A GLANCE AT MINAHASSA. 
831 
negated skin, are met willi of unusual size and in great numbers. 
Wild cows are also found here, principally in the higher parts of the 
mountains, but they bear little resemblance to the so called banting 
on Java, are below the middling size, but possess notwithstanding an 
incredible strength. The B&bi Rusa or deer hog is also found in 
abundance in the forests. Wild hogs, a great number of kinds of 
pigeons and other beautifully feathered birds, but no deer, peacocks 
&c., which render the forests of Java so attractive to the lovers of 
sport, are found here. 
The buffaloe or karbou, the faithful fellow labourer of the Javan, 
does not exist here, and although an endeavour was formerly made 
to transplant it from Gorontalo, every attempt failed. The Alfdr 
is afraid of the buffaloe, and does not know how to manage him, 
and this possibly is the reason of the want of success; it would, how¬ 
ever, be worthy of the trouble to make fresh efforts to introduce 
this useful animal. Cattle are here in reasonable quantity, and the 
breeding of them is carried on to an immense extent. 8heep are 
in less numbers than goats, while the horse studs are extended dai¬ 
ly more and more. Horses and mares are constantly brought from 
Gorontalo* and are sold in the high countries for 35 to 40 guilders, 
that is those of inferior breed; those which are well made and of a 
good size cost 100 guilders and more. The writer has seen horses 
brought from Gorontalo run up as high as 200 guilders, and con¬ 
sidering that they entail no expence on the inhabitants, it may be 
predicted that Meri&do will very soon be fully provided with horses, 
which will greatly assist the population in the export of produce. Hogs 
are amongst the chief breeds of the Alfurs. Their price is moderate 
and in some places cheap. Poultry, as fowls, ducks, geese, although 
not abundant, may yet be had at moderate prices. The annual mor¬ 
tality amongst the poultry occasions much scarcity, because it hap¬ 
pens frequently that you loose all your poultry in two or three days, 
and sometimes even in one night. The old inhabitants say that in 
former times sea fish of different species abounded, and were pro¬ 
curable at moderate prices. For some yerrs the take has remarka¬ 
bly decreased. They say the reason is that from the multiplied fish¬ 
ings by the pukat or soma (dragnet) the fishes have been rendered 
shy, and now frequent those places along the coast where they are not 
* That the horses are not aboriginal here, appears sufficiently from the 
Portuguese name which has been given to them viz., Cawalo, or cawayo. 
The Alfurs have no name for them in their own language. 
