SPORT IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2355, 13 April 1899, Page 55

SPORT IN THE PHILIPPINES.

Few island clusters are so uniformly beautiful as the Philippine group, nor among these can any vie with its chief island, Luzon, in verdure-clad, cloud-capped mountains, fertile valleys and plains, wide fresh water rivers, placid lakes, and sparkling waterfalls. Favoured with an abundant yearly rainfall, an equable climate, and the life-giving influences of the Oceanic tropics, these eastern islands teem with almost every natural product. The plains, valleys, and uplands are covered with abundant crops of tobacco, hemp, rice, coffee, sugar, indigo, cacao, and spices. The mountain forests Eroduce magnificent timber, while bamboos, etel, cocoanut, and banana -palms wave on every side in town and country alike. The shores abound with pearl and other oysters, edible birds' nests, corals, sponges, and sholls of infinite variety, and the soas, lakes, and rivers teem with excellent fish. The rice fields are a favourite resort of snipe, quail, and wild duck, and so numerous are the former that a splendid bag may be made in Ihe course of a few hours' shooting, even within a few miles of the capital. Herds of deer roam over the hill pastures, and such big game as wild buffalo and wild boar may be hunted in the mountain forests

Nor, despite the lack of adequate roads and railways, are the haunts of these animals difficult of access. For one of the best game preserves in the island, JalaJala, is easily reached by water from Manila. This is a long peninsula in the Lake of Bai, divided by a range of hills running like a backbone through the centre, and having on one slope forest and on the other fine pasturage. It abounds with "wild boar, buffalo, 'deer, and winged game of all kinds, including quail, snipe, and wild cock, pheasants, pigeons, and parrots. The shores of the lake are the resort of a great variety of waterfowl, and in its shallows lurks the redoubtable cayman.

Leaving behind us Manila, with its labyrinths of estuaries and canals ebbing and flowing to the tides of the vast harbour gulf, its busy quay and moat encircled walls, and its cheerful suburbs with their garden-embowered villas, we ascend the broad Pasig, one lovely view after another unfolding itself as we proceed. Dotted along tho banks are huts of bamboo and nipa palm, built on piles, their highpitched, thickly-thatched brown roofs picturesquely grouped with palms, mango trees, and feathery bamboo clumps. Some of these huts serve as houses of call and restaurants for the numerous passengers on this groat natural highway into the interior. And on the broad shady balconies which overhang the stream boatmen and fishermen may be seen taking their noontide siesta, or squatting on their heels smoking cheroots, and playing tay-po. Later in the day native girls may be seen wading barelegged into the river to fill the globular red jars, which they balance on their heads as they return with erect, if not graceful, gait along the raised field paths to their village homes. Great domesticated buffaloes, released from the plough or cart, come singly or in groups for their evening Wcillow in the cool water, attended at most by a naked brown urchin, who stands upright on the broad back of this familiar companion. As the huge animal disappears under water, -according to hia wont, his rider also dives into the stream, being almost as amphibious, for Tagal children swim, as well as smoke, before they have learnt to walk. Great cascoes, oi covered barges, heavily freighted with valuable produce from the interior, and hugh rafts piled high with cocoanuts, meet us now and again. Finally we emerge into the wide fresh water lake of Bai, girdled by a hundred miles and more of varied, evei fertile shore line, with the lofty, cloud-capped peaks of the giant Majajai beyond. The wild buffalo, who has his haunt in these forests of Jala-Jala, is a very different animal from the domesticated species which we have just seeD disporting in the Paaig, being a magnificent creature with jet-black hide and outstanding horns sft to 6ft long. The natives, who are bfy no means deficient in courage, consider the pursuit of this redoubtable beast the most dangerous of wild sports, and declare that they would rather stand 20 paces from the

mouth of a carbine than withstand the charge of a buffalo. The carbine may miss fire, but- the buffalo's horn is certain death.

In the mountains of Marigondon this animal is hunted on horseback, and taken with the lasso, the Indians of chat district not; being much accustomed to the use of firearms. Driven from his forest lair by dogs, the buffalo throws up his head and sniffs the ah- as if scenting his enemies. On locating their whereabouts, he suddenly starts for them at a furious gallop, and the Indians, lasso in hand, deftly avoid the impact, and at the same moment throw tho noose. But in most parts of Luzon tli9 buffalo is hunted on foot, and firearms are used. There is, however, very little difference in the degree of danger incurred by the hunter, and the sport is one which requires, in the first case, dexterous riding ajid great skill in the use of the lasso, and, in the second, great presence of mind and a trusty weapon. The usual mode of procedure, when following the chase on foot, is for the hunter to take up such a position that the buffalo, on breaking covert, must immediately catch sight of him. Rending and trampling underfoot every obstacle to the fury of his chajrge, he rushes impetuously on, stepping suddenly when within a few paces of his foe to lower his stupendous horns for tli3 attack. Now is the hunter's opportunity to lodge his ball in the huge forehead ot the infuriated brute. If he misses h». is lost.

