The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1904-09-30
ANIMALS O PHILIPPINES
INTERESTING INFORMATION
ABOUT NEW POSSESSIONS.
w. F. NORRIS GIVES SOME FACTS.
Largest and Nosr Valuable Animal is
the Cariboa or Wild Ox-Hogs,
Wild and Tame, Monkeys and Wild
Ducks are Plentiful.

Ducks are Plentiful.
The following communication from
Judge w. f. Norris that appeared in
the Wayne Herald, gives some inter
esting facts regarding the Philippine
islands, where he has been stationed
in an official capacity:
The western.most of the Philippine
islands is Palawan, a large island eX-
tending north and south some three
hundred miles. To the south lies
group of small islands from some of
which on clear day, one can look
over to the Island of Borneo. All geo
logical indications are that in for
mer, and not distant period, the Phil.
ippines at this point were connected
with the great island of the southern
Pacific. The natural supposition would
be that animals of the same species
would be found in the Philippines
and Borneo. The reverse is, however,
the case at the present day. Borneo
is the home of gigantic animals and
reptiles. Here are found the tiger,
elephant, the largest of the monkey
tribe, including the gorilla and other
mammoth specimens of animal life.
The Philippines on the other hand
is the land of little men, little women,
little horses and little animals in
general.
There is rumor that in the interi-
hoc ha
track of some enormous beast, an un-
known animal so far never seen by
any human beings unless the wild
savages who inhabit the forests of the
interior The unknown, is always the
region of the mysterious, and the mas
todon of Palawan may be classed with
the white tribe rumored once on a
time to have been discovered in the
equally wild and unexplored island of
Mindoro.
The largest animal of the Philip
pines is the cariboa or water OK. This
animal is not only the largest but by
far the most important of Filipino ami
mails. The cariboa should be repre-
public Filipena, should such govern
ment ever take its place among the
nations of the earth. 1t is and has
been the most useful and valuable of
Filipino animals. It's labor has been
indispensable to the industries of the
country. Whatever may be it's future
whether supplanted by the American
mule, or whether he continues the
working factor of the country, he has
earned honorable mention and his
eminent services merit perpetuation
The cariboa has been to the Filipino,
to certain degree, what the bison
was to the Indian of the plains, or
what the reindeer is to the Laplander.
His flesh provided the poor man with
food, his labor cultivated his patch
of ground or as a beast of burden
afforded him the means of making a
livelihood in the commercial towns
of the country.
The wild cariboa is the largest
game animal of the archipelago. 1t is
smaller than the domesticated spe-
cies, the latter being about the size
of the OK of this country. l have been
told by an intelligent native that the
cariboa of the mountains is a differ
ent animal from the tame one of the
lowlands. They are generally, how.
ever, regarded as domestic and wild
varieties of the same animal. The
wild cariboa is the most formidable
animal of the archipelago, in fact, the
only dangerous one in Filipino forests,
unless the wild hog be an exception.
He is no mean antagonist, even to the
hunter accustomed to the game of
India or Borneo. When wounded or
angry he is absolutely fearless and
equally vindictive. The only resort
for his intended victim is the nearest
tree, which for the safety of the pur-
sued should be at convenient dis
tance. The animal rushes in pursuit
with the swiftness and fury of a de-
mon.
Passenger transportation in the
cities is generally by little two-wheel-
ed carriages, drawn by little horses,
the latter being not much larger than
good sized Shetland pony. The
horses are used only for driving, the
heavier work being done by the carl
boa The number of native ponies has
been greatly reduced through a dis
ease known as the surra, which has
swept them away by the thousands
In some sections they are well night
annihilated by this disease which at
one time prevailed in India with,
understand, like results. The carl
boa also suffered from disease called
the rinderpest, which proved equally
fatal, destroying, not only the tame
animals, but the cariboa of the woods
as we'll as other wild animals, thous-
ands of which perished during the
prevalence of the pestilence.
The wild hog is one of the best and
most plentiful game animals of the
archipelago. The tusks of the wild
pig are much used as ornaments to
walking sticks. They are of immense
length and are anything but a grace
full ornament, their chief value being