AN EXCURSION TO THE INTERIOR.—BUFFALOES AND AGRICULTURE.
In the afternoon Mr. Segovia called at the hotel to make a suggestion for an excursion into the interior. He explained that he was not at all pressed with business at that season of the year, and could spare a few days for a trip inland: he offered to make all the needed arrangements, and proposed that they should start on the following morning.
A GROUP OF NATIVES OF MANILLA.
"The island of Luzon," said he, "on which Manilla stands, is the largest of the group; its length is 520 miles, and its greatest breadth about 140. The estimate of its area is 40,000 square miles, and the next largest island, Mindanao, contains 33,000 square miles; the remainder of the group are much smaller, and of less consequence. It would take you several months to visit all of the islands, and you would find them so much alike as hardly to pay for the expense and fatigue. But you can make a small tour of Luzon, and see the principal features of the Philippines; and if everything is satisfactory, we will set out to-morrow."
The proposition was at once accepted, and the gentleman departed to make the necessary arrangements. "You need get nothing," he said, "beyond what you wish to wear, and may take your roughest clothes for that purpose; I will see to all the provisions and everything else we want, and will come with a carriage to take you to the boat that will be ready for you."
As soon as he had gone, Frank suggested a visit to a book-store he had seen not far from the hotel, in the hope that they might find some books about the islands to carry with them on their journey. Fred agreed to the proposal, and away they went. They soon returned with two books in the English language and one in French, and they passed the evening in the study of these works, in which they found much that was interesting.
The volumes in English were "Travels in the Philippines," by F. Jagor, and "Twenty Years in the Philippine Islands," by Paul de la Gironiere. The latter book was originally published in French, and was written by Alexander Dumas, from the notes of Gironiere, who had led the life of an adventurer and planter in the Philippines. It contains a good deal of truth mixed up with a variety of interesting incidents from the imagination of the famous French novelist. The work of Jagor is more recent than the other, and also more authentic.
Their kind entertainer was true to his promise, and came with the carriage at an early hour; but he was not too early for the Doctor and his young charges, and it did not require many minutes for them to be ready to start on their expedition. "We want to get off as quickly as possible," said Mr. Segovia, "in order to make a good distance before the heat of the mid-day sun compels us to halt. You have been long enough in the tropics to know that the middle of the day should be devoted to rest."
The boat was waiting for them at a landing-place just above the bridge; it was of native construction, and had a rude appearance; but as soon as our friends entered it they found it very comfortable. It reminded them of a Chinese house-boat, and their guide said it was built after the Chinese model, with slight changes to suit the wants of the Philippines. There was a space on the forward deck, where they could sit under an awning or roof of bamboo and pandanus leaves; it was not sufficiently high to enable them to stand beneath it, but this was no great inconvenience, as there were plenty of little loop-holes where they could look out and study the scenery.
The baggage was stowed in a sort of hold beneath the cabin, or in a space at the stern; in the latter instance, it was under the eyes of Mr. Segovia's two servants, who sat there, and occasionally gave some needed assistance to the crew. The latter consisted of six men and a padrone, or captain; the captain was a Chinese Meti, while his crew were Tagals, or natives of the islands. They were obedient, but not very energetic, and it was very soon apparent that the voyage would not be a rapid one.
VIEW ON THE RIVER PASIG.
The route of the excursion was up the Pasig to a large lake known as the Lake of Bay. The Pasig forms a natural canal, about twenty miles long, between the lake and the sea, and there are no falls in any part of the way to obstruct navigation. There are numerous villages and farmhouses on the banks of the river, and the boatmen made all sorts of pretences for stopping, in order to make the journey as long as possible. They had been hired by the day, and were anxious not to get through a good contract in a hurry.
Mr. Segovia finally made the padrone understand very plainly that he would be held responsible for all delays, and if the men did not do their duty there would be a deduction from the amount to be paid. This had the desired effect, and after that they behaved better. "Stop as long as you like at the villages," said the gentleman, "and I will keep a record of your delays, and make your pay accordingly." Nothing could be more reasonable than this, and the men were not long in seeing it.
SCENE ON THE SHORE.
