of _nipa_
palm. A few feet above the ground other supports were lashed and on them
strips of _palma brava_ were laid as flooring. In the few cases where
the houses were fitted with sides, strips of _nipa_ palm fastened
together with rattan were used. There seemed to be no uniform type of
dwelling, each house differing from its neighbor in number of rooms,
floor levels, or in other respects. Only one feature, the elevated
sleeping platform at one end of the house, was always found. A few miles
further inland, in the old settlement, the houses are of the type
already described in detail. The people have been practically forced to
their new location by governmental action. The new careless type of
structures seen in Bansalan probably represents, to them, temporary
structures in which they expect to remain only until a change of
governors will furnish an excuse for returning to the old location.

OTHER BUILDINGS.

Near to each farm house or settlement will be seen one or more
granaries, in which rice is stored (Plate XIV). Four poles form the
support for a rectangular base from which the sides of the structure
slope out at an angle of about 25 degrees from the perpendicular until
they meet the roof. The sides and roof are of bamboo beaten flat, the
latter covered with a topping of straw.

In the hemp fields is an occasional shed where the fiber is sometimes
stripped, but more often these buildings, thus hidden from the public
gaze, house the forges on which the smiths fashion knives and spears, or
cast the bells and betel nut boxes so dear to the heart of each Bagobo.

Aside from the shrines or altars, which we shall describe later, the
Bagobo erects no other buildings. He sometimes encloses a rice or
cornfield with a fence, but this requires no special skill in building,
since it consists of two parallel lines of uprights, between which
bamboo tubes are laid to the desired height (Plate XVIb).

FOOD AND ITS PREPARATION.

It is impossible, without including about everything edible in a
vegetable line to be found in the district, to give a full list of
foods; hence no such attempt will be made. Chief of all is the rice,
many varieties of which are grown in the mountain-side clearings.[11]

[11] Back of the coast there are no irrigated fields to be found in the
Davao District.

Next in importance is the _camote_, or sweet potato, and then follow in
the order of their importance: corn, banana, sago and cocoanut.

Fi