The National tribune., 1899-11-02
CARABAO IN THE PHILIPPINES.
Something About This Useful Beast OF
Burden


Something About This Useful Beast OF
Burden.
Long of horn and tough of hide is the
carabao. Sometimes it is called the water
buffalo. and it resembles the animal of that
name which IS found in India. The name
Is hftng, for the owner. if left to itself, will
stay in the water nearly all day To the
native 1t is invaluable. 1t tills his fields
and draws his product to the market, Ii is
meek and patient and docile, with great
strength and viii 10 pull whatever it is
/ yoked 10 over any road.
! The army has found the bull train to be
| oi great service III transporting provisions
and ammunition from point to point. Once
/ the transfer had to be made from the Bag
| bag River to San Fernando, distance Of
] II miles. Ii took half day to make the
journey Some of the carabao died, but
as rule the method of transportation was
a success; though SLOW. A buffalo draw
heavy load of ammunition was driven
up sharp grade ut Bagbag to reach the
railroad track. Both front feet slipped.
and the beast fell to his knees. Yet he
pulled that load up the grade on his knees
ana did not attempt to stop until the strain
had slackened. Then it was found that
the knees of the animal had been skinned,
and We're bleeding
| One pecul a ity about the buffalo is that
he must have water and demands it twice
a day at least. Through the green that
surrounds the walled city of the south
there runs small stream that empties
and fills with the ebb and flow of the tide
| When 1t IS low there is plenty of mud and
when high the water is not clear But the
lGovernment carabao that are loafing there
now are not particular about the condition
OF the stream. They feed along the green
slope until the heat of the day, then they
crawl down into the mud and lie there until
the rays OF the sun are behind the walls of
the city, when they come out again for the
evening meal. Should they be wanted in
the meantime the driver goes down to the
bank and begins to throw stones and shout,
"Hoo-a, HoO-a. When that sound breaks
| upon them as they stand there with their
eyes shut and with jaws elevated above the
water line deliberately chewing their cuds,
| with one accord they silently sink out of
sight. Sometimes they remain under
water for more than a minute. Then they
begin to come up, one at a time, and as
! they appear the "Hoo-a. Hoo-a" of their
tormentor still smiles the peaceful air
Slowly they move off, and it is not always
in the right direction. 1t sometimes takes
half-hour,s labor to get the drove to the
bank. IL they are covered with mud it
suits them better, for then their hides have
coating which the fly and mosketo can
not penetrate.
If the carabao are to work in the carts
they step in between the shafts as carefully
as an elephant steps over the form of his
Keeper. The carabaO is nearly as large as
the elephant. and fully as awkward The
yoke, IS fastened to the shafts, and the
beast must turn his head sideways, that his
mammoth horns may go through The
beast minds like child, and turns his
great head this way and that. as the driver
demands. Sometimes carabao run away.
and then there is trouble for anything or
anybody in the way. They are blind with
fury and drag their loads behind them as
though they were hitched to fairy carts.
Chinamen know how to humor the ami
mails, and for every carabao there is a
Chino" driver. The Cinnamon sit on the
carts or ride the backs of their beasts and
drive with one rope hitched to a ring in the
animals noses. By a series of Jerks and
CALCULATIONS they skillfully guide their carts
through the most crowded thoroughfares
The one thing they can not do is to make
the carabao hurry. The animals are slow
of foot, and it was because of their poking
gait that they were ruled off the Escolda,
the Broadway of Manila.
Soldiers can drive them, and some have
mastered the art OF saying the words and
Jerking the guide rein, but Chinaman
usually squatS like monkey on the cart.
1t is legend that the carabao can scent a
European from afar, and that the knowl-
edge sets him wild with anger. Further,
the legend declared that if white man
passed in front of a carabao the animal
would gore him. If this were ever true the
carabao has thought better of it, and has
adapted himself to circumstances.
There are immense herds of caraboa liv-
ing in a wild state on the islands, if what
is told for truth can be relied on. 1t is a
business Of one of the tribes to catch and
tame these animals. But when born i'm
service they. are easily broken. A buffalo
calf resembles velvetnosed JERSEY for
about six weeks of its earlier existence. II
has slim legs, jumps about and bleats with
all the abandon OF a high-bred heifer, and
enjoys life for couple of years. Then its
horns grow out-sometimes straight from
the side of its head-until it has to turn its
head to pass through a common gate.
There IS great variety of horns. Some
sweep back, IN graceful curve, some
droop, some spread like antlers, but all are
long, and grow to a sharp point The
carabao is usually drab or mud color. hut
there is one which travels about Manila that
is as white as an animal can be-
A daily plunge into water is a necessity
to the buffalo. If he does not get it he
dies. This was found true with the train
that started with Gen. Lawton for the ex-
pedition among the foothills. Water was
not at hand for the carabao to wallow in.
and they fell over with their loads and
died in the sun. Sometimes they go mad.
and If they then spy pool somewhere
what is behind. This happened once when
the train was carrying supplies to San Fer
nando. One buffalo broke through fence
and plunged down steep bank into a
stream, taking with him the cart and its
entire load, except the driver, who stood
on foot, demonstrating in Tagalo with the
unruly beast.