion (C), the bundle of free ends remaining from the former being 
included in the lower loops of the latter. All four sides are thus 
similarly dealt with. In the variety of sifter (D) manufactured for 
purposes of sale, etc., there is no looping below the inside rail, but 
the two free ends (gg) of the projecting strands are together passed 
from behind over and under the two immediately succeeding pairs. 
The free ends of the next pair of strands (cd) emerge just below 
these, and the next (ef) below these again, and so on, the interven- 
ing space between the edge of the plaited square and the inside rail 
being just a little greater than the combined width of three strands. 
The free extremities still left projecting (E) are now bent or 
“broken,” plaited one-over-and-under-two between themselves (ki), 
and finally trimmed. With both varieties, the article is now taken 
from off the flat, the position in which so far it has been plaited, 
and folded along each diagonal whereby the contiguous pairs of 
rails are locked, and where they are subsequently fixed by tying (F), 
the original square mat being thus converted into a sifter with a 
firmly raised specially constructed border (WER, v). 
357. Wapishana and Makusi plait the body or foundation of their 
sifters with similar material on practically identical lines, save for 
the slight variation in which the commencing treble sets of strands 
are arranged (fig. 87). In the larger articles, instead of one treble 
set being crossed by another, there may be two crossing each way 
(pl. 71 A). Their edging follows the pattern of the orthodox Arawak 
type, but among the Makusi interesting variations have been met with, 
the projecting strands, subsequent to their attachment to the rails, ter- 
minating either in a vertical (pl. 72 A) or combined vertical and 