With rowing and sailing it took nearly all day, with a rest of two hours at noon, to reach the Lake of Bay. They halted for the night at a little village close by where the river begins, and while the sun was yet in the sky our friends took a stroll by the shore of the lake. It seemed to them a very large lake, and the boys were not at all surprised to learn that the circumference of this sheet of water was more than a hundred miles, and that it washed the shores of three fertile provinces—Manilla, Laguna, and Cavite. It abounded in fish, and their attention was called to a fishing-raft, with a curious system of bamboo poles, by which the net was managed. Doctor Bronson explained to the boys that everything about the concern was of bamboo, with the exception of the fibre of the net; and even that, he said, might possibly be of bamboo, as this article can be used for coarse netting, though it is too brittle for fine work.
A BAMBOO FISHING-RAFT.
Their guide informed them that all the waters of Luzon were abundantly supplied with fish, so that this article of food was very cheap. He said a man could live on five cents a day, and have all he wanted to eat; this was the price for the interior provinces—three cents for rice and two for fish and cabbage—but he admitted that in Manilla food was dearer. There a man can hardly subsist on five cents a day, though he can get along very well on ten. Most of the fishes are coarse and of a muddy flavor, and there are not many varieties eaten by foreigners.
They were lodged in the house of a gentleman who was acquainted with Mr. Segovia, and was glad to have the opportunity of entertaining strangers. "We are away from civilization," said he, "and are delighted to welcome any one who can give us news of the outer world, and relieve the monotony of our life. Hardly a dozen persons come here in a year, and therefore you may be sure that all who do are heartily welcome."
They were bountifully fed at the table of their host; and as he was anxious to talk on almost every conceivable topic, it was very late before they went to bed. The next morning the journey was resumed to the estate of Jala-jala; it was formerly owned by the author of "Twenty Years in the Philippine Islands," and was rather extravagantly described in his book. The shore along the lake is flat, and serves as an excellent pasture for the cattle belonging to the establishment, and back of the shore there is a wide area of slightly elevated country, covered with rice and sugar fields. Beyond these fields is a hilly region backed by a mountain that is thickly wooded to its summit, and abounds in game birds and animals of several kinds. Three sides of the estate are surrounded by water, as it stands on a broad peninsula; there is another peninsula of nearly the same extent farther up the lake, which is likewise the home of a wealthy planter.
The owner of Jala-jala was absent; but the manager invited the strangers to remain as long as they chose, since such was the custom of the country to all visitors who came properly introduced. He offered them horses to ride in any excursions they wished to make over the property, and told them, in true Spanish style, "The house and all it contains are yours." Mr. Segovia was well known at the place, and his presentation of Doctor Bronson and the youths was all that could be desired to make them entirely welcome.
The invitation was accepted by advice of their introducer, and their slender baggage was taken to the spacious house, where rooms were assigned to them. Their morning journey had given them good appetites, and they were quite ready for the substantial breakfast of curry, broiled chicken, and various kinds of fruits to which they were soon called. Then they rested awhile on the veranda, and strolled through the gardens, which were finely laid out, though somewhat neglected in cultivation. Early in the afternoon they were invited to a horseback-ride, and as soon as the animals were ready they started. A couple of Spanish Metis accompanied them, partly to show the way, and partly to vouch for them to any of the herdsmen they might encounter.
A STAMPEDE OF BUFFALOES.
"You must know," said Mr. Segovia, "that this estate has more than a thousand buffaloes, two thousand bullocks, and six or eight hundred horses. The horses are about half wild, and the bullocks more so, while the buffaloes are the worst of all. It is dangerous to go about here on foot, as the cattle are excited at seeing a white man walking, though they pay little attention to a native. The herds are watched by herdsmen, to prevent their straying off the pasture-grounds, and also to guard them against thieves, who are sufficiently numerous to cause considerable loss if not closely watched. Sometimes the herds become alarmed from various causes, and then a frightful stampede occurs, in which they run for miles. On this very estate I once narrowly escaped being trampled to death in a stampede of a herd of buffaloes; they had taken fright at the rumbling of the ground during an earthquake, and in their headlong flight they nearly ran down my horse and myself. I just managed to get out of the way; if my horse had stumbled and thrown me, my death would have been certain.
