A brief description of the house of Datu Tongkaling will give a good idea of this type of structure.  Except for size—­the dimensions being 44 x 20 ft.—­the exterior does not differ greatly from the houses already described.  A long, partially covered porch leading to the doorway is provided with benches which are always occupied by men and boys, loitering or engaged in the absorbing task of lousing one another.  At the far end of the room is the elevated platform, but this one is much wider than is customary, and is intended as the sleeping place for the warriors, or illustrious guests.  As the writer and his wife were considered, by the datu, as belonging to the latter class, they were favored with this vantage spot, from which they could view and be viewed by the whole household.  Along the sides of the room are elevated box-like enclosures in which the datu and some of his wives and daughters sleep and keep their belongings.  At night the balance of the family, including men, women, children, and dogs, occupy the floor.  Midway between the side walls and near to the elevated platform are two decorated bamboo poles, which are raised in honor of the patron spirits of the warriors; while in other parts of the room are baskets, hanging altars, and other devices in which are placed offerings intended for the spirits.  In addition to the customary furnishings are hundreds of objects testifying to the wealth of the datu.  Clothes, boxes, dozens of huge copper gongs, drums, ancient Chinese jars and plates, spears and shields, beaded clothing, baskets, and last but not least—­in the estimation of the datu—­a huge enameled advertisement of an American brewery.

In the western part of the Bagobo district is a village known as Bansalan.  Recently its people have been induced to leave the old settlement and build in a new location, midway between the mountains and the sea.  Here the writer found a very different type of house (Plate XVIa).  Small trees formed the uprights to which cross-beams were tied to make the roof supports, and on these rested a final covering 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.