248 BUREAU OF AMERICAN ETHNOLOGY [Bull. 177 
used for fish bait. Scattered around the clearing were the remains 
of three small square work shelters. One was 5 meters to the north- 
west of the main house and measured about 2.5 by 3.5 meters, An- 
other, 2 meters from the front edge of the clearing (25 meters from 
the main house), was about 5 meters square. The third, 8 meters 
northeast of the second, was in poorest condition and its dimensions 
could not be determined. Twelve meters southwest of the main house 
were several graves. Sherds were scattered on the surface in the 
vicinity of the main house and more sparsely in other parts of the 
clearing. 
The main house was 10 meters in diameter. It had partly col- 
lapsed, but the roof settled intact and continued to protect the interior 
(pl. 48,6). Access could be gained through the rear door, the front 
one having been blocked by the collapse of the wall. Details of the 
house construction are not pertinent here,’ but the condition of the 
floor and refuse are of archeological interest because they indicate 
how the site was left by the departing inhabitants. The floor was 
not level, but retained the slight unevenness of the original ground 
surface. Three hearths were located along the south side, each com- 
posed of three to four irregular rocks surrounding a bed of ashes. 
Two other hearth areas were indicated by the presence of ashes, but 
the absence of rocks suggests they may not have been in use when 
the house was abandoned. A final hearth, marked by ashes and one 
large rock, was at the rear, north of the doorway. Scattered in the 
dirt of the floor were sherds and a number of other items, including 
a pottery spindle whorl, a large, heavy, wooden mortar and pestle, 
stones used for the manufacture of grater chips, and two large frag- 
ments of a bowl containing red, white, blue, and orange glass “seed” 
beads, some still adhering to bits of string. The refuse also in- 
cluded scattered animal bones, Brazil nut shells, small gourds, and 
debris fallen from the decaying roof. Sherds were encountered to a 
depth of 2 cm. in the dirt of the floor, and showed no concentration. 
The two graves near the south side of the clearing were those of 
children. A hole had been dug about 90 cm. square and 40 cm. deep. 
After the insertion of the body, the grave pit had been roofed with 
sticks 8 to 8 cm. in diameter and split palm trunks, laid parallel and 
then covered with palm leaves laid in the same direction. Grave 1 
was oriented southeast-northwest, and Grave 2, east-west. Large 
sherds from a large cooking vessel lay on the surface at the southeast 
end of Grave 1. 
Tall secondary growth extended beyond the edge of the house clear- 
ing for about 500 meters to the north, east, and south, indicating that - 
7A detailed description of Wai Wai settlement pattern and material culture is being 
prepared for separate publication. For additional data, see Farabee, 1924. 
