FIELD SPORTS OF NORTHERN LUZON 



9 : %» 



A BONTOC IGOROT BOY WHO HAS BEEN BURROWING FOR COINS IN A DISH OF FLOUR 



(see page 239) 



gets it has it. There are four contest- 

 ants. At the start one of them tips his 

 barrow over and two others turn com- 

 pletely around. The fourth, through 

 extraordinary skill or great good fortune, 

 makes a straight run from the starting 

 point to the stake, snatches the blanket, 

 and disappears without once looking 

 back. He is taking no chance of losing 

 the prize ! 



THE GREASED- POEE CONTEST 



Now comes the time-honored greased- 

 pole climbing contest. In this case the 

 "pole" is a bamboo, planted firmly in the 



ground and held in place with rattan 

 guy-ropes. From a stick thrust into the 

 top of the bamboo hangs a bag of coin. 

 The wild man can climb like a monkey, 

 and he hails this opportunity with de- 

 light, but there is a surprise in store for 

 him. Bamboo in its natural state is 

 smooth enough, but when it is thoroughly 

 greased no living man can climb it. 

 However, each new contestant wipes a 

 little more of the grease off and goes a 

 bit higher than his predecessor. Some 

 climb with legs twisted around the bam- 

 boo ; others use only their hands and 

 feet. 



