122
mares, submits the following interesting history of the Sumatran and other
ponies:—
"Mr. Sim, of Penang, wrote to the Local Government offering to obtain good Sumatran ponies. I accord-
ingly communicated with Mr. Sim, giving him a careful description of the class of animal required, and at the
same time stating that, if suitable animals could be obtained, Government was prepared to purchase a certain
number. Some time after Mr. Sim wrote in to say that he had procured suitable ponies ; so with the sanction
of Government I proceeded to Penang, and shortly after my arrival inspected the animals at Mr. Sim's stable.
I must say I was annoyed and disappointed. Though the animals were good enough in a way, that is, they were
clean limbed, good looking, etc., they were not what I had asked for. To begin with, the animals were very
young.
" Mr. Sim pointed out that the demand for ponies was now so great that the hill people had no difficulty in
disposing of their animals when two years old, so naturally would not keep them longer, and therefore it was
almost impossible to obtain full grown ponies that were quite sound, as being worked so young their legs were
soon knocked about. He, therefore, would not take any blemished animals. He went to Sumatra and selected
the ponies which he assured me would come up to my standard if I kept them and fed them up. He had sent
some animals to Australia and they turned out well; but bearing in mind the losses we had already experienced
with young animals, I did not feel justified in purchasing more than two. The demand for these Sumatran
ponies is very great, and the prices asked, I thought, absurd ; yet there appeared to be no difficulty in selling
animals at high prices. The native dealers struck me as being extremely independent. I should say that 95
per cent. of the animals employed for harness work in Penang are Sumatran. As far as I could learn, they are
employed pretty well throughout the Straits, Kedah, the Malay Native States, Borneo, and during the last year
many have been taken to India. In fact, I met an Afghan dealer at a native dealer's stables I was visiting. He
informed me that he had taken some ponies to India and had sold them at good prices, and was anxious to take
some more, but the prices asked in Penang were so high that he could not do a satisfactory deal.
"The ponies, though small, are well made, have good bone, are hardy, very free movers, can draw a Victoria
with ease, and are very frequently showy animals. Apparently there are several breeds of small ponies in
Sumatra, namely, the Bhatak or true Deli pony, the Sirdan, Asahan and Acheen.
"The port of Belawan (Deli) is some sixteen hours' steam from Penang. From Belawan to Medan, the
chief town in the Deli district, is some 25 miles by rail, and from this station to the Bhatak Hills is roughly
about 70 miles.
"It is amongst these hills that the Deli ponies are bred by the Bhatak tribes, the chief places being
Rumah-Kinang-Kong, Tandjong-gong-ong in the Medan Deli district, and Buket-nama-javi in the Lang-Kat
district. The pure Bhataks come from the two former places. The tribes at Buket-nama-javi lost a large
number of ponies from some disease, so purchased mares from the Asahan tribes near by.
"The ponies are employed chiefly for transport purposes, that is, they bring down bags containing oranges
or fowls, etc., to the plains, returning loaded with paddy, dried fish, etc. The people also ride them.
"There is no selection for breeding purposes. When not in use, the mares and stallions are set free to
wander about the hills to graze ; the only extra they may get is a feed of (obie-kajoe) sweet-potato leaves.
"The Bhatak ponies have short heads, broad foreheads, good bone, fine quarters, etc. They are good
looking, and generally speaking very quiet ponies, so are not castrated. They are also very strong and full of
stamina. Uufortunately they are small, a big pony measuring at the outside 12 hands 2 inches. The pie-balds
are generally speaking much larger and more showy than other ponies. Some trouble is taken about their
breeding. They come chiefly from Bukit-Velessia, between the Deli and Langkat districts. These ponies
command high prices, as they are greatly fancied for driving by the Nuniah (Straits-born Chinese women).
Mares are never sold except when proved to be barren.
"The Asahan ponies come from the Nama-javi side, distant some 65 miles along the hills from Langkat.
They differ in appearance from the Deli, in that they possess larger heads, are shorter in the body, and are goose
rumped. They are very hardy and weight carriers, etc. The Asahan ponies are castrated.
"The Sirdan ponies come from the Sirdan district, which is some two hours' run by rail from Deli. They
are pretty ponies, lighter built, and faster than other breeds.
"The Acheen ponies are small, ugly, and very bad tempered. The colts are all castrated. These ponies
are chiefly employed for the ecca-like carts used in the Province and Native States.
" I heard on good authority that a very good class of ponies are bred in and are brought over to Java from
Sandalwood Island, and that these ponies are very like the Shan, only a trifle larger. I have written to a
gentleman in Java, who has lived several years in the island, and who also spent a year or more in Burma, for
any information he can give or obtain concerning these animals, and also for his opinion as to their probable
suitability for crossing with the Burman pony.
"I have again great pleasure in recording that the success attending the work of the year under report is
almost, if not entirely, due to the District Officers and the officers under them, who are at all times not only
ready and anxious to afford me any assistance I may require, but offer advice and suggestions on matters likely
to enhance the value or facilitate the working of this Department, and moreover, in spite of their multifarious
duties, have found time to exercise supervision over the work of the Assistants."
Pony and Mule
breeding in Madras.
564. As usual, these operations are confined to the districts of Coimbatore
and Salem. Nine stallions were at work in the first-named district and 4 in
Salem, against 11 and 4 respectively employed last year. The coverings in
the Coimbatore district amounted to 394 or an average of 44 per stallion,
whilst those in Salem amounted to only 109, giving an average of only 27
each.
565. The small number of coverings in the latter district is attributed in
great part to the outbreak of plague in the sub-division of that district where
pony breeding operations are carried on.
566. Mule breeding.—Mule breeding is progressing in this Presidency,
although but slowly. On this subject the Deputy Director of Land Records
and Agriculture (who submits the report on this occasion owing to a Superin-
tendent, Civil Veterinary Department, not having yet arrived) states:—
"One donkey stallion died at Hosur at the end of April 1898, and in June one of the two stationed at
Kolegal was transferred to Hosur to take his place. The number of coverings effected was 81 by three Jacks