The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-04-24

little inclosed paddy level, so that
the water will stand evenly all over
it. The Filipino pony and the Fill
Pine man are accustomed TO trHve
on the tops of these ridges, the
pony only when the mud aud water is too
deep between, and the Filipino at all
times, except when the necessity for get
ting quickly out of range Of a Krag-Jor-
gensen makes it necessary for him TO strike
directly across lots, with imminent danger
of being mired down at every step. As
for the American, with his heavy soled
shoes, he is at sad disadvantage in fol-
lowing the barefooted native along the
crest Of rice ridge, slippery with mud
and worn down i'll places TO the shape of
house roof. If he undertakes to make
any haste at all he is certain to slide off
every few rods and go up TO his knees in
water and sticky clay. This was our first
effort at travelling the summit of rice
ridge, and it was not long before we were
mud from head to foot, but we stuck to it
as pcrsistently as it stuck to us.
Although it was the season for planting
rice, but little work was being done III the
heids so close to the city, because the war
lnterfcred; yet we found men at work
in few of the fields blowing for the new
crop. The rice land is u very heavy clay
soil, as 1t must be to retain the needed
moisture, and in the dry season bakes as
hard as stone wall under the intense
rays of the sun. Not until several weeks
after the rainy season sets in, and the
water stands in the fields, does it become
soft enough to be plowed. This time had
now come, aud few bare-legged men were
blowing with water buffalos or carabaos
the beast of burden and industry in the
Philippines, as of all tropical Oriental
countries. The carabaO is a hairless ami
NAL with skin much like that of the ele-
phant in color and appearance.
1t is somewhat smaller than our OK, with
shorter legs. 1t has a long neck, by which
its head is projected straight to the front,
the head being crowned by n pair of long
curved horns making perfect crescent and
hattened backwards, so that when the
| head IS raised to n level the horns almost
lie on the neck. \ yoke, which is moth
ing but a cresccnt-shaped stick of tough
wood, is placed on the neck, and ropes at
tached to the ends of the yoke hold the
shafts when he is hitched to cart, or run
back like tugs of a harness when attached
to pillow. The whole strain comes against
the spine at the base Of the neck, where
Il bunch of calOus flesh accumulates that
looks like the ridge on an alligatOr's back.
The Filipino plow is nothing but a fat
and pointed iron about four inches wide
and six long, attached to a naturally
curved stick, one end of which projects to
the rear for the plOwman to use as a sort
of rudder with which to steer the pillow.
Slowly wading through the mud and
water, stopping every few feet to gaze at
! the scenery, the carabaO drags this prim-
tive instrument, followed as slowly and
as patiently by the plowman. The net
result Of one trip across the paddy of
about 100 feet is a plowed furrow. out of
! sight under the water, about four inches
wide. 1t takes n good many minutes to
make trip and a good many trips to
plow one Of those little paddles, but pa
thence and perseverance will accomplish it,
and the Filipino has a good supply of both.
If he had not the Instruction would have
been crushed out long ago. i never saw a
! plowman get clear across any field while