THE BUFFALO. 



35 



Cliinese cemetery just outside the city, where, as the 

 land was level, the earth had been thrown up into 

 mounds to keep the bones of their inmates from 

 " the wet unfortunate places," just as in China, when 

 far from any motmtain or hill. A Malay servant 

 followed, carrying my ammunition and collecting- 

 boxes. At fiiBt I supposed he would have many 

 superstitious objections to wandering to and fro 

 with me over the relics of the Celestials^ but, to my 

 surprise, I found his people cultivating the spaces 

 between the graves, as if they, at least, did not con- 

 sider it sacred soil ; yet, several times, when we 

 came to the graves of his own ancestors, he was care- 

 ful to approach with every manifestation of awe and 

 respect. 



A small piece of land, a bamboo hut, and a buf- 

 falo, comprise all the worldly possessions of most 

 eoobes, and yet ^vith these they always seem most 

 enviably contented. 



They generally use but a single bufialo in their 

 ploughs and carts. A string passing through his 

 nostrils is tied to his horns, and to this is attached 

 another for a rein, by which he is guided or urged 

 to hasten on his slow motions. This iiseful animal 

 is distributed over all the large islands of the archi- 

 pelago, including the Philippines, over India autl 

 Ceylon ; and during the middle ages was intro- 

 duced into Egypt, Greece, and Italy. It thrives 

 well only in warm climates. From its peculiar 

 habit of wallowing in pools and mires, and buiy- 

 iug itself xmtil only its nose and eyes can be 

 seen, it has been named the "water -ox." This 



