450\26-13

1-26-45 M and I to paddy fields APO 689. Spent the day walking thru the
open savannas and visiting native homes. Practically all rice has now been
harvested from the fields, with the thrashing and drying process still in
progress. Found several large baskets being constructed out of bane for
the storage of the rice being processed. It is a monster measuring about
four feet square at the base and four or five feet high. The construction
plan is the same as would be followed in making any ordinary basket with
long stripes of bamboo being used as weaving material, After it is complet-
ed it is lined with a mud or clay which gives its:a:rigid and solid form.
These baskets are kept in the homes or outside sheas.: ost of the water
used in their hoasehold operations is taken from treeks or rivers but in
several cases where:the hut is located too far distant from the natural
water a well is supplied It is constructed in

the usual way but instead of lining itswith rocks

Hing

  
  

   

it is surfaced with a complete bamboo lining. At v § v
x

the point about four feet from the water sufface ° g0g~ a a

proper the channel is narrowed but ith a cont- 4 : i \ /

vation of the basket weavéng lining. Several /j XQ ( ‘

huts had improvised levers to draw up the water jf L\y ;

from the depths, however most of the water is
drawn by a rope with a bucket attached on the end of it. The water looks
cool but not too appetizing. Drainege not conmieneed in the position of the
well. There eppears to & predominance of young goats and dogs as wellks
chickens, @alves and even human babies, all emphasizing the’ fact that spring
in here. Found several young babies not too many days old who were wearing
metal bracelets end chains on théir wrist or upper arm. These solid rings
are mede extra large so thet the arm can subsequently grow to fit the ring.
Ttfis impossible to remove these wrist and arm rings except by cutting the

strand. A weterbufflo carried a mass of green vegetation on head with-