THE DOMESTICATED BUFFALO. 605 



them, especially among reedy waters, or at the edges of jungles, before 

 it is perceived. In this no danger exists ; the buffaloes are perfectly 

 passive, and easily avoid being run down, so the vessel runs no danger." 

 The Kerabau is a variety of buffalo found in Ceylon, Borneo, Suma- 

 tra, Java, and the Philippine Islands. Its horns attain a monstrous size, 

 the body is nearly devoid of hair, but a tuft springs out between the 

 horns. The Kerabaus that are found wild are not to be considered as 

 wild cattle ; properly speaking, they are domesticated cattle that have 

 run wild. They are, however, dangerous to meet, especially for Euro- 

 pean travelers. Even the tame ones, which are docile enough to a 

 native, evidently dislike a European. 



THE DOMESTICATED BUFFALO. 



The BUFFALO, Bubalus vulgaris, is found in Egypt and in Italy. It 

 was introduced into the former country by the Mohammedan con- 

 querors, and first appeared in the latter in the reign of the Lombard 

 prince, Agilulf. It prefers warm and marshy districts ; it thrives in the 

 Delta of the Nile, in the poisonous Campagna of Rome, in the marsh 

 lands of Apulia and Calabria, and in the Maremma of Tuscany. In the 

 Italian fens it is the only representative ot the family, as all others 

 quickly perish ; in Lower Egypt it is the domestic animal from which 

 milk and butter is procured. Every Egyptian village has a pond for it 

 to wallow in. It is less often seen in the fields than in water, where it 

 lies or stands with only its head and part of the back visible. The period 

 of inundation, when the Nile overflows, is to the Buffalo a time of enjoy- 

 ment. It swims from olace to place, cropping the grass on the dykes, 

 and eating the long reed-grasses ; large herds of them are seen playing 

 with each other in the water ; and they return home only when the cows 

 want to be milked. It is a pretty sight to see a herd of these creatures 

 crossing the swollen stream, and bearing on their backs women and 

 children. The swimming powers of the Buffalo are wonderful. They 

 act as if water were their natural element ; they sport together, dive, roll, 

 and drift at pleasure. They pass at least eight hours a day in the water, 

 and become unruly and disquieted if they cannot reach it. If long 

 deprived of it, they gallop furiously as soon as a stream or swamp comes 

 in sight, in order to plunge into it. Many accidents result, for the 

 animals drag into the flood the wagons to which they are yoked. The 



