St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-09-28


Lake Of Bay. 1t ranges from yard to
IL and even IA feet in length and from
/ to inches in diameter. 1t is pow
erful swimmer good fighter and an
Unsuitable eater of sea food, which it
catches alive. Its bite is poisonous and
said to be deadly. The fishermen say
that it constructs as we'll as bites, a rare
combination found only in few snakes,
such as the distira of Ceylon. The Ma
Mia sea cobra has more striking pecul-
iarity in it's indescribably repulsive ap-
pearance. 1t is clumsy and misshapen.
Its color is a mottle Of green, brown
and gray. 1t 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
decaying raw surfaces.
While the Philippine territory is
famous for the number and variety of
its snakes comparatively few are pois-
onous. But the nonpoisonous ones are
enough for every purpose. IVY cul-
inmate in the great boa, which is said
to reach a length of 80 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 Siam.
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 Of
the carts to which they are attached
have solid wooden wheels, which oreak
and scream as they revolve. The great
brutes are as strong and docile as Nor
mandy horses and can draw equally
large loads. Though apparently stupid
both the white and black buffaloes are
very intelligent. In this respect they
surpass both the OK and horse and equal
or almost equal the dog. On the street
or road they will stop, back, go ahead
and turn to right or left at the word
when the driver is so yards away. In
the evening, when work is over, com.
mon occurrence is for the driver to say,
go home, old pig" and the unwieldy
creature will start off and find it's 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 heritage. On holidays
and Sundays children lead the buffaloes
to convenient 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 a cord is
attached with which the great beast is
led or driven. 1t is SO docile that a
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 a grievous
wrong and that it is his duty to exter-
inmate the wrongdoer. If you see one
coming and you have rifle, 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 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 60
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 queer creature.
Originally like all the oriental buffaloes,
he was marsh dweller. He has not
outgrown his love for wallowing in the
mud, as he selects his home in forest