The wild buffalo may also be hunted on the hills of San Isidro. The neighbourhood of Boso-boso abounds with game of various kinds, and good deer shooting is to be had at many other places easily accessible from Manila. Bat shooting may also be indulged in in some localities. The bats which afford this sport on moonlight nights are a very large species of cheiroptera, measuring up to sft from tip to tip of their outstretched wings. The Tagals and Ilocanos, who constitute the domesticated population of Luzon, are ofter keen sportsmen, and their services can hardly be dispensed with by the European in search of game. The headman of a village is proud to offer hospitality to strangers, and not only refuses to accept payment from them in return, but courteously places at their disposal hia ponies and his gun, and shows them every attention in his power. The Tagal is by nature an intrepid rider, climber, and svimmer. He rides barebacked the most spirited ponies ; mounts the forest trees like a monkey, using both hands and feet equally; plunges without hesitation into sbark-'infested waters, and dives into alli-gator-haunted lakes to attack their scaly denizens. Endowed himself with courage of this kind, he has the greatest admiration for bravery and intrepidity in Others, . and will attach himself devotedly to a master who has won his respect by some deed of daring. As a travelling servant he is the most useful of beings, ready to turn his hand to anything, and acting in turn as boatman, huntsman, cook, or porter. The Tagal can also on occasion turn tulisani, or brigand, a profession which is viewed by his fellows with a leniency equal to that extended by the peasants of Calabria and Thessaly to the freebooters of their respective provinces. The tulisanis of Luzon have now probably all joined the rebel army, and at no time have they proved a very formidable danger. Their efforts have always been directed rather against the Spaniards, and especially officials, than aganst chance travellers and sportsmen belonging to other nationalities. Excursions in which ladies. English and American, took part Avere, during my residence at Manila, frequently made" to places in the interior notorious as the haunts of the most desperate tulisanis — the caves of San Mateo and the shrine, of Antipole So, without risk of capture by these outlaws, the traveller or sportsman may, with a little enterprise, peuetrate eastwards from the Lake of Bai to where, hid among the hills and coffee groves of Batangas, lies the cliS'-encircled Lake of Taal, with its fairy-like islet and miniature volcano, from whose summit a pennon of lurid smoke over rises and spreads. On through the dark woods of Tavabas he may wander and cross the mid chain of Luzon, with its luxuriant ferns, gigantic forest trees, and sounding waterfalls, emerging finally on the shores of the boundless Pacific?

As .to other forms of " sport," bull- baiting, though occasionally practised, has never beccme a popular pastime in the Philippines. To horse racing, however, the natives take kindly, and the annual meating 1 of the Manila Jockey Club, which includes among its members Tagals, halfcastes, and Chinamen, is largely attended by all races and classes. Cockfighting is, however, the sport par excellence of the Philippine native, and is with him, even more thau with Malays generally, a passion pushed to the extreme. In every nipa hut. in every craft floating on the Pasig and its tributaries, a cock is to be found undergoing training as careful as that bestowed upon a racehorse in the west. A native at leisure is seldom to be seen without his gamecock, which he carries affectionately under his arm. Should his hut take fire — no uncommon event in the dry season — his first thought is for tho safety of his favourite champion, which is generally tethered to a peg in the ground on the shady side of the baliay, and, having secured him, he leaves the rest to fate. Cockfights are held regularly on Sundays and holidays, and tho laws regulating the cockpits, which contain some hundred clauses, are very strict. The spectators stand or squat on their heels — the favourite native posture — on i sloping floor, at the foot of which are the lists. The maximum stake is 50dol, and one spur only is allowed to eacb cock. The Chinaman who farms the gallera collects the bets, which, relatively to the wealth of the company, are enormous, Tagals of the poorest class often staking from three tc four dollars, and going supperleßs to bed in consequence. Meanwhile the owners of the first combatants are arming their champions with a sharp steeJ spur some 24in long, with aa much care as is given to saddling a horse for the Derby. When- al) the bets have been collected the cocks are faced. Should one show the white feather and run

away without being injured, which does not. however, often occur, he is declared beaten, and a new antagonist brought to face the victor. This time the combatants are probably more equally matched, and the excitement of the reek'ng crowd of Tagals and Chinamen increases. The cocks fly at one another, meeting breast to breast, their uplifted claws directing the points of the spurs at the adversary, agailf and again endeavouring to strike a fatal blow, chance generally determining the victory according to the vulnerability of the part penetrated by the blade. At last one of the cocks reels, falls, and expires, and the victor executes a triumphant dance over the bleeding corpse of his vanquished foe. — L. M. J. GARNETT, in the Field.