The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-02-27
THE sERVICEABLE CARABAO.
1t Is Almost Indispensable to Natives
i'm the Philippines.
From the Scientific American.

From the Scientific American.
The relative value of the mule and the
carabao. or, as it is commonly called, the
water buffalo, for army purposes in the
Philippines has been subject of specu-
lation and experiment during the opera
tions of our army in the archipelago
through the rainy season. The almost i'm
dspensable character of the carabao TO
the natives made it seem advisable to
try the creature for transport service in
place of the mule, and several trains of
ammunition and provisions have been
carried in the rear of our army by the
buffaloes These bull trains for transport
tation PURPOSES have proved success
under Ger ain condi lens. Where haste and
dispatch are necessary they are dismal
failures, but If no particular hurry is es
sential to the evre,1itiop they offer me
points of superiority to the mule train.
They are more to be depended upon in
hot wet countries like the Philippines
during the rainy season than the army
mule, but in any other land they would
be of little use. The bulls are as strong
as almost any an'nal in existence. rival
ing the elarhant in their ability to haul
whatever they are hitched to; but theyT
are large. clumsy, slow and phlegmatic
animals. They cannot be driven faster
than their ordinary gait, which at the
best is almost at a snaiPs pace. AS an in
stance of their slowness, an army train
of bulls was recently dispatched with a
load of provisions and ammunition from
the Ragbag river to San Fernando AL
though only a distance of twelve miles,
it took the bulls over half day to cover
the distance.
The peculiar necessity of their bathing
frequently in the rivers in order to keep
up their spirits and strength during u
journey is both an advantage and disad-
vantage. In travelling through the coun-
try i'm the rainy season, rivers and swol-
len streams are encountered every mile
or so, and crossing these is a pleasure
rather than a disadvantage to the cara
hao. In fact they must battle frequently,
or they will succumb to the heat and IA
tigue of the journey. II given all the
bathing they want the carabao bulls will
work continuously, and never show signs
of exhaustion but cut them off from all
water for any length of time, they will
drop down dead in harness. This de-
pendence upon water for bathing, and
their great slowness, are the chief points
against them.
The flies. mosquitoes and other insects
in the Philippines are so large and numer-
Gus that even the mules are seriously dis
turbed by them, but the carabaos, after
bathing In the muddy streams, have their
bodies so coated with mud and slime that
the insects cannot bother them. it is part
ly for this protective purpose that they
roll in the muddy bottoms. for undoub,-
eddy long experience has taught them the
value of this coat of dry mud
The government has bought IN consif-
cradle droves OF these animals for army
uses, and they ore employed constantly
in carrying pack trains across the rough
country when the mules are needed for
other purposes. Our men have not yet
thoroughly learned the art of driving and
controlling these strange beasts of burden.
The Cinnamon are the best drivers OF the
carabaos and Chino" driver is EN-.
ployed for every one thst Is sent out
with q provision train. The animals are
quiet and docile II handled properly, bur
II crossed or angored they show a tenn
per and power that makes them more
formidable than the native warriors -
night of. The Chino" drivers know
how TO favor the beasts, and when to
give them water and when 10 make them
leave the stream. With stones and loud
shouts they force the an-mals 20 coma