e at the weapons carried by the man shows that his knife has been
ornamented with caps of brass (Plate XXXII), the metal guard has cut or
cast patterns in its surface, while sheath and carrying belt are covered
with thin brass plates, painted lines, or a beaded cloth (Plate XXXIII)
with bells attached. Fronts and backs of shields are covered with
incised designs, while the metal ferrule next to the spear head seldom
lacks in conventionalized figures. So the list might be extended to
cover the women's knives and their pocket and carrying baskets, as well
as the betel boxes and lime holders used by both sexes. In short, there
seems to be no end to the list of personal ornaments and equipment which
may be improved by carvings, arrangements of beads or metal castings and
inlays. Even the horses are decorated with artificial forelocks of hair
and beads. Strings of bells surround their necks, while saddles and
whips display the aesthetic taste of their owners.

A part of this decoration is apparently realistic and will readily be
identified by any member of the tribe; another part is suggestive and
with a widely known meaning, but by far the greater number of designs
have no generally accepted signification. The writer spent many hours
securing the names of the designs on textiles, ornaments, or on lime
boxes, only to receive the reply "done to make pretty," or to find that
no two of five or a dozen informants could agree on many patterns, while
frequently it was found that some obliging individual had volunteered
names at one time which he could not remember on the day following. It
is possible that a long residence with the people and diligent inquiry
along this line might yield more definite results, but for the present
the writer must content himself by showing some typical examples of the
decorative art, and adding a few notes to the same.

The great majority of baskets lack in decoration, other than that which
can be obtained by a slight change in the weave. In these a central band
can be distinguished from those at top and bottom, although the same
material is used and there is only a minor variation in the technique.

Small carrying receptacles, or trinket baskets, frequently have designs
produced by plaiting the rattan or bamboo of natural color with that
which has been blackened (Plate XXXIVa). No uniform meaning or pattern
name seems to be attached to the designs shown in this specimen, but an
incised design on th