The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-03-18
THE sERvICEAbLE CARtBAo.
IL Is Quite Indispensable to the Na-
fivcs of the Philippines.
tfroin the Scientific !

|
The relative value of the mule and the
| earabao. or. as it is commonly called. the
water buffalo. for army purposes in the
! Fhllpplnes has been n subject of spec''
| iation and experiment during the opera
| tons OF our army in the archipelago
| through the rainy season. The almost in
! dispenSable 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 ammuui-
| ton and provisions have been carried in
| the eTar of our army by the buffaloes
| These bull trains for transportation pur-
| poses have proved a success under cer,Rln
conditions. Where haste and despatch
| axe necessary they are dismal failures. but
| If no particular hurry is essential to the
expedition they cffer some points of super
iority to the mule train. They are more
to be depended upon in hot wet countries
like the Philippines during the rainy sea-
son than the army mule, but in any other
land they would be of little use. The
bulls are as strong as almost any animal
in existence. Tiyaling the elephant in their
ability to haul whatever they are hitched
to; but they are large. clumsy slow and
phlegmatic animals. They cannot be driven
faster than their ordinary gait. which ut
the best is almost a snail's pace. As an
instance of their slowness. an army train
Il
load Of provisions and ammunition from
the Basbag River to San Fernando. AL
though only distance OF twelve miles.
it took the bulls over half day to carry
the distance.
The peculiar necessity of their bathing
frequently IN the rivers in order to keep
up their spirits ard strength during n
journey is both an advantage and disad-
vantage In travelling through the coun-
try in kp raj If.- nd
streams are encountered every mile or 50,
and crossing these is a pleasure rather
than a disadvantage to the carabao. In
fact. they must battle frequently. or they
viii succumb TO the heat and fatigue CT
the journey. II given all the bathing they
want the carabao bulls will work contin-
uously. and never shows signs of eXhaus-
ton: but cut them OFF from all water for
any length OF time. they viii drop down
dead in harness. This dependence upon
water for bathing, and their great slow
ness. are the chief points against them
The flies. mosquitoes. and ether insects
in the Philippines are so large and numer-
Gus that even the mules are seriously dis
turbed by them, but the caraba1s. after
bathing in the muddy streams. have their
bodies so coated with mud and slime that
the insects cannot bother them. 1t is
partly for this protective purpose that they
roll in the muddy bottoms. for undoubtedly
long experience has taught them the value
of this coat of dry mud
The Government has bought up cousid-
cradle droveS OF these animals for Army
uses, and they are 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 bur-
ba q drivers
of the carabaos. and 4 Chino; driver is
employed for every one that is sent out
with a provision train The animals are
quiet and dccile if handled properly bat
if crossed or angered they snow 4 temper
and power that make them more formidable
than the native warriors to fight off. The
Chino" drivers know how to favor the
beasts and when to give them water and
when to make them leave the stream.
With stones and loud shouts they force
the animals to come out of their bed of
water and mud and stand up in line for
yoking again. Sometimes. however, half
an hour is wasted in getting the carabaOs
harnessed ready for resuming the journey
They are trained SO well that they step
into line and over the shafts as carefully
as a gentle horse waiting to be harnessed.
The animals are rudely yoked to the
carts. and are driven by means of rope
fastened to a ring in their noses. The
Chino" drivers control them by means of
this rope and loud shouts similar to those
used by a farmer in steering his yoke of
oxen. The animals are SO slow of foot
that they were ruled off the principal
street of Manila because they impeded the
progress of traffic and caused frequent
trouble. The beasts are able to strike
good gait. however, as witnessed many
times in runaways. Then they show 4
fieetness of foot that surprises all who
are not thoroughly acquainted with them,
but their hide is so tough that the drivers
cannot prod them deep enough to force
them to faster trot.