"They are dangerous animals to encounter in hunting," he continued, "as they will face a man who attacks them, and attempt to pierce him with their terrible horns. Perhaps you would like to hear of my first buffalo-hunt in Luzon."
The boys answered that it would give them great pleasure to listen to the story, as it would certainly be very interesting.
"Then I will tell you about it," was the reply. "It was in the mountains, some distance in the interior, where the country is very thinly settled, and the animals are entirely wild. The mode of hunting is to station yourself on the edge of a wood which is known to contain buffaloes; you must have a gun on which you can depend, and, above all, you must have full possession of your nerves. When all is ready, you send two or three Indians with dogs into the woods, to beat up the game and rouse him to the proper condition of anger. This is what I did, and I stood for at least half an hour without hearing a sound.
"The Indians remove nearly all their clothing, so that they can climb trees and get out of the way of the infuriated buffalo whenever he charges at them, and only the most active of the young Indians are selected for this work. By-and-by I heard the barking of the dogs; it kept coming nearer and nearer, and in a little while one of the Indians showed himself at the edge of the forest and sprung into the limbs of the nearest tree. I brought my rifle to my shoulder, and stood ready to receive the assailant. As he came out of the forest, he stopped a moment, as if bewildered at not seeing the Indian; when he looked around his eyes rested on me, and then he came onward, crashing through the small bushes, and trampling down everything that stood in his way.
"He made straight for me, as if intending to run me down, and did not pause till he was not ten paces away. Then he halted for a few seconds, and lowered his head to rush upon me with his horns.
"This is the critical moment when the hunter should deliver his fire, and he must aim directly at the centre of the animal's forehead. If the gun misses fire, or he fails of his aim, he is lost.
SHOOTING A BUFFALO.
"I fired just at the right time, and the bullet went straight to its mark. The buffalo made his plunge as he had intended, but instead of piercing me with his horns, he fell dead at my feet. The Indians then came up and praised my coolness, and predicted that I would become a famous hunter. I have shot a good many buffaloes since then, but it is fair to say I always have some one near me to deliver a shot in case my rifle should fail, and I stand close to a tree, and am prepared to jump behind it if possible. This is a precaution that every one should take, as you can never be certain that your gun will not miss fire, or your shot may fail to pierce the thick skull of the buffalo."
Frank asked how much the buffalo of the Philippines was like that of the United States.
"He is included in the same genus," was the reply, "but the species is quite distinct. The American animal is misnamed when he is called buffalo; he is properly the bison, and his scientific name is Bos Americanus, while the Luzon buffalo is described as the Bos Arna. The buffalo of the Philippines is an animal of more docility than the ox when properly domesticated, and is capable of rendering more services to man than his patient brother. But he must be tamed when very young—less than a year old; if suffered to reach two or three years without restraint, he is sure to be vicious, and is of no use except to be converted into beef. He is stronger than the ox, and will live on coarser food; he eats the bushes and vines that the ox refuses, and he is fond of aquatic plants, as well as those that grow on the slopes of the hills. When the heat is great, he takes to the water, and will spend the whole day there, browsing on the lilies and other things that grow in it. He stirs up the roots with his feet and devours them, and he will even hold his head under water to reach what is growing on the bottom.
A NATIVE PLOUGH IN LUZON.
"It would be difficult to name all the services he performs for the natives. If you look at Gironiere's book, you will find it stated that the Indian associates the buffalo with nearly everything he does, and from my observation I fully believe it. With the buffalo he ploughs, and on his back he rides or transports articles across mountains, by paths where even a mule would be unable to go. The Indian also uses the buffalo for crossing rivers and small lakes; he sits or stands on the broad back of the animal, which patiently enters the water, and often drags behind him a small cart that floats on the surface. As you go farther into the country you will see more of the buffalo, and learn how to appreciate him."
A BUFFALO YOKE.
At this point of the conversation the party arrived at the edge of a field where some twenty or more natives were at work, under the charge of a half-caste overseer. Some were ploughing with buffaloes or oxen, and others were driving the same animals in harrows. The boys stopped to examine the implements used by the natives, and found they were of a character that would be called exceedingly primitive in America. The plough consisted of only four pieces of wood and two of iron, and the workmanship was such that almost any man could produce with a few rough tools. Their guide told them that the wood came from the forests of Luzon, and cost only a few cents, and the pieces of iron for mould-board and share were sold in Manilla for half a dollar the set.
