CHANGES AND STRANGE SCENES 
in existence from time immemorial, and is no imitation 
of European methods. To reach Paruru the potters 
must undertake a perilous voyage, for which they are 
dependent on the tail of the south-east monsoon. 
Then comes the preparation of the craft, the 
lakatovs. Several hundred large dug-out canoes are 
brought together, and are moored side by side at the 
landing stages in groups of six or ten. While this 
is being done many people are out in the forest cut- 
ting rattans and bamboos for lashing the dug-outs 
together, and for the upper framework of the rafts. 
Across the canoes, after they have been ranged at the 
proper distance (amidships, about six inches apart, 
although their taper ends cause a wider gap at bow 
and stern), are placed long bamboos, extending a 
considerable distance beyond the port and starboard 
sides of the outermost pair. Along the gunwales 
of each canoe, at regular intervals, stout bamboo 
uprights are erected, and to these the horizontal 
cross bamboos are strongly lashed with fibre and 
cane, until the whole framework is perfectly rigid. 
To the cross framework the potters fix down a floor 
of split bamboo, and all round the outer edges they 
wreathe dried grass to prevent slipping as one steps 
on board. This platform overlaps all round the raft 
fore and aft, and the cross pieces are very strong and 
firmly lashed. Openings are left in the floor above 
each dug-out to enable the pottery to be stored in the 
holds of the canoes. A clear space is left on the plat- 
form, extending about six feet from bow and stern, 
and on the whole of the intervening space houses 
are erected in skeleton bamboo framework. These can 
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