The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1898-09-14

EIlcl lAiIAOA, q SoOoo A@SoA1oNA >~~~~
Unsuitable eater of sea food, which 1t
catches alive. Its bite is poisonous anc
said 20 be deadly. The fishermen say
that it constricts as we'll as bites, a rare
combination found only in few snakes,
such as the distira of Ceylon. The Ma
hila sea cobra has more striking pecul-
iarity in its indescribably repulsive ap-
pearance. It is clumsy end misshapen.
It's color is a mottle of green, brown
and gray. It sheds its skin not in whole,
as land snakes do, but piecemeal. This,
with the slime on its old skin, gives it
the appearance of poisoned sores and
iecaying raw surfaces.
While the Philippine territory is
famous for the number and variety Of
its snakes comparatively few are pols-
onous. But the nonpoiso6ous ones are
enough for every purpose. They cui-
inmate in the great boa, which is said
to reach length Of S5 feet and thick
ness of Is inches.
Throughout the Philippines an Ameri-
can is impressed with the universal en-
ployment of the buffalo instead Of the
horse for hauling, carting and supply
ing power. Though they are very use
full they are not handsome. All Of the
varieties are larger than our domestic
COW and have enormous horns. The
skin is almost devoid of hair and re-
sembles an elephants hide. One variety
is pinkish white and is said to be an
albino, like the white elephant Of Siara.
The rest have a blue black color,
strangely like the hue of well dried
ink blot. Their harness is usually made
of rope or plated cordage, and most or
the carts to which they are attached
have solid wooden wheels, which creak
and scream as they revolve. The great
brutes are as strong and docile as Nor
mandy horses ana can draw equally
large loads. Though apparently stupid
both the white and black bufaloes are
very intelligent Ii this respect they
s1rpass both the OK and horse and equal
or almost equal the dog. On the street
or road they will stop, back. 60 ahead
and turn to right or left at the word
when the driver is so yards away. In
the evening, when work is over, a COM
mon occurrence is for the driver to say,
eco home, old pig" and the unwieldy
creature will start off and find its way
home alone without trouble. In the
morning the call, Come here and get
harnessed, lazy beast, will be obeyed
promptly, even if the creature is enjoy
ing some tender herbage. On holidays
and Sundays children lead the bufaloes
to conveniens bitches, or pools, where
they lie and roll and wallow in the
mud, suggesting overgrown hogs rather
than bovine animals. When young, the
buffalo is broken in by being tied up
and having hole bored in the partition
between the two nostrils in which a
steel ring is placed. To this cord is
attached with which the great beast Is
led or driven. It is so docile that
child can lead it, and, oddly enough, it
seems to prefer children to grownups,
to borrow word from Kipling. The
she buffalo gives rich sweet milk,
from which the natives make cream,
butter and cheese.
Let no American sightseer confuse
the domestic buffalo with his savage
ancestor, the wild one Many natural
lists deny the kinship and declare that
they are different species. The domestic
is docile, kind, ugly, slow, unrevenge-
full and peaceable; the wild one untam-
able, ferocious, handsome, swift, COM
bative and fearless His horns are long,
strong and sharp and are used with ex-
traordinary skill. He seems to believe
that man has done his race grievous
wrong and that it is his duty to exter-
inmate the wrongdoer. If you see one
coming and you have rife, shoot, and
shoot to kill. He does not mind the fire,
noise or wound. If you are unarmed,
follow the Spaniards' example and
climb tree. Don't be in a hurry and
don't talk to the brute. He will paw
the earth and buck the tree in the hope
of shaking you down. He will not go
away when he finds he cannot get at
you, but will wait around for hours in
the hope that you will get tired and
come down. He is a queer creature.
Originally like all the oriental bufaloes,
he was marsh dweller. He has not
outgrowr. his love for wal!owing IN the
mud, as he selects his home in forest