The next thing considered was the yoke for the buffalo; and while Frank sketched the plough, Fred made a drawing of the yoke, which was a single piece of wood made to fit the animal's neck, and bring the draught to the middle of the shoulder. It was held in place by a short rope passing under the neck, and the traces were fastened to the ends of the wood. "A plough, yoke, and traces, for a single buffalo, ought not to cost more than a dollar," Fred remarked; and the Doctor quite agreed with him. The further observation was made that when two or more buffaloes were used, they were harnessed "tandem," and not side by side as with oxen in most parts of the world.
NATIVE WOODEN PLOUGH AND YOKE FOR OXEN.
A stronger and heavier plough was shown to our friends, and Mr. Segovia explained that it was intended for oxen instead of buffaloes, and was used for stirring the ground where the lighter plough was insufficient. Frank observed that the yoke was not supplied with bows, after the American plan, but had a couple of upright pins at each end to enclose the neck of the ox. When the team is to be made up, the yoke is held over the necks of the animals, and dropped into place; and if they are at all restive, the space at the lower ends of the pins is closed by means of a cord. A rope, instead of a chain, forms the connection between the yoke and the beam of the plough. The latter has only one handle, on the theory that the ploughman needs the use of one of his hands for guiding his team, and consequently a double hold on the plough is impossible.
THE COMB HARROW.
From the ploughing-ground they passed a little farther on to where a stretch of muddy ground was being harrowed, so as to make it ready for planting rice. Two or three inches of water covered the ground, and the object of the harrowing was to convert the water and earth into a bed of liquid mud. For this purpose a novel kind of implement was used; it was called a comb harrow, and had a single row of iron teeth fixed in a wooden frame. The traces of the buffalo were fastened so that they had a tendency to draw the teeth forward, and the machine was steadied by a handle or cross-bar parallel to the beam in which the teeth were placed. It was a simple and very effective instrument, and Frank thought it might be used to advantage on certain parts of his father's farm in America.
The soil of the Philippine Islands is, in general, so rich that it yields very bountifully; and, as it is in the tropics, there is no season of frost, and snow, when cultivation must cease. Agriculture goes on through the entire year, and on some parts of the soil three and occasionally four crops can be raised. The year is divided into the wet season and the dry; in the former, the rain falls in torrents, and fills the rivers and lakes, together with artificial reservoirs, where water is stored for irrigating the fields in the time of drought. Crops are made to follow each other so that the soil may not be exhausted by repetitions; thus, in the mountain districts, it is customary to plant the ground with rice, and, as soon as it is gathered, it is followed by a planting of tobacco.
Formerly the island of Luzon produced large quantities of pepper for exportation, but at present there is hardly enough grown there to supply the local demand. Fred asked the reason of this, and was told the following story:
"The price of pepper was fixed by a measure called a ganta, which was used by both sellers and buyers. The Philippine Company had the monopoly of the pepper-trade, and were making a fine profit out of it, but it seems they were not satisfied to let well enough alone. One year, when the pepper-growers came to Manilla to sell their product for the season, they found that the agents of the Company had altered the measure by making the ganta of the Company double the ganta of the Indians, so that the sellers were enormously cheated. The Indians were angry at this trick, and immediately went home, destroyed their pepper plantations, and devoted their attention to other articles of culture."
"Served the Company right," said the boys, "provided the poor Indians were able to get along with something else."
"As to that," was the reply, "they were not likely to suffer, as they could raise tobacco, rice, sugar, and two or three other things, on the same ground; but it is proper to say that there are few articles that can be cultivated as easily as pepper. Pepper requires very little care; all that is needed is to take a little twig of it, bend the two ends together, cover the middle with a little earth, and tie the ends to a prop of wood six or eight feet long. The plant grows and clings to the prop till it reaches its top, and there it stays and takes care of itself. The owner has only to remove the weeds once in a while, and to stir up the earth around the foot of the plant so that it can absorb plenty of moisture. The grains are gathered as fast as they change from green to black, and are then spread out in the sun and dried."
TAGAL INDIANS CLEANING RICE.