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.
Fish, eels, crabs, grasshoppers, monkeys,[12] deer, pigs, and chickens
form a part of the food supply; in fact, the people seem to draw the
line at nothing but crows, snakes, mice, rats, goats, horses, dogs, and
cats. Despite the assertion of a number of worthy informants that the
last three are on the prohibited list, it is the opinion of the writer
that it is the scarcity of the supply rather than any feeling of
prejudice which causes them to be included.
[12] Some people refuse to eat monkey meat.
Salt and pepper are used as condiments. The former is secured in trade
with the coast natives and Chinese, while the latter is produced by
mashing the fruit of a small wild pepper, locally known as _katombal_.
Rice, after being allowed to dry, is stored without being separated from
the straw. When a supply is needed a bundle is laid on a piece of hide
and is beaten with a wooden pestle, wielded by a woman or a slave. This
separates the grain, which is gathered up and placed in a wooden mortar,
where it is again beaten with the pestle until the outer husk has been
loosened. To remove the chaff the rice is taken from the mortar, placed
on a flat winnowing tray (Fig. 13), and tossed and caught, until the
wind has carried away the lighter husks, thus leaving the grain free.
This is placed in a pot, a small quantity of water is added, and the
vessel is placed over the fire. Here it is allowed to remain only until
it begins to boil, when it is placed on the ashes, near enough to the
fire to keep it hot. From time to time the woman turns the jar until the
contents is cooked through, wren each grain stands out free from its
fellows.[13]
[13] This is the usual way of preparing rice throughout the archipelago.